Educational Programs

Experience "a day in the life" activities of an 18th Century farm family as costumed interpreters engage visitors in performing  daily life skills using tools and techniques of the time period.  Seasonal activities may include sewing, spinning, weaving, gardening, cooking, laundry, other household and agricultural chores, as well as lessons in the one-room schoolhouse.  Frugal Friday Programs follow an open-house setting from 10:00 am until noon and are FREE!

Friday, April 20 -  The 3 P's: Plan, Plow and Plant: Farmers relied on good crops to earn their living.  Learn what they planted and when.  What was important for farmers to learn in school? 

Activities: Garden Chores and schoolhouse lesson.

Friday, May 18 -  Fun and Games: 

How did children entertain themselves while doing farm chores? What types of toys and games were popular during school recess?  

Activities: Corn husk dolls and schoolhouse lesson. 

Friday, June 22 - Our Native Past: 

What was daily life like for the native people of this area? How did their culture affect the European and African people who arrived in the 17th Century. 

Activities: Weaving and a schoolhouse lesson.

Friday, July 20 - Natural History:

Learn about the rich natural resource history of Louisa County. Why is the Town of Mineral called Mineral? Why do we have Gold Mine Road? 

Activities: Panning for "gold" and other minerals and a schoolhouse lesson.  

Friday August 17 - Back To School:  

What was a typical school day like? Why did farmers need an education? Learn about the history of "field schools" and the progression to public education.

Activities: End of summer farm chores and penmanship in the schoolhouse. 

Experience "a day in the life" activities of an 18th Century farm family as costumed interpreters engage visitors in performing  daily life skills using tools and techniques of the time period.  Seasonal activities may include sewing, spinning, weaving, gardening, cooking, laundry, other household and agricultural chores, as well as lessons in the one-room schoolhouse.  Family Day Programs follow an open-house setting from 10:00 am until noon and are FREE!

Saturday, April 21 -  Sow What?: 

Farmers relied on good crops to earn their living.  Learn what they planted and when.  What was important for farmers to learn in school? 

Activities: Garden Chores and schoolhouse lesson.

Saturday, May 19 -  Fun and Games: 

How did children entertain themselves while doing farm chores? What types of toys and games were popular during school recess?  

Activities: Corn husk dolls and schoolhouse lesson. 

Saturday, June 23 - Our Native Past: 

What was daily life like for the native people of this area? How did their culture affect the European and African people who arrived in the 17th Century. 

Activities: Weaving and a schoolhouse lesson.

Saturday, July 21 - Natural History:

Learn about the rich natural resource history of Louisa County. Why is the Town of Mineral called Mineral? Why do we have Gold Mine Road? 

Activities: Panning for "gold" and other minerals and a schoolhouse lesson.  

Saturday, August 18 - Back To School:  

What was a typical school day like? Why did farmers need an education? Learn about the history of "field schools" and the progression to public education.

Activities: End of summer farm chores and penmanship in the schoolhouse. 

Do you have a group you would like to bring for a program or activity?  We can provide programs for specific groups such as Home School Groups, Church Groups, Boy and Girl Scouts, Special Needs, Senior Groups and daycare and school field trips.  We can also come to you for a presentation. 

Programs could include a lecture and/or hands-on activity on a specific topic such as clothing, transportation, technology or  perhaps a broad category such as a daily life skills, economy and cultural aspects of a particular era. 

Contact us for more information. 

Throughout the year we conduct seasonal workshops in open hearth cooking, wreath-making, basket making and other heritage skills.  

Heritage Skills Workshops will resume in the fall.  Check back with us for updates. 

See our calendar for more details. 

The Louisa Herb Guild is a group of herb enthusiasts committed to bringing Louisa County history to life through gardening.  Our objectives are to:

• Maintain and grow a demonstration Heritage Garden at the Heritage Farm
• Educate visitors about herbs 
• Culinary historic hearth cooking programs accurate to period of the Michie House and farm use c.1750-1865
• Increase use in dyeing and medicinal herbs
• Develop a self-guided tour with herb identification smart phone apps  

We began in 2014 with a 20' x 20' demonstration kitchen garden, growing herbs and vegetables typical of the 18th and 19th Centuries in Central Virginia. 

Please visit our plants map here. 

An extension of the Herb Guild,  the Open Hearth Cooking Guild is comprised of individuals who enjoy teaching others the skills they have developed over time. We are always looking for more cooks to learn and train to teach others! 

Cooking workshops will resume in the fall.  check back with us for updates.