Watkins Mill

Spring on the Farm

Spring on the Farm will be held at Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site on Saturday, April 24th, 2010 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Spring has come to the Watkins farm and join us for a day filled with fun and learning! Witness 1870’s style sheep shearing. Enjoy our American Livestock Breeds Conservatory display of rare and endangered livestock. Take a stroll through our heirloom garden while 1870’s attired interpreters prepare the raised beds and plant vegetable seeds saved from our heirloom plants the year before. Other activities will include toy making, wood stove cooking demonstration, rag doll making, and more. For further information contact the park office at (816) 580-3387.

Watkins Mill Christmas on the farm FREE event

Sadly our family will miss this due to a Bible Bowl Tournament. We have volunteered athe farm in the past. All activities at Watkins Mill are fun, educational and family orientated for all ages.

Christmas on the Farm

Christmas on the Farm will be held at Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site on Saturday, December 5th, 2009 from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. Admission is free for the event and there will be an open house at the Watkins family home for the duration of the event. Activities at the home will include holiday caroling, reading of family letters, free samples of traditional holiday treats, plum pudding flaming demonstrations, and an opportunity for children to visit with Father Christmas. Activities at the visitor center will include kids crafts, live traditional holiday music, and a performance by the Lathrop Singing Mules grade school choir. For further information contact the park office at (816) 580-3387.

Our homeschool coop

Someone emailed me and asked where our homeschool coop was located. We go to New Life Homeschool Fellowship where we meet each Friday while coop is in session. It is located in Kearney MO. I would highly recommend it to any homeschooler in the KC, St Joseph or Cameron area.

Here is the link to the website. http://www.nlhf.info/coopbasics.html

Our coop has 2 semesters a year--fall and spring. Each is normally 10-12 weeks in length. We run from 12:30 to 4:30 and students take 4 classes each semester. On a normal Friday, we have 2 classes then a break for snacks and kids can play in the gym, then we resume for our last 2 classes.

The website shows the last semester class offerings and schedules. We offer classes for newborn through 12th grade.

Our coop has 2 open house/programs a year. Our next one is Tues April 28 in the evening. We have a talented group of teachers and students.

On another note, pray for nice weather tomorrow. From 10-4 the girls and I will be doing some volunteer work at Watkins Woolen Mill for spring on the farm. I will plan on getting some pictures, as we will be in the costumes of 1870.

UPDATE: AS OF SEPTEMBER 2013 THE COOP WILL BE MEETING JUST DOWN THE ROAD IN HOLT MISSOURI, SHARING A BUILDING WITH NORTHERN HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY.

Watkins Mill state Park

Today, for the first time, the girls and I went to Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and sate Historic Site outside of Lawson MO. We were very impressed. We have a friend who works there and numerous friends that volunteer there. We liked it so much, that we signed up to become volunteers ourselves. Our first "gig" (for lack of a better term...) will be next Saturday, April 18 from 11 to 4, during their "Spring on the Farm". We will be dressed in period clothing and helping with the demonstrations. Demonstrations are to include gardening, wood stove cooking, rag doll making, toy making, weaving, rope making and more. This is a free event, although there is a small fee for the building tours.

For more information, call the park or visit their website at

http://www.watkinsmill.org/calendar.html#spring

You will want to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring your camera. Be sure to take the kids to visit the sheep, turkeys and chickens as well.

At the same state park, there is also a camp ground, a swim beach, lake and and a dam. There is a paved walking path around the lake and dam that is perfect for walking or a stroller. A young friend of ours from church and homeschool coop, Caleb, took the girls and I on a personal tour of the park. Caleb and his family ave been volunteering here for years. His mom was one of the people who encouraged me to come check it out.

The girls and I plan to use some of our volunteer time as a history credit.