The Farmers' Museum® - Programs

Join The Farmers' Museum interpreters for engaging and fun workshops. All workshops are held at The Farmers' Museum and require reservations. To make a reservation or for more information, please call 888.547.1410.

Farm Family Meal (parent/child) | April 3 | 10:00am-2:00pm

Learn what it took to create a meal during the nineteenth century. Participants will cook a simple meal over the fire while learning about daily chores of parents and children during the 1840s.

Fee: $50 per family

Heritage Vegetable Gardens | April 10 | 10:00am-2:00pm

Spend the day learning about historic and current practices for planting and maintaining heritage vegetable gardens. Participants will discuss layout of gardens, cultivation and pest control, and storage of vegetables. They will also have the opportunity to build a hot frame and plant seeds and will leave with packets of heritage seeds.

Fee: $40

Farm Chores | April 12 | 8:00am-11:00am

Spend the morning with the farmers preparing the farm for a day's work: open the barns, clean stalls, feed the animals, thresh wheat, etc. Each day will bring different tasks, just as it does on any farm. A perfect morning out for a family or adults.

Fee: $50/family or $20/person

Growing a Taste of Yesterday: an Heirloom Gardening Workshop | April 17 | 10:00am-2:00pm

This hands-on workshop will focus on starting and maintaining your own supply of heirloom vegetables. Participants will have the opportunity to plant a selection of vegetable varieties for their home gardens. In addition the process for starting a hot frame and composting for your garden will also be discussed. There will also be a discussion and demonstration of propagation methods for saving your favorite vegetable varieties.

Fee: $40

Farm Chores | April 19 | 8:00am-11:00am

Fee: $50/family or $20/person

Happy Healthy Hen House | April 24 | 9:00am-1:00pm

This half-day workshop will introduce participants to techniques and information about the care and housing of chickens. Learn both about historic and contemporary methods of breed selection, nutrition, housing, management and general care for raising your own backyard flock. Come prepared to work in The Farmers’ Museum’s barnyard.

Fee: $40

Farm Chores | May 3 | 8:00am-11:00am

Fee: $50/family or $20/person

Spring Beekeeping | May 8 | 9:00am-1:00pm

*This workshop has been filled.

Are you interested in learning about the ancient art and science of beekeeping? This hands-on workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of keeping bees. We will discuss the different ways to get started as a beekeeper and prepare you for the tasks involved. You will also learn some of the history and folklore of beekeeping.

Fee: $40

In the Medicine Cabinet | May 15 | 10:00am-1:00pm

This workshop will cover growing, harvesting, and wild crafting of about fifteen herbs. In addition, instruction will be given for producing medical preparations from the various herbs. Preparations will include oils (hot and cold infused), ointments, compresses, tinctures, infusions, and decoctions.

Fee: $40

Spring Beekeeping | May 15 | 9:00am-1:00pm

Fee: $40

Udder to Butter | June 12 | 8:00am-12:00pm

Join the farm staff in a unique opportunity to participate in the process of transforming milk into butter. We will start in the barn where you will try your hand at milking the cow and end in the kitchen enjoying our freshly made butter on toast. Participants will separate cream and churn butter using historic and contemporary methods.

Fee: $40

Blacksmithing I | June 12, June 13 | 9:00am-4:00pm

This class covers the core skills of blacksmithing. Try out blacksmithing for the first time, or expand your existing skills under the supervision of our master blacksmith. Practice managing a coal fire and forging skills such as drawing out, bending, twisting, and punching. Projects include making decorative hooks, fireplace tools, nails, and hanging brackets. No previous experience is necessary.

Fee: $150, includes materials and information packet

Blacksmithing II | June 26, June 27 | 9:00am-4:00pm

This class requires students who already have core blacksmithing skills. Work with more complex forging projects. Skills practiced include hot punching, mortise and tennon joints, forge welding, and reproduction of historic ironwork. Students should have taken Blacksmithing I or have prior permission of the instructor.

Fee: $150, includes materials and information packet

Blacksmithing I | July 10, July 11 | 9:00am-4:00pm

Fee: $150, includes materials and imformation packet

Blacksmithing II | July 24, July 25 | 9:00am-4:00pm

Fee: $150, includes materials and information packet

Blacksmithing I | August 14, August 15 | 9:00am-4:00pm

Fee: $150, includes materials and information packet

Blacksmithing II | August 21, August 22 | 9:00am-4:00pm

Fee: $150, includes materials and information packet

Introduction to Draft Animals | August 28 | 9:00am-4:00pm

A great introduction to nineteenth-century farming techniques! This workshop will introduce participants to a variety of skills needed in working with draft animals. Topics covered will include harnessing and hitching a single horse, yoking a team of oxen, plowing, cultivating, and use of a stone boat. Participants will have the opportunity to drive both the horse and the team of oxen.

Fee: $40

Fall into Honey | September 4 | 9:00am-1:00pm

This workshop offers a blend of discussion and hands-on activity. Participants will learn summer and winter habits of bees as well as historical and modern methods for extracting honey. Following discussion, participants will get to try their hand at extracting honey and dipping candles, and will sample several varieties of honey.

Fee: $40

Blacksmithing I | September 11, September 12 | 9:00am-4:00pm

Fee: $150, includes materials and information packet

Letterpress Printing | October 2 | 9:00am-4:00pm

This full-day workshop will give participants the opportunity to create their own letterpress “masterpiece” by using nineteenth century type, cuts, and presses. Participants will be walked through the process of setting and locking in type, inking and printing their own copies.

Fee: $75

Blacksmithing II - Forge Welding | October 9, October 10 | 9:00am-4:00pm

This class will be an intensive study of forge welding. Participants will study and practice the multiple kinds of forge welds found in traditional blacksmithing, including welding steel to wrought iron, low carbon steel to itself, and low carbon steel to high carbon steel. Study what makes welds work and what makes them fail. If you seek to become more confident at forge welding then this is the class for you!

Fee: $150, includes materials and information packet

Blacksmithing Intensive | November 9, November 12 | 9:00am-4:00pm

This class is a four-day tutorial designed to build forging skills while working on a journeyman project similar to the ABANA “Blacksmith’s Ring” projects. Students will study elements of English ironwork and incorporate them into a project. Then they will sketch a round or square window grill incorporating those elements. Finally they will then work to create the elements and assemble the completed project. This project is for intermediate to advanced students.

Fee: $300

Fragrant Waters | November 13 | 9:00am-12:00pm

Participants will aid in the preparation of a variety of fragrant waters as well as hot sauce and discuss methods for preparing extracts.

Fee: $40

Holiday Potpourri | December 4 | 10:00am-2:00pm

Spend an afternoon at The Farm immersed in four creative activities —preparing fragrant waters; printing a Christmas card; Hand-dipping candles; and forging a hook to hang your Christmas stocking. Each participant will also create and take home a bottle of fragrant water, a Christmas card, a pair of candles, and one wrought iron hook. For lunch, sample the warm fare in the Tavern or bring your own lunch. Limited to 20 participants - children must be accompanied by an adult and be at least 10 years of age.

Fee: $60