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Begin your experience by hopping on a
haywagon ride to the Homestead Farm. There, you can
watch demonstrations of woodcarving, spinning,
herb-craft, quilting, woodstove cooking, cider
making, beekeeping, folk music and leatherworking.
Children will be busy making rope and stamping
leather, dipping candles, stenciling, grinding corn,
making “mug rugs” – and more! Also stop for a snack
at the food concession booth.
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Don’t miss special programs by
“rambling naturalist” Wil Reding, portraying
Prairie Pete, an early Michigan settler, at
1:00, 2:00 & 3:00 pm each day. Nearby, watch
Michigan food historian Susan Odom making apple
butter in a huge copper kettle over an open
fire. You’ll even have a chance to purchase some
of her historically-accurate delicacies.
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Also be sure to stop at the
sugarhouse to watch Midland’s Max Carey
Blacksmith Guild at work on their latest
projects. Nearby, watch traditional skills
instructor Jim Miller demonstrate a variety of
traditional skills, showing ways Woodland
Indians lived in their environment. At the
Schoolhouse, the Folk Music Society will be
playing toe-tapping tunes on traditional
instruments and kids will enjoy old-time games
in the schoolyard.
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Behind the Wagon Barn, watch
teams of Belgian horses plow the field to
prepare for fall planting. The antique threshing
machine will be busy threshing wheat and rye
grown and harvested this year at the Homestead.
 Before
you leave, stop for a visit at the Nature Preschool
where kids will enjoy our unique classrooms. The
green features of CNC’s newest building are truly
amazing! While no festival activities will take
place at the Visitor Center (unless it rains), you
can still shop at the store, visit the Ecosystem
Gallery, play at the kid’s Nature Discovery Area, or
relax in the River Overlook.
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Demonstrations
include: |
Children's
activities include: |
threshing
grain
cider making
woodworking
wool spinning
quilting
woodstove
cooking
blacksmithing
herb-craft
traditional music |
candle
dipping
corn grinding
sorting and carding wool
mug rugs
stenciling
stamping leather bookmarks
rope-making
schoolyard games |
 Be
sure
to stop in
at the
Nature Center Store
to check out our new fall items, including:
handmade pins by Joyce Fritz Studio’s in
Wisconsin, fall sweatshirts from Earth, Sun,
Moon, and whimsical cards by Cindy Hendrick at
Woodfield Press in Alstead, New Hampshire.
Feeling hungry? Stop by the store for a tasty
apple from Moore’s Orchards, and cookies &
breads from Fat Gander, both located in
Midland!
Activities
subject to change. |
