Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm

Every day life often takes me away from what it is I'm trying to achieve with my life, however mundane or redundant it may seem at times to push my connection to nature onto my children. I'm really honestly trying. I may not be a true homesteader according to the real sense of the word but for as long as I can remember I've admired the land for every thing it has to offer. I think that its important for every generation especially THIS ONE to maintain roots with history and especially the environment, nature is so kind to host our existence yet as much as there is to offer we take and take and take! Its human nature to "need", so therefor I really set myself back and wonder what it is I can do with my family that might teach them just a little bit about the days gone by. What can I show my children that will make them realize that there is more to life than mans desire to industrialize and take over. We attend pick your owns and I feel that it is teaching the boys about where our food comes from, however I don't know that it really grounds them with the realization that all of this "stuff" has not been here forever. Even coming from me the 25 year old born into the 80's generation of muscle cars and aqua net, its ironic I'm sure. I'd like to think I'm different than other consumers, although I do consume sometimes, (more often than I should) when I was Riley's age for instance I'd been to Plymouth Plantation a hand full of times already. No matter how routine it is for New Englanders to take their kids on field trips to things like that I think that its the history around you that you can not avoid. You absolutely can not help but to be absorbed into it all and really admire the hardships the pilgrims went through. Its sincerely a great memory of mine that I can not wait to share with my own children. Every year we have a routine in Autumn that is something priceless to me. We apple pick, we eat venison, we pick pumpkins and we celebrate our thanks, but my question is ...how does this relate to the six year olds fast paced mind. I'd like to show Riley the mayflower in person, since its about an 8 hours drive however, I can not do that easily. 

We do not have an abundance of time or money that would afford us those joys right now. With local events in mind I looked into what I could possibly do to enrich that desire to teach Riley something, anything that I can relate to myself and my affinity to new england and the pilgrims. Almost accidentally I came across Quiet Valley Living Historical farm in Stroudsburg, Pa. It was the arts and crafts fair that we attended but the farm itself was truly the gem. Although minimal it did truly put my mind at ease that I am going out of my way to teach my children things that are special to me. There were plenty of animals, a historical farm house and the apple of my eye... the bread oven. Although I'm somewhat new to the bread obsession its absolutely a passion of mine. For two years I've been working on our own back yard creation, the original plan was a cob style oven (based on plans from kiko denzers book) however when it came time for me to dig through the dirt to find soil that would work ok I just became overwhelmed with rocks. Are you allowed to put the rocks in with the mud? I always thought rocks exploded when heated or moist? I can not afford buying the dirt it would take to make it. After reviewing sunset magazines adobe oven I've come to the conclusion that... I don't think I want that.  I never really know what I want I guess.

 

Well anyway this local farm has been here all along! Although its not where the pilgrims docked, it is something more than that... Its local!It is something my own children can localize and remember themselves. Its really something that can establish the Pennsylvania Dutch heritage that my children see so often from our family. Although macaroni salad and purple eggs are not necessarily the holy grail to the true Amish, to our family whoopie pies and fresh bread are better than just about anything else . Home made jams, home brewed wines ... its my thing so this farm is truly a perfect fit without an 8 hour drive.

Theres year round events including the upcoming harvest festival (October 9th and 10th), and old time Christmas which sounds absolutely incredible! I can't wait to visit again and possibly go through demonstrations and tours. Included Harvest Festival events are cider making, beekeeping, quilting, and of course hearth cooking!!!