Demonstrations From Early Farm Life on the Prairie for Homestead Days At Homestead National Monument of America

Date: June 15, 2016

Experience the life of a homesteader during the Homestead Days Celebration at Homestead National Monument of America on Saturday June 18^th and Sunday June 19th.Demonstrations on the prairie and Heritage Center Farm Field will allow visitors to experience plowing behind a team of mules, the magic of herd dogs, stacking hay with a Jay Hawker stacker, a daily sheep herding demonstration, sitting on a saddle, playing in a pile of corn, grinding wheat into flour and much more.

Try your hand at plowing with a mule team and see a check-row planter in action on Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19, from noon –2 pm at the Heritage Center Farm Field, just north of the Heritage Center. Other activities take place at the Education Center Demonstration Prairie and include horse drawn equipment demonstrations, displays of farm implements and a special activity area for the young and young at heart.Demonstrations on the prairie will occur throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.on Saturday and Sunday, with the sheep herding demonstration at 3:30 p.m.each day.

On Sunday June 19^th celebrate the Centennial year of the National Park Service (NPS) by witnessing a 1916 Avery Steam tractor in action.Sharing the anniversary year with the NPS, this 100 year old tractor will be hooked up to a threshing machine enabling visitors to witness the labor saving technology of 100 century ago.

"We are delighted to have such a dedicated group off arm implement collectors bringing their machinery and knowledge to share with the public.Without these dedicated volunteers Homestead Days would not be the same", stated Superintendent Mark Engler.

Homestead Days activities at Homestead National Monument of America begin on Friday, June 17, 10 a.m. at the Homestead Education Center with a variety of demonstrations of traditional arts, crafts, and skills necessary for homesteaders, as well as special speakers at the Heritage Center at 2 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18, demonstrations will continue beginning at 10 a.m.and special presentation will occur on the main stage at the Education Center from noon –4 p.m. Visit https://www.nps.gov/home/HOMEdays16.htm for a complete list of Homestead Days events.

Homestead Days events at Homestead National Monument of America are partially funded by the Nebraska Folklife Network, National Endowment for the Arts, Hevelone Foundation and Humanities Nebraska, a non-profit organization cultivating an understanding of our history and culture with additional funding from the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Remember, Homestead National Monument of America has an exciting schedule of events planned for 2016, the Centennial year of the National Park Service. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Twitter (HomesteadNM) and Facebook (Homestead National Monument of America).

Homestead National Monument of America is a unit of the National Park Service located four miles west of Beatrice, Nebraska and 45 miles south of Lincoln. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.daily through Labor Day. Admission is free of charge. For additional information, please call 402-223-3514 or visit https://www.nps.gov/home/.