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News from Garfield Farm |
Children ages eight to eleven years old will have a
chance to discover what life was like in the 1840s at Garfield Farm
during two three-day camps this summer. The first session runs from
Tuesday, July 5th thru Thursday, July 7th and the second runs from
Tuesday, August 2nd thru Thursday, August 4th. Both sessions start at 9
am and end at noon each day.
In the mid 1800s, most Americans lived on farms and
everyone was needed to help with the daily chores and farm operations.
Children were considered a valuable source of labor and would be
expected to help out whenever needed. Farming was hard work and
families had to make do without many of the simple things that we take
for granted today, like electricity and running water.
During the camps, children will experience farm life
through guided tours of the museum’s historic barns and 1846
brick inn. They will begin each day by helping to feed the
museum’s farm animals. These include rare heritage breeds of
chickens, turkeys, geese, sheep, hogs, and oxen.
The children will also take part in hands-on
activities and witness demonstrations of everyday activities from the
mid 19th century. Possible activities include; blacksmithing, butter
churning, candle dipping, carding wool, contra dancing, cooking
demonstrations, corn shelling, cutting hay, flailing wheat, vegetable
gardening, gathering eggs, old fashioned games, ox driving, scrubbing
laundry, shelling beans, soap making, and spinning wool.
Camp registrations must be made in advance. For
registration information, contact the museum at (630) 584-8485 or
info@garfieldfarm.org. The cost is $75 per session. Profits from the
camp will go to further the museum’s educational programming.
Garfield Farm Museum is a 370 acre historically
intact former 1840s prairie farmstead and teamster inn that volunteers
and donors are preserving as an 1840s living history museum. The museum
is located 5 miles west of Geneva, Illinois off ILL Route 38 on
Garfield Road.