The Bartholomew County Historical Society will do what it does best Saturday — turn back time.
And it’s inviting the public along for the ride back to an era of family members working side by side.
That’s the idea behind the circa 1900 free and new all-ages activity Family Fun on the Farm from 9 a.m. to noon, weather permitting, at the Henry Breeding Farm, 13730 N. County Road 100W near Edinburgh. A gathering with 100 people registered last month was rained out. Saturday’s event has 75 people registered, and organizers are encouraging others to register beforehand by calling 812-372-3541.
“For a first-year event, we’re pretty pleased with that (number),” said Diane Robbins, the historical society’s executive director.
This activity, funded by a $5,000 grant from Landmark Farm Foundation Inc., is similar to the society’s former Spring on the Farm gatherings for local students. Those events were such a hit that students regularly mentioned that the excursions to the farm were their favorite school field trip “because of all the hands-on learning,” according to Robbins.
“This shares with people some things that are a lost art, and details about how things were made years ago,” Robbins said. “Back then, if families needed something, they didn’t just get up and go the store. … They obviously couldn’t just Google how to make a nail.”
The event will include homemade ice cream; corn shelling; butter making; candle making; story time; master gardener program; pewter pouring; blacksmithing; Reeves steam engines; corn shelling and more.
Robbins mentioned that attendees will get a good view of how families more than a century ago had to learn to work as a unit “with a lot of hard work day in and day out” just so they could eat sufficiently.
“Everyone in the family had a specific role,” she said.
