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HOLDEN, Mass. — This Saturday, The Friends of The Red Barn are inviting residents to stop by for a celebration of Holden's rich agrictultural heritage at the annual Red Barn Harvest Day, where they can enjoy live music, pumpkin rolling, soup contests, and even fresh pizza cooked to perfection inside a fired up Community Brick Oven.
The Friends of the Red Barn is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the historic Red Barn, once part of the Fairbanks Farm, and the seven acres of open space that surround it.
In addition to caring for the barn itself, The Friends of the Red Barn invite the community to Farm Days that highlight the town's local agricultural heritage and farm life.
Last year families came in droves to visit the historic site to have a part in the fun, and this time around the free event will bring back many of the much-loved activities and more.
List of Events:
How did they do it in the old days?
Try your hand at turning wheat kernels into flour on an antique hand-operated home grist mill. See apple cider made on the Red Barn’s own antique cider press and help prepare animal feed using our 1867 corn sheller. In the barn, our collection of antique farm implements will also be on display.
Soup-chowder-chili cook-off!
Enter your favorite dish to win a cash prize. Whichever of these satisfying foods are your favorites, there’s a place for your entry in this contest. Entries will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges. After judging, samples of the delicious entries will be for sale – vote for your favorite. Proceeds benefit the Red Barn. Entry forms and information at www.redbarnholden.org or from Liz Johnson: EJohnson1850@gmail.com or 508-579-6883.
Annual scarecrow contest!
Bring old clothes, hats, and gloves to dress your scarecrow. Stuffing, stakes, and good advice will be provided. Make your scarecrow funny, scary, human, or animal. Begin at 3:00 pm. Judging is by popular vote. Winners will be announced at 3:45 pm. Entries will remain on view through Halloween.
Live animals close-up!
See turkeys, pet chickens, and a variety of farm animals raised by 4-H Club members.
Live music in the barn!
Patrick McCarthy and his musician friends fill the barn with music, 1–4 pm.
Storytelling!
Get ready for Halloween with Scary Stories told by storyteller Gwen Callahan at the Community Garden, 1:30 p.m.
Pumpkin roll!
See how far you can roll a pumpkin down the hill to win a prize.
Enjoy our own brick oven pizza!
See pizzas made and baked in the Red Barn’s outdoor wood-fired brick oven. Buy whole pizzas or by the slice to benefit the Red Barn.
Spring bulb planting for kids!
Enlarge our glorious display of spring flowers in front of the barn with bulb planting at 2:30 pm.
Garden sculpture!
Enjoy an assortment of concrete animal and human figures, from the Stone Muse, Worcester, suitable both for gardens and indoors. Items will be available for purchase.
Heritage apples, apple cider, and apple crisp!
Buy locally produced apples and cider to help support the Red Barn. Heritage Russet apples (great for cooking), as well as Macoun and McIntosh apples, will be available. Buy delicious apple crisp from the Holden Grange!
Kids – create your own farm animal!
Join artist Mary Shepherd for a fun children’s arts & crafts project.
Sustainable community agriculture!
Talk with Judy Haran about the productive community vegetable garden at her own home and learn how you can support local agriculture.
Bake sale table!
Take home tempting home baked cakes, pies, and cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth – and benefit the Red Barn, too!
Where is the Red Barn?
The Red Barn is on Shrewsbury Street in Holden at the intersection of Wachusett Street, near Alden Lab. Parking is available at the Alden Lab parking lot and on Tyler Drive and Red Barn Road. There is no parking on Shrewsbury Street.
The Harvest Day will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Red Barn, Shrewsbury Street, Holden (Check www.redbarnholden.org in case of rain.)
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