The Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University was bustling with holiday activity for Christmas on the Farm Dec. 6.
In the Freyberger Schoolhouse guests experienced talks on PA Dutch Christmas traditions, life in a one room schoolhouse, and the tradition and creation of feather trees. Children and adults met the Belsnickel. Then, they were greeted by a troupe of New Year’s Shooters who offered a Neiyaahrswunsch (New Year’s Wish) and demonstrated the tradition of shooting in the New Year.
Sitko Tree Farm sold fresh-cut Christmas trees. Cookie Crazed, our official cookie sale vendor, offered free hot cider by the warming fire. Cookies, cupcakes, kettle corn, and hot chocolate were available for purchase. The Old Time Plow Boys Kitchen offered up hamburgers, hot dogs, coffee, desserts, soups, and more!
In our farmhouse, live harp music played as guests were welcomed to try samples of traditional holiday foods cooked over the hearth. Also in the kitchen was a demonstration of a favorite holiday candy among the PA Dutch – Mooschi candy. In the summer kitchen was a demonstration of scrapple making and bread baking.
The tinsmith shop was open for business, making of tinware from start to finish. The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen’s cabin hosted demonstrations of carpentry, star crafting, fraktur, miniature log cabins, pressed-floral art, and straw art. Other demonstrations throughout the site included hand log-hewing, blacksmithing, whittling, and redware pottery-making.
For the children, and children-at-heart, there was a full petting zoo, pot-bellied pigs, pony rides, and hands-on crafts. Tractor-pulled wagon rides were available on-site.
For more, visit www.kutztown.edu/pgchc,
