While many fairgrounds operate only a few months a year and depend on volunteers, the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds outside Saline is unique among the approximately 80 fairgrounds across the state for its continuous schedule.

That means you can check out antique auctions, 4-H fairs, gun shows, train shows and more nearly every week of the year.

Indeed, for the last 56 years, the Farm Council Grounds has hosted a range of events. These days, the 38-acre fairgrounds in Lodi Township is home to about 250 events and activities a year. Two full-time and two part-time employees help maintain the grounds.

And it's Stan Poet's job to help make it all run smoothly.

“The record is eight different activities in one day,” said Poet, who for the last 25 years has been the Farm Council Grounds’ manager. Before that, he sat on the 10-member Farm Council Grounds’ nonprofit board of directors, as did assistant manager Lynn Rich.

When there are multiple activities, Poet said, he tries to make sure they're compatible so all the events play off each other.

About 250,000 people attend events at the Farm Council Grounds each year, said Rich, a former Dexter 4-H leader.

There are activities for school children, meeting spaces for community groups, company parties, weddings, receptions, anniversaries and township elections, to name a few.

In fact, the Farm Council Grounds is the home of the Saline Community Fair, which used to be held at Union School, Poet said. The fair moved to the Farm Council Grounds for a year, returned to Union School the following year, came back to the Farm Council Grounds in 1961, and has been a late-summer fixture at the facility since then.

This year, the fair will be held a week earlier, running from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.

Each year, new events and activities are added, such as this year’s School for Construction Equipment, which gives people hands-on experience with heavy equipment through the Associated Construction School, Poet said. There are tractor pulls and peddle pushers, rodeos and remote-control car races, the summer 4-H Youth Show and Grillin’ for the Hungry, a Food Gatherers fundraiser.

“The biggest draw is the eight-times-a-year antique shows called the Ann Arbor Antiques Market,” Poet said. “A whole lot of people come here to have fun. It’s doesn’t matter what the activity is, there are people who have a passion for it.”

In fact, people arrive at the Farm Council Grounds from all over the country. Rich said he counted license plates from 40 states at one Showtime auction.

The Farm Council Grounds was organized in 1955 “to preserve the tradition of the County 4-H Youth Show,” according to information about the grounds.

The 4-H show was originally held at what’s now Veterans Park in Ann Arbor and was in danger of being eliminated, Poet said.

Enter a group of concerned residents and businesses that wanted the show to continue and “preserve the tradition of agricultural education,” Rich said, and they got together and bought the original 20 acres of property. Since then, another 18 acres have been added and there is a $250,000 yearly operating budget.

In 1957, the first buildings were completed and the Washtenaw County 4-H Show moved to the Farm Council Grounds.

In fact, while other groups and businesses pay between $400 and $900 per day to rent one of the seven buildings, which range in size from 3,400 square feet to 11,500 square feet, all 4-H activities held on the property are free.

Archery and parking take place on the 17 acres outside the fenced area, while bike shows, horse shows, lamb sales and rain barrel sales take place inside the 17-acre fenced area.

Home builders, remodelers, garden enthusiasts, inventors, hogs, steer, rabbits, dogs, llama, sheep, guinea pigs, horses, even an Indian artifacts show can all be found at some point at property, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road.

“I’ve met so many really nice people,” Poet said of his time at the grounds. “It’s watching things being a success and people walk out happy because they’ve had a good time or a good show. It makes me feel good.” Lisa Allmendinger is a reporter with AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Saline stories, visit our Saline page.