Fleetwood Girl Scout Junior Troop 1793 explored Christmas on the farm in Kutztown.
The girls earned their Junior Playing the Past badge while visiting the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at 22 Luckenbill Road, Kutztown during the Christmas on the Farm event held in December.
The girls were able to decorate Christmas cookies, make a pinecone ornament, and a sand art square. They learned about the traditions of baking from the past and that many Christmas traditions were based on visual elements, like the ox tongue cookies which were based on the memory of Jesus birth and remembering him being born in a stable. The cookie is a molasses based cookie in the shape and color of an ox tongue and very tasty. The girls enjoyed seeing the old wood stove in action.
We leaned about the different buildings on the farm and the significance of the time the buildings were built and the function. In the main building they learned about harp music and were able to watch more baking and learn the importance of paying attention to our senses during cooking/baking. The girls were able to taste some samples of confections. They also saw some angora spinning with a women who makes sweaters and hats. They toured the house and in the upstairs, they viewed the bedrooms.
Next they went into the one room school house. This girls were awestruck by this! We were very fortunate to be there in time for a calligraphy lesson and the girls were able to use ink made from berries and learn some Pennsylvania Dutch ways to say Merry Christmas. They created their own cards to take back with them.
Many of the girls were able to see the Belsnickel, too.
There was a petting zoo and we saw Kate Beans from the Berks County Girl Scout office by the campfire and made s’mores. The Girl Scouts all enjoyed themselves while they “Played the past.”
