1770s Festival and Quiet Valley Harvest Festival

This lovely October I have had the pleasure of attending two historic festivals – the annual 1770s Festival at Lord Stirling Park in Basking Ridge, NJ and the annual Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm Harvest Festival.

1770s Festival - Basking Ridge, NJ

The 1770s Festival happens each year on the first Sunday in October.  I attended this year’s festival on October 2, 2011. The setting for the festival was on the grounds of Lord Stirling’s grand manor house and estate, originally constructed in the 1770s.

1770s Festival - Basking Ridge, NJ

We had a long and interesting talk with a member of the Revolutionary War military detachment camp, who taught us all about the weaponry and methods of combat during the Revolutionary War.

1770s Festival - Basking Ridge, NJ

Skilled artisan Homer Hansen demonstrated paper cutting techniques to achieve beautiful and intricate silhouette designs.


Quiet Valley Historical Farm Harvest Festival 2011

The Quiet Valley Harvest Festival takes place on Columbus Day weekend each year.  The setting is a beautiful historical farm with buildings dating back to the late 1700s – 1800s.   There is plenty of yummy food to eat at the festival…

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival 2011

…farm animals in their pastures (like the sheep above), barns (there were 13 three-week-old piglets in the barn with their mother this year), and petting areas…

Quiet Valley Historical Farm 2011 Harvest Festival

…and  demonstrations of many early American skills and crafts, including  spinning, weaving, yarn dyeing, tatting, coopering, quilling, broom making, oak split basketry, outdoor brick bake oven, Dutch oven cooking, butter making, and rope making.  I learn something new about these crafts every year.

Quiet Valley 2011 Harvest Festival

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the 36th Annual Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm Harvest Festival. This is an event I try never to miss. There are so many delicious goodies to eat and drink there – all grown and prepared right on the farm. The weather was beautiful and the setting looked pretty with the fall colors starting to turn.

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival

They also sell the most wonderful-smelling bunches of sweet annie and arrangements of dried flowers. I bought two bunches this year. I also picked up some bottled bee pollen, as I have been reading lately that it is one of the most nutritious foods on earth. I am trying it sprinkled into my breakfast cereal in the morning. I couldn’t resist starting my Christmas shopping early either when I found a beautifully hand crafted item that I know my husband will love finding under the tree… but shhh, I’ve already said too much!

I learned so many interesting things from the demonstrators, too – which is the part I look forward to most each year. This year I learned about herbs, woodworking, different styles of lace making, life during the Civil War (I learn something new from the Civil War reenactors each year), cheese making, and natural yarn dyeing the old fashioned way – just to name a few!

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival

Quiet Valley Harvest Festival