A Recipe for Special Memories

Traditional foods have long been the cornerstone of holiday celebrations, from breads and cookies to oyster stew, plum pudding and roasted turkey or goose. While we may treasure the tastes and smells of holiday treats, it seems the experience of preparing the holiday feast and gathering together to celebrate is where the real memories are made.

“Years ago, grandmothers and mothers passed down family recipes and advice to the younger generations as ladies gathered together to prepare an elaborate meal for the holidays,” shared Shellee Murcko, Sauder Village Historic Foodways Program. “Thanksgiving meals included many foods as evidence of a bountiful harvest, while Christmas was the time to prepare the choicest foods to celebrate the birth of Christ. Nineteenth century holiday meals often included sweet potatoes, squash, cranberry sauce, oysters, candy canes, sugar plums, Lebkuchen, roasted chestnuts, Stollen, spiced cider and pies.”

While you may not be gathering chestnuts, a fresh goose or the bounty you preserved from your garden for your holiday party – there are still ways to make holiday meals a special tradition for your family.

Take time this year to prepare a meal (or even just a batch of cookies) with your children or grandchildren. While the whole process may take a bit longer, the end result is sure to be priceless. Stay connected to far-away relatives by tucking a copy of your favorite holiday recipe inside your Christmas card this year. Traditional recipes can also make great gifts! Why not make a recipe book that includes some of your holiday favorites or even a shadow box showcasing recipes in your own handwriting. Continue a tradition in your family this holiday season and dust off some old family recipes. Or, try some historic recipes and start a new tradition of your own!

While the menu at holiday meals has evolved through the years, it is food, feast and family that continue to bring us together. This year, make your holiday meals an experience to treasure and savor for years to come!

Check out some great Holiday Recipes on our website!

Stuffed Acorn Squash
INGREDIENTS
1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter, melted
½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large tart apple peeled, cored, chopped
¼ cup chopped nuts of your choice

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place acorn squash, cut side down, in a large baking pan or dish; pour water into bottom of pan around the squash. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, and chopped apples. Divide mixture evenly among partially cooked squash and return to oven for 30 minutes or until tender when flesh is poked with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped nuts to serve. Makes 2 servings.

Handmade Gifts for the Holidays

If you reminisce about some of the most cherished gifts you have received, chances are a sweater, blender, tie or DVD are not high on your list. But rather, the most cherished gifts are often those with real meaning . . . gifts that were made by hand, gifts that tell a story or preserve a memory for years to come.

In the early 1900s, gifts were made by hand out of necessity. There were no malls and online shopping was unheard of. While some gifts may have been purchased by catalog, many gifts were often hand made. Mothers may have made new clothing as a special gift and men would have carved wooden figurines or toys for their children.

With people of all ages exhibiting a renewed interest in and appreciation for hand-crafted items, one of the top trends in gift giving again this year is homemade gifts. It seems people are revisiting skills they thought they had lost or taking the time to learn something new in order to create a heartfelt gift that will be treasured for years to come. From woodcarving, quilting or knitting to scrapbooking, photography, painting or baking – there are many gift possibilities for you to consider!

Sauder Village has continued that tradition of handmade items by offering classes to learn a new skill. With the many classes we are offering this fall, there are plenty of opportunities for people to learn something new while making a handmade gift. You can learn to knit Christmas socks, make a hooked hot pad, a tatted holiday ornament, or learn hand appliqué. You can also make a holiday wreath, gingerbread house or nativity scene basket.

While making handmade gifts certainly seems to be a new trend, it’s what we’ve been doing for years at Sauder Village. If you think you don’t have the talent or time to make your own gift, the craftsmen at Sauder Village are here to help. The items made by our potter, glassblower, basketmakers, tinsmith and other talented craftsmen are gifts you won’t find at every store in the region. These hand-crafted items are unique to Sauder Village and Northwest Ohio. They are also gifts that are sure to be cherished for years to come.

We see many grandparents come into the Gift Shop to buy wooden toys and games for their grandkids. They see the value in the wooden games, cars and trains. Many customers appreciate that these items are made locally and believe they will be gifts that are shared from one generation to the next. Our guests really seem to value the unique qualities of the items made by our craftsmen and see the value in supporting their talent and sharing it with others.

Why not start your Christmas list early this year and allow time to find just the right gift for those special people in your life. Be creative – make a photo book for your family, share some of the bounty from your garden, take the time to learn something new, and create a treasured keepsake. People love it when it’s obvious their gift required some imagination and creativity. Why not give it a try this holiday season!

Click here to view our Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Catalog!
We’re sure you’ll be inspired to learn something new.

Pioneer Settlement - An Award-Winning Addition!

Here's some news we just had to share on our blog! If you haven't visited Pioneer Settlement yet, here's one more reason to plan a visit yet this season!

The American Association for State & Local History and the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums recently recognized the accomplishments of Sauder Village with the presentation of two distinguished awards. These state and national organizations honored Pioneer Settlement, the new five-acre addition that opened late last fall, with an “Award of Merit” and a “History Outreach Award”.

The American Association for State & Local History (AASLH) Leadership in History Awards is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. Now in its 65th year, the AASLH awards program was initiated to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievements in the field of state and local history, but also brings public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions and programs to make contributions in this arena.

Kris Jemmott, Director of Historic Village Operations recently accepted the “Award of Merit” at the AASLH Annual Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Awards for 2010 represented 49 organizations and individuals from across the United States. AASLH is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides leadership, service, and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful in American society.

Sauder Village has also been awarded the “History Outreach Award” from the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums (OAHSM). Tracie Evans, Curator of Collections at Sauder Village, will be accepting the award in Dublin, OH at the OAHSM Annual Meeting and Conference early in October. The OAHSM “History Outreach Awards” recognize outstanding projects that have educational content, have contributed to the promotion and understanding of local and state history and that have had an impact on the community.

The Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums, organized in 1960 under sponsorship of the Ohio Historical Society, is composed of local historical societies, historic preservation groups, history museums, archives, libraries, and genealogical societies throughout the state involved in collecting, preserving, and interpreting Ohio's history. OAHSM has led the state in recognizing the excellent programs, and publications produced by Ohio’s historical societies, museums and related organizations, and the people who make them happen.

“It is such an honor to have our Pioneer Settlement addition recognized at both the state and national level,” commented Kris Jemmott, Director of Historic Village Operations. “Even more encouraging are the wonderful comments we receive from our guests about this new addition. Our guests are educated, entertained and inspired as they hear stories about our ancestors building a community in the wilderness based on ingenuity, creativity, hard work and perseverance.”

The historic homes, farms and community buildings at Pioneer Settlement allow guests to experience life in Ohio from 1834 until 1890. While visiting Pioneer Settlement, guests can connect with the past at places like the Lauber Hill Settlement, Log School House, Witmer-Roth Home and the Eicher Cabin. Other historic buildings in this award-winning area include the Jail, Peter Stuckey Farm, Holdeman Church and a new Train Stop. Throughout the season guests can enjoy a rotation of demonstrations including farming with oxen, gardening, spinning, rug hooking and more. Guests also have the opportunity to try hands-on activities like hauling water with a neck yoke, walking the fields with a harrow, gardening, spell downs and more!

Apples . . . A Great Way to Celebrate Fall!

The aroma of apples and spices mixed with woodfires and falling leaves signals a change of season and Apple Butter Baking at Sauder Village. For the 34th consecutive year, guests can watch as we boil the cider down, add the thinly sliced apples and then cook the homemade apple butter in copper kettles over an open fire. This ever-popular fall event is sure to delight all of your senses with activities including apple butter making, cider pressing, apple cooking demonstrations and hands-on activities.

We’ve posted a video with some highlights of this fall event that runs Sept. 22-25. We also thought we’d share a few of the apple recipes we’ll be preparing in our historic homes throughout the fall. We hope you’ll plan to visit us for Apple Butter Making or one of the other special events we have planned yet this season!



Historic apple recipes to try in your own kitchen . . .

Apple Butter Pie – A recipe from the Lauber Family
1 heaping tablespoon flour (serving spoon)
1 heaping tablespoon sugar (serving spoon)
2 heaping tablespoons apple butter (servings spoons)
2 eggs
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 cups milk (1 cup cream and 1 cup 2% milk)

Mix sugar and flour, add next four ingredients then add milk. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the center is set.


Apple Pandowdy
Apple Pandowdy is one of a family of simple desserts, known in different parts of the world as cobblers, duffs, grunts, slumps and pandowdies. These desserts have subtle variations, but the base of all of them is fruit baked with a sweet biscuit or cake dough top. The exact origin of the name Pandowdy is unknown, but it is thought to refer to the dessert’s plain or “dowdy” appearance. Looks can be deceiving, apple pandowdy is delicious - especially topped with a bit of ice cream or whipped cream. This dessert is super easy to make, yet wins rave reviews from diners. Try some tonight!

Apple Pandowdy Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 ½ cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups peeled, sliced apples
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
whipped cream or ice cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. Butter a 9” square baking dish. Place sliced apples in buttered baking dish and sprinkle with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in egg. Add flour mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture to make a stiff batter. Spread batter evenly over apples and bake for about 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for at least ten minutes before serving. You can serve this dish right out of the pan or invert it onto a serving plate like an upside-down cake, warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.


Apple Grunt
½ cup sugar
2 T butter
1 egg
1 cup flour
½ t. salt
½ t. baking powder
2 c. sliced apples
½ c. sour milk or buttermilk
½ t. vanilla
6 T. brown sugar
1 ½ T. flour
½ t. cinnamon
1 ½ T. butter

Cream sugar and butter together; add egg and mix. Blend flour, salt and baking powder together and add to mixture. Mix soda with milk and vanilla; mix all together. Add apple slices and pour batter into a buttered baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter – mixing until crumb texture and sprinkle over apple batter. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes.

Fall Harvest - A Time to Celebrate!

With corn in the fields, pumpkins in the patch and apples on the trees, it’s harvest time here in Northwest Ohio. For some people, fall harvest means digging potatoes from the garden or picking apples from the orchard. For others it may mean spending hours in a combine to harvest hundreds of acres of corn or soybeans. While methods have changed through the years, fall harvest continues to be a time-honored tradition in this region.

In the mid 1800s, corn, wheat, oats, potatoes and molasses were grown in this area. Because of the difficulty in getting the crop to market, most of the crops were used on the farm. Harvesting was done almost entirely by hand with corn being husked off the stalk or shocked in the field until needed. Grain was cut with a grain cradle and tied into bundles and shocked by hand. Harvesting two or three acres in a day was a big accomplishment.

By the 1880s several inventions made harvesting much easier. Threshing machines replaced flails allowing an entire crop to be done in a day or two instead of weeks. Reapers & binders also made harvesting quicker, and the coming of the railroad in the late 1850s meant that surplus could be shipped out to other markets, Farms got bigger as less time was needed to work each acre. By 1870 the time of our Stuckey Farm, farmers like Peter Stuckey had extra time to start up side businesses like his wagon shop.

By 1928, many of the same crops were still being grown, but in much greater numbers. The threshing machines were now powered by gas tractors instead of steam engines making the process much safer. While wheat and oats enjoyed new innovations, corn was still being hand harvested.

It was not until the late 1940s that better machines and new drying bins made the combine widely popular and more affordable in this part of Ohio. Today oats are not typically grown in this area and soybeans have taken many of the acres that were previously planted in oats. Wheat and corn continue to be major crops in Ohio. With average-sized farm equipment of today, farmers can typically shell 50 acres of corn, 90 acres of soybeans or 50 acres of wheat per day. A big change from the one or two acres of the 1830s.

Traditions like a threshers dinner or special church service like the Harvest Home Service were common ways to celebrate the bounty of the harvest. Throughout the fall, harvest will be a big part of the story we tell at Historic Sauder Village. There will be vegetables to harvest from our garden, apples to pick and use for making tasty apple butter, historic farming demonstrations and more!

While the methods of harvest have changed through the years, the importance of this season has remained steadfast. Fall harvest is a time of thanksgiving and celebration. We hope you’ll take time this fall to celebrate the season and enjoy the bounty of the harvest!

Rug Hooking Week Highlights

For the past 14 years, rug hookers from across the country have traveled to Ohio for Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week – one of the top rug hooking events in the country. With hundreds of hooked rugs on display, workshops, lectures and special displays – 2010 Rug Hooking Week is again a spectacular celebration of this traditional craft.

Each year the “Sauder Award” is presented to the piece that best exemplifies the spirit and mission of Sauder Village. For 2010 the three-dimensional “Noah’s Ark” received this award. With an overall height of 5’ 7” and weighing more than 300 pounds, this massive project includes more than 104 individual hooked animals and people, and is sure to be an inspiration to guests of all ages. “Noah’s Ark” is one of the many spectacular pieces in the Featured Exhibit – highlighting special pieces by the late Mary Sheppard Burton and Leonard Feenann. The display is an outstanding representation of their creativity, style and advanced techniques. We’re thrilled to have Mary’s granddaughter joining us for the week to help share her grandmother’s stories along with Leonard.

From the “Celebration Rugs," Special Exhibits, Retreat Teacher Exhibits, and “Happy Holiday” Challenge Rugs to the main exhibit featuring U.S. and International works by category – it’s difficult to describe the beauty and creativity on display this week at Sauder Village. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, we’ve created a short video to give you a look inside Founder’s Hall. We’ve also found it interesting to visit this show through the eyes of a rug hooker. Gene Shepherd, one of our retreat teachers for 2010, has posted many photos and thoughts about Rug Hooking Week on his blog: http://geneshepherd.com/blog1/ We hope you’ll take a look at his site as well for a unique look at our special event.

And if you look at these photos and become “hooked”, there’s still time to join us – Sauder Village Rug Hooking week continues through Saturday, August 21st. We hope you’ll join us!

Volunteers Help Bring History Alive at Sauder Village

For long-time volunteers Jack and Vivian Taylor, time spent at Sauder Village means much more than just giving train rides or selling souvenirs in the Gift Shop. For this special couple, the time they spend together at Sauder Village is an opportunity to meet people from around the world, spend time with special co-workers, and help keep Erie Sauder’s dream alive.

“We just love it at Sauder Village,” Jack and Vivian shared. “The people are wonderful and it is great to be a part of what’s happening at Sauder Village!”

The Taylors are just one example of the hundreds of volunteers who share their time and talents each year at Sauder Village. In 2009, 340 people gave 14,422 hours of their time at Sauder Village.

While the jobs may vary, the volunteer profile remains the same . . . friendly, outgoing individuals, who enjoy working with people! There are opportunities to provide administrative support, help with collections or educational programming, work in the historic gardens or help in the Gift Shop. Volunteers also work as historic interpreters, help with historic trades, and help in the Quilt Shop.

It takes the support of many people to continue the legacy Erie started so many years ago. Volunteers play an integral role at our non-profit organization and we are thankful that so many people throughout the tri-state area share their time and talents at Sauder Village.

Interested in getting involved? Stop by the Sauder Village Welcome Center or give us a call for an application (800.590.9755). We’ll do our best to work with you and your interests to find the best volunteer opportunity for you at Sauder Village!

Become a Part of the Sauder Village Family!

As we prepare for our annual Member’s Night celebration this evening, we thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the important role members play in continuing our mission at Sauder Village.

Member support helps our non-profit organization to continue preserving and communicating the values and traditions of the early heritage of the Great Black Swamp of Northwest Ohio from 1803 through the turn of the 20th century. The Historic Village provides a unique opportunity to experience rural life and to watch skilled craftsmen at work.

Not only is a membership a great way to enjoy fun and educational experiences all year long, but by becoming a member you are joining others in supporting the preservation of the past for many generations to come. Your membership helps in so many ways, from developing valuable educational programs, to preserving precious objects no longer used in our modern lives to perpetuating fine, hand-made traditional American crafts.

Interested in learning more about how to become part of the Sauder Village family? Visit our website for more details: http://www.saudervillage.org/development/default.asp

Thanks to all of our members and we hope you’ll consider becoming a part of the Sauder Village family!

Sauder Village Craftsmen - Innovation & Inspiration

To help celebrate our “Explore the Crafts” event today and tomorrow, we’re featuring two of the talented craftsmen who share their talents and play such an important role in our guest experience. We hope you enjoy “meeting” our tinsmith and blacksmith and will be inspired to join us on Fri. July 23 and Sat. July 24 to explore your own creativity during our “Explore the Crafts” event at Sauder Village!

Mike Runyon
Starting his 15th season at Sauder Village, tinsmith Mike Runyon continues to stay busy making reproductions of 18th and 19th century tinware. To help with Pioneer Settlement, Mike did much research and made tinware for inside many of the historic homes. “I love finding old pieces and figuring out how they are made,” Mike shared. “I also love doing the research – not just on tin or a particular object, but rather research on the lives of everyday people.”

Mike enjoys the opportunity to interact with guests visiting the Historic Village. “I really enjoy the kids who come to visit – I just love their curiosity,” Mike shared. Through the years, Mike has found the most popular items in his shop to be the tin icicles for Christmas trees and the many unique cookie cutters he shapes from tin.

Early this summer Mike worked with other noted tinsmiths to plan a Tinner Convergence at Sauder Village. Tinsmiths and coppersmiths from across the country gathered in Archbold to learn historically accurate methods of tinsmithing, discover new techniques and share ideas.

During our Explore the Crafts event, guests can visit Mike in the Tin Shop to make a small tin heart cookie cutter on Friday, July 23rd!


Simon Tomell
While still a fairly new member of the Sauder Village family, blacksmith Simon Tomell has certainly gained the respect of the staff and guests. Now in his 4th season at the Village, Simon shared that he truly loves the Sauder Village environment. “I really enjoy the staff and the opportunity to work in such an authentic setting,” Simon shared.

While Simon’s day-to-day projects often include smaller items like candle snuffers, hooks and flint strikers, he has also been commissioned to make larger pieces for individuals. One of his most recent projects includes a 3 foot high cross to be placed on the altar of an outdoor church near Adrian, Michigan. He is currently making decorative and functional brackets – to help reinforce the balcony on a timber-frame home in Northwest Ohio. Simon also made many items for our Pioneer Settlement project including hinges for the doors, cooking utensils and tools for the outdoor bake oven. And in this age of “green” products, it is interesting to learn that Simon can be found recycling in his shop. “Scrap metal often lends itself to a specific project,” Simon shared. “Coil springs can often be recycled and used to make flint strikers.”

Interested in learning more about blacksmithing? Guests age 16 and older will have an opportunity to try blacksmithing this Friday and Saturday, July 23 & 24.

The artists we’ve featured, as well as our potter, glassblower, spinners, weavers, basket makers, quilters, broom makers, woodworkers, coopers and native weavers, all carry on skills that were vital to everyday life at the time the Black Swamp was settled. We hope you will join us to meet our craftsmen and explore your own creativity during our “Explore the Crafts” event this Friday and Saturday.

Sauder Village participates in “Arts Gone Wild”

At Sauder Village, we understand the importance of partnering with other art and cultural organizations and are excited to again be part of Arts Gone Wild, the annual summer event sponsored by Toledo area arts and cultural organizations.

The Arts Gone Wild event will be at the Toledo Museum of Art this summer with a new twist. Instead of a two-day festival, the Museum is hosting a month-long exhibition of objects and materials from participating organizations.

The Arts Gone Wild exhibition opens in the Community Gallery with a special It’s Friday celebration on Friday, July 16 and continues through August 15. The exhibition is not a typical fine art exhibition but instead features multi-media “vignettes” representing the work of each organization. Displays include video clips of performances, theatre costumes, musical scores, books, photographs or original artwork. Using photos and unique works of art designed by our talented craftsmen, our display is a striking exhibit that highlights Sauder Village as a cultural destination in Northwest Ohio.

From 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 16 in Libbey Court, Nancy Lewis, one of our Native American interpreters, will invite visitors to learn about Northwest Ohio in 1803. She will be weaving a traditional native bag and visitors will be able to make cordage bracelets. In addition, Chereen Thompson will demonstrate spinning. Visitors will be able to touch different types of fibers as well as try their hands at carding wool, drop spindles and spinning on a wheel.

Urban Jazz Collective will perform from 7–8 p.m. that day in the Great Gallery. The talented students from the Toledo School for the Arts have performed in various venues in the Toledo area including Murphys and Manhattan’s. Later, from 8–9 p.m. in the Great Gallery, the Toledo Ballet will present Aquarius, from the musical Hair, and Flow, a contemporary piece. The music for Flow is a song titled “Ketto” by Bonobo.

Arts Gone Wild is an evolving series of events sponsored by a coalition of arts and cultural organizations including the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, Imagination Station, Sauder Village, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Botanical Gardens, Toledo–Lucas County Library (Main), Metroparks of the Toledo Area, Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Opera, Toledo Symphony, Toledo Repertoire Theater, Toledo School for the Arts, Toledo Zoo, Valentine Theater and WGTE. The organizations meet regularly to discuss issues of common interest and ways to work collaboratively.

Admission is free to the Toledo Museum of Art and to all of the Arts Gone Wild activities. We hope you'll take time this summer to check out our Sauder Village display and all of the other great exhibits and activities planned for Arts Gone Wild!