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10/04/2022 03:55 PMThe Dudley Farm Museum and Foundation is preparing for their annual Harvest Day on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. According to the organizers, this free event will feature demonstrations of traditional farming practices and activities for all ages, as well as hosting Saturday’s regularly held farmers market.
Museum Director Beth Payne said Harvest Day is way for the Museum to thank the public for their support and to provide residents a glimpse of Guilford’s centuries-old agricultural traditions and history.
Payne said this year’s event will have all of the fun and activities that patrons have come to expect during Harvest Day, including demonstrations of wool spinning, sauerkraut making, bobbin lace making, and other activities typical of a 19th century New England farm.
“There will be a number of activities for the whole family, bobbin lace demonstration, the blacksmith shop will be open. The Wettemann family does a sauerkraut-making demonstration, and that is always a fun activity,” said Payne. “In the late 19th century, there was an influx of German immigration to America, including in this area, and they brought that tradition of sauerkraut-making with them, so this is another way to celebrate that heritage.”
Attendees can visit the farm’s chickens and visiting donkeys, participate in old-fashioned chores like laundry, and even have their face painted. Opportunities to take your picture will be include sitting on our vintage red tractor or becoming the face of American Gothic.
Payne encouraged residents to enjoy the grounds of their 10-plus acre property and tour the Dudley Farm Museum’s 1845 farmhouse and their recently constructed Quinnipiac Dawnland Museum, which provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the Native American and indigenous peoples own history of farming and agriculture.
“There will be kids’ games and a great variety of activities for the whole family. We’ve held the event for more than 20 years, and we are so excited for this year’s event. Everyone is invited to come down and join in the fun,” said Payne.
According to Payne, the centerpiece of this event will be the Museum’s new Granary Exhibit located in the Big Barn. Visitors can learn how this “pantry” for the farm animals fed the Dudley Farm animals of 1900.
“Our granary will have a new exhibit in it, that we have just completed with a grant from Connecticut Humanities, and the installation will occur the week before the Festival and it will demonstrate what a granary is and how it functioned in the nineteenth century. People refer to the granary as the food pantry for the animals,” Payne said. “The Dudleys had chickens, horses, cows, and pigs, and had to feed all of these animals across the seasons. The exhibit demonstrates how difficult life could be for farmers in many ways.”
In its archives the museum holds numerous documents including an essay from 1897 by Nathan Dudley written when he was 16, recounting how a typical day for a Guilford farmer enfolded during that era. According to Payne, Nathan was the father of the last Dudley who lived in this house. Nathan’s essay earned him an “A” and relates just a few of the challenges involved in an “average” day of work on the farm, Payne said.
“We do not consider 4 o’clock too early in the morning to begin the “chores” — milk and turn the cows to pasture, feed and curry the horses. There is always some odd job left over from the day before that can easily be done before breakfast about 6 o’clock…As we work we are not surprised to scare out snakes and turtles of different kinds. Frequently, a howl is heard from some unlucky person whose scythe or boot has demolished a hornet’s nest and is now the subject of a vigorous attack by the enraged insects.”
Payne said the event is a great way to celebrate the agricultural heritage of Guilford and have a great day of family fun.
“What we are trying to do is to provide a thank you to the community for the support they have given us over the years, particularly in this post COVID era,” said Payne. “We also hope it will bring folks back to see the new exhibits. Guilford has been known as an agricultural community since 1639, and it’s important to reflect that not all food has been cellophane wrapped, found in the grocery aisle, or put in a can. People had to work hard, not only to put food on the table for their families, but also to feed their animals. So, this is a reminder of where our food comes from. People need to know what it takes to be a farmer. Farming is really a very noble profession. 98 percent of farms in America are owned by individuals, not big corporations, so agriculture and Guilford’s place in that is still important today. North Guilford was actually established as the agricultural piece to Guilford, so residents should come and celebrate. No farms, no food.”
Patrons are also encouraged to take a tour of the 1844 Farmhouse during regular Museum hours, June through October from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
The Annual Harvest Day will be held Saturday, Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Dudley Farm Museum, a 50a(c)3, is located on the north-east corner of Rte. 80 and Rte. 77 in Guilford. While there is no fee for attending, a non-perishable item for the Guilford Food Bank is requested.
For more information, visit dudleyfarm.com or facebook.com/dudleyfarmmuseum, email info@dudleyfarm.com, or call 203-457-0770.