2014 ALHFAM New England Regional Conference Linking Our Past to a Sustainable Future

Historic preservation is inherently a sustainable practice*

Conference Registration & Program

The 2014 ALHFAM New England Regional is hosted by Shelburne Farms March 15th & 16th Shelburne, Vermont

ALHFAM
The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums
*National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

2014 ALHFAM New England Regional Conference Linking Our Past to a Sustainable Future

The 2014 ALHFAM New England Regional is hosted by Shelburne Farms March 15th & 16th Shelburne, Vermont

REGISTRATION FORM Unfortunately we will not be able to accept walk-in registrations. All registrations must be postmarked by March 3rd, 2014 to get the early pricing. Registrations will be accepted until March 7th. Please send this completed form with a check to: ALHFAM New England Regional Conference c/o Old Sturbridge Village 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road Sturbridge, MA 01566 Please make checks payable to Old Sturbridge Village Inc., with ALHFAM New England in the memo line. CONTACT & REGISTRATION Name Title Institution Address Phone Email No (All included in conference fee) State Zip Total ____ ALHFAM member (early) $125 Non-ALHFAM member *$155 Postmarked after Mar. 3rd +$20 ____ ____ ____

Do you plan to bring an item for the Silent Auction? Yes Dietary needs/restrictions

I will attend Saturday Lunch Saturday Dinner Sunday Lunch

*Includes a one year membership to ALHFAM and all its benefits.

INCLUDED WORKSHOPS & TOURS Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. All workshops and tours are included in the conference fee. Saturday 10:45-12:15 Learn to Hew a Beam Saturday 3:30-5:30 Sheep Butchering Historic Barn Tour Shelburne House & Archives Tour ______ ______ ______ Sunday 9:00-10:30 Grass to Cheese (Dairy Tour) ______ Sunday 10:30-12:00 Sweet Maple! Sunday 1:30 Shelburne Museum Tour ______

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For additional information, please contact Rhys Simmons, 508-347-0313, rsimmons@osv.org

2014 ALHFAM New England Regional Conference Linking Our Past to a Sustainable Future
Friday, March 14, 2014
6:00-8:00 pm Opening reception at The Holiday Inn Express

The 2014 ALHFAM New England Regional is hosted by Shelburne Farms

Conference At a Glance

Saturday, March 15, 2014

8:00am-4:00pm 9:00-10:30 am Registration: Shelburne Farms - Farm Barn Keynote Address: Susie Marchand, Rachel Cadwallader-Staub "Relating Agriculture to Education Learn to Hew a Beam (Justin Kennick) Its in the Bag (Lauren McCormick) Making Two Blades of Grass Grow Where One Grew Before: Progressive Farmers and the Idea of Agricultural Sustainability (Jay Adams) Sustaining an Historic Foodways Program with the Resources You Have (Ryan Beckman) Lunch and Regional Business Meeting Finding William Lewis (Bruce Craven & Christie Higginbottom) Raising and Maintaining Heritage Sheep (Sarah Green) Join the Flock! (Rachel Cadwallader-Staub) Sheep Butchering (Dave Hruska & Victoria Belisle) Shelburnes Collections Tour (Julie Eldridge Edwards) Historic Barns Tour (Jerry Francis) Dinner at Lake-View House Restaurant

10:45- 12:15

10:45-11:30am

11:30am-12:15pm 12:15-1:15pm 1:30-3:15pm 1:30-2:15 2:15- 3:00 3:30-5:15pm

7:00 pm 9:00-10:15am 9:00-9:45am

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Grass to Cheese (Susie Marchand) From Sustenance to Relevance Reinterpreting the Role of the Museum in Regional Foodways and Agricultural Landscapes. (John Forti) But it is not over yet!!! the 38th Voyage of the Last Wooden Whaleship. (Rebecca Donahue) Sweet Maple! (Susie Marchand) Sounding Yankee (Tom Kelleher) Wearing original garments: When to When not to, and Why I Do (Kandie Carle) Lunch Shelburne Museum Tour Conclusion of the 2014 Conference Conference attendees are welcome to enjoy a guided tour (30 minutes) of Shelburne Museums and then complimentary admission - located just 2 miles from Shelburne Farms. All sessions take place in the Farm Barn at Shelburne Farms unless otherwise noted. 3

9:45- 10:30 10:30-12:00 10:30-11:15am 11:15-12:00 12:00-1:00pm 1:30

The Organizations
The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) shares practical knowledge and skills among those who make history relevant to contemporary lives. We draw strength from our diverse network of members, sharing experience, research, and passion for participatory learning. Shelburne Farms is a nonprofit education organization whose mission is to cultivate a conservation ethic for a sustainable future. Our campus is a 1,400-acre working farm and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont.

Meals
Complimentary coffee will be available during the conference in the Farm Barn at Shelburne Farms for the morning. Lunches are also included. Please be sure to specify any dietary needs (allergies, vegetarian, etc.) on the conference registration form. Saturdays dinner, also included, will be at Lake-View House Restaurant next to the Holiday Inn Express. Lake-View House Restaurant: 1710 Shelburne Road South Burlington, VT 05403 1-802-865-3900 Other Suggested Shelburne & Burlington Eating Establishments: Folinos wood-fired
pizza

Transportation
Transportation to Shelburne Farms, nearby hotels, restaurants, and any other off-site locations is the responsibility of conference attendees. The town of Shelburne provides no public transportation. All conference sessions, workshops, and tours take place at Shelburne Farms.

6305 Shelburne Rd. Shelburne, VT 05482 802-881-8822 Rustic Roots 195 Falls Road Shelburne, VT 05482 802.985.9511

The Bearded Frog 5247 Shelburne Rd. Shelburne, VT 05482 802-985-9877 El Cortijo 189 Bank Street Burlington, VT 05401 802-497-1668

Lodging Registration
The Holiday Inn Express in South Burlington, VT, conveniently located three miles from Shelburne Farms, will provide a discounted rate for conference attendees. Rooms will be available at $95 per night (plus tax) for either a single or double occupancy room. To make your reservation call 802-860-6000 or visit their website www.ihg.com. Specify that you are booking with the ALHFAM Conference to receive the conference rate. Conference registration will be located in the Farm Barn at Shelburne Farms Saturday, March 15th, from 8:00am-4:00pm.

Silent Auction
A fund raising silent auction will be held on Saturday, March 15th, in the Farm Barn to help sponsor fellowships to attend ALHFAMs Annual Conference. Please consider supporting the auction by donating auction items. Donations will be accepted at the conference registration until noon on Saturday. The auction will be available for viewing and bidding at noon, and it will close at 6:00pm. Payments may be made by cash or check only.

Opening Reception
Will be held on the first floor at Holiday Inn Express 6:00-8:00. Come and mingle with fellow conference attendees in an informal meet and greet. Light refreshments will be served.

Saturday, March 15th

10:45-12:15 Concurrent 90 Minute Workshop/Session

11:30-12:15 Concurrent 45 Minute Session

Learn to Hew a Beam

Justin Kennick, Lead Interpreter for the Farm Program & Cooper Shop at Old Sturbridge Village Construction can be a valuable interpretive story for most museums and farms. This workshop will show participants some practical tips on hewing (squaring a round log) in order to make a building timber (post or beam) while talking about the educational opportunity it provides. Be prepared to have fun and do a little work outside.

Sustaining an Historic Foodways Program with the Resources You Have

Ryan Beckman, Assistant Coordinator of Households and Womens Crafts at Old Sturbridge Village This presentation will focus on ways sites with limited resources can manage and maintain a connection to foodways. This session will focus on alternatives to using a hearth or stove if none are available, touch on creative use of low, (or even no) staffing and discuss different methods to present food history at ones site.

Its in the Bag

Lauren McCormack, Manager of Bicentennial Programs at the USS Constitution Museum How do museums create non-staffed family experiences in which the parents become the facilitator, rather than the by-stander, of their familys learning? Participants will be introduced to other model backpack programs from around the world, as well as details of the USS Constitution Museums Seabag Discovery Kits. Participants will learn tricks to create low-cost prototypes to test with the public before committing significant budgetary resources.

1:30-3:15 Concurrent Sessions

Finding William Lewis

Bruce Craven & Christie Higginbottom Old Sturbridge Village In this program Bruce and Christie will introduce William Lewis, a 19th century farmer/business man, through an examination of the many sorts of documents he wrote: his daily journal entries, accounts of clothing and provisions purchases, book sales records, accounts of wife Abbys work sewing bed ticks, and his farm books. Their research project is ongoing and much of William Lewis story is yet to be discovered.

10:45-11:30 Concurrent 45 Minute Session

Making Two Blades of Grass Grow Where One Grew Before: Progressive
Farmers and the Idea of Agricultural Sustainability

Jay Adams, Old Sturbridge Village Sustainability as a theme is nothing new. Good stewards have always been looking to sustain and improve their land. Current sustainable farming goals and 19th century progressive farming techniques have much in common. Using historical context to connect these two themes makes historical agriculture both relevant and interesting to a contemporary audience.

1:30-2:15 Concurrent Session

3:30-5:15 Concurrent Workshops/Tours

Raising and Maintaining Heritage Sheep

Sarah Green- Textile Specialist and Dye Manager at Still River Mill, Eastford, CT and farmer of Gulf Coast Native Sheep This session will focus on Sarahs experiences on sourcing, breeding and maintaining a heritage flock of Gulf Coast Native sheep. She will share her experience raising this rare breed, and how using their wool is critical to sustaining the breed. Having worked for several years at Still River Mill, a full service fiber mill in Eastford, CT, Sarah has intimate knowledge of the modern small business service textile industry. The mill offers a variety of services including carding, spinning, dying, felting and weaving fibers brought in from small farms.

Sheep Butchering
Dave Hruska, Lead Interpreter for the Farm Program & Victoria Belisle Lead Interpreter for the Freeman Farmhouse and Sewing Programs at Old Sturbridge Village Butchering was a common part of early 19th century farm life; it incorporated aspects of foodways, agriculture, and animal husbandry which united the male and female spheres of the home. Demonstrating butchering in a museum context in a sensitive and educational way is a powerful teaching tool for enhancing public understanding of farm and foodways, historical and modern. Join us as we butcher a sheep, demonstrating the basic techniques of slaughtering, skinning, and butchering, and a discussion of educational opportunities and methods for public presentation. Participants are recommended that you wear comfortable clothes you do not mind getting dirty and/or bring an apron.

2:15-3:00 Concurrent Tour

Join the Flock!

Rachel Cadwallader-Staub, Children's Farmyard Manager, Farm-Based Educator at Shelburne Farms

Enjoy a visit with Shelburne Farms ewes and lambs through the eyes of a young visitor. Farmyard Manager Rachel Cadwallader will lead you in kidtested, hands-on activities to connect students to the importance of sheep in food and fiber production.

Behind-the-scenes Walk and Tour Through Shelburne House and a Visit to the Archives
Julie Eldridge Edwards, Curator of Collections at Shelburne Farms See the inner workings of the Webb familys gilded age country house while learning about the benefits and challenges of managing and preserving a historic collection that is in use by the public.

Historic Barns Tour

Jerry Francis, Shelburne Farms Shelburne Farms Tour Guide Jerry Francis will share past, present, and future stories of two historic barns on this agricultural estate. Tour will include a visit to the property's largest barn, the Breeding Barn, and the hub of our education programs, the Farm Barn.

Sunday, March 3
9:00-10:30 Concurrent 90 Minute Tour

9:45-10:30 Concurrent 45 Minute Sessions

Grass to Cheese
Susie Marchand Family Programs Manager & Farm Based Educator at Shelburne Farms Explore the Dairy at Shelburne Farms with FarmBased Educator Susie Marchand. Follow the story from the grass that nourishes 120 Brown Swiss cows to produce an award-winning raw milk cheddar cheese as you tour the dairy and learn how we integrate this story into our education programs.

But it is not over yet!!! the 38th Voyage

of the Last Wooden Whaleship.
Rebecca Donohue, Costume Manager and Role Playing Foreman at Mystic Seaport Mystic Seaports latest restoration of the 1841 whaler Charles W. Morgan has been an object lesson in sustainability. From old-growth trees to adz-wielding shipwrights to donors who pay for her sprinkler system, steady streams of proper materials, skilled craftsmen, and adequate finances are essential. But while it seems easy to justify the restoration of the oldest American commercial vessel still afloat, it isnt always easy to justify the restoration of a vessel whose job it was to hunt down whales. This session will explore some of the new first-person programming & educational directives undertaken by Mystic Seaports interpretation department in order to create a broad public relevance to the Charles W. Morgan and ensure her sustainability in the future.

9:00-9:45 Concurrent 45 Minute Sessions

From Sustenance to Relevance: Reinterpreting the Role of the Museum in Regional Foodways and Agricultural Landscapes.
John Forti, Curator of Historic Landscape Strawbery Banke Museum In recent decades, museums have struggled with how to remain relevant, fund programming, and engage future generations amidst our changing cultural, technological and economic landscapes. We find ourselves living in an era when we are returning again to year round farmers markets, corner stores, and a local agricultural renaissance. Each year more parents and teachers look to us to engage our children with a deeper and more meaningful understanding of why history matters and how we can learn from the past in order to help create a more sustainable future.

10:30-12:00 Concurrent 90 Session/Tour

Sweet Maple!
Susie Marchand Family Programs Manager & Farm Based Educator at Shelburne Farms Take a hike with a Shelburne Farms educator to discover the magic of maple sugaring at Shelburne Farms. Meet a sugarmaker and learn how Shelburne Farms engages audiences in the sugaring process.

10:30 -11:15 Concurrent 45 Minute Sessions

1:30 Tour at Shelburne Museum

Sounding Yankee
Tom Kelleher, Historian, and Curator of Mechanical Arts at Old Sturbridge Village Good first person interpretation requires careful attention to the use of language. But just as third person costumed interpreters are careful not to use cell phones, they can also enrich the experience of visitors by paying a bit more attention to how they express themselves. This session offers several tips and short-cuts to sounding more authentic without months of training

Take a Guided Tour at Shelburne Museum.

Shelburne Museum is one of the regions premier destinations for groups. Outstanding collections of art and Americana, exciting new exhibitions each year, beautiful grounds, a caf with a diverse menu, and private guided tour options assure groups an enjoyable, unique experience. March 15th 2014: Join us as we celebrate all things Muppets. From viewing the original Muppet Movie to making sock puppets, its not easy being green but we will do our best. The new Muppet movie opens March 14.

11:15-12:00 Concurrent 45 Minute Sessions

Wearing original garments: When to, When not to, and Why I Do
Kandi Carle K&C Enterprises, aka The Victorian Lady To sustain the teaching of history through clothing and textiles, original garments are sometimes employed: in simple display, on mannequins as part of an exhibit or used as environmental decoration in static room arrangements predominantly in house museums. All are relevant, but there are times when actually wearing the garment is appropriate, then again there are times when it is inappropriate to wear originals. In this session, I propose to show examples of when to and when not to have people actually wear original garments, and when it is a better idea to wear/display reproductions. I will also share how I encourage perseveration and therefore sustaining these garments for the future by actually wearing originals.

New England ALHFAM REGIONAL CONFERENCE FELLOWSHIP

Need financial assistance to attend the 2014 Regional Conference? Why not apply for the New England ALHFAM Fellowship!
Eligible candidates must meet ALL of the following qualifications: you or your institution are a member of ALHFAM you have not received a fellowship to an ALHFAM conference in the last five years Fellowships for the 2014 ALHFAM New England Regional conference at Shelburne Farms will cover conference registration (early-bird member rate) and the Saturday dinner. Recipients are encouraged to present a paper at a future conference, or submit an article for publication in the ALHFAM Bulletin within one year of receiving the fellowship. Submit a cover letter stating the following (limit of two pages): Your membership status (individual or institutional) Why you wish to attend the conference An explanation of your financial need How you intend to contribute to ALHFAM Past contributions to ALHFAM, if applicable Whether you are a college student pursuing a degree in a field served by ALHFAM

Applications will be rated based on the following criteria: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Potential for future contribution to ALHFAM Participation in living history, museum, or other work relating to ALHFAMs mission Rationale for attending the conference. Financial need Presentation of application Presenter at the conference.

Deadline: Feb 17th, 2014. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Applicants being awarded fellowships will be notified by Feb 21th, 2014. Applications must be either mailed or e-mailed (strongly preferred) to the New England Regional Representative: Ryan Beckman 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd. Sturbridge Ma 01566 rbeckman@osv.org

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