George Billard of Highland seems to be one of those rare individuals that is talented in several different arts. He is principally a filmmaker, but also photographer, producer, and writer who has worked in over fifty countries. He currently is working on several documentaries including one about an amateur MMA fighter, and another exposes the brutality in one of Louisiana’s most notorious prisons. 

I know George as one of the founding members of the Barryville Farmers Market, which was launched about seven years ago. The market gave local family farms a valuable boost by allowing them to sell directly to the public and increase their income. About a year after it opened, the COVID pandemic hit and much of the world shut down. As grocery store shelves began to empty, George came up with the idea of an online ordering system that let customers purchase farm products through the market’s website and pick them up safely at a drive-through location. He named the effort the Victory Garden Project, and it proved hugely successful, serving more than 200 customers each week while providing essential income for local farmers. Inspired by the WWII Victory Gardens, which helped Americans cope with food shortages and rationing, the program was a lifeline for both the farmers and the market.

On June 13^th Hall Space and Gallery located at 550 State Route 55 in Eldred will be hosting an exhibit of photographs of George Billard taken during his extensive international travels. According to his bio, “Cameras have been my passport around the world, and I have followed my nose off the beaten path. The show reflects my curiosity about people and places, many of them inaccessible to most.” The photographs were taken in Cambodia, Turkey, Indonesia, Mongolia India, Poland, Vietnam, Pakistan, Guatemala, Iran, and New York City. The opening reception will be held next Saturday, June 13^th from 4-7pm and the exhibit will run through Sunday July 5^th. For additional information go to HALLSPACENY.com 

I must say nothing makes me happier than when summertime weather finally arrives and our local churches, fire departments and organizations start to hold their great dinners and BBQ fundraising events. I always support these dinners and events not because I’m some sterling person but because it’s an opportunity for some fabulous homecooked food! Last week I got a call from Mohican Lake Rod and Gun Club member, Judy Flieger, reminding me about the Club’s 5^th Annual Pulled Pork Dinner event. 

The dinner includes slow cooked tender smoked pork with tangy BBQ sauce and homemade Carolina sauce on the side, coleslaw, baked beans, and freshly baked dessert and its beyond delicious. You may be wondering what the heck Carolina sauce is? It’s a thin vinegar forward sauce that offers a sharp, tangy, and subtle spicey flavor as opposed to the sweet thick ketchup sauces found in other regions of eastern North Carolina and it is considered a dipping sauce. The dinner is take-out only and the drive-through pick-up is held at the Club’s location at 281 Leers Road in Glen Spey. The dinner will be held on Saturday, June 13th and the pick-up hours are 4-6:00pm. Tickets are $12.00 and can be purchase by calling 845-701-3578 or by messaging Mohican Lake Rod and Gun Club on Facebook. Better hurry and get tickets as this event always sells out!