372 Fields Pond Rd., Orrington, ME 04474
Sat. & Sun., Aug. 4 & 5, 10-3. Museum Open
Wed.-Fri., Aug. 8-10, 10-3. Museum Open.
Sat. & Sun., Sept. 1 & 2, 10-3: Open Weekend Sat.
Sat., Sept. 22, 4:30-7PM. Painted Pony Party Fundraiser. Reservations Needed:
207-205-4849
September 24-October 12: FALL SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS: PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRIVATE, HOMESCHOOLED & PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Check our webpage on this website for our school field trip program.
Sun., Oct. 7, 10-3. ASH SUNDAY Event. End of Season.
Friday, July 13, 7-9PM
SILENT MOVIES ON THE LAWN, 372 Fields Pond Rd., Orrington
The program includes six 20-minute shorts with Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel (Before Hardy), and others. We hope to make this a ongoing summer offering at the museum. This is free to the public. Popcorn, candy, and soft drinks available for purchase.
Saturday, July 14, 10-3PM, 372 Fields Pond Rd., Orrington
Jitterbug/Doodlebug and Antique Gas Engine Show: See the Curran’s own collection as well as some friend’s examples of antique power.
Jitterbug/Doodlebug: Homemade tractors for farm and forest. Made from early passenger vehicles and trucks these vehicles often include an additional transmission.
Sunday, July 15, Picklin’ Workshop: Learn to make Korean kimchi, a spicy, pickled relish. We will make sauerkraut as well as some salt brine dill pickles. Take away your pickles in Mason jars. $20 Call: 207-205-4849 to register.
Annual Membership Recognition Dinner
At Curran Homestead Village at Newfield
Saturday, June 23, 2018, 4:30-7PM
GUEST SPEAKER: Earl Shettleworth, Jr., Maine State Historian
This dinner is free to 2018 members and special donors
It is $20 per person for non-members (Under 12:$10). Consult our 2018 membership benefits.
RESERVATIONS NECESSARY FOR ALL: Call 207-745-4426, 207-205-4426.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATION BY JUNE 20.
This dinner, on par with our PAINTED PONY PARTIES, includes:
HERB ENCRUSTED PORK LOIN
CRANBERRY COMPOTE
SPRING SALAD with POPPY SEED DRESSING
RISOTTO PRIMAVERA
CORN BREAD
GLAZED BABY CARROTS
CORN SALAD with CITRUS AIOLI
PEAS with PROSCUITTO & CAPRICOLA
DESSERT
LOCAL BEER & WINE AVAILABLE
Mr. Shettleworth’s presentation is from 4:30-5:15 and is exclusively for diners.
Dinner is served at 5:30 PM. The presentation includes images of Maine’s statehood
centennial celebration in 1920 as well as a look at the Maine State Archive’s collection
of 1890s stereoscope slides of Maine towns and villages. Mr. Shettleworth will
specifically share images of 1890s LIMERICK, our neighboring community.
Starting Tuesday, June 26, 6-9PM, Six Weeks of Beginning Blacksmithing Classes, Tuesdays and Thursday Evenings, at 19th Century Curran Homestead Village, 372 Fields Pond Rd., Orrington, ME 04474. The class covers all the basics of coal fired forging including safety first, tools and materials, heating, bending, piercing, and forming steel objects. Students will start off with a small project and build on their knowledge with a variety of tools that they will subsequently use in the class and after, hooks, a nail, spoon, and more… Students will be introduced to forge welding. Time permitting, students may forge a knife blade, if desired. This class also includes Saturday morning studio by arrangement; you can practice and get more forge time in. Cost: $395, tools and materials provided. Students required to supply their own 2lb. hammer. Registration is required and is first come, first serve by cash, check payable to “The Curran Homestead” or credit card (MasterCard & Visa only). Call: Robert Schmick, Museum Director at (207) 205-4849, email: rpschmick1@aol.com, or Irv Marsters, 745-4426, email: irv@bangorlettershop.com…
Sat., March 24, 10-3, 19th Century Curran Homestead Village at Newfield’s Maple Syrup Event & Irish Celebration at Newfield
Saturday, March 24, 10am – 3pm, 19th Century Curran Homestead Village at Newfield will have a Maple Syrup Event and Irish Celebration, 70 Elm Street, Newfield, ME 04056. The event offers samplings of food flavored with maple syrup, including baked goods, and our traditional offering of ginger ice cream drizzled with maple syrup as well as some homemade Irish beef stew to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Local maple syrup is for sale. There will be demonstrations of tree tapping and ongoing sugaring off at the museum’s temporary “sugar shack.” There is an egg hunt for kids with a prize for participation. Draft horse sled rides and blacksmithing demos too.
There will be a hands-on woodworking activity with a take home coat rack produced by the industrious and interested. There will be sweets and savories at the Red Barn Building. Mark Matteau, Scarborough letterpress printer of the Dunstan Press will be working with several recent students of a class on printing projects at the Cram Printing Office. Frank Vivier will be teaching a class of knife making at the Blacksmithing Shop. There might be several hammering away in the Tom Flagg smithy; remember that Newfield was once a place of five blacksmith shops and a dozen carriage makers.
Next to the Flagg smithy will be Aaron Boyce of Madison with his team of Percheron draft horses for rides ($5); the event is free but rides and food have a fee to support the museum. The Percherons will be pulling either a bob sleigh or wagon for rides weather depending. Don’t forget to check out several videos underway in the Red Barn Building next to the Newfield Post Office. , including one on maple sugaring in Newfield and another on the historical origins of maple sugaring.
The museum can use some volunteers for set up on Friday, March 23, 10-3, if you can make it. They can also use help on the day of the event; they’re looking for a new generation of people to help perpetuate a museum that have served four generations into the future. Give them a call at 207-205-4849. This is the Curran’s 25th year as a Maine non-profit educational resource. The museum was the donation of Alfred and Catherine Curran of Orrington, who wanted their 300 plus acre farm in Orrington forever remain as they knew it since the family purchased it in 1914. The Currans came to the Orrington area as early as the 1830s from Ireland. The Newfield site has served the public since 1970 as a museum and was gifted to the non-profit Curran Homestead in January, 2017. New developments are underway including an ice house to be built at the Newfield museum before students on school field trips arrive this May; come out and learn about the Curran mission and how you might contribute to keeping history alive for a new generation for the challenges of today and the future.
The program is free but the museum welcomes donations and purchase of food offerings and bob sleigh or wagon rides. For additional information visit the museum’s website: curranhomestead.org , its Facebook page, or call 207-205-4849 or 207-745-4426. Learn about our classes in knife making, blacksmithing letterpress printing, bookbinding, woodworking and more…
We’ll have some wonderful lamb stew, for traditionalists, and beef stew at our upcoming Maple Syrup Event & Irish Celebration. This is grass-fed lamb and beef that was donated by Dan Hughes of Wee Bit Farm. Some might remember Dan in kilt with a joke or two to share and usually accompanied by one of his long haired Highland steer at many of our functions in the past. Dan’s meats and sausages have become very popular in recent years and are available up and down the State of Maine. Thank you Dan, who knows a true Irish stew includes mutton.
Sat., March 17, 10-3, 19th Century Curran Homestead Village at Fields Pond Maple Syrup Event & Irish Celebration
Saturday, March 17, 10am – 3pm, 19th Century Curran Homestead Village at Fields Pond will have a Maple Syrup Event and Irish Celebration, 372 Fields Pond Rd., Orrington, ME 04474. The event offers samplings of fold flavored with maple syrup, including pork & beans, baked goods, and our traditional offering of ginger ice cream drizzled with maple syrup as well as some homemade Irish beef stew. There will be demonstrations of tree tapping and ongoing sugaring off at the museum’s own “sugar shack.” There is an egg hunt for kids with a prize for participation.
A hands-on woodworking activity with a take home coat rack produced by the industrious and interested. Knitting will take place on the porch to observe for those curious about such quickly disappearing pastimes. A performance of Bluegrass by our favorite Freshly Cut Grass will be ongoing in the Curran farmhouse. In the kitchen the wood burning kitchen stove will offer not only food but old time comradery. Blacksmithing will also be underway under tutelage of Dwight King who regularly teaches classes at the museum; make inquiries if you are interested in a future class. A sign-up sheet is available for those requesting information or who want to register for a class.
Out in the pasture will be John Boyce of Lee with his team of Belgian draft horses Amos and Andy. They will be pulling either a bob sleigh or wagon for rides weather depending. Don’t forget to check out several videos underway in the farmhouse dining room, including one on maple sugaring down in Newfield, our second campus where there will be a similar event the following weekend.
The museum can use some volunteers for set up on Friday, March 16, 10-3, if you can make it. They can also use help on the day of the event; they’re looking for a new generation of people to help perpetuate the museum into the future. Give them a call at 207-205-4849. This is their 25th year as a non-profit educational resource for the community, Maine, and all visitors. Construction is underway at the museum, which will result in many more offerings; come out and learn about their mission and how you might contribute to keeping history alive for a new generation for the challenges of today and the future.
An all-inclusive, special event admission that includes food samplings, a bob sleigh ride, and the program. Children (17 and Under) are free and Adults are $12. For additional information visit the museum’s website: curranhomestead.org , its Facebook page, or call 207-205-4849 or 207-745-4426.
Sat., March 24, 9-3. Make a Crystal Radio Set. This class is open to Ages 11 and above.You will build a working radio using a crystal diode and other components on a wooden base. Ear phones and all materials are included. You will learn to solder wire. You will also be introduced to a razor blade trench radio that was used during WWII by POWs. This is a foundational class for an understanding of communications technology dating back to the 1920s. Tuition: $50 Pay to register. First come, first serve. Limited to 5. Call: (207) 205-4849 or (207) 745-4426 Visit: curranhomestead.org Email: rpschmick1@aol.com
Sat. & Sun., March 24 & 25, 9-4, Knife Making Class at 19th Century Curran Homestead Village at Newfield, formerly Willowbrook Museum, 70 Elm St., Newfield. Our third class this season. Instructor: Frank Vivier. Make your first knife or a better one. This is both an opportunity for beginners and intermediate level knife makers. Using propane or coal fired forges (your preference), you will cut and shape a blade and tang from spring steel.You will use a combination of hand and power tools. You will oil quench and oven temper your knife. Create hardwood handle scales and brass pins. You will epoxy your handle scales on and set pins into your tang by the end of the class. All materials and tools provided. Cost: $225 Discount to returning students. Pay to register. First come, first serve. Limited to 5. Call: (207) 205-4849 or (207) 745-4426 Visit: curranhomestead.org Email: rpschmick1@aol.com
Sat., March 31, 9AM-3PM. Make a Propane Burning Forge/Furnace at 19th Century Homestead Village at Newfield, formerly Willowbrook, 70 Elm St., Newfield. This is an inexpensive alternative to a coal fired forge for the budding blacksmith or blade-smith. It is perfect for knife-making because you don’t burn up your project. Also, can be adapted to use for metal casting. You will be provided with a kit of our making that includes a metal tank with legs welded on it. You will create a mold, mix refractory cement, and line your tank and its top with this high temp, commercial grade refractory rated for 2700-3000 degrees Fahrenheit. It will set quickly in our heated workshop. You will attach other elements to the tank, complete the flame wand assembly with a 10 PSI regulator. We will demonstrate the forge at the beginning of the class. Cost: $325 All materials provided. Pay to register. First come, first serve. Limited to 5. Call: (207) 205-4849 or (207) 745-4426 Visit: curranhomestead.org Email: rpschmick1@aol.com
Sat., March 31, 9AM-3PM. Make a Catapult at 19th Century Homestead Village at Newfield, formerly Willowbrook, 70 Elm St., Newfield. Ages 11 and above. Using a design created by Leonardo Da Vinci you will create this projectile thrower approximately 12” x 12” x 24”. This is of wood construction and wooden peg fasteners and glue will be used for assembly. This is our custom-made kit which might require some occasional drilling with hand tools. A good foundational class in post and beam construction. Cost: $50 Materials provided. Pay to register. First come, first serve. Limited to 5. Call: (207) 205-4849 or (207) 745-4426 Visit: curranhomestead.org Email: rpschmick1@aol.com
Saturday & Sunday, April 14 & 15, 2018, 9AM-3PM (12 hours instruction). Fire Maker Class: Primitive Skills, including a Beginning Blacksmithing Component at Newfield. Ages 14 and Above. Craft the components to a fire making survival kit that includes making a ferro striker (strike-o-light) from a steel file using blacksmithing techniques. you will learn to create a coal fire and heat metal for the purposes of forging your strike-o-light. You will create char cloth, waterproof matches, and mini infernos as well as build fires, gather tinder, and make kindling. You will produce a flint & steel set as well as the ferro rod and scraper. The class will end with cooking a meal over an open-air fire. Cost: $150 All materials and tools provided for making your walkaway kit. Pay to register. First come, first serve. Limited to 5. Call: (207) 205-4849 or (207) 745-4426 Visit: curranhomestead.org Email: rpschmick1@aol.com