In the shadow of the White Mountains, Tamworth Village is a town that exudes history. For over a decade the Harvest Festival at Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm has been providing visitors of all ages with an entertaining and authentic look at the history of agricultural life. In addition to learning about agricultural life you’ll find out about the arts, crafts and trades that filled the lives of people during various time periods through today. There are many demonstrations by skilled tradesmen, artisans and craftsmen who show you their respective wares which were also produced long ago. Not only will you learn by listening and watching at the festival, there are also a series of hands-on activites that put you to work making some of the harvest items of yesteryear. Some of the fun hands-on activities you can take part in include hand pressing cider, plant medicine and herbal product making, and corn grinding. Another great hands-on learning opportunity is the Barnyard Discovery. You’ll learn about livestock and you get the opportunity to observe and interact with the animals. The Harvest Festival at Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm is a one-of-a-kind event for the entire family. Get in touch with history and find out how different day to day life was compared to now. We got to sit down with Dawne Gilpatrick, the Marketing Coordinator of the Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm, to talk about the Harvest Festival.
RAL: Tell me about how long the event has been running, how many people attend, who they are and what makes the festival unique?
DG: This will be our 11th Annual Harvest Festival. We usually attract between 200-400 people to the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm. We get a wide range of visitors that include families, multi-generational families, older couples and groups of friends. It is a history-based event which takes place on the grounds of a historic farmstead. Many hands-on opportunities allow visitors to try their hand at historic agricultural practices or watch these and forgotten arts performed first hand. Highly interactive.
RAL: Walk me through a day at the festival include events, activities, food, etc.
DG: Let your fun filled day begin with apple cider pressing and samples. After the pressing class take part in the apple variety tastings and apple cider vinegar samples. Next try out the “From Seed to Salve” demonstration and learn all about plant medicine. Take a tractor pulled wagon ride around the historic and beautiful grounds of the museum and farm. All ages will love the games like the Hay Bale Maze, Pumpkin Bowling and the Farm Obstacle Course. Adults will enjoy the pie eating contest, learning about fiber arts and talks presented by the master gardener. After all the fun activities, relax and look at the historical exhibits, modern and vintage farm equipment and take a stroll through the historic farm buildings. When you’re hungry visit the farmhouse kitchen booth for some soup, bread, apple crisp, cider and popcorn.
RAL:Our travelers are a segment of the market that seek out unique, mom & pop accommodations...is this what they will find when they come to your event?
DG: Yes, there are many accommodations that would fit that description in the area but standard hotels are also available. We are conveniently nestled between the Lakes Region and White Mountains of New Hampshire. Two of the locations include the Riverbend Inn Bed & Breakfast and the Highland House.
RAL: What does the event mean to the community?
DG: We are located in a rural village center. It is a historic, point-of-pride destination for locals. The festival draws attention and business to the historic village. We are a non-profit which "preserves the past to educate the future." Funds raised go to support our mission which includes providing history-based learning for all ages at a "back-in-time" price.
RAL: Does lodging hit max occupancy during the event?
DG: No. While "leaf peeping season" is a busy time of the year it generally does not overshelm local places to stay. We see many weekenders which are based in Southern NH, Massachusetts and New England. We also see International visitors.
RAL: Why should people come to the festival?
DG: The down-home quality of the event on a beautiful, historic site. It’s a feel-good destination and event. Our most oft-heard comment is: "It’s so much more than I imagined." While located on 100 acres, the entire farm is accessible to visitors—many people may be here, but there is not a sense of being in a crowd. Our Museum & Farm Educators are highly approachable and eager to share their knowledge, answer questions and be helpful. It truly is a great destination for all generations.
As mentioned in today's travel blog post on Huffington Post, "The 800,000-acre White Mountain Region of New Hampshire has been drawing tourists for over 150 years. Though not quite tamed, man has left his mark on these stony hills, making money by highlighting Mother Nature's finest features. Though not quite "offbeat" or unsung, many attractions here are in private hands, and have been for generations—a rarity in the increasingly corporate world of tourism." In the portion of the post that mentions us directly, the author writes, "[Remick]...should be on everyone's White Mountain "To-See" list."
For more information on the festival please visit their website.