Fair Program

Fair Program 1 fields intersperse over the farm’s 510 desire for a simpler way of living in acres, the settlement areas take on harmony with these same patterns a traditional rural community form. of agrarian life has brought people Family homesteads with gardens, of a vast range of social, cultural and fruit trees, poultry and small animals ethnic backgrounds to the community: complement a cluster of distinctive artists, craftsmen, college lecturers, handcraft workshops serving the philosophers, professors, lawyers, community’s craftsmen and their accountants, medical professionals, apprentices—furniture makers, black- physicists, auto mechanics, law smiths, potters, weavers and others. officers and firefighters, seminary The community farms the land instructors, carpenters, landscape with draft horses—from plowing and architects and city planners, as well disking to seeding, cultivating and as public school administrators harvesting the field crops—using and teachers, computer operators, only natural farming methods. The secretaries and more—all who have rich river bottom land supports fields embraced the nonviolent Christian of corn, hay, sweet sorghum, oats, life of the community. Down through wheat and sweet potatoes, as well as the years, sinking roots in an ongoing About the Fair & fruit orchards and individual family relationship with the land has taught vegetable gardens. Year-round, the everyone in the community much Homestead Heritage community’s horses, cattle and sheep and given them a new perspective. Thank you for joining us for our over 40 years ago as a small inner- pasture on this fertile river bottom Whether farming and gardening, thirtieth annual Homestead Fair! city mission in New York City, has land, grazing in the open pastures in preserving food, raising homes and Three decades ago, our community dedicated its efforts over the last fall and winter and under the shade of community buildings, doing chores, held its first craft fair to celebrate four decades toward restoring and the pecan grove in summer. Dairy cows playing horseshoes, taking walks or the end of the harvest year and to preserving traditional patterns and milk goats supply milk and cream, swimming in the bordering Brazos provide a venue to share with our for family and community living— which families drink fresh and make River, young and old alike form closer friends and neighbors the crafts, patterns for homesteading, self- into yogurt, butter and (everyone’s family and community relationships skills, accomplishments and life of our sufficient farming, gardening and favorite summer treat) hand-cranked as lives are woven together. Christian community. Our first fair home schooling, together with other sorghum pecan ice cream! All through The work of this community is presented a rough collection of crafts, homestead crafts and practical skills. the year, families raise a wide variety ultimately to craft lives, weaving a couple of food booths, a handful of Homestead Heritage is neither a “living of poultry, with chickens, ducks, geese together people of diverse back- eager, singing children with guitars, history museum” nor a “reenactment” and turkeys waddling and strutting grounds, not into a uniformity, but banjos and recorders, and drew a few stage. Quite to the contrary, it is, in the through the yards and underbrush. into a unity of vision and purpose—a hundred people. It has now grown far most literal sense, a “real life” effort, The seasonal cycles of agrarian community—where lives are mutually beyond our expectations to become established as an actual working farm life, a meter not of the community’s pledged to serve one another. To this an event that draws tens of thousands devoted to recapturing the heritage of design but of a larger one, a given one, end, lives are lived daily at Homestead from across the country and the globe! community life in a land-based culture. provide a mooring and a rhythm for Heritage in grateful and careful Our Christian community, begun While dense woods and agricultural the whole life of the community. The consideration of all that God has given. 2 3 also enjoy a ride on a pony or horse. you through the upper pastures to our For children of all ages, we offer Make- scenic Brazos River Valley overlook Your-Own projects, including beeswax and back. candle dipping, felting, making soap Adults ........................ $6 balls, learning to cross-stitch, shaping Kids .......................... $4 a wooden spatula and many more. Family .......................$20 Outdoor Food Pony Rides .................... $7 Throughout each day we offer tasty And Much More! food at our outdoor concession booths You’ll also find artwork, children’s and kiosks. Try a sizzling beef sausage- writings, children’s books, Homestead on-a-stick or a spicy grilled chicken Farms specialty foods, solid wood gordita. Sample our fresh sourdough furniture, letterpress printing, a baked pizza baked in a brick oven or try one goods sale, audiovisual presentations and more! Fair Activities of our specialty flavors of ice cream. At the Homestead Fair there’s Christmas shopping. We have General Info Ongoing Demonstrations something for everyone to enjoy, from hundreds of handcrafted gifts and First Aid Kits: Throughout the day we have ongoing young to old. specialty items from which to choose. Please ask the staff in any booth where demonstrations at various locations the nearest first aid kit is, and they Craft Demonstrations Music around the fairgrounds. Stop by, watch will assist you. Each day in the craft pavilion and the Gather under the music tent with and ask questions! Here’s a sampling Food Allergies: demonstration pavilion, you’ll find a us to hear children’s choirs, gospel of some of the many demonstrations. Ask your food server for more info if wide variety of ongoing and scheduled songs, bluegrass music and more each 42 Cheese making at the Brazos you have a specific allergy. craft demonstrations—woodworking afternoon and evening of the fair. Valley Cheese Shop in the Market area Mothers’ Room: with hand tools, pottery, sewing, (end of Halbert Lane) Seminars Mothers’ room with changing tables quilting, spinning, weaving, broom 42 Cheese cave tours in the Market Each hour from 10:00 a.m. until and a quiet place to sit behind the making, basket making, leatherwork area 5:00 p.m., there will be seminars craft pavilion. and more. 1 Leatherwork at the Leather booth on sustainable living skills. These Shuttle Service: 1 Weaving and spinning at the Fiber Agricultural Exhibits presentations last around 40-45 min- We have shuttles running full time Crafts booth At Heritage Farm, our working utes with a few minutes for Q & A at to and from the parking lots. We also 11 Jump rope making at the Jump homestead, watch agricultural the end. Topics range from beekeeping, have a shuttle leaving on the hour Rope booth demonstrations, including draft- raising poultry and making cheese and half hour for the Market area. 1 Broom making in the Broom booth horse farming, cow and goat milking, to presentations on technology and Please meet at location 41 (by the 1 Metal spinning sheep herding with a sheepdog and sustainable culture and reasons to live Blacksmith Shop). 1 Pewter casting in the Metal booth. cider pressing, as well as exhibits on an agrarian-based lifestyle. beekeeping, poultry raising, farm Hayrides & Pony Rides Please stop by any information booth Children’s Activities animals and more. Take a hayride on a hay wagon drawn or ask any fairgrounds staff if there Children love getting up close with by one of our draft horse teams. Allow is anything else you may need. We Shopping baby goats, sheep, puppies, chicks and 40 minutes for these rides, which take hope you have a wonderful time at the While you’re here, plan to do some more in our petting pen. Children can Homestead Fair! 4 5 Jump Rope Area Location 11 Make-Your-Own Jump Rope ......................................Any age ...... $13.00 Activities Dog Leash.......................................Any age ...... $13.00 Boats & Woodworking Location 2 Make-Your-Own projects are educational and fun for kids of all ages! You can Tool Tote ...................................Age 5 and up ...... $12.00 purchase individual tickets at each of the project areas or a $30 bundle of tickets Wooden Spatula .............................Age 5 and up ....... $8.00 for $25 at the entrance to the Make-Your-Own tent 3 and at the Gristmill 36 . Toy Sailboat .....................................Any age ...... $14.00 Open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pottery – open from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m Location 39 Make-Your-Own Tent Location 3 Wheel-Thrown Pot.......................... Age 10 and up ...... $25.00 Dip a Candle.....................................Any age ....... $2.00 Intermediate Candle Set .................... Age 12 and up ....... $6.00 Pinch Pot ...................................Age 4 and up ....... $5.00 Coil Pot .....................................Age 4 and up ....... $5.00 Leather Key Fob ............Under age 6 must be with an adult ....... $4.00 Did You Know Signs Leather Bookmark ..........Under age 6 must be with an adult ....... $6.00 Leather Coin Pouch..........Under age 6 must be with an adult ...... $10.00 & Treasure Hunt Leather Dog Collar ..........Under age 6 must be with an adult ...... $12.00 We’ve posted “Did You Know” fact signs throughout the fairgrounds. They are Cross-Stitch Bookmark .......................Age 5 and up ....... $4.00 grouped into three categories: Traditional Craft, Homesteading & Agriculture, Woven Basket ..............Under age 8 must be with an adult ....... $7.00 and Homemaking & Kitchen Skills. These banners offer a small sampling of Watercolor ..................................Age 6 and up ....... $8.00 Spin Yarn on a Drop Spindle ...................Age 6 and up ....... $4.00 inspiring, fun and informative facts about sustainable agriculture, craft skills Knitted Headband ...........................Age 7 and up ....... $6.00 and more! Finger-Knit Hair Scrunchie ....................Age 6 and up ......

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