Fair Lawn Fall Harvest Festival Brings 1800s Farm Life To Garretson Forge & Farm

FAIR LAWN, NJ — Curious how children learned or soldiers lived in the 1800s? Discover the answers when the story unfolds this October.

The Fall Harvest Festival of Farm Life in the 1800s will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at Garretson Forge & Farm, 4-02 River Road.

The farm calls the gathering an “annual living history” event celebrating Dutch farm life during the Civil War period. Costumed docents will lead tours of the 19th-century homestead, while farm-to-table food preparation and preservation demonstrations are planned.

That focus reflects the site’s own history: Garretson Forge & Farm says its Dutch Colonial homestead, settled in 1719, housed six generations of the Garretson family and represents the farming life common during the 1700s and 1800s.

The farm says the festival’s activities are “geared to all ages,” with children’s programming and several opportunities to learn about farm life in the 1800s.

Visitors can study reading and math as taught in the 1800s, tour the colonial garden with a Master Gardener and talk with Civil War reenactors about a soldier’s life. A children’s special activity is also planned.

Festivalgoers can shop for Garretson-harvested produce and plants, along with jam, hot peppers, herbs, hardneck garlic, handcrafted items and local honey.

Festival admission is free and donations are welcomed.

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