September 18, 2005
Judy's Day
I haven't been able to write as much as I wanted for this site this weekend, but I did spend the afternoon at Judy's Day, the spectacular event Cornell Plantations hosts each year at the F.R. Newman Arboretum, just across the town line in Ithaca.
The Dryden Historical Society was invited to present on the history of harvesting wheat, so we showed a grain cradle and some flails, with a display showing how farmers used to harvest, thresh, and mill wheat, complete with some pictures of local mills.
Weaving grass to thatch a roof.
As promised, there was all kinds of hands-on activity. We shared a tent with kids threshing wheat (gently, not with flails), winnowing it, and grinding it. There were grasses to taste, weave, paint with, decorate with, and play with. No doubt they'll have a different theme next year, but just as much fun.
If you'd like to see more, there are a lot more pictures in the gallery. Update: For even more pictures, visit Michael Ludgate's gallery.
Posted by simon at September 18, 2005 10:02 PM in excursionsNote on photos