Most of us focus our consideration on our day by day routines and on the people who find themselves near us, our neighbours, our mates and our household. It’s not unusual to be acquainted with locations in our metropolis, understanding the place they’re positioned, however not ever stopping to go to. Till I joined the employees at Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV), the museum was a spot like that for me. I had visited the museum with my mother and father as a baby. I had been there a few times as a younger grownup throughout Pioneer Days. However primarily, I drove by on the freeway a whole lot and probably hundreds of instances over the a long time, with none concept of the websites on the grounds or the actions occurring all through the varied seasons. What was I lacking?
Do you know that a number of devoted volunteers keep our working windmill with common upkeep and cleansing of the various transferring gears, shafts and sails? This permits it to proceed to perform as a flour mill. Throughout occasion days, the sails are engaged, and your entire windmill turns into a really massive machine, harnessing energy from the wind and making it doable to make use of the grindstones on the second stage, to show wheat into flour. A number of instances a yr, this flour is sifted and bagged to be used in our well-known stoneground entire wheat bread recipe on the Livery Barn Restaurant. It’s also packaged on the market in our present store.
Do you know that the Common Retailer on our village Important Avenue is an precise, working retailer open seven days per week from Could 1 to Sept. 30? The shop carries native artisan handmade objects on the market and is staffed by the identical artisans on a rotating foundation. You may cease by any day throughout museum hours to buy and communicate with the artisan on web site that day. No admission is required. Step again in time to the early 1900’s as you hear the creak of the picket flooring, store for that particular handmade present, and picture your nice grandparents making their month-to-month journey to city to select up provides for his or her residence.
Do you know that the Steinbach and Space Backyard Membership takes care of the museum orchard and gardens? Every spring they put together the soil and plant conventional greens like our grandparents did. We now have three backyard plots devoted to rising rhubarb for the tasty plautz dessert within the Livery Barn Restaurant. And most of the greens discover their method into our restaurant-made soup recipes. While you eat on the restaurant with household and mates, you might be having fun with residence grown goodness.
Do you know that we now have a gravel strolling path across the pond and that the shoreline has been rebuilt with the help of the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District to stop erosion and to create a pure habitat that invitations exploration and delight of nature? Whether or not you might be having fun with a peaceable stroll by means of the village homesteads and gardens or strolling by means of the grove of saskatoon and chokecherry bushes to comply with the trail across the pond, you’ll encounter the chirping of crickets, the songs of small birds, and the sights and smells of nature throughout you.
Do you know that we now have livestock in our barnyard all summer season? We now have beneficiant farmers who take care of these animals in winter, however through the summer season months our guests can get near cows, miniature horses and donkeys, sheep and goats, pigs and multi-coloured chickens. They’re sorted by our employees and volunteers to make sure that they’re cared for and effectively fed. A number of native households use their memberships to go to the animals on a weekly foundation, watching the lambs play tag with one another, petting the miniature horses, and feeding grass to the curious chickens.
For a few years, I drove by Mennonite Heritage Village on my strategy to someplace, however I not often stopped to seek out out extra in regards to the museum and its 40 acres of heritage buildings, its manicured gardens, and its pure atmosphere. As you intend your summer season actions, take into consideration visiting MHV for just a few hours. Discover out what you may have been lacking.
Upcoming occasions
Could to September – The museum, the Livery Barn Restaurant, the Common Retailer, and Village Books and Presents are open 7 days per week.
July 26 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Nation Basic Automobile Membership – Present and Shine at MHV.
Aug. 2 to 4 – Pioneer Days: Rejoice the 151st anniversary of Mennonites arriving in Manitoba this summer season through the August Lengthy Weekend.
Aug. 16 – Peace Trek: An annual biking fundraiser highlighting sure historic websites between The Mennonite Touchdown and the MHV Peace Exhibit. Particulars at www.mhv.ca.
Sept. 6 – Tractor Drive: Our annual vintage tractor fundraising drive together with a 50 km countryside experience by means of a number of native communities.
