Summer Highlights Demos

Demonstration of rush seat weaving and explanation/illustration of other various materials and techniques of woven seats. Date: Tuesday July 1st Time: 10:00am – 3:30pm Fee: Included with tour admission

For centuries spinning and weaving was a necessary activity for every family member. Preparation of the fiber, the spinning of thread or yarn and weaving of cloth were essential skills for the housewife. In early America much of a woman’s time was spent on this labor-intensive task. We will be demonstrating the spinning of wool […]

Celebrate Fourth of July with homemade ice cream on the farm! Learn how ice cream would have been made on a rural from in the 1890s. It only takes a little hand cranking to get a sweet treat. Date: Friday, July 4th Time: 10:00am – 3:30pm Fee: Included with tour admission

For centuries, the bake oven was the heart of the homestead kitchen, providing families with fresh bread and baked goods on a weekly basis. From preparing the fire to testing the heat, baking in a traditional wood-fired oven was both an art and a science. Join us as we demonstrate how early American families used […]

Farmer’s Cheese is a dairy product, an unripened cheese made by adding rennet and bacterial starter to coagulate and acidify milk. Farmer cheese may be made from the milk of cows, sheep or goats, with each giving its own texture and flavor. During coagulation the mixture separates into curds (solid) and whey (liquid), then the […]

For centuries, the bake oven was the heart of the homestead kitchen, providing families with fresh bread and baked goods on a weekly basis. From preparing the fire to testing the heat, baking in a traditional wood-fired oven was both an art and a science. Join us as we demonstrate how early American families used […]

Step into the year 1893 and meet Mrs. Emma Marsh Depper, who has spent the past five years building a life with her husband, Horace Depper—the fifth generation of the Depper family to inherit the Quiet Valley farm. In this engaging first-person interpretation, Emma welcomes guests into her home as neighbors, sharing what it’s like […]

For centuries, the bake oven was the heart of the homestead kitchen, providing families with fresh bread and baked goods on a weekly basis. From preparing the fire to testing the heat, baking in a traditional wood-fired oven was both an art and a science. Join us as we demonstrate how early American families used […]

Come to the farm and learn about the multitude of natural fibers such as cotton, silk, etc. that are available for everything from spinning yarn for clothing to the even finer skills involved in creating fiber arts. Many different fiber artists will display their talents. Spinning, weaving, embroidery, bobbin lace, tatting, hand sewing, knitting, & […]

For centuries, the bake oven was the heart of the homestead kitchen, providing families with fresh bread and baked goods on a weekly basis. From preparing the fire to testing the heat, baking in a traditional wood-fired oven was both an art and a science. Join us as we demonstrate how early American families used […]

Sauerkraut was an important staple in the early Pennsylvania German diet and a source of vital nutrients. See a special demonstration on sauerkraut preparation. Date: Thursday, July 31st Time: 10:00 am – 3:30 pm Fee: Included with tour admission

Watch the sparks fly during this blacksmithing highlight and learn how iron tools were made on a 19th-century farm. The blacksmith was a vital tradesperson, crafting and repairing everything from hinges and hooks to plow parts and nails. Discover how a coal forge, anvil, and hammer were used to shape red-hot iron into useful items. […]