I attended a Living History at Quiet Valley Farm outside of Stroudsburg, PA this weekend. Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm is a working farm from roughly our time period. Very interesting place and I would recommend a visit if you are in the area.

The Federal participants were:
Don Biffen, Bob Conger, Rich Hill (Another Nam vet) Sherri Hines, Jeffery Myzie, Justin Myzie, Ron Myzie, Kyle Schumann, Rich Schumann, and Bill Watson.

Civilian participants were:
Julie Herczeg, who discussed women's clothing and underpinnings.
Karin Timour, who did an outstanding washer women impression.

The Confederate contingent were Tom Pritchett and myself.

The event was designed so that we were "on" during the day and "off" after the spectators left. Any and all non-period items had to be out of camp during the day. What you did during the evening was your business.

The Federal set up a garrison camp that included both Common and "Dog" tents. We two Confederates, the lost, alone, and confused; set up camp behind some trees, away from the Feds. We had a display of period weapons and a layout of items that would have been carried by a Confederate soldier. Tom discussed the weapons, while I discussed the equipment and soldier life in general. This may sound strange, but I've never attended a living history where there were such high quality spectators. As every little group came through our area, my presentation got longer and more detailed. The folks seemed to just soak in the information. One little guy asked me if the soldiers often "wacked" each other with their guns. I told him that "wacking" was pretty rare, but that it did happen!

Since the Federals were doing firing demostrations, I was able to get through the weekend with a clean weapon. That alone made this an outstanding event!

One high point of the weekend was the invasion of the turkeys. A flock of wild turkeys have figured out that living on the farm beats trying to make it in the wild. They wandered into the Federal camp on Sunday morning and just hung around. Bill Wadson, who did the cooking for the weekend, had left a couple of pots of food sitting by the fire for breakfast. One of the turkeys reached into a pot and took a bite of Mr. Watson's beans and spit it right out. There's a problem if a wild turkey won't eat your cooking!

Prior to the event, a request went out asking us to bring some items for the "washer women". I presented Karin Timour with a shirt that had been hanging in the back of my "Reenactor Closet" for twenty years and a pair of drawers with the seat blown out. The shirt came back cleaner that I would have ever expected. Karin is still working on the drawers!

I had a great time at this event. It was an opportunity to meet and talk with people who I only knew from the Forums. And, talking to spectators who were really interested in hearing what you had to say is really fun. My only regret was that it was the same weekend as the Kernstown event.

I thought the highlight of the weekend was what I missed Sunday morning. Rich Hill apparently drilled the turkeys, using some kind of whistle, and at one point had them in a straighter line than we can manage.  I knew the drill was designed to be simple and easily learned, but jeez.

Apparently they were Confederate turkeys. When you whistled "Bonnie Blue Flag," they followed you ....

Quote :

Bill Watson wrote : Apparently they were Confederate turkeys. When you whistled "Bonnie Blue Flag," they followed you ....

Bill,

It was truly weird. Every time the turkeys started to wander off, somebody would whistle "Bonnie Blue Flag" and they would come right back.  

I'm glad to hear the event went well. The weather certainly cooperated. I had been hoping to participate in this year's event but health issues kept me from attending. If all goes well, I'd like to give next year's program a whirl. It really sounds like the type of event my wife & I enjoy most. The more interested 'taters the better.
 I was going to make a comment about the Confederate turkeys but then thought better of it. Bill R. & Tom might'a got their feathers ruffled  
Respects to all.