Old-fashioned hand husking of corn will be demonstrated, and everyone is welcome to give the farm task of an earlier time a personal try during the corn picking, shelling, husking and grinding, coordinated by Ag Heritage Park farm museum, Saturday, Sept. 28, at Alta Vista, when the Wabaunsee County community is celebrating its annual Old Settlers Day.
It’ll be a very busy day at Alta Vista on Saturday, Sept. 28.
In celebration of 126 years, the “The Little Town on the Prairie” will host its annual Old Settlers Day, with Ag Heritage Park, farm museum, simultaneously presenting a “Step Back in Time,” announced Pam McDiffett, Chamber of Commerce official.
Festivities kick off at 8 o’clock with an antiques and crafts vendor market in the city park, and a daylong Barn Quilt Block Show, in the farm museum at the south edge of the Wabaunsee County community, begins at 9 o’clock.
“The Barn Quilt Show is to feature any size barn quilt block as well as eight-by-ten photos of displayed barn blocks,” explained Connie Larson, president of the Ag Heritage Park. The barn art program is being cosponsored by the Kansas Flint Hills Quilt Trail.
At 9:30, there will be a pedal pull in the city park, and Ron Schultz and Friends are to open their bluegrass music jam session in the farm museum. A model train display opens in the Baptist Church at 10 o’clock.
Always attracting large participation and sidewalks filled with spectators, the parade down Main Street gets underway at 11 o’clock. “We welcome entries of all kinds,” McDiffett invited.
“Ag Heritage Park tractors will join in the parade, too,” Larson pointed out.
Lunch is to be served at the city park by the Chamber of Commerce, with homemade ice cream from the Masonic Lodge, and entertainment by the Haymakers band.
A rock climbing wall is to be open during the afternoon, with horseshoe and sand volleyball tournaments at 1 o’clock, and kid’s games including frog, turtle, bicycle and stick horse races at 1:30.
“Our old-fashioned corn picking, shelling and hand husking will start at 1:30, with horse-powered grinding and a husker shredder also to be demonstrated,” Larson pointed out.
Alumni banquet for Alta Vista High School graduates is set for the evening.
Handicap accessible, the Ag Heritage Park, which will be open to 5 o’clock, includes more than 40 tractors from 1918, to 1960 models; an 1885-era one-room school house, two-room farm house, log cabin, two museum buildings and many other displays, explained Larson.
“There will be admission by donation for park upkeep, and drinks are to be available,” commented Larson’s brother, Kirby Zimmerman, who can be contacted for information at 620-767-2714, or www.agheritagepark.com, and Facebook.