The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Center receives Berea Art and Culture grant

Hemphill


Check out our websites: www.blacksheepbrickoven.org and www.hemphillcenter.org and our Facebook pages please!

Our little moneymaking venture at Neon Days was a success. Our posted slogan made folks laugh. “If your mama could cook like this you’d know who your daddy was.” We sold lots of pastries and bread. Our main products were smoked beef sausages on a housemade San Francisco sourdough bun with all the trimmings and hot wings with housemade buffalo sauce, celery sticks, and housemade Ranch dressing.

We all worked hard and had a great time. It is our hope that the event was not a superspreader of the variant. We can hope!

We have been notified that we have been awarded the Berea Appalachian Fund Art and Culture Grant. We are ecstatic. We are looking so forward to furthering these legacies of our community. The music and ghost tales are and have always been a Hemphill thing. We will be posting details about “The Haunted Holler Slam” which will probably take place in late December or early spring 2022. It may have to be virtual we are watching the COVID situation. Our focus is bluegrass music and ghost tales. More on this later…

We currently are fearsome to hold a large gathering inside as we continue to watch the COVID numbers rise in our region. Bear with us as we try to walk in wisdom and caution in these frightening times.

Our excitement is building as we get ready for the launch of a brand-new podcast. Mandy Fleming will be directing this endeavor. We have been awarded a grant by Appalshop to get the podcast equipment and they kindly tacked on extra money for a consultant to help us get it rolling. Nicole Musgrave will be the consultant and support person. We are thankful for their expertise. We have the equipment and have had two days of training so far. We have two more days of training next week.

More information is forthcoming…

The coalminer’s mural is in progress. Lacy Hale and her brother Seth are working hard on it and we are so excited. It is coming right along, and it is already beautiful even though it is nowhere near being ready to be installed. It is being painted on panels that will be hung on the building in the coming weeks. More on that soon too.

The Hemphill Vendor’s Market: The pavilion provides us with a place for outside marketing of goods made or grown in our community on Saturday mornings. If you see folks out there peddling their wares stop and check it out. Vendors are welcome every week. Please feel free to schedule outside events when you need to. We ask the scheduling to omit Saturdays from 8 a.m. -1 p.m. as we want to encourage a neighborhood marketplace for cottage industry and entrepreneurial pursuits. We have a vision to boost the economy through tourism and cottage industry. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. each Saturday. Spots are first come, first served under the pavilion. Pop-up tents and all vendors are welcome. Produce, potted plants and herbs, art and cottage crafts, antiques, treasures, and more are possible sale items. Setup is free. Come buy, sale, or swap. Folks are also welcome to set up any Saturday morning yearround. Social distancing is possible, and we are not presently requiring masks. Hopefully you will add us to your list of stops on Saturday mornings since the bakery is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Disclaimer: Food items produced by Black Sheep Bakery will only be available inside the bakery as it will be open. Black Sheep Bakery is not responsible for food items sold on the grounds.

The community dream is being realized a bit at a time and sometimes it’s like a snail it moves so very slowly. The biggest hinderance is always money. We are always on the lookout for grants we can apply for. Special note: If you have a windfall and you are looking for a tax write off, please remember us as we are granted charitable 501©3 non-profit status with the IRS.

You can rest assured every dollar is being used for the betterment of our little corner of the world. We have put every dollar we can get to work here. Our building was built in 1944 so the upkeep is always ongoing. We love this old place and count it worthy work to try to keep it looking nice for community use. A friend told us recently “This organization does so much with so little.” So… if taxes are taking your money then why not put it to work in your community. Remember us in your giving. There is a donate button on our webpage. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you in advance!

We are working all the time to make the bakery more efficient and therefore to maintain jobs for folks in the area. Hopefully we will be able to eventually be open five days per week. We currently have four part time paid positions. Soon we hope to have some fulltime positions. We are proud of the work of our employees. They are dedicated to the vision of a better community and better world. Kindness is king around here.

Come hang out with us as you can. We keep a community guitar just in case some picker drifts through who might take it down and pick us a song or two. We are maintaining a hate-free zone where all are welcome, and discussion is a great reward in midst of the hard work and long hours. Come tell us what you are thinking or play us your music. We have missed you during these long months of lockdown.

Music from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday evenings. Some of the best musicians in our area pick and sing here. Support your local musicians. The bakery pays them a little but it is not nearly enough. We hope you will come and eat your supper here on Saturdays and throw a few extra dollars in the musicians’ tip jar sitting on the old piano. Those tips are for the musicians. Your generosity with the musicians and the separate tip jar on the counter for the servers is encouraging for these folks who are always working hard to make you happy.

FYI: We have decided to move our board meeting to the second Thursday night of the month at 6 p.m.

Our bakery hours are 3:30- 8 p.m. on Thursday- Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Saturday. Pizza and calzones available from 3:30 to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Watch our Facebook posts for new offerings from the woodfired oven. To help keep everyone safe and meet their needs we are still doing carryout, curbside, and deliveries. You may come in to order and select from our products and dine in too.

Please do not try to order online. We cannot check messages if we are busy. Call (971) 867-4337 to order please. If there is no answer call back, please. We do not have call waiting. Sorry for the inconvenience.

We have partnered with Fast FUD to deliver. They will deliver your order for $7 within 15 miles of Black Sheep Bakery. If you live farther than 15 miles away don’t fret. They charge just 25 cents for each additional mile. Just call and place your order and they will pick it up and bring it to your doorstep or workplace. It’s a great service. They will wear gloves and a mask upon request and contactless delivery can be arranged by asking. We are thankful for this enterprise in the community. Kudos to Fast Fud!

On pizza days, as it takes lots of wood and time for the oven to heat up, please remember we are cooking with wood in a primitive oven. There is no temperature control dial so we cannot turn it up or down. We are cooking the ancient way. We are subject to Mother Nature’s whims.

Of potential importance for families: You can bring the children to enjoy outdoor play. We ask that a responsible adult accompany the children and see to them. Wi-Fi is available seven days per week. You are welcome!

“Because all our children are above average” ~Garrison Keillor

Lost Lamb Productions: There is a space that has been made to market craft items inside on consignment. If you are interested in marketing your art with us, please let us know. Four vendors have brought their wares so far. Our four vendors are making sales and making some money. When you visit us you can check it out.

If you are interested in T-shirts and aprons, check out our merchandise page website above. You can purchase online or at the bakery.

Check out our menu on Facebook. Don’t forget if you want to ensure you get what you need, please call and place an order with us by Monday evening the week you need it. That way, we will have a heads up and can plan our week for maximum efficiency to make your request. We want our products to be fresh, so we do not make things days ahead. We do not use preservatives therefore we cannot make things much ahead. Our GMOfree products are made by hand the ancient way. Our breads and pastries take all day to make. Many of them are made from fermentation methods that take 24 hours or more. We make our foods from scratch.

Weekly Quote: Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, selfabuse, and regret.-Don Miguel Ruiz

Events:

Mountain Saturday Night: Weekly music event on Saturdays from 6-8 p.m.

Community Meeting: Second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Zoom link available upon request.

Shape Note Singing: The fourth Sunday of the month each month from 2-5 p.m.

Inclement weather policy: In case of cancellation of events, please check the Facebook accounts two hours before the scheduled event for postings.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:21-23

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