2010 Event Calendar
| Saturday,
March 6 from 10:30am - 12:00pm Spring Garden Planning. A chance to grow fresh vegetables at a fraction of the price in grocery stores, while reaping the benefits of outdoor exercise. The class will be led by Barry Robinson, Montgomery County Horticulture Extension Agent, and Don Bixby, Historic Smithfield Garden Coordinator. The empahsis will be on sustainable planning and preparing the site, getting acquainted with and choosing appropriate varieties, creating a planting schedule, pest management, and harvesting your bounty. Preregistration is required with a class fee of $15 to benefit the agricultural programs at Historic Smithfield. In the event of inclement weather, the class will be held on Saturday, March 13th. |
| Saturday,
March 6 from 1:30pm - 3:00pm Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop. This class will meet in Historic Smithfield Heirloom Orchard and Gardens. It will be led by Barry Robinson, Montgomery County Horticulture Extension Agent, and Don Bixby, Historic Smithfield Garden Coordinator. The emphasis will be on proper pruning of apple and pear trees in the Smithfield Orchard, but other topics to be covered include: variety selection, planting, mulching, maintenance and pest management. Also covered will be the pruning and care of grapevines, raspberries and currant bushes. Equipment will be reviewed (you may bring your own for evaluation). Preregistration is required with a fee of $15.00 to support the historic agriculture program at Smithfield. |
| Wednesday,
March 10 at 9:30 am Smithfield Guild Meeting."The Matriarchs of Newport, Virginia." Doug Martin is a witty, entertaining, and popular speaker in the Virginia Tech community. He has done original research into the history of the community of Newport, and will be sharing his knowledge of the strong women who were the heart and soul of that town. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Saturday, March 13 2:00pm-4:00pm Tea and Social Graces. Darlene Simpson will be teaching young folks the fine art of having tea in the winter kitchen at Historic Smithfield. Your child may come in colonial dress or everyday clothes and will be learning proper etiquette that will benefit them for many years to come. Preregistration required. Class Fee of $10 includes instruction in social graces and snack, and benefits the educational programs at Smithfield. |
| Wednesday,
March 31, 7:00am - 8:45pm Spring Guild Trip. The itinerary includes the Old Salem Museum and Gardens in North Carolina. This restoration of a 1766 Moravian settlement has been called one of the most accurate living history museums in the country. Cost is $70 for Preservation Virginia members and $75 for others (includes bus fare, lunch at the famous 1816 Old Salem Tavern, admission to all Old Salem attractions (restored buildings with costumed interpreters, Toy Museum, Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts), and a tax-deductible donation to Smithfield Planta tion ($15 for members; $20 for non-members.)). Make reservations for yourself, friends and family early! The bus from Sunshine Tours holds only 52 people (so passengers will have extra leg room). Please send reservations to: Smithfield Plantation, 1000 Smithfield Plantation Road, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Payment in full will be required no later than Tuesday, March 16. |
| Saturday,
April 3 from 10:00am-5:00pm Opening Day. Join us as we celebrate the re-opening of Smithfield this spring with re-enactments and demonstrations of life in the 18th century, walk–through tours guided by costumed interpreters, and the Smithfield Museum Store. Admission will be $1 at the gate and includes a tour of the house. |
| Wednesday,
April 14 at 9:30 am Smithfield Guild Meeting. "Wake Forest: Voices That Tell of a Faith Community." Morgan Cain is a recent graduate of Virginia Tech who spent more than a year doing research about, and interviewing residents of, Wake Forest. This local community of descendents of slaves has made a lot of important but unsung contributions to the history of our area, but most of us have never visited it or even know exactly where it is. Morgan will tell us a little about one aspect of the community’s culture. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Saturday,
May 8 from 9:00am-5:00pm Heirloom Plant Sale. Learn about colonial plant materials that were indigenous to the area, and purchase heirloom plants for your own garden. Old favorites, bursting with color, texture and interesting form, are very appropriate for today’s gardeners, who want a touch of history for their home gardens. Crow's Nest Greenhouses of Prices Fork, owner Jay Smith, is providing true heirloom plants. The Smithfield Gardeners are also supplying several varieties of plants from the Historic Smithfield garden. Knowledgeable volunteers from the Smithfield garden will be on hand for assistance and to answer questions. Browse botanical themed gifts in the Smithfield Museum Store. The house will be open for tours at regular admission prices. |
| Wednesday,
May 12 at 9:30 am Smithfield Guild Meeting. "Indigenous Culture and Ecologies in the Pre-Columbian New River Valley." How much do you know about the Preston’s Native American “neighbors”? Most interpreters mention the Shawnee, and we have James Patton’s dagger from the Draper’s Meadow attack in our Museum display, but that’s where we end our “coverage” of the topic. Jeff Kirwan and Sam Cook have a lot to tell us about the indigenous population of this area. Light refreshments will be served before the meeting. Bring a friend! |
| Saturday,
May 22, 9:00am to 1:00pm Storytelling Class. |
| Sunday,
June 6, 3:00pm 2nd Annual Spring Fashion Extravaganza at Smithfield. We will be partnering with Ponnie from Ponnie’s Boutique to model modern as well as vintage fashions. There will be refreshments and a silent auction featuring work from local artists. Admission is $15. The fashion show will be about 45 minutes long. Sneak peak at the auction items beginning at 2:30pm. Rain date is June 13th. |
| Saturday, June 12 from 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday, June 13 from 1:00 - 5:00pm Shaker Box Making Workshop. Taught by Don George. Class fee is $125. Preregistration is required. A one-and ½ day workshop showing the making of a shaker style box. Over a day and a half, participants will be learning the Shaker design aesthetic as they create a set of three or more oval Shaker boxes. Don’s approach to making shaker boxes offer an excellent introduction to hand and power tools for beginners, as well as a satisfying experience in the shop for more experienced woodworkers. Finishing techniques will also be presented. Class fee includes supplies and complete instruction for 3 oval boxes or trays. It is suggested that class participants pack a light lunch for Saturday. |
| Sunday, June 20 at 2:00pm and 6:00pm Juneteenth: “Having our Say: The Delaney Sisters First 100 Years.” There will be two showings of this play on the lawn at Smithfield: one at 2:00pm and one at 6:00pm, starring Carolyn Dixon as 101 year-old Bessie and Alisha Saunders as 103 year old Sadie. Admission is free. |
| Sunday,
July 4, 10:00am to 2:00pm Fourth of July Celebration. Celebrate where Revolutionary War patriots trod. Bring a picnic, family and friends to the grounds of Historic Smithfield Plantation, the circa 1774 home of Revolutionary War Colonel William Preston and his wife Susanna. Music, dancing, Revolutionary re-enactments, children's crafts and games, walks through the magnificent plantation home will be featured. Log Cabin Bar-B-Q will be available from 11:00am to 2:00pm. |
| Wednesday,
July 7, 1:00 to 3:00pm Boxwood Propagation Class. Have you ever wished that you had boxwood in your garden, especially the historic shrubs that add elegance and beauty to the Smithfield garden? Now is your chance to start a few plants of your own from cuttings from the Smithfield boxwood. The $10.00 fee includes all supplies and instructions for 2 boxwood starts. If you wish to start more plants, the fee is $3.00 per plant, but you must register in advance for additional cuttings. |
| Wednesday,
August 4, 1:00 - 3:00pm Soap Making Class. |
| Saturday, August 14 Preston Family Reunion. |
| Saturday,
September 25 from 10:00am - 3:00pm Basketmaking 601. Taught by Terry Nicholson. Come learn this timeless art and create a beautiful and unique basket for your home or as a gift. Terry Nicholson has carried on the tradition of basket making from his mother and has been teaching the art for over 5 years. Class fee includes supplies and complete instruction for one basket. It is suggested that class participants pack a light lunch. |
| Saturday, October 2, 10:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday,
October 3, 1:00 - 5:00pm Apple Festival. Celebrate the fledgling orchard consisting of several heirloom varieties included in Col. William Preston’s inventory. To help the community usher in autumn and the harvest season, Smithfield will have several crafts and food vendors about the lawn, many with apple themes. Historical demonstrators ranging from colonial to the civil war era will also provide fun interaction between our guests and the history of this region. Demonstrations of apple butter making will occur over the weekend and the end product will be on sale. Saturday features a craft beer garden with three local micro-breweries on hand to talk about their brews. Enjoy bluegrass and old time music throughout the afternoon as you check out heirloom livestock and poultry. Carriage rides to the cemetery will end with a cemetery tour of the Preston graveyard. Come one come all! Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. |
Friday,
December 3 - Sunday, December 5, 1:00-5:00pm |
| Saturday,
December 11, 10:00am to 1:00pm Seasonal Flower Arrangements. |
Saturday,
December 11 from 10am to 1pm |
1000 Smithfield Plantation Road
Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
