2008 Events

Hampton Court Comes to Greenbank Mills & Philips Farm 

Saturday, March 8, 2008 at 10:00 AM 
The Tudor Kitchens of Hampton Court Palace are popular with visitors of all ages, but they're more than a tourist attraction. In these reconstructed kitchens, which once occupied 50 rooms of the palace, a team of "experimental archaeologists", directed by J. Marc Meltonville and Richard Fitch, study everyday palace life in Henry VIII's time by cooking, eating, and working with implements and techniques from the 1500s. They even make their own clothes, which they wear both on the job and in their living quarters within the palace.

Marc and Richard, who have been working in the royal kitchens since the early 1990s, will discuss their work at Hampton Court and the steps taken to partner with a variety of resources including Greenbank Mills & Philips Farm.

For more information or to reserve a seat, contact Tony Shahan (302) 999-9001. Admission: $12, members $10.

 
D-Major Singers Saturday

April 5, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Greenbank Mill Associates, Inc. presents an evening of song and supper featuring traditional songs and ballads of the common people of the 1700s.
Accompanied by guitar, fiddle, and harpsichord, the D-Major Singers will perform songs of love, humor, farming, drinking, lust, murder, and the supernatural. Now in their 25th year, the group has given performances in five states, and their tapes and CDs have been distributed internationally.  The group’s website is http://members.aol.com/dmajorsing/.
Supper will be a hearty, tavern-style, three course buffet: fresh fruits and cheeses, soups, sandwiches, and desserts. Beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be served.
Greenbank Mill is a complex of cultural and historic resources nestled along the Red Clay Creek near Prices Corner. Come at 4:00 for a tour of the 1760 gristmill, the textile mill, the 1794 Philips House, the barn and pasture with heritage sheep, and the water system.  For more information or to reserve a seat, contact Tony Shahan (302) 999-9001.  Admission: $40, members $35. 

Greenbank’s Fourth Annual Herb Festival, Plant Sale, and Shearing Day

Buy your Herbs, Visit the Gardens, Tour the Mil!, See the Lambs!
On Saturday, April 26, 2008, between 10 AM and 4 PM, over 50 varieties of unusual as well as favorite herbs will be available. From arugula through chervil, fennel, tarragon, and lots more—including many kinds of basil, scented geraniums, lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme—choose a selection for your own personalized herb garden.
You may pre-order plants; they will be available for pick-up on the day of the sale.  Most of the sturdy plants will be in 4” pots and most will cost $4 each.  By pre-ordering, you SAVE 50¢ off the sale day price on each plant. Click here for order form and products sheet. Pre-orders must be received by April 18 and be paid for in advance.  The herb sale proceeds benefit Greenbank’s Historic Garden Project.
Shearing Day
On the same day, April 26, take part in Greenbank’s Annual Shearing Day. Watch as the wool is sheared from the sheep and then assist as it is processed into textiles. Don’t forget to visit this year’s lambs!

Civil War Experience

May 30, 31, & June 1, 2008 (Friday, Saturday, & Sunday) from 10 to 4

Experience the lives of both soldiers and civilians during the War Between the States. Explore the Union and Confederate camps beside the Red Clay Creek. Learn about the daily activities and equipment of a Civil War soldier. Hear the boom and feel the shudder of the ground when the artillerymen demonstrate how to load and fire. Learn how they load their weapons and how they maintain them to keep them firing. See how the signal corps communicates; visit a military doctor. If the soldier’s life appeals to you, enlist and give it a try. Enlistment officers from either the Union or the Confederacy will sign you up.

Visit the Philips farm and mills to understand how they cope with war. Assist the Ladies Aid Society as they support the soldiers from the homefront. Join the ladies as they prepare a meal, make soap, sew, and perform daily tasks. Or play games or learn how to dance. Don't forget to visit the blacksmith, photographer, and sutler before ending your visit.
See more images in the Civil War Photo Gallery

Revolutionary War Encampment & 18th Century Market

Friday through Sunday, September 26, 27, & 28,  2008 10 AM to 4 PM.
(see more images in the Photo Gallery) (13 MB -- PDF)

In 1781, General Washington and French ally General Rochambeau marched from Rhode Island to Yorktown, Virginia, where they defeated the British forces and ended the American Revolution. On their way, the armies traveled through New Castle County with their troops, artillery, baggage train, and livestock. 
In celebration of the anniversary of the “March to Victory,” Greenbank Mills & Philips Farm will host an encampment of re-enactors and a recreated 18th century market and artisan fair. Come experience 1781 Delaware for yourself. (Friday is designed for schools.)

Ongoing daily activities include:
Military Encampment

• Drill and camp life
• Enlistment
• Musket and artillery demonstrations
• Engineering and fortification

Market

• Flour merchant
• Heritage livestock
• Fish merchant
• Poet
• Spinners and weavers

Artisan Demonstrations

• Potter
• Lace maker
• Baker
• Carpenter
• Seamstress
• Rope making
• Jeweler
• Brewer

Philips Farm

• Feeding the Nation: And the Army Too?
• 18th century dancing
• Period games and children’s activities

Discover the worldof Revolutionary soldiers and sailors.  Smell the smoke and hear the rumble of musket and artillery drills.  Observemilitary engineers as they construct fortifications.  Enlist in the militia and try 18th century military life for yourself!

Stroll through the market and investigate what items were available to the 18th century Delawarean.  Examine heritage breeds of livestock and purchase some locally grown produce.  Help the artisans produce items for market.  And be sure to bring enough currency to take some of your favorite items and baked goods home.

Explore the world of food during the Revolution.  Find out what the Philips family grew in their kitchen garden.  Learn how to grow wheat, grind it into flour, and bake it into bread for home and army.  At the Philips house, observe a variety of cooking methods, food preservation techniques, and period dishes.

2nd Annual Bread Festival

October 25 & 26, 2008 from 10 AM to 4 PM

• Demonstrations and presentations on baking, properties of grains and flours, and beer making.
• Bread Competition
• Craft demonstrations
• Period Clothing Display
• Tours of Mills & Philips Farm
• Period Dancing
• Lots of Food and Fun!

Bakers Wanted: Bread Competition -- All entries must be a yeast bread recipe. Breads will be judged on presentation, crumb, and crust. Prizes awarded. Entries must be delivered by Oct 24th. For more information or to enter, call 302-999-9001.

Christmas Candlelight Tour

Saturday & Sunday, December 13 & 14, 2008.  5 PM-8 PM.
Spend an evening at the Greenbank Mills and Philips Farm to investigate Christmas in the Early Republic. Compare how various groups have celebrated the holiday through history and then see the differences between the Philips Family and their workers’ traditions. Tours leave every half-hour.

Archaeology Days
Join professional and avocational archaeologists from the Archaeological Society of Delaware as they continue the exploration of Greenbank's buried history. Excavations will occur in the Madison Factory's dye house and around the Philips house.

\Useful Minerals
Learn about the minerals that help us in our daily lives and then take a walk with a member of the Delaware Mineralogical Society and search for the state mineral.

Introduction to Spinning Classes
Want to learn how to use a spinning wheel? This is an opportunity to learn the basics, including how to spin wool and trying out different types of wheels.  Call 302-999-9001 for information about classes.