Check out the Oliver Kelley Farm near Elk River, Minnesota for something fun, different and (educational) to do with the kids this weekend. The farm is run as it was nearly 160 years ago and is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Visitors will see — and may help — costumed staff members going about the tasks of mid-19th century farm
Livestock representing the breeds of Kelley’s day inhabit the farm. Lambs and piglets have already been born this year and kittens are expected any day. Chicks will also be hatching, Bercher said.
The farm is already home to oxen Toby and Colter, who are fully trained and often seen in the fields. Another pair of oxen has been trained and is ready to be sold. And a new team of calves has been acquired and will be trained to work the fields, too.
The farm also has a team of horses, Bess and Belle, used for field work. A team of Percherons, Jack and Jim, pull the wagon that takes visitors on rides along the farm’s nature trail on weekends.
Oliver Kelley grew up in Boston, the son of a tailor. After coming to Minnesota, he worked with the territorial legislature. When a trading post called Itasca (near present-day Elk River) became a possible site for the territorial capitol, Kelley and others claimed land in the area. Ultimately the capitol stayed in St. Paul, and Kelley started farming his land which is along Highway 10, 2.5 miles east of downtown Elk River.
He wanted to make farming a respectable business and to be successful, she said.
He wrote prolifically about farming, including newspaper columns for the Sauk Rapids Frontiersman.
Every season is different at the Kelley Farm, as much changes with the weather.
Where: 2.5 miles southeast of downtown Elk River on Highway 10
When: The farm will be open Wednesdays-Sundays. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays.
Fee: $9 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and Minnesota Historical Society members.
For more information: Go to www.mnhs.org/places/sites/ohkf/ or call 763-441-6896
Events this season at the Kelley Farm
Saturday, August 8: Grandparent’s Day at the Kelley Farm
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Grandparents are admitted free when accompanied by a grandchild.
Thursday, August 16: Children’s Day at the Kelley Farm
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Join in the chores that children did on farms more than 100 years ago.
Saturday and Sunday, August 25-26: The Useful Art of Pickling
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
The useful art of pickling provided families with a variety of foods throughout the long winter months 150 years ago. Visitors will discover sweet and sour pickles and other varieties that were popular with the Kelleys and families like them. For $2 per jar, visitors can make their own refrigerator pickles to take home. Horse-drawn trolley rides along the nature trail will be available throughout the afternoon.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday, September 1-3: Threshing Weekend
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Monday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Celebrate Labor Day Weekend at the Kelley Farm. Threshing the grain harvest was the culmination of an entire growing season’s toil. Join the Kelley Farm hands as they bring grain bundles in from the field with the oxen, Toby and Colter. Help haul bundles and bag up grain at the 1856 horse-powered Cox and Roberts threshing machine and help stack the straw.
Saturday and Sunday September 29-30: Prairie Sugar Weekend
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Join the Kelley Farm hands making prairie sugar, also known as sorghum molasses. Help strip the leaves off the sorghum canes, press the canes through a horse-powered press to extract the juice, and stir the juice as it boils down to make a sweet, syrupy molasses. Then, treat yourself to molasses confections such as gingerbread and molasses candy.
So tear the kids away from the videos games and the television this weekend and take the whole family out to the country with some fresh air and wholesome entertainment.
Hope to see you there!
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