Mercer County - Hopewell - 4-H Fair and Wheat Threshing @ Howell Living History Farm
Saturday, July 28 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
4-H Fair and Wheat Threshing
In the 1920s and early 1930s, the local Pleasant Valley Calf Club held an annual fair at the Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse and grounds adjacent to Howell Farm. These fairs, organized by the school children and their parents, drew visitors from many parts of Mercer and Hunterdon Counties. "With this historical basis in mind, we thought the 4-H Fair was a great match for us," said Pete Watson, Howell Farm director. "With our visitor center barn, we're now well equipped to handle a fair like this."
Highlights of the fair will include cow milking, a sheep show, a goat show, a poultry show, and a small animal show. Tents for the animals and exhibits will be located near the farm's visitor center. Howell Farm's farmers will contribute by running hayrides, giving tours, and conducting historical farming demonstrations out in the fields. For more information about the fair, click here.
Also on Saturday: The first threshing methods involved beating grain by hand with a flail, or trampling it by animal hooves. An early threshing machine, patented in 1837 by Hiram A. and John A. Pitts, Winthrop, Maine, was powered by horses walking on a treadmill. Improvements were made to the original machine until late in the 1800s. The threshing machines used early in the 20th century were basically the same, except for the power source. About 1890, steam engines replaced horses and mules.
Howell Living Farm represents typical farm life between 1890 and 1910. The farm is operated by the Mercer County Parks Commission. It is located at 70 Wooden's Lane, Lambertville, NJ. For more information. call 609-737-3299 or visit www.howellfarm.org.
4-H Fair and Wheat Threshing
In the 1920s and early 1930s, the local Pleasant Valley Calf Club held an annual fair at the Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse and grounds adjacent to Howell Farm. These fairs, organized by the school children and their parents, drew visitors from many parts of Mercer and Hunterdon Counties. "With this historical basis in mind, we thought the 4-H Fair was a great match for us," said Pete Watson, Howell Farm director. "With our visitor center barn, we're now well equipped to handle a fair like this."Highlights of the fair will include cow milking, a sheep show, a goat show, a poultry show, and a small animal show. Tents for the animals and exhibits will be located near the farm's visitor center. Howell Farm's farmers will contribute by running hayrides, giving tours, and conducting historical farming demonstrations out in the fields. For more information about the fair, click here.
Also on Saturday: The first threshing methods involved beating grain by hand with a flail, or trampling it by animal hooves. An early threshing machine, patented in 1837 by Hiram A. and John A. Pitts, Winthrop, Maine, was powered by horses walking on a treadmill. Improvements were made to the original machine until late in the 1800s. The threshing machines used early in the 20th century were basically the same, except for the power source. About 1890, steam engines replaced horses and mules.
Howell Living Farm represents typical farm life between 1890 and 1910. The farm is operated by the Mercer County Parks Commission. It is located at 70 Wooden's Lane, Lambertville, NJ. For more information. call 609-737-3299 or visit www.howellfarm.org.
