Old Dry Road Farm Fall Festival

We were involved with the annual Fall Festival at Old Dry Road Farm yesterday. The site is part of the old Hottenstein Farm that was flooded when Blue Marsh Lake was created by the US Army Corps of Engineers. During the school year, the farm is used as a learning environment for school children and is open to the public for that one day of the year. Even though there was rain and the distant rumble of a thunderstorm, folks still came out to participate and observe. Some of the features at yesterdays event were the Full Circle Music Society, fresh apple cider making, candle dipping, carriage rides, blacksmith, outdoor cooking with dutch ovens and other hands-on crafts for kids.

We were there to demonstrate blacksmithing and dutch oven cooking. Between the rain and the time it took to get hot coals for cooking, we didn't have much time to demonstrate forging.

The meal included chicken paprika over noodles, homemade biscuits and 3 loaves of no-knead bread. Folks got to taste the food and it received great reviews.

An overlooked part of the farm is the peaceful nature of the countryside to enjoy while taking a stroll around the grounds. Here are some photos of the event.

The Hottenstein Home The Hottenstein Home cooking fireplace The colonial-styled gardenThe forge, leg vise and anvil for demonstratingThe blacksmith checking on chicken paprika in the dutch oven

A Forge-Welded Trivet

We enjoy creating decorative and functional hand-wrought ironwork.

Here is one of our forge-welded trivets. It measures approx 8" across by 4" high and is made from mild steel

Trivets are used for different purposes.

Use it to support a hot dish or pot on your dining room table so the heat doesn't damage the tabletop.

Another use ( my favorite), is to support a dutch oven for cooking in your fireplace at home or while camping. The legs allow hot coals to be placed underneath which control the amount of heat needed to cook or bake your food.

We're working on a shorter trivet than the one pictured for a customer who will use it inside their dutch oven to support a pie pan for even baking all around.