Welcome back everyone! It’s Heather and Mia again here to introduce you to some exciting content about the O’Hara Family and life on the Homestead. This year we are doing things a little different … each week will have a featured theme and Wednesday-Sunday there will be a post each day exploring that theme and the occasionally demonstration video!
Week 1: Community Connections
Week 2: Textiles and Fashion
Week 3: The Life of a Pioneer Child
Week 4: Food Preparation and Preservation
Week 5: Horses and Carriages
Week 6: Customs and Traditions
Week 7: Agriculture
Week 8: Odds and Ends
Week 9: Wintering The Homestead
Today we are going to be taking a look at a brief history of how transportation has changed since the O’Hara family arrived in the 1800s until the last generation lived on the Homestead in the 1940s. We will take a look at roads, vehicles and the systems around transportation in Ontario to get a bigger picture of just how much things have changed since the homesteading days.
Read MoreToday we are going to be looking at a specific breed of horse that was very common on Ontario farms during the 1800s. Known as the Canadian Horse, this breed is now endangered but lives on as a reminder of what it was like back in the homesteading days.
Read MoreToday we are going to be taking a look at a number of different types of carriages that we have here at O’Hara and the different ways they were used.
Read MoreFor today’s blog post, we’re going to be talking about a very important aspect of horse care and travel; hitching!
Read MoreToday we are going to be taking a look at the horses that would have been used on the farm, what they were used for and the type of upkeep that was required for the horses.
Read MoreToday we are going to be looking at the average diet of the early pioneers in Ontario. To do this we will explore a number of recipes and share them for you to take a hand at trying!
Read MoreToday we will be looking at canning and pickling foods, which was and still is a very popular method of food preservation and was essential to surviving the winter on the Homestead.
Read MoreToday we are going to look at some of the amazing products that can be made from milk and cream right from the farm’s cow!
Read MoreToday we will be looking at a number of ways that the pioneers would preserve their food over the long winter months and throughout the year in general! We will take a look root cellars, spring houses and ice sheds, all of which allowed the pioneers to keep food much longer than they otherwise would have been able to and ensured survival.
Read MoreWhen settlers first moved to Canada, the government gave them a variety of seeds to start their farms and gardens. After they claimed their land, the area would have to be prepped for seeding.
Read MoreToday we will be looking at a number of different ways that children would participate in life outside the house within the larger community. As children got older, their responsibilities increased, but so did opportunities to get out and try new things!
Read MorePioneer children dressed very differently than children today! The clothing they wore reflected their age, social status and gender. Today we will be exploring the popular fashions for children in the 1800s when the O’Hara family first started their lives in Madoc.
Read MoreGames were learned by “Word of Mouth”, passed between generations of children. They were one of the most common forms of entertainment for pioneer children, as they were easy to invent and play, and most importantly they made the time pass by faster. Many of the games from the past are still played today, over 200 years later!
Read MoreToday we will be taking a look at some of the chores that were part of the daily routines of children on the Homestead. Just like today, children had to accomplish chores to teach them about life and discipline. Back in the early days of settlement chores were often much more essential as without a warm fire and food survival would be threatened.
Read MoreSchool in the 1800s was very different from what it is like today. So as part of our blog post today, we'll be walking you through what the average school day would have been like in the 1800s.
Read MoreToday we are taking a look at fashion! Specifically some of the pieces that we have at the museum house from the O’Hara family. The family was fairly well off once they had their footing in Madoc and the clothes they wore demonstrate some of the finery of the time!
Read MoreHand weaving, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and cross-stitch were all other skills that would have been learned and frequently used by early settlers. One of the pieces we have that best displays the art of hand-weaving is Mrs. Mary Jane Lear O’Hara’s overshot counterpane coverlet. This is not something commonly seen today as it was woven on a loom that would have to be used by hand, unlike large industrial sized looms today that are almost entirely automated.
Read MoreToday we are going to be looking at the art of Quilting! Quilting was of course a common practice to keep warm, but it was also to create something beautiful. Many women spent their time quilting a variety of patterns and styles of quilts, using the materials available to them!
Read MoreToday we are going to be looking at how wool and other materials were made into yarn and cloth that could be used to make whatever your heart desires! Learning how to use a spinning wheel, and in some cases a loom, was essential for early settlers facing harsh winters in Canada. These skills would help keep the family warm and clothed all year round!
Read MoreHaving well-made clothing and linens was essential to the survival of early settlers in Canada. Deciding what materials to use and where to get them from were the first, and possibly most important, steps of making any kind of textile.
Read More
