ALHFAM - Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums News

2022 Annual Conference in Tacoma, Washington

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 22:53:30 GMT

ALHFAM Conference addresses “The Future of the Past”

Remaining relevant in a fast-paced, technology-driven society can be a challenge for heritage organizations. This June, the Association of Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) is hosting its annual meeting in Tacoma, WA to discuss “The Future of the Past.” The conference, hosted by Fort Nisqually in partnership with Metro Parks Tacoma and the Fort Nisqually Foundation, will prioritize discussions about diversity, equity and inclusion at cultural institutions and the role living history will play in future museum interpretation.

ALHFAM, a professional organization that serves individuals and organizations involved in the collection, preservation or interpretation of material culture, traditional skills, and historical processes, has been at the forefront of the growth and professionalization of the use of living history techniques in museum programs. “Experiential learning – or learning by doing – allows visitors to relate to subject matter in a way that creates deeper meaning,” says Jim Lauderdale, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Supervisor and Chair of the 2022 ALHFAM Conference. “ALHFAM is guided by its mission to share practical knowledge and skills among those who make history relevant to contemporary lives.”

The 2022 Conference, its first in-person meeting since 2019, will do just that. Professional development field trips and service projects to regional heritage sites that employ living history and share the stories of diverse communities in the Pacific Northwest are a large focus of the conference. Attendees will visit the Museum of Flight and Klondike Gold Rush National Park in Seattle, the Puyallup Canoe Landing Place and Reservation, the Squaxin Island Museum and Library Research Center, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum and other regional attractions. Sessions and workshops offer discussions on including diverse voices, attracting new audiences, and building innovative programs to serve broad audiences. Scheduled sessions range from discussions on building summer camp programs for immigrant populations, creating museum podcasts, the history of transgender populations in the West, to restoring heirloom crops.

Annual traditions are also returning, allowing attendees to reconnect and socialize with one another. The Smoked, Salted and Pickled Reception features member-prepared cured, preserved, and pickled foods, the annual Fashion Show highlights period clothing, and the Ploughing Competition brings interpreters and livestock together to plow Fort Nisqually Living History Museum’s heritage wheat field using traditional techniques.

Early Bird registration for the 2022 Conference is now open for both ALHFAM members and non-members. Attendees can choose from single day and full conference registration. Information can be found at https://alhfam.org/2022-Conference.

ALHFAM Hires Webmaster and Membership Coordinator

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 13:22:59 GMT

ALHFAM has hired a new webmaster and membership coordinator, Karen Rainsong. Karen lives in Eugene, Oregon and has been a member of ALHFAM for 5 years. She is the Executive Director of Singing Creek Educational Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon, where history comes to life for kids and families.

Welcome, Karen!

2022 ALHFAM Virtual Plowing Match CANCELLED

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:00:41 GMT

The 2022 Virtual Plowing Match

**The Virtual Plowing Match has been cancelled for 2022.****

Building on the virtual ALHFAM plowing competition launched in 2021, the Farm PIG invites entries for the 2022 Virtual Plowing Match from individual ALHFAM members or staff/volunteers at ALHFAM institutional member sites. We invite entries from all locations and using varied plowing practices to enter.

The 2022 Virtual Plowing Match is in addition to the traditional ALHFAM Plowing Match that take place during the 2022 Annual Conference in Tacoma, WA, June 23-28.

Learn More

Open to All Members: Central Canada's 2021-2022 Winter Webinar Series!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 03:50:09 GMT

The Central Canada region has just announced it's 2021-2022 Winter Webinar Series. Registration is open for the December 15 webinar.

Learn more and register here

Explore Sponsorship Opportunities for the 2022 Annual Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 18:19:38 GMT

Click Image Below to Explore

Participate in A YEAR ON THE FIELD: A Global Study on Wheat

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 19:03:18 GMT

ALHFAM Historic Farming is proud to support “A Year on the Field” project as a partner with farmers across the globe to study wheat this growing season.

Join us for our "A Year On The Field" project and become part of a unique, global study with friends and colleagues from many areas of interest!

Our main questions for the project:

1) How is wheat grown in different regions of the world and how have the cultivation methods changed over the centuries?

2) What varieties were (and are) cultivated, and what wheat products do we know of?

We are looking for:

- farmers

- museums

- living history farms

- archaeological open-air museums

who document all steps of wheat cultivation and processing with us for a year on site

We are also looking for:

- Scientists

- Collection staff

- Bakers

who want to provide us with insights into individual aspects of wheat cultivation, varieties and final wheat products through the centuries

Our goals (and passion):

- to enable a global exchange on the historical methods of cultivation and harvest, regional and era differences, of wheat

- current importance of wheat in current culture or historical recipes

- to promote regional, national, and international networking of museums, research and producers

- to create an increased public attention for sustainable cultivation methods through intensive reporting in word, image and film

- to strengthen the importance of museums in public discourse and agriculture

Incorporate this project in your daily routines, include school projects, students and volunteers to split the work load and to intensify public engagement.

For your information:

How much time does the project take?

The pilot phase will initially run for a year, to begin in autumn 2021. You will plant and cultivate as normal. You need only create regular documentation, which will take less than an hour per week, and submit to the project.

Would you like to participate?

Then get in touch as soon as possible at: Claus Kropp

The Fall 2019 Edition of The Bulletin is Now Available Online

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 02:24:15 GMT

View the Bulletin online here (members-only access)

Submit a Proposal for the SEALHFAM 2022 Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:51:54 GMT

Submit a workshop or session proposal for the 2022 SEALHFAM Conference, History in the Making, to be held at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, in Jackson, Mississippi, February 18-20, 2022. Submissions are due September 1.

View and Download the Call for Proposals Here

ALHFAM 2022: Call for Workshop & Session Proposals

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:50:35 GMT

Call for Workshop & Session Proposals

What is YOUR vision for The Future of the Past? We solicit your proposals for workshops and sessions that address diversity, equity, and inclusion at cultural institutions and the role living history will play in future museum interpretation. The conference committee is planning two full days of workshops and will prioritize workshops over sessions.

Proposals deadline: December 15, 2021

Questions?: Please email

Download the Call for Workshop & Session Proposals

CALL for ALHFAM Bulletin Submissions on Codes and Regulations

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 18:51:55 GMT

We want to know how increased safety and health-related codes and regulations from local, state and federal governments are affecting visitor experiences, interpretation and programs at your site. How are policies and procedures related to insurance provisions changing how living history, reenactments and daily interpretation takes place? What precautions, training and certifications are becoming commonplace? We'd love for you to share your valuable lessons and case studies for the good of our profession and safety of our sites, staff and visitors.

Submissions are due June 14. General guidelines can be found here. For further information, contact Katie Boardman.

Call for ALHFAM Bulletin Submissions About Inclusive Cultural Interpretation

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:06:43 GMT

You are invited to share your experiences creating inclusive interpretation, programs, and spaces at your museums and living history sites. What does inclusion look like at your site? What are you striving for in the future? How are you addressing and embracing the stories and storytellers who have historically been overlooked in your organization's interpretation? We want to hear how you are engaging and reflecting diverse audiences in staffing, governance, research, programming, collecting, education, and interpretation. Case studies, research, reviews, and opinion articles are welcome.

Submissions are due by May 14, 2021. General submission guidelines can be found here.

For further information contact Bulletin Editor Katie Boardman

2021 Election Results

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 14:50:42 GMT

ALHFAM is pleased to announce the results of the 2021 election.

Vice President

Jim Lauderdale

Board of Directors

Kari Freeman Barley

Kerry-Leigh Burchill

Aaron Loendorf

Nominating Committee

Cody Jolliff

The members of the nominating committee (Ryan Beckman, Kathy Dickson, Jim McCabe, Deb Reid, Julian Whittam) wish to express sincere thanks to all those willing to serve on the board of directors and to those willing to stand for election. As a volunteer organization, ALHFAM cannot continue to thrive without the willingness of individual members to step up and serve.

ALHFAM's First Virtual Plowing Match

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 15:52:48 GMT

ALHFAM’s First Virtual Plowing Match

ALHFAM will hold their first Virtual Plowing Match for the 2021 Conference, hosted by the FARM Professional Interest Group. This event is meant to be fun and is designed for any ALHFAM member, however experienced. Acknowledging that entrants will come from different sites with different resources, the judges will endeavor to take into account entrants’ ground, ability and equipment; including the type of plow used and the plowing for which it was intended.

Each entrant should plow an ideally level plot of no less than 50 feet but, if possible, should aim for a minimum of 100 feet or 30 meters in length. There is no maximum length of plot but the same rules will apply.

The judges will award a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winner in each category: Oxen Beginner; Oxen Experienced; Equine-assisted Beginner; Equine-assisted Experienced; Equine-Unassisted; and Tractor. The winners will be announced and edited clips from the 1st Place winners’ submissions will be presented during the virtual conference. Ribbons, purchased by the FARM PIG, will be distributed at a later date.

The FARM PIG would like to encourage participation in this match by as many members as possible. If you are an Institutional Member interested in hosting members who are not attached to a site with draft animals, tractor, plow, land, or the necessary equipment, please email Jim Lauderdale. Likewise, members without said animals and equipment may contact the former, who will attempt to match interested members with host sites. Individual Members must comply with all operating policies of the Institutional Member site.

All entries should be submitted by May 10, 2021 and should be sent HERE.

For more guidance information, visit https://alhfam.org/FARM-pig.

Questions about plowing entries may be directed to Bob Powell.

SEALHFAM 2021 Virtual Conference Registration Now Open!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 17:19:53 GMT

Not a Keyhole, but a Doorway: A Dialogue on Inclusivity and Interpreting to Every Person

Virtual Southeast Region ALHFAM Conference

- February 26-28 2021 -

Learn More & Register

CALL for ALHFAM Bulletin Submissions about Volunteers!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 16:53:45 GMT

We invite you and your colleagues to share about volunteer program adaptations to COVID protocols, building and maintaining inclusive volunteer teams, training public-facing staff and volunteers on engaging visitors about race and class, volunteer placement throughout an organization, and other relevant insights, case studies, resources, approaches, joys and pitfalls.

Resource reviews are also welcome for Volunteer Engagement 2.0: Ideas and Insights Changing the World by Robert J. Rosenthal (2015) or Recruiting and Managing Volunteers in Museums: A Handbook for Volunteer Management by Kristy Van Hoven and Loni Wellman (2016).

Submissions are due by December 22. General submission guidelines can be located here.

We look forward to hearing from you! Contact Anna Stratton, Guest Editor.

Submit a Proposal for the MOMCC 2021 Spring Virtual Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 22:59:59 GMT

Proposals for the 2021 MOMCC 2021 Spring Virtual Conference are being accepted through December 30, 2020.

Submit your proposal today.

Registration for the 2020 Western Region Virtual Conference & Meeting is Now Open!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 17:30:00 GMT

Registration is now open for the 2020 Western Regional Virtual Conference and Meeting: Thriving in Changing Times.

Hosted by Sharlot Hall Museum in Arizona, this meeting will take place online on November 21.

Registration is free for ALHFAM members.

Learn more and Register today!

Bulletin Articles Requested on Changing Weather

ALHFAM Webmaster — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 15:27:05 GMT

Hello from your friendly ALHFAM Bulletin guest editors, Barb and Alyssa!

We are looking for articles and resource reviews for our issue on changing weather and its impact.

Frequent floods? Intense weather cycles? Climate change? Wildfires? Drought? What is happening in our regions?

We want to hear how your sites and museums interpret these stories – historic and recent. Tell us how you prepare for more dramatic weather, or climate change, and the impacts on your sites, structures, animals, crops and museums.

Be a part of the Summer 2019 edition: Changing Weather

Send any questions, articles or ideas to Alyssa Zajan.

Submission Deadline: September 4, 2020

Session & Meeting Recordings from the 2020 Virtual Conference Are Now Available

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 19:06:31 GMT

Recordings of sessions and meetings from the 2020 Virtual Conference are now available on the ALHFAM website for members only. You must be logged in to the website to view them. Need help logging in? Contact the Webmaster.

Session Recordings: alhfam.org/2020-Recorded-Sessions

The Region and Professional Interest Group (PIG) meeting recordings are available on their respective pages on the website. Use your mouse to hover over About Us on the horizontal menu bar on the home page and select Regions or Interest Groups from the drop down. You’ll then be able to select whichever Region or PIG you’re interested in.

Strategic Partnership Announcement: ALHFAM / Look Around You Ventures

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 18:13:58 GMT

The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) and Look Around You Ventures (LAYV) are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership to create exciting and entertaining online educational videos about American history.

ALHFAM has been at the forefront of the growth and professionalization of living history techniques in museum programs, with members across the United States and in many other countries around the world.

Look Around You Ventures creates high-quality historic video programs through its current web series “Civil War Digital Digest” and “Revolutionary Gazette” (the latter scheduled for release in Fall 2020).

Combining the knowledge of ALHFAM’s member institutions with the attention to detail and high-quality production capabilities of LAYV, new videos will highlight the technology in use at the time of the American War of Independence and the United States Civil War. Our goal is to help students, teachers, re-enactors and history enthusiasts connect with American history, while they learn about the people who lived, fought and survived these conflicts.

Crafting connections and building interest in these eras will highlight the range of interactive opportunities the public can find at ALHFAM sites across the United States and around the world.

As museums and historic sites begin to safely open, watch for new episodes in both series to begin carrying the ALHFAM logo very soon!

Learn more about ALHFAM and LAYV. You may also contact Jim Lauderdale, STP Committee, or Will Eichler, Producer.

The Spring 2020 Bulletin is Now Available!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 19:14:03 GMT

Check out the special 50th Anniversary issue of the Bulletin. Available to members for download here.

Black Lives Matter Statement

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 14:36:35 GMT

The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums stands in solidarity with black communities across the globe in saying, Black Lives Matter. They mattered in the past; they matter now, and they will matter tomorrow. No one should ever be made to feel less or live in fear because of the color of their skin. We ask our member institutions to guard against institutional and structural racism and to continue to teach the difficult parts of history to challenge preconceptions and to increase awareness. As an organization we have been complacent in not actively reaching out to diverse populations to find ways to support their professional growth and encourage their participation and leadership within the organization. Looking to the future, we seek input from new voices as work begins to address our organizational weaknesses.

Register Now for the 2020 Virtual ALHFAM Annual Meeting & Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 18:29:55 GMT

SCREEN VISION

A 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting & Conference

Please join us for our first Virtual Annual Meeting & Conference. While there is no substitute for convening the ALHFAMily in person, we are adapting to these challenging circumstances and look forward to seeing you virtually.

Registration for virtual sessions and meetings is free and open to ALHFAM members only.
You must register by June 21.
Session links will be sent to registrants no later than two-days prior to session time.

FULL INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

The 2020 Western Region Meeting Has Been Cancelled

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 28 May 2020 17:41:56 GMT

The COVID Chronicles

When we last left our intrepid museum staff, they were trying to discern the person who had pronounced the ancient Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times.” Perhaps there would be a way to reverse the curse if the source was located. After nearly two months of quarantine status, there was desperation on their part to resume life as it had been.

As they were grappling with this problem, word came down from on high that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. This caused great joy in the staff as they hoped it would be the headlight of an oncoming locomotive. This would indicate a miracle as the train had stopped coming to town nearly 40 years before and the tracks had been torn up for decades. If miracles were in the works, perhaps they could get in line for one.

Alas, this was not the case. As they investigated further, it was found that the ghost of Diogenes of Sinope had brought his lamp to town, still looking for an honest man, but having found the task too overwhelming in this day and age, had hung the lamp on the Rough Rider monument in the courthouse plaza and left town. County officials, fearing that the presence of the lamp would cause a social distancing nightmare, removed it and in so doing, extinguished it. Thinking that the lamp looked old and hoping that it might contain a genie with an unused wish, rubbed it until most of the patina was gone. Not getting their wish, they took it to the museum because it “looked old.”

At the museum, they found the gates closed and a sign that indicated that you needed to call to make a delivery. This they did, summoning a close relative of a genie, a museum curator. Upon telling the curator their story, the curator indicated that it not only had most of the original finish removed, but also that the attribution was dubious and thus it did not fit within the museum’s collections mission statement. Learning this, the county officials left the lamp at the gate and went their way, thus creating a Corona “dump and run.”

While all of this was transpiring, the other staff received word from on high that a sacrifice must be made to facilitate reopening the facilities to the public. Wondering if a mouse might satisfy the edict, since mice were known to make their way into some of the buildings, a search was made for traps. It was then brought up that this was the wrong time of year for mice to come indoors. This came as a disappointment to the chief curator as he wanted to extract vengeance from all mice for one having eaten the emergency chocolate bar imported from Canada. Someone mentioned that a chicken might suffice and that two of the living history interpreters were known to have chickens.

While trying to decide whom to ask for a chicken, word came down from on high that this was an important sacrifice and that it demanded everyone’s attention. The staff wondered if it would be one of them.

And so, we leave our museum staff to ponder the question of what the sacrifice might be. Come back next week for the continuing saga of our museum staff in The COVID Chronicles.

Unfortunately, dear reader, there is no next issue. The staff learned that the sacrifice was events and that among them was hosting the 2020 ALHFAM Western Region meeting in October. We hope that 2021 will see better times with less uncertainty. With that in mind, we would hope to host the meeting next year.

Mick Woodcock

Chief Curator and ALHFAM Western Region Rep.

ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE 2020 ANNUAL MEETING AND CONFERENCE

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 16:30:25 GMT

Due to the current unprecedented circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ALHFAM Board regrets to announce the cancellation of the 2020 Annual Meeting and Conference scheduled for June 21-25 in Boston.

Although anticipated, this was a decision reached with a heavy heart, and we would like to acknowledge the incredible work that was put into the planning by Tom Kelleher, Deb Friedman, Lauren McCormack, Sue Hanson, Melissa Vickers, Victoria Haynes, Rhys Simmons, and Dave Hruska. Thank you also to those who submitted session proposals and contributed to the development of an exceptional program. We look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Refunds and cancellations for those who registered for the conference will be processed over the next few weeks. We appreciate your patience as we work through that process. In addition, the Board will be exploring options to conduct a virtual Business Meeting as per our by-laws and creative strategies that will provide us with an opportunity to commemorate and celebrate our 50th Anniversary.

Although it is difficult to break the tradition of seeing ALHFAM “return home” to Old Sturbridge Village every decade, for various financial and administrative reasons the Board and this year’s planning committee have decided to maintain the conference calendar as it currently stands. We look forward to gathering again in person at the 2021 Conference at Sauder Village.

Advocacy Alert: Support Economic Relief for the Museum Community

ALHFAM Webmaster — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 20:24:08 GMT

ADVOCACY ALERT: SUPPORT ECONOMIC RELIEF FOR THE MUSEUM COMMUNITY

The American Alliance of Museums reached out to its affiliates on March 19 to share their action plan during the COVID-19 crisis. Congress is moving swiftly to pass a massive economic relief package in response and the Alliance is working to ensure the museum community is included. ALHFAM past president, and our longtime “Museum Advocacy Day” representative Pete Watson confirmed ALHFAM’s support of this advocacy initiative and thanked the AAM for their leadership in advancing it. The AAM also encourages you to reach out directly to your legislators. You can use their online action center to find your state and federal legislator information, and personalize your message to Congress in just a few clicks. You can use the same messaging with your state and local legislators.

Similarly in Canada the Canadian Museums Association is advocating for the well-being of the sector by requesting a dedicated museum relief fund to support lost revenues and many provincial museum associations are offering pandemic response resources.

A Message from the ALHFAM President Regarding Upcoming Events and COVID-19

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 22:03:57 GMT

Due to concerns with COVID19, Middlesex County has made the decision to cancel the ALHFAM Regional Conference taking place at East Jersey Old Town Village on March 28, 2020. Conference organizers will be looking into the possibility of rescheduling.

The ALHFAM Board is also monitoring any situation that may impact the ALHFAM Annual Meeting and Conference scheduled for June. We know that our ALHFAMily is looking forward to gathering in Boston for our 50^th Anniversary, and many of you have registered to date. The current plan is to proceed as scheduled, but we are in regular communication with the conference planning committee, who will be taking direction from host venues and public health authorities. We will provide timely updates to our membership as information becomes available.

I know that many of you will be dealing with this evolving situation at your own sites. The American Alliance of Museums has provided access to resources on COVID-19 on their website, which you can access here. The ALHFAM-L listserv and social media outlets also provide a means of staying in touch with your colleagues.

Keep well,

Susan Reckseidler
President, ALHFAM

Announcement Regarding the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 20:19:21 GMT

Due to concerns with COVID19, Middlesex County has made the decision to cancel the ALHFAM Regional Conference taking place at East Jersey Old Town Village on March 28, 2020.

We will look into the possibility of rescheduling.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope that registrants are able to change any travel plans that have been made.

Register Now for the 2020 ALHFAM Annual Meeting and Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 20:44:59 GMT

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2020 ALHFAM ANNUAL MEETING AND CONFERENCE

Click on the image below to view and download the conference program

Conference Quick View for answers to Frequently Asked Questions

We invite historical interpreters, farmers, scholars, craftspeople, curators, educators, administrators and everyone interested in Living History to Boston, Massachusetts for ALHFAM’s annual conference and 50^th anniversary celebration.

REGISTER HERE

Early Bird Registration is available through April 30

Conference questions? Please ask

Registration questions? Please ask

See you in Boston!

Advertise in the 2020 Annual Conference Program

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 17:23:59 GMT

The ALHFAM 2020 Conference Committee is offering advertising space to ALHFAM members and others in their electronic and print publications.

Electronic ads will be placed in online publications on the ALHFAM website as they are received. They will also appear in the print publications handed out to conference attendees.

Prices:

Full Page 6.75” X 9” $100.00
Half Page 3.25” X 9” $55.00
Half Page 6.75” X 4.375” $55.00
Third Page 6.75” X 3” $43.50
Quarter Page 3.25” X 4.375” $37.50
Eighth Page 3.25” X 2” $26.50

Reserve your ad space today!

2020 Annual Conference Fellowship Applications Deadline has been Extended!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 18:49:47 GMT

Fellowships are available that will cover basic registration plus $300. For more information, and to apply, follow this link. Fellowship applications are now due by March 9.

More conference information is available here.

Submit a Proposal for the MOMCC 2021 Spring Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 20:34:01 GMT

Download the Call for Sessions & Speakers Form

Post Your Skills Workshop on the ALHFAM Website

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 15:59:40 GMT

The Skills Training and Preservation Committee (STP) is requesting information from ALHFAM members about skills workshops open to ALHFAM members, living history professionals, and/or the general public that they would like listed on the ALHFAM website.

Workshops can be on any subject relating to historic trades and skills, professional museum skills, living history interpretation skills, as well as similar hands-on learning opportunities. The workshops may be part of a larger local, regional, national or international conference.

The subject matter must be of interest to ALHFAM members and the organization or individual hosting the workshop must be an individual, institutional or business member of ALHFAM. Workshops that do not meet these criteria will not be posted, and ALHFAM reserves the right to decline to post information.

To have your workshop listed on the ALHFAM website, please send the following information to webmasteralhfam@gmail.com:

Workshop Subject/Title
Brief Workshop Description
Date(s) / Time(s)
Price
Location (including full address)
Website address for registration information (registration itself can be available either online or via regular mail)
Contact information, including phone number

Registration for the 2020 ALHFAM Southeast Regional Conference is Now Open!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sat, 25 Jan 2020 21:20:06 GMT

Check out the conference program (with lodging information) below

Conference registration ends on February 14

Register Now

Interested in a scholarship to help with travel, lodging, and registration costs?

Review and fill out the application here.

Scholarship applications are due by February 8th.

Save the Date for the ALHFAM Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 23:25:48 GMT

Save the Date!

The Mid-Atlantic ALHFAM Conference and Regional Meeting will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2020.

Co-Hosts: Middlesex County Office of Arts & History, Division of Historic Sites and History Services and ALHFAM

Locations: East Jersey Old Town Village, Piscataway, NJ

Workshops in Development: This one-day event will have a mixture of traditional sessions, presentations with hands-on components, and immersive workshops. Proposed topics include an Intro to Beekeeping, Reenactor to First Person Interpreter, 19^th Century Baseball, Letterpress Printing, and much more.

Due to the generosity of Middlesex County and East Jersey Old Town Village, this will be a free event, though registration for specific workshops and sessions will be required due to spacial limitations, so keep an eye on the ALHFAM website for the program of events and registration! Don’t miss it!

A Riverboat Conference! Learn More about MOMCC's Spring 2020 Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 15:57:00 GMT

Join your Midwest region colleagues at the MOMCC 2020 Spring Conference

Traveling in America

aboard the Spirit of Peoria Riverboat

March 12-14, 2020

Spirit of Peoria Riverboat

Peoria, Illinois

Conference information and registration can be found on the MOMCC website through this link

Two-Day, Intensive, Plowing Workshop for ALHFAM Members

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 18:07:10 GMT

As part of the Skills, Training, and Preservation initiative, ALHFAM and Tillers International are pleased to offer a two-day, intensive Plowing Workshop for ALHFAM members. The workshop will take place September 7-8 at Tillers International in Scotts, Michigan. Learn more here.

New Book: "The Living History Anthology: Perspectives from ALHFAM"

ALHFAM Webmaster — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 20:03:02 GMT

The Living History Anthology brings together twenty-six practical essays on the craft of establishing and running living history museums. Contributions cover all aspects of developing and running a living history site.

Including contributions on strategic planning, human resource management, research programs, collection policies, and engagement with varied audiences, including indigenous groups, the book demonstrates how to approach such tasks from a living history perspective. Topics unique to the sector, such as re-enactment, historic trade crafts, and working with machinery and livestock, are also covered. Each essay is briefly introduced and contextualized by the editors, while the collection is bookended by a new foreword and afterword from Debra A. Reid, and an introduction from the editors.

Representing the collective wisdom of the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) members across the decades, The Living History Anthology provides a valuable resource for all living history practitioners. It should also be of interest to students and scholars studying living history.

ALHFAM members can purchase this book at a discount. Go here for details. Not a member? Join us for only $30!

Participate in the FARM PIG crop survey

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 21:40:09 GMT

The FARM PIG is conducting a survey on crops. Please follow this link to complete the survey.

The New England Regional Conference has been canceled

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 21:16:53 GMT

The New England Regional Conference has been canceled.

Nominations for the Schlebecker Award are being accepted

ALHFAM Webmaster — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 20:44:33 GMT

Schlebecker Award

The awards committee is now accepting nominations for the 2019 Schlebecker Award. The Schlebecker Award was established in 1988 to honor Dr. John T. Schlebecker, renowned agricultural historian and a driving force behind the establishment of ALHFAM. This lifetime award is intended to recognize individuals within the organization who have made outstanding contributions to the growth and development of ALHFAM. If you have someone in mind to nominate for this award, please see more on our webpage at https://www.alhfam.org/Schlebecker-award/. Nominations are due by April 5, 2019.

Fellowships for the 2019 Annual Conference are available.

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 19:01:59 GMT

Download the application here.

The Call for Proposals for the New England Regional Conference is available

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 23:44:08 GMT

The Call for Proposals has been posted for the 2019 New England Regional Conference.

Hotel information has been posted for the 2019 Annual Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 21:03:29 GMT

Conference organizers encourage people to register sooner than later for a hotel room for the 2019 Annual Conference in Midland, Ontario. Hotel information can be found here.

ALHFAM Board funds Skills Training and Preservation (STP) Initiative

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 20:33:30 GMT

The ALHFAM Board advanced a key component of its 2018 -2020 Strategic Workplan during its fall meeting by approving the proposal of a task force charged with mapping the work of a new administrative committee on Skills Training and Preservation. The proposal includes 2019 funding for new training workshops, a project to document skills using short videos ("SkillClips"), a video library accessible through A.S.K., and an internship in skill documentation.

The new Skills Training and Preservation Committee is charged with leading ALHFAM's efforts to collect the practices, processes, systems, arts and skills that are preserved and presented through "living history.” To accomplish its goals, the committee will work with PIG Chairs, Regional Reps, Annual Conference Planners and individual members and sites, to inventory and catalogue skills, identify and document 'at-risk' and endangered skills, and support and organize skills training.

The committee is co-chaired by Board members Lauren Muney and past Board president Pete Watson and includes Ed Schultz, Sonrisa Crespin, Alison Dobier and advisors Cody Joliff and Jon Hallman.

In its proposal to the Board, the Skills Training and Preservation Task Force presented the following assessment of the challenge ahead:

"Collections management is a skill that is widely held among museum professionals, yet, one that is not uniformly applied to collections of non-material culture. The importance of creating, managing and using living history collections to advance the field historical research, documentation and education is not an endeavor peculiar to ALHFAM, its partners in AIMA and EXARC, or to re-enactors of military, industrial or social history. However, collecting “skills” is rarely, if ever, seen in traditional museums.

One of ALHFAM's greatest challenges is to take inventory of, document and share the countless, incredible array of skills held by, and offered through, its membership. To enable this, ALHFAM will create a culture that recognizes skills that are being lost, or soon to be lost, and find ways to place them in new hands. ALHFAM members will learn to take the knowledge and skill we have as curators of material culture, and apply it to the business of preserving the intangible culture of skills. ALHFAM members will become proficient at sharing skills with the public, enabling them to use their hands in problem solving -- allowing them try their hand at the doing, making and work that we bring to life. As museum professionals entrusted with the collection and care of those skills, we are challenged to teach the them not just to our colleagues, but to all."

Registration for the MOMCC/Midwest Regional Conference is now open!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 20:19:31 GMT

Find more information about the MOMCC/Midwest conference, scheduled for March 7-9, 2019 in Piqua, Ohio, here.

Registration for the Southeast Regional Conference is now open!

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 19:29:37 GMT

Registration for ALHFAM's Southeast conference in Little Rock, Arkansas February 22-24 is now open! More information is here.

Registration is open for the Mountain-Plains Skills and Trade Exposition is open

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 21:05:49 GMT

Learn more and download the program booklet here.

Call for Proposals for 2019 Annual Conference Due January 11, 2019

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 18:35:34 GMT

We invite you to submit proposals for the annual conference to be held at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, in Midland, Ontario from June 8 to the 13, 2019. Rendezvous in Time, Widening Our Horizons ofInterest is our theme and we believe that it will give conference attendees a chance to demonstrate and highlight what makes our Association a leader in the museum/living history world.

Learn more and see the requirements here.

Edward Baker Obituary

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 15:52:46 GMT

Sadly, ALHFAM has lost another of its own. Edward Baker, ALHFAM’s Secretary/Treasurer, passed away Sunday, October 29, 2017. During Edward’s decades of dedication and service to our organization, he served as secretary/treasurer, nominating committee member, board member, regional representative, conference planner, and auction “yupper.” He was also the recipient of the Schlebecker Award, ALHFAM’s highest honor. His dedication to ALHFAM was unwavering to the end, and everyone in ALHFAM who had the pleasure of working with him is deeply feeling his loss.

Edward's obituary may be viewed here:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thewesterlysun/obituary.aspx?pid=187141248

Call for Papers for the 2018 Annual Conference is available

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 19:56:54 GMT

The Call for Papers for the 2018 Annual Conference in Oklahoma is now available here.

Annual Conference Attendee List and Presentations

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 17:22:17 GMT

Annual Conference attendees and ALHFAM members who are logged on can view the Attendee List and download conference presentations and hand-outs here.

2017 Annual Conference Fellowship Awardees Announced

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 18:04:39 GMT

The awardees of the 2017 Annual Conference Fellowships have been announced. The full list can be found here. Congratulations to the awardees!

ALHFAM Election announcement

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 21:06:33 GMT

ALHFAM Election

On behalf of the Nominating Committee, here are the 2017 ALHFAM election results:

Two-Year Vice-President term:
Susan Reckseidler

Three-Year Board term:
Sarah LeCount
Andi Erbskorn
Dawn Bondhus Mueller

Three-Year Nominating Committee term:
Derrick Birdsall

Sincere thanks to those elected and to Jim McCabe, Linda Evans, Jonathan Hallman, and Kimberly Costa for standing for election. Their willingness to serve is much appreciated.

My personal thanks to the Nominating Committee for their good work: Bruce Henbest, Dean Hardman, Kristyn Watts, and Vertie Lee.

--Deb Arenz, Chair, ALHFAM Nominating Committee

Bylaw Amendment Proposed

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 22:10:42 GMT

After long and careful consideration and deliberation, your ALHFAM board of directors has unanimously voted to recommend that the office of Secretary/Treasurer be separated into separate offices to be held by two individuals, a Secretary and a Treasurer. This change requires a vote by the membership. Please download the entire notice about the bylaw change here.

2017 Annual Conference Information and Registration Available

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 20:24:09 GMT

The 2017 Annual Conference Booklet for the June 9-13, 2017 meeting at Genesee Country Village, Rochester, NY, is available here and registration is open!

Fellowships for the conference are also-- information is available here.

Please note that to get the ALHFAM member rate for the conference, you must be logged on to the website.

FARM PIG adds three new documents to website

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 23:55:32 GMT

The FARM PIG is happy to announce that the “Position Statement on the Use of Livestock in Museum Settings 2016” has been approved by ALHFAM’s board and has been added to the FARM page. Additionally, there are two other documents that ALHFAM members may find useful: “Handling Public Concerns on the Use of Livestock in Museum Settings 2016” and “Livestock Care in Museums 2016.” Visit the FARM PIG page to see all three documents.

New ALHFAM Website & Membership Management System

ALHFAM Webmaster — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 16:01:34 GMT

The New ALHFAM Website & Membership Management System

In the fall of 2015, ALHFAM began a new chapter in the way we communicate and interact with our membership. The most obvious change is visible through our redesigned and reorganized website. But the really big change will be the way you, as a member, will be able to manage your own membership profile and the way in which ALHFAM will communicate with you about your membership status. With this new system, we will communicate with you increasingly via email: Your membership reminders, renewal invoices, event registrations, etc., will come directly to you as email communications.

To help members with this change, and to continue to assist you, we have started a seven-month "training" series about the new membership system and the features of the new website. There will be a link in each upcoming eUpdate that will take you to a Membership Management System Information Sheet, each of which will provide you with the information you will need to know in order work with this exciting new membership system. The FAQ sheet will be continually updated as new question arise.

How To Use the ALHFAM Website & MMS
Website & MMS FAQs
Website & MMS Info Sheet #1- Membership Bundles
Website & MMS Info Sheet #2 - Member Profiles & Membership Directories
Website & MMS Info Sheet #3 - ALHFAM On-line Forums

Darwin Kelsey Obituary

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 00:08:03 GMT

Sadly, ALHFAM and the greater museum and agricultural communities have lost
another influential and beloved friend. Darwin Kelsey, a Cooperstown
graduate and ALHFAM founder (and our second president) passed away on
Saturday. Among many other accomplishments, Darwin played a key role in
creating a historical agriculture program at Old Sturbridge Village,
developing the innovative Lake Farm Park in Ohio, and more recently promoting
local agriculture by founding the Countryside Conservancy which promotes
farmers' markets. He will be greatly missed.

Darwin's obituary can be found here.

The Ag Map has been updated

ALHFAM Webmaster — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 16:05:37 GMT

The Ag Map has been updated and has a new site added. Check it out here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en&mid=1lM267_v4IU1N3rEIHJAltSxCSZs

New Information about the 2017 Annual Meeting Has Been Posted

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 13:50:39 GMT

Please visit the 2017 Annual Conference page for new information and a schedule for the conference at Genessee Country Village and Museum.

Call for Papers for the New England Regional Meeting is Available

ALHFAM Webmaster — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 23:29:47 GMT

The Call for Papers for the New England Regional Meeting in Providence, RI is available online. Click here for more details.

Submissions for the 2016 Annual Conference Proceedings Due July 31, 2016

ALHFAM Webmaster — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 14:48:07 GMT

Submissions for the 2016 Annual Conference Proceedings are due July 31, 2016. Please send your submissions to Editor Deb Reid.

If you have any questions, please email Deb. For the Guidelines to submitting to the Proceedings, see
http://alhfam.org/page-18117

Obituary: Blake D. Hayes

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 14:17:55 GMT

Blake Dean Hayes passed away peacefully at his home in Cherry Valley, NY on July 7, 2016 among family and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Gerald (Gerry) Hayes and Harriette Hayes, of Sidney, NY. Blake was born in Sidney, NY on March 28, 1950. He graduated from Sidney High School (1968) and received a B.A. in history from the University of Albany. With his love of history, he studied Preservation Technology at St. Lawrence College in Brockville, Ontario and pursued a career in historical preservation, restoration and museum work. Blake worked for Georgia Agrirama, Tifton, GA and The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI. His many restoration projects included the Harvey Firestone Farm and House, the Buckminster Fuller Dymaxion House, a 1940's diner and gas station, the Wright Brothers' Home and 1960's Motown Recording Studio. He was a co-creator of the Henry Ford Museum American Automobile and Made in America exhibits. After returning to Cherry Valley, he gathered a number of museum professionals into The Cherry Valley Group. With CVG he created interpretive and master plans, exhibits and staff training for historic sites, museums and non-profit organizations throughout the Northeast, Southern and Midwestern United States. Blake was active in preserving and promoting local historic sites and organizations. He served on numerous community boards and preservation organizations in Tifton, GA; Ypsilanti, MI; Greenbay, WI, and especially Cherry Valley, NY. He received the prestigious John T. Schlebecker Award from the Association of Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums, a professional organization in which he contributed many volunteer hours. Blake was known for his humor, hospitality, good cooking, gardening, frugality, curmudgeonly tendencies and memorable ear stands, Cowardly Lion impersonations and Wizard of Oz reenactments. His family, colleagues and friends were especially important to him. He is survived by his loving wife Lorraine Bosma of Cherry Valley, NY; daughter Rebecca Gross (Ryan) of Middleboro, MA; son Ashley Hayes of Chapel Hill, NC; stepsons Loren Sutton of Boston, MA, Brian Sutton of Los Angeles, CA and Will Sutton of Cherry Valley, NY; son in spirit Jared Fruth; granddaughters Ariella Blake Gross, Selah Elizabeth Gross and Elizabeth Ann Hayes; sister Dolores Breunig (Franz) of Sidney, NY; brother Keith Hayes (Carol) of Prince George, VA. Blake also maintained close friendships with his former wife, Martha Camp, of Ecuador and former wife and colleague, Mary Seelhorst, of Ypsilanti, MI. He enjoyed his many nieces and nephews and his favorite cat, Kitty Ga-Ga. Contributions in his memory may be sent to The Cherry Valley Community Facilities Corporation for old school maintenance at PO Box 66, Cherry Valley, NY 13320.

Blake does his famous earstand at the Colonial Williamsburg meeting in 2001.

Updated Guide to Hosting a Regional Conference

ALHFAM Webmaster — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 22:51:20 GMT

The Guide to Hosting a Regional Conference has been updated. Access it here: The Guide to Hosting a Regional Conference

New Webmaster for ALHFAM

Fri, 24 Jun 2016 00:48:54 GMT

Heidi Glatfelter Schlag has assumed the position of ALHFAM Webmaster. Heidi is the immediate past chair of the Communications Committee and worked with past webmaster Blake Hayes on the transition to the new website.

Please address all website questions or concerns to Heidi. You can reach her at webmaster@alhfam.org. The "webmaster" address is in transition over the next day or two, but she will get to your message as soon as possible.

2016 Conference Registration

Mon, 04 Apr 2016 13:49:03 GMT

The 2016 Annual Conference Program is now available and registration is open. Go to the 2016 Annual Conference page.

Winter 2016 Bulletin

Fri, 01 Apr 2016 21:03:47 GMT

The Winter 2016 Bulletin issue is now online for your viewing

2016 ALHFAM Election Results

Sat, 19 Mar 2016 16:32:24 GMT

ALHFAM Election

On behalf of the Nominating Committee, here are the 2016 ALHFAM election results:

Two-Year Secretary/Treasurer term:

Edward Baker

Three-Year Board term:

Karen Clancy

Susie Marchand

Michael Smola

Three-Year Nominating Committee term:

Vertie Lee

The revised logo was approved by an almost 2-to-1 margin.

Sincere thanks to those elected and to Randy Kvill, Katie Cannon, and Jim Lauderdale for standing for election. Their willingness to serve is much appreciated.

My personal thanks to the Nominating Committee for their good work: Bruce Henbest, Dean Hardman, Kristyn Watts, and Edward Baker.

--Deb Arenz, Chair, ALHFAM Nominating Committee

ALHFAM & ALHFAMers in The News

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 03:30:00 GMT

The list of ALHFAM members, both individuals and institutions, is literally to long to include here. So you will need to see the NPR story, American History Lives: A Story Of The People, By The People, For The People for yourself. In the middle of the on-line story, ALHFAM itself gets a direct reference with a link to our website.See the photographs of ALHFAM's own Ron Carnegie ringing the opening bell on the NSADAQ Stock Exchange, Jan. 21, 2016. In his role as George Washington for ALHFAM institutional member Colonial Williamsburg, Ron captured, and commanded Times Square.

The February, 2016 issue of Early American Life magazine features a "People Profile-Drawing With Scissors" of ALHFAM member Lauren Muney, along with an historical background on silhouettes.

ALHFAM and several of it member institutions got great press and promotion in a December 2, 2015 on-line story by mnn - Mother Nature Network , called 12 time-rewinding living history farms.

MassLive.com published a December 7, 2015 story about Old Sturbridge Village's "non-period" approach to celebrating Christmas. ALHFAM President Tom Kelleher is the OSV spokesperson in the online article.

The Institute for Museum and Library Services recently announced it will provide ALHFAM member Monticello with nearly $300,000 through its National Leadership Grants for Museums program to fund a three-year study to assess the effectiveness of teacher education programs at historic sites. Read More about it in this WVIR-TV/NBC online news report.

Holland, Michigan’s resident miller, author and our own ALHFAM board member, Alisa Crawford was featured in an NPR/WMUK story on December 4, 2015. Read and/or Listen to the Story.

ALHFAMer Lauren Muney participated in the making (and had some screen time as well) of the film Silhouette Secrets, which won Best Documentary at NIFF Houston (USA) Film Festival, and was selected for consideration for Best Documentary at Marbella (Spain) Film Festival.

Yankee Magazine partner New England Inns & Resorts has named ALHFAM member institutions Plimoth Plantation, Old Sturbridge Village and Mystic Seaport the "Best Living History Museums in New England". And it looks like ALHFAM member Rebecca Gross in the cover photo.

An article in the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily about the illumination of historic buildings notes that Gen. George Washington, AKA our own ALHFAMer Ron Carnegie, will lead the ceremony of the first night lighting of four of their most iconic structures.

ALHFAMer Deb Freidman appears in the on-line magazine Eater. In their story "What is Marlborugh Pie?" they reference her earlier interview that was included in John T. Edge's book Apple Pie.

Using the New Website & Membership Management System

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 20:28:31 GMT

The New ALHFAM Website & Membership Management System

This Fall ALHFAM began a new chapter in the way we communicate and interact with our membership. The most obvious change is visible through our redesigned and reorganized website. But the really big change will be the way you, as a member, will be able to manage your own membership profile and the way in which ALHFAM will communicate with you about your membership status. With this new system, we will communicate with you increasingly via email: Your membership reminders, renewal invoices, event registrations, etc., will come directly to you as email communications.

How To Use the New ALHFAM Website & MMS
Website & MMS FAQs
Website & MMS Info Sheet #1- Membership Bundles
Website & MMS Info Sheet #2 - Member Profiles & Membership Directories
Website & MMS Info Sheet #3 - ALHFAM On-line Forums