October Events at Fosterfields Farm

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Autumn Activities at Fosterfields

October 1
Enjoy the autumn’s vibrant colors on Charles Foster’s farm during Explore the Farm: Horse-Drawn Wagon Ride on Saturday, October 1 from 10:15 a.m. to 12 Noon. With an emphasis on sustainability, this interpretive horse-drawn wagon ride presents Mr. Foster as a progressive farmer, and looks at the methods, equipment, crops, and enterprises of Fosterfields in the early 1900s. Pre-registration is required, call 973-326-7645.

October 2
Fosterfields’ water supply on the farm was once dependent on the springs and streams that are plentiful on the property. During “Go With the Flow” Woods Walk on Sunday, October 2 at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., follow Fosterfields staff on a short walk along a stream through nearby woods. Look for nature’s surprises along the way! Appropriate for ages 5 and up. Wear sturdy shoes.

October 8
See the Belgian draft horse team take on a special farm job during The Team “Logs On!” on Saturday, October 8 at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Watch the horses haul huge logs, as the teamster uses the proper tools and “skidding” techniques to get the job done! Later on, the logs will be prepared as stove wood.

October 8
Visitors to Fosterfields’ farmhouse are invited to join staff members in making popcorn as it was done in the 1920s. During “Amaizing” Corn is Popping! on Saturday, October 8, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., vintage utensils will be used as well as the farmhouse's 1914 wood-burning stove. Learn about and see samples of different types of maize (corn).

October 9
Cabbage is still grown in the vegetable garden just as it was when Mr. Foster lived at Fosterfields. At Let’s Make Sauerkraut! on Sunday, October 9 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m,. cabbage will begin the transformation into sauerkraut! Gather at the                         Farmhouse  to see how the cabbage is shredded and combined with salt. Then use a sauerkraut stomper to help release the cabbage’s juices in its crock container. Next the mixture is stored, and after a few weeks of fermentation it becomes sauerkraut.

October 29
Watch the apple cider press in action as it produces the popular drink once called “must” during Cider Pressing: A "Must" See on Saturday, October 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Foster family bottled their own beverage, and Morris County has a rich history of producing and distilling alcoholic apple beverages. Non-alcoholic cider samples are provided at this program.

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ, 07960, is open from April 2 through October 30, 2011. In April, May, and June the hours of operation are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In July, August, September, and October, the hours of operation change to the following: Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

The admission to the farm is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors (65+), $4 for children ages 4 to 16, and $2 for children ages 2 and 3. FREE for children under age 2 and Friends of Fosterfields and Cooper Gristmill with a valid membership card. Call for special event fees.                                   

Guided tours of The Willows, a historic Gothic Revival mansion, are by reservation only and are offered in the afternoon. A separate ticket is required to tour The Willows, and $1 will be added to the regular admission fees for non-Friends members ages 2 and up. For tour times, availability and more information, please call 973-326-7645 or visit www.morrisparks.net.