Programs at Bracketts

EVENTS FOR 2012

Hearth Cooking Class
Offered three times this spring. Pick one:
Saturday, February 11,
Saturday March 17th
Tuesday April17th

10:00 a.m. until no later than 4:00 p.m.

Learn historic 1800s food ways as you cook and enjoy eating an entire meal prepared in the plantation kitchen at Bracketts Farm.  The Hearth Cooking Guild from the Louisa County Historical Society offers Cooking Classes through Louisa County Parks and Rec.  Long cotton pants, good shoes required. Adults only.  Fee $20.  Registration through Park and Rec.  540-967-4420.    

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A very wide range of activities are compatible with the many dimensions of Bracketts
Farm. In the past we have offered programs, demonstrations, and workshops -- and this was our schedule for Spring 2011. Watch this page for updates and additions.

"Larry Potter" pottery workshops: Larry Jackson
"You and Mother Earth" - Learn hand-formed techniques with clay: pinch pot, coil, and slab construction...clay--the oldest and most modern material used by man!

The Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild Demos : Hunter Perkinson
Introduction to Blacksmithing. The demonstration will include the process of heating mild steel in a coal fired forge, the tools of the trade, basic skills of fire maintenance, drawing out metal, upsetting, bending, twisting and finishing.

Birding & Wildlife Trail: Dr Lou Verner, VA Dept of Game & Inland Fisheries
Be among the first to enjoy a walk along the newly established Birding and Wildlife Nature Trail at Bracketts Farm. Dr. Lou Verner will lead the walks and provide helpful wildlife watching tips for beginners and beyond. The mile plus trail starts at Nolting Pond and visits both upland and wetland habitats. Sturdy footwear and protective clothing are recommended and be sure to bring your binoculars and field guides, water, and insect repellent. A limited number of binoculars will be available for use on each walk.

History Walks: Mike Seaton; Native People 1491-1700; Bracketts in 1820
A two-hour, interactive discussion will feature the history of Bracketts Farm in the timeframe of 1820. This was a period when Bracketts was prosperous and figures such as Jefferson, Madison, Cabell, Monroe and other notables visited, dined and stayed at the Farm. Part of the discussion will include ancient Native People who lived on this land for thousands of years before English settlers came. The November date will feature Civil War events affecting Bracketts Farm.

Ghost Walks: Linda Lamb-Lockwood
This guided discussion and walk will highlight the respect and honor we pay the ones who have passed on. People who contributed to the rich history of this land may still have something to say to us. Maybe if we listen and observe and pay attention to the signs given us we may learn from them. Their history and important events at the Farm and stories of spirits will be talked about as well.~~~

Photography workshops: Elaine Taylor
Bring your camera and join us as we discuss composition, lighting and other basics of photography. We will walk around the farm discussing the particular possibilities and problems encountered in shooting landscapes, historic structures, and animals at Bracketts Farm.