"From Hog House to Smokehouse" is a seasonal program at the Historic Farm that highlights one of the key winter activities on an 1880s farm: food preservation. Volunteers will assist with interpretive elements and activities such as meat cutting, wrapping meat, making sausage, woodstove cooking, and sharing information about the entire process from Hog House to Smokehouse. Demonstrations will showcase various methods of breaking down meat into different cuts, preserving it, and utilizing it in cooking. Volunteers will engage visitors through various demonstrations and interpretive stations throughout the farm. This seasonal program is an excellent opportunity for both experienced and new volunteers to enhance their skills before the full season begins.
Impact
Volunteers bring to life the historic farm, and help visitors get a glimpse of what living in the 1880s might have been like, and make a stronger connection to the history of Carriage Hill and the experience of life on an 1880s working farm. This opportunity will allow people to enjoy an experience at the historic farm, learn more about traditional butchering and the uses of the meat, and get a personal introduction to life on the farm.
Tasks.
- Greet and welcome participants
- Assist staff in the setup and/or teardown of activities.
- Assist the staff lead during the program to create a better learning environment for this interactive program.
- Volunteers are needed to help interpret the activities of the day.
- Share information about the farm, as well as interpret the butchering process.
- Engaging participants and families in the activities on the farm during the program.
- Assist staff with demonstrations of the various processes involved in butchering.
- Demonstrations will include meat grinding, making sausage, cooking with pork, rendering down lard on the stovetop, and cutting meat.
- Guidance on using the woodstove will be provided for new volunteers.
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to the following volunteers: Short-term and Long-Term volunteers who are 16 years or older and have qualified as a historic interpreter. Learn more about our types of service here.
- Youth volunteers ages 14-17 are not required to complete a background check. If you are a new youth volunteer contact volunteer.services@metroparks.org to have your background check waived.
- Historic Interpreter Qualification: Visit the Historic Interpreter page in our Training Library to see what training is required to become part of the Historic Interpreter volunteers.
Additional Notes
- Parking & Meeting Instructions: Volunteers will meet at the Historic Farm. Click here for a map of Carriage Hill MetroPark. Volunteers arrive 30 minutes before the beginning of the program. Staff leads will orient volunteers to the day's agenda, review specific stations, and provide other important information.
- Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place indoors and outdoors. Volunteers may participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects to 10 lbs or more.
- Dress: Period apparel is required. Volunteers who need to be fitted need to contact the staff lead to set an appointment before the opportunity.
Look for additional details about this opportunity at the bottom of this listing! See the Programming Volunteer Position for more information on additional programming opportunities with us.
