Spring Break Field Trip

My husband really wanted to do something special with the family over Spring Break.  He had it in his mind and heart to take us all to a real working farm (1870's) called:  Morning Side Farm.


It had a one room school house, a forge, stables, gardens, and a homestead.

These girls were so funny!  They dressed up like "back then times" as my littlest kept saying.
(*smile)

A grouping of tangerine trees.  The fruit is drying on the tree...

The beautiful tree in the background is an asian fringe tree.  At least that is what the lady at the homestead told me.

These photos do not do the tree true justice.  It was beautiful!

 The boys ran off to the stables and the forge.  The blacksmith made most of the children some nails that curl to put on a string or leather cord for a necklace.

 I really want one of these stoves!  There is homemade biscuits going in the oven, black eyed peas in the small cast iron pot, and soup being started in the large cast iron pot.  I asked the lady what the pail of water was for on the floor.  She said:  "for in case of fire."  Yikes!  The whole house is made of lighter wood.  You know, kindling.  

 I love the counter top too!  Cannisters and bowels, and wooden spoons.

 My youngest girl asked if she could help clean the collards and mustard greens, so she is washing her hands with homemade lye soap.

After cleaning the greens, she and her twin sister helped the lady take them to the cow.

 This was something interesting.  It is the heart of a palmetto tree that has been rounded on the bottom.  They use it to scrub pots and pans.  I think I might have to make one of these and save some money on scrubbies!

 My oldest girl asked if she could wash the dishes!  Hah!  Never have I heard those words at my house!  I was envious.

 But she did it.  And seemingly enjoyed it.

She was just tickled to be doing this.  I wonder if her little sister is hoping to get a chance at this?

 This is the hearth.  It is decked with cast iron pots and pokers, and momma and daddy's bed to the right of it.

 Here is another corner in the home.

 A really neat thing hanging in the middle of the walk way, on two cords, a little wooden bear.  You pull each string at different intervals.  It is suppose to teach children how to milk a goat or cow.

 How about a working loom?  Very large.  It takes up a whole corner in the home.

Here is the ladder to the loft.  There is a rope bed up there for the little ones.

 The beautiful kitchen garden with the asian fringe tree in the backdrop.

 the mulched path in the middle of the garden.

 The wash room...I told the young woman; "It must hurt your hands to ring out the laundry, you need a ringer."  But she said how nice that would be, "but the ringer wasn't invented until 1890."  So this being a 1870's farm there isn't one.  You see how necessity is the mother of invention.  Sorry it took twenty more years to come to fruition.

 The collard's blooms are just aglow.

 Homemade checkers board and a match at the window.  

 Guess who won...                      Queen B.

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor."  ecclesiastes 4:9

"And a threefold cord is not quickly broken."  ecclesiastes 4:12b

 Queen B is irritated because the cow wouldn't stay around to let her pet her.

 My handsome husband. I love, love, love him.

                                       

I think we need a porch on our little home now.  Look how content he looks.  This was a great outing as a family.  We want to go back at the end of April for a "hoe down".  I guess I have some sewing to do.  Oh, and I forgot to mention that the girls did not want to leave.  They wanted to stay and live like in "Back then times."