Drafts and Sheep

Despite the cold and threat of snow flurries, it's always fun to walk around Landis Valley. 

They had several activities for children today including a lesson, 1892 style, in their old school house.

This black Clydesdale was really keeping his eye on that sheep!

An adorable Percheron was checking out my camera. He was interested in the noises it was making. 

Tanya the Turkey is one of my favorite Landis Valley residents. She's so ugly, she's cute!

This is inside the school house. I was never able to go in the classroom before! 

The teacher did a wonderful job telling as all about what school would have been like in the late 1800's.
The flag had a few less stars on it and The Pledge was different, no mention of God.

Wrought iron detail from one of the desks. 

They don't make 'em like they used to!

I love the rusty hinges on the gun shop door. 

Peeking in the tavern window. 

Love the Christmas cookies.

 Hanging inside, you can just make it out in the photo below, is a German style tree, hung upside down, with cookies and pretzels for decoration.

I just opened a pro Flickr account. I have an album with my favorite Landis Valley photos HERE.

Harvest Days

This weekend we went to Harvest Days at Landis Valley Museum. 

I love watching all the different breeds of work horses. Belgians, Percherons, Shires, Haflingers...

This pretty ox would make a nice painting...

All pies baked in a rustic outdoor oven. Wish I could taste one!

My daughter Zoe...

Civil War Day

Today was a day not fit for man or beast but we survived the 100+ degree temps at the Landis Valley's Civil War Day. They horses were kept in the shade until they were needed and didn't seem to be suffering. I felt so bad for the soldiers dressed in wool. Here are a few photos I was able to take. It's a bit hard when you're walking around with a 4 year old who's hot and thirsty and completely uninterested in everything that's going on around her.

 

"It is well that war is so terrible, else we should grow too fond of it."

- General Robert E. Lee

Landis Valley Farm Museum

On Sunday my father treated us to a member ship at the Landis Valley Farm Museum. This weekend they were having their Harvest Days which is my favorite time of year to go. It's nice to know that we can go to all the events there for a year for free! In the spring they have a great herb and heirloom plant/seed faire. They also have a wonderful event for children at Christmas and on Sundays in the summer I believe they have ice cream socials. Plus Zoe (and I) can learn all sorts of cool things like how they used to make lace or dip candles or how they baked bread in an outdoor oven. How to use oxen to plow fields, dying, spinning and weaving wool, what an old fashioned general store looked like. I find the whole place fascinating!

Landis Valley Museum

If you are ever visiting Lancaster County, please be sure to check out the Landis Valley Farm Museum. We went today to their Autumn Harvest Celebration and had a wonderful time. It's only a few miles down the road from us and we have never gone before except for their annual herb faire. I think they used this museum for a backdrop in some of the scenes of Oprah Winfrey's movie "Beloved". I had the opportunity today to photograph many of the beautiful animals - turkeys, sheep, draft horses and cows (I think I have to make a painting from my sheep photo). Zoe loved the live music everywhere we went. There were two ladies playing violin and guitar on a porch and she went up and talked to them and dance on the porch. It was so cute! Here are some pictures of our day. Click on each one for a larger view.