Fall back in time at Primrose Farm Frolic
There's something about fall that makes traveling back in time a pleasant pastime.
This Sunday, visitors to Primrose Farm in St. Charles will get a glimpse of what farm life was like almost 100 years ago when the farm presents its annual Frolic event.
“This is one of our biggest events,” said Alison Jones, the farm's manager of farm programs and interpretive services. “Last year we had over 700 people.”
Jones said the 100-acre farm on the city's north end, first used as a working farm in the 1840s, is maintained as it was in 1930.
“The dairy barn and out-buildings are the same as they were then,” she said. “It sort of shows how people before 1930 farmed to survive, to feed themselves. After that they farmed to feed other people.”
Jones said the farm was owned and operated by a succession of families before the land was purchased by the St. Charles Park District.
“Primrose Farm is a facility of the St. Charles Park District. Our main goal is to educate people about food, agriculture and where their food comes from,” she said.
Demonstrations going on throughout the day will show visitors how corn was shelled, butter was churned and laundry was done with a washboard and ringer. Wood stove cooking and blacksmithing will be demonstrated, too.
At one point during the day, farm interpreters will milk the farm's one currently milk-producing cow.
A new feature this year will be the presence of representatives from the Fox Valley Beekeepers Association.
“We'll have beekeepers talking about their bees,” she said. “We do have beehives on site.”
The farm has an assortment of resident livestock that visitors will be able to see up close.
“We have cows, draft horses, chickens, donkeys, goats and sheep. The cows and horses come in two times a day to eat. The sheep can come and go, same thing with the goats,” Jones said.
Visitors will get opportunities to be transported via tractor-drawn wagon rides and to check out other farm vehicles from the modern era.
“We'll have antique tractors, backhoes and a dump truck,” Jones said.
Fox River and Countryside Fire Rescue District representatives will be there.
“They usually bring a truck and an ambulance with them,” she said.
And for kids, there will be pony rides, corn cannons, a straw maze and crafts.
“We do pumpkin painting. We provide the pumpkins and the paints,” she said.
Jones said cash sales of food will be available from Inglenook Pantry.
“The St. Charles Underground Teen Center will be selling cookies. That's their fundraiser,” she said.
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Primrose Farm Frolic
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22
Where: Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles
Admission: $6 for ages 3 and older; free for 2 and younger