By JOSHUA THOMAS

C-S-E Editor

ST. JOHNSVILLE — Fort Klock Historic Restoration celebrated four decades of the annual Fort Klock Craft Fair this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, during the organizations 40th anniversary event.

While there were about 90 vendors on premises, low in comparison to previous years, vendors agreed that this year was not only a good one for sales, but also for the variety of products offered.

Gerry Maring, of Gerry Maring’s Kitchen, Fort Plain, said that she sold pretty much everything she had. By mid-afternoon Sunday, her booth, which has been an annual fixture for about ten years, had only a few jars of jam and preserves left, made by her daughter-in-law Norma Maring, as all of Gerry’s homemade pies, cookies, bread and buckeyes had been purchased.

Damin Farm, of St. Johnsville, located in the same, prime corner spot at the edge (the first booth attendees saw when entering near the old school house) of the festival, did well this year, selling dill pickles, garlic dill pickles, stuffed cherry peppers with proscuitto and Romano cheese, homemade sauerkraut, jalapeno jam, pickled garlic, raw honey, indian corn, popcorn and a new item — Duncraven chocolate milk.

Owner Barb Damin was thrilled with this year’s turnout, noting that the dill pickles, as always, was one of the most purchased and buzzed about items. Of this year’s experience, she said excitedly, “people are friendly, and we’re doing really well.”

Damin Farms’ prep process for the event is an ongoing one that takes place year-round, because each item is ready in its season, and must be prepared as so. For instance, cabbage, for the homemade sauerkraut, is ready each fall. Damin noted that a commercial, stainless-steel kitchen has been installed Damin Farms, which helps her make mass quantities of products much quicker.

New vendors this year included one that sold used rubber tires that had been made into doormats, and a person selling tinware. Craft Fair Chair Cindy Sinchak said that the money raised annually is used to keep the fort going. “This is our major fundraiser for the year, so it helps pay expenses,” she said, including a site interpreter, insurance and maintenance of the building and grounds. She explained that it would be tough to cover costs without the event.

To raise money, supporting and active members donate food to be sold on Saturday. Each vendor also donates an item for raffle, and a 50/50 raffle is held. About 20 members are involved on the weekend of the event, helping to park cars, collect trash, sell food, run the auction tent, and to prepare the grounds prior to the vendors’ arrival on Friday.

Planning for next year’s event began on Sunday, with Sinchak handing out applications to present vendors. Sinchak, involved with the event’s organization for nine years, said that the most rewarding part of the event is the vendor’s satisfaction.

“We end up with a lot of happy crafters,” she said.

More images in the CSE Seen section.