Heritage Village volunteers spruce up Summer Kitchen
Jim and Barbara Crawford, backed by Miranda Stoesz, spent a chunk of their summer in the kitchen – the Heritage Village Summer Kitchen, that is.
The trio scraped the exterior paint and gave the building a fresh coat of white covering. They also cleaned and redecorated the kitchen’s interior.
The house painting was completed by the Crawford duo, with Stoesz and Barbara Crawford combining to paint the barn art. Both Jim Crawford and Stoesz are directors on the Heritage Village Board.
The Summer Kitchen is now perked up – inside and out – and ready for any visitors, including at the 43rd annual Utschtallung (Heritage Fair) slated for Saturday, September 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Summer k sense
The story of the summer kitchen, found in the locally-published book, “Off The Mountain Lake Range,” shares that when the hottest time of the four seasons of the year rolled around – summer – this special kitchen became very busy.
During the summertime, all of the cooking utensils were moved from the kitchen in the house to the summer kitchen. Even the drop-leaf table the family ate meals around – including the chairs – were set up in their traditional appointed place.
In addition, the calendar, clock, cream separator and old cupboards were placed inside for three, perhaps, four months of use.
The old range was taken out of storage, wiped clean of its wintry cloak of rust and grease – grease which was rubbed on to keep away rust during the range’s “off-season.”
Freshly-washed curtains even were hung, framing the windows.
Many summer kitchens featured pull-up doors with screens on the inside of three walls.
Cooking in the summer kitchen meant the dining room remained a cool, inviting place to serve a meal to a crowd, and rest of the house as well stayed comfortable.
From family and friends, to neighbors, to the hired men, to the threshers on hand during threshing time – the summer kitchen was a social center.
It even occasionally was put to use during other seasons. In fall, on butchering day and during the winter, when it was thawed out at times for family wash day.
Heritage Village preservation
Heritage Village was founded in 1972 to preserve the history of the people of the Mountain Lake community dating back to the late 1800s.
Buildings and items relating to homes, churches, schools, agriculture and various other businesses have been gathered and are displayed.
These items tell the story of how things were and the struggles encountered when the area was first settled. It leads visitors to imagine how difficult things must have been during the early years with grasshoppers, blizzards, extreme heat and droughts.
Heritage Village now has its own website, click the link at: Www.heritagevillagemountainlake.com
Work Day at “The Village”
On Saturday, August 5, there will be a Work Day at “The Village.” The Heritage Village Board of Directors are looking for anyone willing to help with various tasks. Plans are to start at 8 a.m.; but helpers are encouraged to come when it works for them. Lunch will be served.
