A visit to Ross farm museum
My girlfriend Jean, drive a school bus, today she had a school trip to make to Ross Farm museum, so I joined her for a short while.
I have known about this museum for many years, but somehow never got around to visit. When you talk about rural way of life years ago, you know there is going to be a blacksmith, a cooper and other trade of interest, even a working saw mill :-)
It did not disappoint, the trades I mentioned were well represented by re-enactors that really know their stuff, it was quite pleasant to discuss some of the old ways of working wood and see it in action.
No, that is not the bus she drive :-)
But the kids are from her bus ...
I have known about this museum for many years, but somehow never got around to visit. When you talk about rural way of life years ago, you know there is going to be a blacksmith, a cooper and other trade of interest, even a working saw mill :-)
A stave and shingle mill
It did not disappoint, the trades I mentioned were well represented by re-enactors that really know their stuff, it was quite pleasant to discuss some of the old ways of working wood and see it in action.
The pile at the mill entrance
This machine apparently cut the half round covers for the dry goods barrels.
Two half makes a cover.
Not the final products but the left over pieces
This strange looking saw apparatus, cuts a concave back on the staves
A cooper jointer, to size and refine the edges prior to fitting the staves
A wooden frame bandsaw. Obviously has some new wooden members,
but dont know if otherwise original.
A similar marine version was called the make and break, and was a staples of Maritimes life well into the 50s
A revolutionary farm vehicle, the Ford's Fordson
Why called Fordson?
Henry Ford & Son
In 1917 it truly revolutionized farming here in the valley
A Peddler car
Peddlers were itinerant one man General Store on wheel. They went around the country side selling (Peddling) their wares.
This particular wagon was operated until 1948
The blacksmith interacting with the kids
The drill press came from my neck of the woods... Montreal Qc
The company was established in 1859 in Montreal
And yes, the metal coated drill bit and the chuck are new..er.
The Cooper shop
Mostly dry cooperage, for nails, dry goods, apples etc
When I walked in the cooper was busy sharpening the cutter for his Croze plane
An interesting form of shave horse, for working on the staves,
using the natural crook of the wood
A very neat and yes comfortable primitive rocking chair.
Coopers build
Staves awaiting their turn.
The cup you see was sawn like that, it is not cupped naturaly
This adjustable press, helps driving the hoops
Various tools Coopers used
That one is obviously used a lot ... recently
No idea why they stacked the wood like that,
but it sure would have lots of improved air circulation...
But of course, this is a working farm museum, preserving the older ways of living off the land.
The mighty plow, leaving a furrow, turning the sod
Drying hay outside, keep turning it, daily
And into the 21st century, the kids chariots await...
It was a fun diversion for the day, must re-visit some day.
There are a lot of such rural Nova Scotia way of life's museum.
I have seen others but not this one. It is only about one hour drive from my place so a nice day trip...With the car AC on :-)
Bob, the time traveller, just call me Dr Bob..Dr Who? Dr Bob !
Excuse me while I recharged my flux capacitors...
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