Agrirama!

This past Thursday marked the first "real" field trip we've taken with the homeschool group.  We all drove to Tifton to visit the "Agrirama",  the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village.  I had never been there before, and wasn't really sure what it was all going to be about, but I signed the two older kids up for the workshops.  I was told this would involve the girls working in the farmhouse, and the boys working on the farm, followed by some old-fashioned one-room-schoolhouse type experience.  I was looking forward to my kids getting some insight into the fact that what I expected of them at home wasn't nearly as bad as they sometimes think it is!

It was even better than I expected!  The setting was right off the interstate, but you'd never know it.  It was beautiful, clean, peaceful, and charming.  Authenticity wasn't exactly what I expected (the Shop-Vac in the grist mill was a bit of an anachronism), but I truly enjoyed the setting.

 

The drive was about 1.5 hours from our house, but we popped an American History DVD in the car's DVD player and my poor kids got an early start on their Day of Living the Past.  We arrived in Tifton a little early, so I made a dash to McD's for some yogurt parfaits, and everyone's belly was full prior to all the hard work I was hoping they'd get to do.  Once we met up with our group, the kids went to the "costume building" for a quick change into something more appropriate for the day. (Jacob had already had instructions to wear a white shirt and long pants.  The suspenders were courtesy of the costume shop)

Once the kids were dressed, they separated into groups and were led off for their morning chores.  Jacob's group went to feed the animals, and Merrilee's group headed to the "Progressive" house, a "modern" home from about 150 years ago.  Katie Mei and I tagged along with Jacob, hoping to get to see a few farm animals up close.  The best we got was to see Jacob carry a bucket of corn for the milk cow.  That in itself was fascinating for Katie Mei.  She waves to our local cows every morning from about 1/4 mile away.  But this was the closest she's ever gotten to see a cow.  She was awed by how big its nose was!

After we had our fill of watching the cow munch corn, we walked across the road to find Merrilee's group.  The girls were getting some instruction on the layout of the house and how things worked in a farm home 150 years ago.  We could already smell something cooking on the wood-burning stove in the kitchen (which was about 100 degrees inside!), and found the cool of the porch to be refreshing.  The girls were lined up on the porch for a little sewing lesson.

I think it might have been lost on Merrilee, but I was delighted to see the "traditional" lady of the house was a dear Asian woman who smiled and enjoyed teaching the girls about life on an American farm almost two centuries ago.  Made me feel good that the typical stereotype of white landowner wasn't being pursued here.  However, I was a little disappointed that the women working in the kitchens and doing all the cooking in the farmhouses were African American women.  I suppose that is probably the way it was in many of the homes back then, but I don't think it was in all the homes.  Just kind of bothered me that it had to be that way.  I try not to sugarcoat American history with my kids, and I share with them some of the ugly stuff of our past that Merrilee's history book tends to overlook, but I do try to avoid stereotyping by race.

Meanwhile, Katie Mei and I kept trying to go back and forth between Merrilee and Jacob's experiences since I wanted to get pictures of both kids.  Jacob had moved on to shelling corn, and then going to the grist mill to grind it into grits and corn meal.

Shelling the corn requires strong arms!

Shaking the screen to sift the grits

Watching her big brother sift milled corn

Bagging and weighing the grits to sell in the Country Store

Sealing the bags

Water wheel that turns the grinding stone in the mill upstairs.

After watch the milling process, Katie Mei and I dashed back to the farmhouse to see how the girls were doing.  Poor Katie Mei's little legs were starting to get tired!

View from the farm house

We found Merrilee outside sweeping the front yard with a bundle of branches.  She was enthusiastic in her work, but was really wishing she was inside cooking.  After the girls had cleared the yard a bit, their guide had them play a game of hopscotch while they waited to set the tables for dinner.

Sweeping with a branch broom

Time out for hopscotch!

Tired little girls find the sandy dirt fascinating!
 

 Once it was close to dinnertime, the girls went inside and set the tables.  There was a dining area for the men and a separate dining area for the girls.  Jacob ate at the Miller House.  Merrilee was really excited when it was time to get the water and bring it in, but was disappointed when she found out that the local government had already interceded and prevented Agrirama from using actual well water for the guests to drink.  Thus, the water came from a hose attached to the local Tifton water supply.  Not so authentic, but at least I knew the kids weren't drinking 150 year old bacteria.

Setting the table.  Plates must go upside down over the flatware to keep the flies off eating surfaces.

Bringing in the water

Time to eat.  Merrilee volunteered to ask the blessing for the meal.

Meanwhile, Jacob's meal was delayed a few minutes to allow the cornbread to finish cooking.  He also asked the blessing at his meal.

Both groups ate something akin to beans or chili, corn bread, peaches, and sweet pickles.  I heard one child start complaining that he didn't like anything on the table but the peaches, but both of my children came away exclaiming how delicious it was.  It sure smelled good!  Katie Mei and I ate ham and cheese wraps and a banana from a cooler in the car.  We were just glad to have lunch; it had been a long morning!  I have to say, I was kind of glad Jacob's meal was a bit delayed because it gave me time to dash over to the Miller House and find him.  I got there just in time to take pictures and hear him ask the blessing.  He, too, was the lone child to volunteer when the kids were asked who would like to ask the blessing on the meal.  Both of my children really made me proud of them.  I doubt anyone else even noticed which kids asked the blessings, but for some reason, I am so glad my kids are not at all embarrassed or shy about praying in front of others.  They just don't even know that some find it awkward.  It's natural for them, and for that I am greatly thankful!

Once the meals were over, the kids were herded to another part of the property, the one-room school house.

Merrilee working hard on her copy work

Good old fashioned McGuffy Reader.

Jacob enjoyed the novelty of sitting in a desk for about 0.35 seconds.

View from the back of the room.  There were two more rows of students on the right as well.  Merrilee was two seats behind Jacob.

  

Katie Mei was delighted with the slate and chalk, and eager to show her ability to write her name.

 The kids found their McGuffy Readers to be too easy for them, though I think it was mostly because they were given readers according to their age, not their grade level.  Jacob was asked to do some copy work, and he finished almost as soon as he started and immediately began to get out of his desk while the teacher worked with other students.  I really wouldn't expect the experience to be very realistic with all the parents and younger siblings wandering through the room, but I did hope Jacob would take it a little more seriously.  He didn't.  He was turned around in his chair most of the time and had a hard time sitting still when the teacher wasn't directly involved with him.  Very much like at home.  Gives me an idea of how he'd behave in the public school system and rather confirms my thinking that homeschooling really is the best thing for him right now.  He has little self-control.

Merrilee, on the other hand, went straight to work doing her copy work in her best possible cursive.  She was hardly swayed when Katie Mei climbed into her desk with her, took away her slate and chalk, and proceeded to do her own "home work".

We had a great group of kids for the trip, and I was so glad we were a part of it!  It was a fantastic experience for Merrilee and Jacob; one that I doubt we would have had if we hadn't move down to this part of the country.  I am still amazed at how awesome it has been to homeschool down here.  There is so much to do, and the history is so rich!  We are blessed to be able to live here, and even if we don't live here for more than a few years, the experiences we've had will last a lifetime!