Van Courtlandt Manor Craft and Tasks Weekend

In order to really appreciate all the conveniences we have at our finger tips today you should really go back into history and try your hand at many of skills and trades that were essential in the Early National Era (1700-1800). Saturday morning we we went to Van Courtlandt Manor and participated in candle making, tin punching, basket weaving, barrel making, and other skills.

Tim got into splitting wood at the barrel making booth. It amazed me how long it took to make a barrel or a bucket and the craftsmanship it took.

Suzy was the candle maker. It was a multi-dipping experience over a hot kettle of bees wax and animal fat on a hot day. Suzy soon found out that there is a art to it if you want your candle to look like a candle . She was very pleased at her creation which she presented to me for our country manor.

We watched the cheese making process. It was long and time consuming. The girl that was demonstrating the process had never done it before and was just as thrilled as we were as the curds started appearing.

Who knew that Suzy would be so good at basket weaving? The demonstrators were very informative and the best part was the "hands on experience". We really got a taste of how long it took to make the food and the tools needed for daily living.

Suzy and I made "Sleeping Sachets". We got to use our sewing skills and fill our sachets with a mixture of dried lavender, rose petal and lemon grass grown on the manor. Who knew that they were into "aroma therapy" back in the 17 hundreds? It smells wonderful!

My favorite demonstrator was the flax guy. He showed us how every part of the flax plant was used for hemp and rope making, to carded and spun into linen thread for clothing or pressed for oil or used for seed. He told us how the term "Flaxen hair" and "Tow headed" come from the blond color of the flax. Tow is the cast off of the flax plant. Linen is highly flammable so servants working in the kitchen would wear wool clothing even in the summer. It took a year to make one outfit.

Suzy and I also got into tin tapping. We each got to pick a pattern and pound a design. Suzy chose a butterfly and of course I chose a daisy. It was fun and we made it through with no loss of fingers.

Mr. Wonderful was intriqued with black smith and tool making. He watched while they were making nails. We had a long discussion on what job each of us would have had if we lived in that era. I of course took the job of "Lady of the Manor!"

Walking back in history, even for a day, was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend it!