Register Now for Spring Workshops at Fenimore Farm
Beginning April 5
COOPERSTOWN, NY — Join the knowledgeable staff at Fenimore Farm and experience one or more of the annual Spring Workshops taking place on Saturdays in April and May. Whether you’re looking to learn a new skill or just have a desire to create something unique and handmade, these workshops will get you motivated. The museum’s resident experts will guide you every step of the way. The workshops focus on activities including blacksmithing, baking, natural medicines, and broom making. Register now and enjoy a productive day on the Farm this spring.
All workshops require advance registration. For more information and to register, visit FenimoreFarm.org/events. Workshops are held at Fenimore Farm & Country Village located at 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, New York.
Spring Workshop Schedule:
Blacksmithing for Beginners
Saturday, April 5, 10am-4pm
$110 members; $120 non-members. (Includes materials and lunch)
In this introductory workshop, participants will have an opportunity to forge their very own fire-starting tool in the historic Field Blacksmith Shop. The style of these tools will be based on common historic examples found throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The workshop will cover the basics of blacksmithing including use of hand tools, starting and operating the forge, proper heating of steel, as well as quenching steel to harden it. Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy leather boots or shoes as well as natural fiber clothing such as cotton or wool. Tools, materials, and safety equipment will be provided. For ages 14 and older.
Baking at Lippitt Farmstead
Saturday, April 12, 10am-4pm
$95 members; $105 non-members. (Includes materials and lunch)
Spend the day in the kitchen of the museum’s Lippitt Farmhouse learning how to bake traditional breads and cakes. Fire and bake in the brick bake oven, as well as a bake kettle, or Dutch oven. Share your delicious goods at the end of the session or take them home to impress your family! For ages 14 and older.
Broom Making
Saturday, April 19, 10am-4pm
$85 members; $95 non-members. (Includes materials and lunch)
How does a broom become a broom? Learn this and more as you transform a wooden handle, twine, and broomcorn—stitching a beautiful and functional handmade cobweb broom. Take your creation home to clean house or give it away as a gift.
Intermediate Blacksmithing
Saturday, April 26, 10am-4pm
$110 members; $120 non-members. (Includes materials and lunch)
Forge your own cooking fork in the historic Field Blacksmith Shop! Participants will be expected to have prior blacksmithing experience and an understanding of the tools and basic techniques. This workshop will cover splitting and tapering tines, rounding material using a swage set, forging set-downs, and bending. If time allows, participants may also have a chance to hand file their work. Participants will need to bring sturdy footwear (preferably leather work boots) and wear natural-fiber clothing (such as cotton or wool). Tools and protective gear such as safety glasses and aprons will be provided – participants are welcome to bring their own if preferred.
From the Medicine Cabinet
Saturday, May 3, 10am-4pm
$95 members; $105 non-members. (Includes materials and lunch)
Stock your medicine cabinet with a variety of homemade remedies for everyday ailments – bruises, cuts, burns, or sore muscles – all made from natural ingredients. Learn about the properties of plants from the back yard, as well as from the spice rack, and how to make tinctures, extracts, balms, salves, and rubs, then make your own to take home. It’s an inexpensive, natural, and fun alternative to a trip to the pharmacy. Please bring an apron, wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, and closed-toe shoes.
About Fenimore Farm & Country Village
Fenimore Farm & Country Village in Cooperstown, New York, provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience 19th-century rural and village life first-hand through authentic demonstrations and interpretative exhibits. Founded in 1943 as The Farmers’ Museum, Fenimore Farm remains one of the oldest rural life museums in the country. It comprises a Colonial Revival stone barn listed on the National Register for Historic Places, a recreated historic village circa 1845, the Empire State Carousel, and a working farmstead. Through its 19th-century village and farm, it preserves important examples of upstate New York architecture, early agricultural tools and equipment, and heritage livestock. Fenimore Farm’s outstanding collection of more than 23,000 items encompasses significant historic objects ranging from butter molds to carriages, and hand planes to plows. The museum also presents a broad range of interactive educational programs for school groups, families, and adults that explore and preserve the rich agricultural history of the region.
