As the COVID pandemic created food insecurity in their community, Howell Living History Farm in Titusville, New Jersey, changed their operations from educational demonstrations to growing food for their community.
Sharing the Granary
Category: Farm Museum
Colonial Cooking: When THEY Won’t Let You Use the Hearth
Excerpt of an article written by Clarissa F. Dillon, 2003, Past Masters in Early American Domestic Arts, Haverford, Pennsylvania. ALHFAM members can access the full text of this article and thousands more though the A.S.K. database. Not a member? Join today! There are many reasons why some colonial cooks are faced with sites that won't… Continue reading Colonial Cooking: When THEY Won’t Let You Use the Hearth
The Honorable Harvest
Submitted by Joel Johnson When I moved to the Pacific Northwest and began work as an agricultural interpreter at Fort Nisqually, about eighteen months ago, I was eager to learn about the region’s history of indigenous agriculture. I grew up in Tucson, AZ, where recent excavations have uncovered 4,100 years of continuous agriculture near the… Continue reading The Honorable Harvest
The Myth of Our Organic Past
By Jochen Welsch, Old Sturbridge Village Visitors to Old Sturbridge Village routinely ask if, and usually assume, that early nineteenth-century farmers were "organic." Most look perplexed when we answer that no, early nineteenth-century farmers were not organic. The public assumes that agricultural history and organic farming go hand in hand. This reveals a basic misunderstanding… Continue reading The Myth of Our Organic Past
Philosophy in Raising and Butchering Livestock
By Barbara Corson, Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Most people feel some discomfort when confronted with the idea of killing an animal that they know as an individual. There are different ways of dealing with the discomfort, including trying not to think about it and buying the meat once it is not recognizable as… Continue reading Philosophy in Raising and Butchering Livestock
The Threshing Crew
Today's guest blogger is Ross Gould who contributed a post about the walking plough in September. Thanks Ross for sharing your stories! As an eleven year volunteer at Heritage Park in Calgary, and a farmer for 18 years in an earlier life, my favourite venue to interpret is the farm machinery shed. There are many stories that can… Continue reading The Threshing Crew
The Future of Living History
Although I work at a “big box” Museum & Science Center, I try to stay active in the world of living history. As a volunteer interpreter and reenactor, I’ve heard many friends worry aloud about the future of the hobby and the profession. They see that fewer young men and women are joining reenacting units… Continue reading The Future of Living History
The Walking Plow
Today's guest entry was submitted by Ross Gould who has volunteered at Heritage Park in Calgary, Alberta for the past eight years. Staff at the Park recently directed Ross to the ALHFAM website. Intrigued by the request for blog material, he reached out to share the following story. As a senior interpreter, now 86, at Heritage… Continue reading The Walking Plow
Walking the Talk
by James Macklen Living history museums are great places to visit to see different lifestyles. We need to show our support as we are able. One of the best ways to show support is to incorporate some of the newly-discovered practices in our homes. That’s what I do on my farm, and antique equipment is… Continue reading Walking the Talk
Livestock Care in Museums
Recently a dedicated group of ALHFAM members, primarily from the Farm Professional Interest Group, took the time to develop and/or revise three documents relating to the use of livestock in museum settings. They are: Position statement on the Use of Livestock in Museum Settings (2016) Adopted by the board in 2016, this document clarifies ALHFAM's official… Continue reading Livestock Care in Museums
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