The Cake & Pie Contests are back at the Union County Heritage Festival—Friday, October 3rd! This sweet tradition is serving up $500 in prize money for the best bakers in Union County.

Prizes:

Grand Champion (Cake & Pie): $100 each

1st Place in Each Category: $50 each

Cake Categories: Layered • Sheet • Bundt
Pie Categories: Fruit • Cream • Nut/Other

Entry Drop-Off: Thursday, Oct. 2 | 4–5 PM and Friday, Oct. 3 | 8–11 AM at the Union County Extension Office

Judging begins Friday, Oct. 3 at 12:30 PM.

Contest and Show Entry Dates

Tues, Sept. 30- Deliver art to Snodderly House 1:00-3:00
Register tractor with Carl Chesney

Thurs, Oct 2- Deliver quilts to Museum 1:30 – 6:00
Drop off cakes and pies at UC Extension (4H) 4:00-5:00
Drop off Ag Exhibits at UC Extension (4H) 8:00-5:00
Art Show Reception & Awards at Snodderly House 5:00-7:00

Fri, Oct 3- Drop off cakes and pies at UC Extension (4H) 8:00-11:00
Drop off Ag Exhibits at UC Extension (4H)

Most inanimate objects get no attention after their use has expired, but the object that I am writing about deserves a place in Union County notoriety and history. This object has brought so much pleasure to three decades of Union County natives as well as the many, many visitors to the County. This object was produced from 1935 until 1992 by its founder, born in Canada and moving to the USA. The 600,000 sq. ft. factory was located at 800 North Kedzie Avenue, Chicago IL in 1934. The Chicago factory has since been demolished. The plant eventually was relocated to Torrence, California. The object written about here was built in 1952 and designated Model 1434. It was designed to ...

Union County was well represented at the Region 4-H Grill Masters Challenge Competition on September 16th, 2025. We are so proud of all our youth who competed and showcased their grilling skills!

Junior Individual Placings

Beef – Jaxson Moore – 6th Place
Beef – Asher Firkin – 9th Place
Lamb – Coral Davis – 3rd Place
Pork – Aspen Davis – 2nd Place
Poultry – Caleb Miller – 5th Place
Poultry – Caleb Firkin – 8th Place

Junior Team – 3rd Overall

(Aspen Davis, Coral Davis, Jaxson Moore, Caleb Miller)

Union County was well represented at the Eastern Region 4-H Goat Show held during the Tennessee Valley Fair on September 14th. Local 4-H members showcased their skills and dedication by placing high in their respective classes, excelling in showmanship, and performing strongly in the skill-a-thon competition.

The event highlighted not only the hard work of the youth but also their sportsmanship and commitment to excellence. Each participant demonstrated the knowledge and responsibility gained through their 4-H project work, making Union County proud.

So on October 4, 2025, the Union County Heritage Festival is giving a nod to our agricultural heritage with the theme, “Plowing the fields”. Let's hop on Carl's tractor and tour Wilson Park. At the entrance, take a selfie with Smokey and drill into a log to guess its age. Inspect the Antique cars and pick up a copy of Historic Union County Newspaper. Inside HUC is the program map to guide our tour.

Our memories of growing up on a farm shape our minds and our bodies to tackle life's struggles. But these farm memories also allow us moments of sheer joy. So it is with the memories that Betty Bullen recalls regarding the 2025 Heritage Festival Collectible Print, “Following the Plow”. In Betty's own words, she describes this vividly fond memory: “ I grew up in Union County and lived here all of my young life.

I, like many others, have been profoundly affected and deeply shaken by the tragic loss of Charlie Kirk. He was a man who used his platform to express his beliefs and his unwavering passion, leaving a significant mark on the world. Now that he is gone, it is clear that he indeed made an impact. One of the recurring thoughts in the past few weeks has been that death is not just the end of a life, but also a moment to reveal a legacy. Many people around the world are taking this time to reflect and ask themselves: What will we be remembered for when our time comes?

To survive, animals have instinctive reactions to the weather, migrating birds being just one example. By knowing how game animals react in differing weather conditions can up a hunter’s chance of a successful kill.

Deer depend heavily on scent to protect themselves from predators. They usually respond to a strange scent by bugging out before hunters get close. Deer move into the wind to better pick up scents. To take advantage of this, a hunter must move and stay downwind of his prey. This can be determined by the old wet finger trick.

I never knew I had an Uncle Amos until I was eight years old.
Amos Mincey lived in what is now known as Black Fox Hollow (formerly known as the Thomas Holler). He was my father’s half-brother, one of six children born to my grandfather James Lafayette (“Pa”) Mincey and his first wife (I believe her name was Bessie Thomas).