19th-Century Pioneer Living : Live Like a Pioneer for a Weekend

Pioneer House Experience 2011 

 
Spend an unforgettable weekend living at the museum’s pioneer farm
 
 
Experience what life was really like for a pioneer family in the Genesee Country during the early 1800s.  Imagine living and working at the pioneer farmstead – not only while museum visitors are around, but in the solitude of a quiet summer night or on a cool autumn evening with the warm glow of candles lighting your log home.
 
On select weekends this year you can share in your own pioneer experience firsthand. As pioneers you will tackle the daily chores of fetching water, hoeing the gardens, caring for the animals and eating seasonal foods cooked over an open hearth.
 
We’re sure you’ll enjoy the end of each day as you drift off to sleep on your own straw-filled beds.  Every pioneer experience is unique – customized to your family or group.
 
Your pioneer guide and advisor for the weekend will be an experienced farmstead interpreter and open-hearth cook.  Our pioneer farmstead staff thoroughly enjoys spending their days at the farm working around the log house, in the gardens and throughout the farmyard as they share stories of pioneer farm life with all of our guests.
 
Your personal guide will be helping you master the skills necessary to tend to all of the work required to keep the farmstead running smoothly during the day and to survive on your own each night.
 
Families or groups may apply for this unique program online.  Those selected to be part of our Pioneer House Experience will be required to attend a one-day orientation to learn the basics of hearth cooking, animal husbandry, seasonal gardening, carpentry and other necessary skills.  Every participant will be fitted for period clothing by our costuming department during your orientation.
 
Pioneer Experience weekends for 2011 are:
 
           • June 17 to19
            • July 15 to 17
            • August 12 to 14
            • September 9 to 11
            • October 7 to 9
           
The fee is $200 per adult, $130 per youth (age 8-16), or $600 for a family of four.
 
To be considered for the June 17 – 19 weekend, applications should be in by Friday, May 6, 2011. Applications will be accepted after that date for other weekends.

 For more information, contact Anne Rodgers at (585) 294-8275 or arodgers@gcv.org.

Enjoy a 5½-minute slide show produced by Dan Allosso of Keene, NH, when he and his family spent last  July 4 weekend as pioneers.