Sunday, February 14, 2016

2016 Colonial Faire and Muster at Wormsloe

My friend Jeri works at Wormsloe State Park in Savannah. Last fall she was looking for volunteers to spin at the Colonial Faire and Muster and I volunteered. Wormsloe is a historic site; here is an explanation from here

"A breathtaking avenue sheltered by live oaks and Spanish moss leads to the tabby ruins of Wormsloe, the colonial estate of Noble Jones (1702-1775). Jones was a humble carpenter who arrived in Georgia in 1733 with James Oglethorpe and the first group of settlers from England. Wormsloe's tabby ruin is the oldest standing structure in Savannah.

Surviving hunger, plague and warfare in the rugged environment of Georgia, Jones went on to serve the colony as a doctor, constable, Indian agent, Royal Councilor and surveyor, laying out the towns of Augusta and New Ebenezer. He also commanded a company of marines charged with defending the Georgia coast from the Spanish.  Jones died at the beginning of the American Revolution, but his descendants sustained Wormsloe until the state of Georgia acquired most of the plantation in 1973".



according to Wikipedia:

"The practice of slavery had been banned by Georgia's original charter, so Noble Jones used indentured servant labor to tend Wormsloe in the plantation's early years. When the Trustees revoked the ban on slavery in 1749, Jones used slave labor in hopes of making Wormsloe profitable. Jones initially planted several types of crops, including corn, rice, various fruits and vegetables, and possibly indigo. The Georgia Trustees encouraged the production of silk; Jones planted mulberry trees and tried unsuccessfully to produce silk at Wormsloe."

Here are some photos of the event, it was cold although the open fire was warming with a spinning wheel!  There is an impressive mile and a half long allee of live oaks as you enter:








Open fire  cooking demonstration



Demonstrating spinning to kids and adults who don't as a rule understand it either...I have kids hold some fiber and pull it apart then twist it and try again to demonstrate the importance of twist





Blacksmithing




Me in an indigo dyed silk scarf and hand knit arm warmers, my period jacket is linen and cotton from this pattern 



Reenactors came from all over, I did not get good photos of everyone although I did meet a new friend Renee of Pumpkin Town Primitives who was selling  spinning fiber and many other supplies for the reenactor and interested others!