Colonial Ken: Spending Another Fall Day in Colonial Times

I sure do include historic Greenfield Village in my postings quite a bit, eh?

Especially in the fall.

Well, that's mainly because this open-air museum is the only place locally that has any sort of authentic colonial structures where a recreation of America's 18th century past can occur with the clothing I wear. Between the Daggett House and the Giddings House, both built around 1750, I feel like I can sort of become a part of another era - the era of the founding generation.
That being said, here is my latest. Yes, it's similar to previous posts, but I try a bit of a different twist each time.
And the many photos come from two different fall weekends in October: one at the beginning of the month, and the other at the end.
Hope you like it~~~~~~~

I suppose what I do can be, in a way, called time-travel...or maybe mind-travel...I'm not totally sure...
But what I am certain of is I sometimes feel more alive and spirited when I put on my replicated clothing of a bygone era than I do in my bland modern clothes. Add 18th and 19th century backgrounds and homes to the scene and, well, let's just say that the past is present:

Looking out the Daggett window...

We think the past is gone, the future hasn't happened, and that only the present exists because the present is all we can see. Albert Einstein once said time is like people in a boat without oars drifting along a winding river. Around us we see only the present. We can't see the past, back in the bends and curves behind us. But it's there. (From "Time and Again" by Jack Finney)
I don't know...I seem to be constantly paddling against the current, trying to get back to those bends and curves of the past...
Let's continue these thoughts on time and space by utilizing another idea Mr. Finney wrote about, and we'll include my interjections:
suppose you were to stand at a window inside the 1750 Daggett House, now located at historic Greenfield Village, and look outside; it is early on with no visitors as of yet. All around you is a building unchanged from when it was built, including the room you are standing in and very possibly even the glass pane you look through.
Can you, for that moment, be transported back into the fall of 1770?
And would that be - or could that be - a form of time travel?

Ah, there 'tis! My favorite home inside Greenfield Village - the Daggett Farm House. Built around 1750, it's presented as a household may have been in the 1760s, and it's during the season of autumn when this beautiful remnant of our colonial past comes most alive.
Do you see the smoke a-rising from the fire? It must be beer-brewing time!

The small vignettes such as what you see in these two connected photos can go a long way in adding to the visual experience.

I'm not sure how it is where you live, but autumn in Michigan is cause for a celebration, and something as simple as a couple of pumpkins, dried plants, and a wooden rake & bucket can stir that fall-is-in-the-air sentiment like little else can.

It was quite the busy time at the Daggett saltbox home, for it was beer making season, and the historic interpreters certainly know the importance of this beverage in America's history, and it is brewed here in the traditional colonial way.
(Don't ask me what that glowing whirly thing is at the bottom of the picture. 
Maybe it is some left over time-travel quantum energy or something) 

I certainly do enjoy taking part in activities with the presenters as they replicate a colonial family life (not necessarily the Daggetts), for not only does it make for good photo opps, but it allows me to feel as a part of an 18th century scene with this beautiful historical saltbox house as our 'set,' and for that I am filled with appreciation.

I like to view this as one of those moments where you think, "Am I really there?" - for it did have a touch of that in between past and present feeling, though because these good people are historic presenters our feet were firmly planted in the present. And, of course, as soon as visitors came upon the scene, I stepped back to allow the interpreters to do their job.

But for me, the feeling of the past was there.
By the way, note the colors in our clothing. Yes, the 18th century was not nearly as dull and bland as the old history books hint.

Behind the house is the garden. Part for the kitchen and part medicinal, it gives the visitor a very good overview of rural colonial plants used for a variety of things.

Besides the varieties of squash, beans, lettuce and other vegetables used to help sustain the family, Samuel Daggett's wife, Anna, would have also grown plants for medical purposes as well, including wormwood, which was a purgative for stomach issues or worms, tansy was used to stop bleeding and bruising, and chamomile, which was used, same as it is today, to make a calming tea.

Take a close look at the watering "can" that Gigi is using, for it is not a can at all. Instead, it is a red ware pottery jar with a spout opening small enough for an adult thumb to cover. Once the thumb is removed, water comes showering out of the holes in the bottom.
 

Most of the presenters at the Daggett Farm are women, and they do such a wonderful job in recreating their role as females of the 1760s. Fortunately, there are a couple of men included in the mix to give a more well-rounded feel. Chuck, pictured here, and Roy (in the pictures above) do chores more suitable to men during the 18th century, including repairs and wood chopping:

"Well, my dear, Mr. Giddings is asking for wood for his kitchen hearth. He asked if we might not spare his kitchen maid a few pieces." 

So off to the outbuildings I did go to gather what Giddings had asked for.
(Before anyone gets all up in arms about what I am doing here, I held a piece of wood for the initial picture, then photo-shopped the rest. I am not looking to get myself or anyone else in trouble with the powers-that-be at Greenfield Village so I have been very careful in what I do. Sometimes one has to do their own photo-shop to create a photo-opp!)

To the home of John Giddings we went where we were greeted by Mehetable. 

(Again, notice who is carrying the wood. Even though I am sort of portraying a country farmer, I do not work for the Village, therefore, even though I am a gentleman, 'tis not I carrying the wood for the hearth).

No, Mehetable is not Gigi's mistress, but she helps her adjustments nonetheless.

Carrots from the garden!

The Giddings House is plexi-glassed off most of the year and is only fully opened to the public during the Fall Flavors Weekends and Holiday Nights, so I always try to take advantage in my period clothing during those times we can wander through much of the structure.

Then it was back to the Daggetts, for the women were preparing to dye wool.
Now, I am not going to get deep into the wool dyeing process - I covered that HERE - but I would like to show you some of the basics of this ancient craft

Preparation for the dyeing of wool.
This is an annual presentation that the Village has every fall and, like the beer making from a couple weeks back, I try not to miss it.

The process of wool dyeing actually began about six weeks earlier when the presenters began collecting nature to use as the dye.

I followed the historical interpreter around for a bit as we spoke of the different naturals dyes available all around us and the colors they make.
On this day she was collecting walnuts for a deep brown. There was a squirrel up in one of the trees who wasn't very pleased, for it kept on tossing them down upon us, but luckily missing with each. I would hate to get knocked on the head by one of these buggers!

For only being out searching for a short while, she didn't do too bad.

And now, toward the end of October, they are ready for the dyeing process!

But brown was not the only color being made this day. To make red, cochineal beetles are used (yes, beetles!), while orange comes from the madder root plant as well as annato seeds (which could be imported from Brazil).

And there's indigo for blue (although, due to the clouds, it looks more black than deep blue).

In the basket you can see previously dyed wool - just see how vibrant the colors are. In all honesty, I have to laugh when I hear of people using Kool Aid or something along those lines to dye their wool. Especially if the wool was cleaned and carded by hand.

Click to watch my video about the wool dyeing process

As the day was waning, I decided to go off and see a few of the other sights of this wondrous historical place. Since I sometimes portray a farmer, and since the Daggett area has only a kitchen garden and little else for farming, I decided to head over to Firestone Farm.

Now, Firestone is representing the 1880s, and the process of farming as compared to the 1760s had not changed dramatically (aside from the threshing machine and the seed planter), I thought it could serve as a pseudo-18th century backdrop.

The corn is looking good this year.
There shall be plenty to eat in a variety of ways, such as on the cob, corn meal, corn bread, muffins, chowder, and even food for cattle, for months to come. 

Walking with the horses back to the barn...
(again - - no, I did not touch the horses. My son lined up the camera to hide the 1880s Firestone farmer as to not take way from the impression)

Barns from the 18th century, especially the interior, were not dramatically different from those a hundred years later. 

Look closely...and you can make out yours truly, heading back to the future.

As I mentioned earlier, here in the lower east side of Michigan we have virtually no original 18th century structures, so in order for me to get an authentic look for my images I have to utilize whatever I can to do so, and Greenfield Village is the place - the only place - where this can happen for me.
Please understand, when I visit this beautiful museum dedicated to Americana, I do not take part or interject in any way in the presenter's presentations to the public, nor do I pretend that I work there. I just enjoy the atmosphere and can feel the history and the spirit of the past so much more when I can visit while I am dressed period.
It's a little hard to explain, but I know there are a few of you who will understand.
Until next time, see you in time.

~If I am in the photograph, then my son Robbie took the picture. He is an aspiring photographer and, though he has all of his own fancy camera equipment, he did a fine job with my simple point-and-shoot camera, don't you think?


If you are interested in learning more about a colonial Harvest, please click HERE
To study in greater detail the workings of the Daggetts and their home, please click HERE 
To study in greater detail the workings of the Giddings and their home, click HERE
To learn more about Taverns and Travel in the 18th century, please click HERE.
To learn more about food and cooking in colonial times, please click HERE
Autumn food preparations of (mostly) the 19th century HERE
Days of Autumn Past in Photos HERE
For an overview of everyday life during colonial times, please click HERE
Celebrating Patriot's Day - the New England Holiday - at Greenfield Village: HERE 
And to learn about celebrating Christmas in colonial times, please click HERE 
Happy Thanksgiving...in the colonial times - please click HERE

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