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Homeplace Pickin’ Party at Land Between the Lakes 2019

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There’s going to be a Pickin’ Party at the Homeplace and you’re invited!

Philip Steinmetz, great nephew of Grandpa Jones, is among the artists scheduled to perform at this year’s Pickin’ Party. Given his musical roots, he’s ideal for this annual musical celebration of Old Time Music!

Did you know that Louis Marshall “Grandpa” Jones was born in Niagra, Kentucky?

The Pickin’ Party will take place at the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm (4512 The Trace in the Land Between the Lakes) on Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9, 2019 from 10 am to 5:30 pm. Special admission price for the day is $7 for ages 13 and up and $5 for ages 5-12. Admission includes entry to the farm and doors open at 9 am.

From the Land Between the Lakes:

Enjoy the best in Old Time Music as it echoes through the hills, hollows and the river valleys of the Homeplace. Old Time Music represents the oral traditions of our ancestors brought with them from the old world, then changed to reflect experiences in their new homeland. Today Old Time Music is our connection to the past; we can hear their voices telling stories of hardships, sorrows and celebrations of good times.

Bring your banjo, guitar, fiddle or harmonica and join in on the fun during open mic and the jamming sessions. Take a stroll around the farm and visit with the farm family and the farm animals about their daily work and enjoy daily programs throughout the farm. Festival food will be available for purchase. Bring lawn chairs or ground blankets.

Artists scheduled to perform include:

  • Phillip Steinmetz, great nephew of Grandpa Jones
  • Fret-less banjo picker and blues guitar performer Mark Dvorak
  • Paducah’s own Wheelhouse Rousters
  • 21st anniversary Pickin Party performance of Dixie Volunteers String Band
  • Common Thread, talented women who perform old time favorites
  • Nathan Blake Lynn and Josh Coffey return as masters of ceremonies

Sponsors for the event are Kentucky Machine & Engineering, Inc. Cadiz, Kentucky; Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Cadiz, Kentucky; and WKMS, Murray, Kentucky.

Other programming includes:

  • Saturday, June 8
    1-3 pm – Strong as an Ox
    1 -3 pm – Get Your Homeplace “Driver’s” License
    3:30 pm – Piggin’ Party
  • Sunday, June 9
    1– 3 pm – Sweet Jamming at the Single Pen
    1– 3 pm – Game of Graces

Fourth grade students can go to https://everykidinapark.gov/ to receive a free Every Kid in a Park pass, and get their family in for free. For more information, call the Homeplace at 931.232.6457 .

Woodlands Nature Station will celebrate Harry Potter Appreciation Day on March 30, 2019

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Gorgeous owl at the Nature Station

I can remember (years and years ago) when the first Harry Potter book came out. I had ran into Kroger to grab something (story of my life) and saw the books on display. Figuring it was a big deal, I grabbed a copy to take home to my girls. Their reaction let me know it was a very big deal, indeed, and I could do no wrong in their eyes for weeks on end!

The Nature Station is having an especially fun event for the Harry Potter fans in your life… heck, you may even be one, yourself! They’re calling it Harry Potter Appreciation Day and it sounds like a lot of fun. After enjoying the fun at Woodlands Nature Station, head over to the 1850 Homeplace for a special night of storytelling!

There are two special story-based events coming up this month. Harry Potter Appreciation Day will include multiple events at the Woodlands Nature Station and the 1850 Homeplace will host a special night of storytelling, both on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

Programming for Harry Potter Appreciation Day at the Woodlands Nature Station includes:

10am-4pm – Seeker of the Snitch
The Golden Snitch is flitting around somewhere in the backyard! Brush-up on your seeker skills and see if you can find it! When you find it, snap a photo and report back to the Quidditch Referee for a prize!

10am-4pm – The Triwizard Tournament Training Course
Think you have what it takes to compete in the Triwizard Tournament? Test your skills in this rigorous training course, available one day only! Test your magical ability, intelligence and courage to see if you could handle the real deal!

11am-4pm –Make Your Own Wand
Expelliarmus! Let’s have some fun and create our own magic wands using native wood and natural materials! Turn an ordinary stick into a wand with a little crafty magic!

11am-4pm – Potions
Turn to page 394! Attend this year’s Potions demonstration and take home a “potion” sample of your very own! Which will you make? Felix Felicis for luck? Amortentia for love? Polyjuice potion for trickery? You decide!

11am-12:30pm – Fantastic Beasts of LBL and Where to Find Them Hike
Join guest instructor “Mudpuppy Scamander” (distant relative of the famous Newt) in learning how to find the fantastic beasts that live deep in the woods and waters in Land Between the Lakes. Go on a ½ mile hike to check out a variety of habitats and see if you can locate any fantastic beasts’ homes!

12pm-2pm – Herbology
Plants are truly magical! Using just sunlight, water and soil they create energy, grow and make beautiful flowers! Join Professor Gillyweed to learn what plants need to grow and plant your own niffler-attracting mariGOLD!

12:30-1:15pm – Outstanding O.W.L.s
It’s time to earn your O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Level) in owls! Test your owlish knowledge with a fun game and see if you earn an Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations or Troll!

1:30-2:15pm – Defense Against the Dark Arts
Aspiring wizards need to know practical techniques of defending themselves against dark charms, creatures, and spells. We will study how some of the fantastic beasts of Land Between the Lakes defend themselves using tricks such as camouflage, poison and mimicry, and how we can use their methods in our magical adventures!

2:30-3:15pm – Care of Magical Creatures
How do you care for an owl? What do bowtruckles eat? These topics and more will be covered in your very first Care of Magical Creatures class! In this course, we will learn about magical creatures from the world of Harry Potter and also how to care for creatures from our world. Hippogriffs not included (advanced classes only).

All activities are included in Nature Station admission fees, which are $5, ages 13 and up; $3 ages 5-12; and free for ages 4 and under.

Evening Storytelling at the Homeplace is scheduled for March 30, 2019.

Want to hear tall tales from years ago? Don’t miss the Evening Storytelling at the Homeplace, 5:30-7:30pm. Cost is $5 per person, a separate fee from Homeplace admission. Be sure to note that this fee for the storytelling is in addition to the admission fee.

Reservations are required and space is limited. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Pre-registered participants will meet at The Homeplace Interpretive Center at 5:30pm, storytelling begins at 6pm;

Traditional refreshments will be served during the break. Be prepared to laugh and have a great time as you enjoy this rare evening experience in 1850.

Snap Apple Night 2018 at The Homeplace Tomorrow Night!

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Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace 2017

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this time of year! The crispness in the air, football on tv, the UK Wildcats starting to hit the court, autumn leaves, pumpkins, hot chocolate… love it, love it, love it. So, needless to say, I’m excited that it’s time for Snap Apple Night at the 1850’s Homeplace in the Land Between the Lakes. They put on such a wonderful production – you can tell that (like me!) they’re kids at heart. The decorations, the festivities, the atmosphere… they embrace this season like it deserves to be embraced.

Below are events that’ll be going on tomorrow (October 13). Hope you can make it!

Saturday, October 13

1-3pm | Carving Jack-O-Lanterns
In Ireland, people carved turnips with scary faces to help ward off evil spirits. The tradition migrated to the United States where the pumpkin became the vegetable of choice. Help the Homeplace workers scoop out the insides of turnips and pumpkins and create scary faces on them for Snap Apple Night! Come early since there are a limited number of pumpkins to carve.
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Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace
6-8:30pm:  Snap Apple Night
Enjoy an evening in the 1850s where the nights were very dark, and the only light comes from lanterns. Family entertainment was sitting round the hearth listening to stories of long ago. Step back in time, gather around for the old-time tradition of storytelling and listen to award winning storyteller Brian “Fox” Ellis www.foxtalesint.com as he shares scary stories around the blazing bonfire.
Between storytelling, get a hot cup of cider and discover your future as we tap into the “other world” and learn your fate through Victorian fortune telling games. Program held rain or shine, so please be prepared for the weather. Great family fun!
  • 6 pm – 1st storytelling scary stories
  • 6:45 pm –- fortune telling games
  • 7:30 pm –2nd Storytelling, Even Scarier Stories
Doors open at 5:30 pm 

Fort Henry Anniversary Program at The Homeplace in the Land Between the Lakes

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Fort Henry

We were at this event last year and loved every minute of it. Few things history buffs love more than sitting and talking about history with fellow buffs!

From The Land Between the Lakes:

The Homeplace 1850s Working Farm and Living History Museum in Land Between the Lakes remembers the 156th Anniversary of the Battle at Fort Henry with a program and walk on Saturday, February 10. Registration and full deposit for the day is required: $5/adults and $3/children. Call 270-924-2020 to make your reservation.

At 1:00pm in the Homeplace theatre, invited historian, Susan “Ski” Witzofsky, sets the stage for war “Between the Rivers.” In February of 1862, Confederate forces occupied Fort Henry as federal forces moved up the Tennessee River. The program will cover Fort Henry’s construction, battle, and legacy 156 years later.

Individuals can relive the siege with a guided walk along the Fort Henry Trails and Confederate fortifications, at 3pm. Participants will drive and meet at the Fort Henry Trail. The program and walk are weather dependent.

Interpretive Center will be open for this program; farm site will be closed. Doors open at 12:30pm.

Read more on the Land Between the Lakes Official Website by clicking here.

Pictures from Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace 1850s Working Farm October 14

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Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace

We make just about all of the special events in the Land Between the Lakes – especially the ones involving the Nature Station, the Elk & Bison Prairie, and The Homeplace, so you’d better believe we were at Snap Apple Night last Saturday night. Guests gathered around the bonfires and got all comfortable and cozy while storytellers Robert Valentine and Jamie Futrel told stories (a few that were in the spirit of Halloween).

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Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace 2017

Like any event the Homeplace takes part it, the night was absolutely wonderful. God helped with some extraordinary weather, too. They even had hot apple cider to drink – it doesn’t get much better than that!

The “Working Farm” was decorated beautifully – fortunately we got there before it got dark so we could see everything. They did an outstanding job – as they do with everything, if we’re being honest.

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Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace 2017

When the sun went down, the lanterns and bonfire added to the ambiance perfectly.  Everyone involved did an exceptional job of making the night extra fun and memorable for guests of all ages.

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Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace 2017

There’s just something relaxing, fun, and (very) memorable about a night like this. Sitting back, sipping apple cider, and listening to wonderful stories. The storytellers were absolutely excellent. Jamie Futrel and Robert Valentine were both VERY funny and beyond interesting. I love a good story, so I was completely in my element.

Robert Valentine had an extra, extra special gift that I’m not sure I even knew existed. Heck, maybe he invented it. He was superb – and I mean SUPERB – at telling wonderful stories that seemed to be written especially for children and especially for adults.

Seriously, you could have set him and his stories in a roomful of children and they’d have been a perfect match. You could have set him and his stories in a roomful of adults and they would have been a perfect match.

Now, while this is a great and commendable gift to have with ANY story…  it is an absolute GIFT (all caps) when it comes to “scary” stories.

When I saw all the kids at the event, I kind of wondered how everything would play out. As a mother, I know all too well that young people may “think” they want to be scared out of their wits, only to regret it terribly once their wits begin to get away from them! I have to admit, I sort of wondered how many kids would be having nightmares that night!

This would be a problem I’d soon realize didn’t exist because Robert Valentine, after all, has the GIFT.

The one he just may have invented.

He was able to tell two very interesting, colorful, and “edge of your seat” type scary stories that had all the kids and all the adults spellbound. Best of all, they ended just the way they should have – in a manner that ensured zero nightmares.

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Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace

Whenever you read about an event at the Homeplace, just go ahead and mark your calendar and go. They do not do anything second rate.

I’m not sure they’d even know how to go about it.

Snap Apple Night at the Homeplace 2017

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