News Release

Draft Horse Teams Make Hay at the Preserve

Draft horses mowing the field

NPS

News Release Date: June 13, 2018 STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming historic horse-drawn haying and raking demonstrations with four teams of draft horses on Saturday, June 16^th from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weather permitting.

Step back over 100 years as living history interpreters and the Kansas Draft Horse and Mule Association members demonstrate the process of making hay using draft horses and 19^th century machinery propelled by real horsepower. This year the bottomland field will become part of the demonstration area along with the field directly adjacent to the visitor center.

Having enough hay to last through the winter months was a necessity. Prairie hay was cut from the bottomland fields and made into hay stacks and also stored loosely in the loft of the large 1882 limestone barn. Interpreters will be on site to talk about the cultural history of the Spring Hill Ranch.

Women’s typical roles will be depicted as living history interpreters demonstrate 19^th century techniques of ranch stove cooking from 10 a.m. until noon, while preparing a meal for the ranch hands. See a table spread with typical foods of the day providing plenty of fuel for the hired hands that toil in their hard labor.

On weekends in June visit with the volunteers at the one-room Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse and learn about prairie education and the school’s rich history. The school is furnished with historic desks, McGuffey Readers, a recitation bench, and other classroom items.


A 6.4-mile bus tour of the preserve’s backcountry is available daily at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekends through October 28, 2018. There is no charge for the tours. Advance reservations for the bus tours are recommended, but arrangements can be made on the day of the visit if space is available. For more information, please call the park at [phone] (hit 0). All programs and activities at the preserve are free of charge.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve invites you to discover the meaning of national parks, how your park inspires you - both in personal connections and memorable experiences. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located two miles north of Strong City on Kansas State Highway 177 (the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway) and is a unique public/private partnership between the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy. For more information, visit the preserve’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NPS.TallgrassPrairie , website at www.nps.gov/tapr, email e-mail us, or call the preserve at [phone].
To learn more about The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, visit the Conservancy’s website at www.nature.org/Kansas or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TNCKansas .

-NPS-