Strawberry Festival held at Ganges Community Church

GANGES — While strawberry season runs between May 20th thru June 25th, on Friday the Ganges Community Church served as the hub for Ganges and surrounding areas.

“People come from Shelby, Mansfield, Plymouth, Shiloh, Olivesburg, and Shenandoah come for the one day event,” says Reverend Jim Marshall, whose church is located at 5493 Ganges Five Points Road,

Located in the center of the town, his church serves as the meeting place with a luncheon on every first Thursday of the month.

Earlier in the Spring it became an emergency response center with the congregation providing over forty large cases of water in the aftermath of the Palm Sunday tornado.

Reverend Marshall believes the Strawberry Festival builds a sense of community and culture, but has concern for the future generation.

“In my opinion, the sense of community and relationship is diminishing and in peril with the younger generation. As the elders, it is our responsibility to continue teaching tomorrow’s leaders on what community looks like. If we neglect to do so, people will not trust each other and societal breakdown ensues.”

Marshall explained the original intent of the festival.

“It is a practical way for our Church to celebrate the harvest of strawberries we have been given, to bring our community together, and to share the love that has been shared with us through Christ our LORD.”

North Central Ohio is known for its harvest of strawberries.

In 2012, nearby Ashland County had thirty-one strawberry farmers that grew at least forty-five acres of strawberries; the most in the state. That is six more farmers than the adjacent Wayne County, which harvested the second-most strawberries of any county in Ohio.

“A great number of people I have spoken to always comment on how great the cooking (strawberry shortcake) is and they always look forward to coming every year,” comments Marshall.