The Countdown Is On!

Sorry it's been so long since my last update!

On a personal note, just a few weeks after Wiregrass Heritage Festival I will be getting married! Of course, our reception will be held in the Stokes Activity Barn here at the park. It's only natural that I should celebrate this special day at a place that has been the home of such happy memories. Several areas of the park are available for rent for parties, weddings, receptions and other special events. The barn also makes a great site for holiday parties but it books up fast, check it out soon! Below is a photo of my fiance, Nick Stakelum, editor of Dothan Magazine, and me. Photo by Mobile, Alabama photographer Jason Norman.

Mark you calendar for these fall events:

Low Country Boil: Sept 17

DEADLINE FOR QUILT SHOW ENTRIES: Sept 23

Peanut Stacking: Sept 26

Indian Artifact Day: Sept 26

Wiregrass Antique and Collector Car Show: Oct 3

Wiregrass Heritage Festival: Oct 24

Critters

Being surrounded by farm animals, reptiles, insects, squirrels and various critters makes coming to work every day somewhat of an adventure. We invite visitors to share in the adventure by participating in the feeding programs we offer here at the park.

Every week day at 4 p.m., we open the farm animal feeding to the public. Kids and adults have a chance to help feed the farm animals and learn about their historic roles on the farm. I was delighted one afternoon to hear a child burst into giggles when he came face to face with the black guinea hogs on the Wiregrass Farmstead. He couldn't believe that they were pigs because they're not pink. Another child found it hilarious that he had to watch where he stepped in the sheep pen-- "fresh presents," he said.

Due to the popularity of feeding the farm animals, we also offer a program on feeding the reptiles on the second Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. Indy, our Eastern Indigo Snake, puts on quite a show as he "hunts" for his prey. The next program will be on August 9.
Science on Saturday's topic this week (Aug. 8) is on Dog Training. Canine Specialist Renee Jones will offer tips on training. Give us a call to register. Below, Assistant Director Kathie Moore shows off her new dog, Honey.

Come out and visit us!

--Laura

LOOKING AHEAD TO FALL

According to agricultural lore, August 1 has traditionally been referred to as "Lammas Day," meaning the feast of the first fruits. The first wheat harvest was often held on this day, ushering in autumn and the harvest season.

For a farmer in the Wiregrass, or really, for a farmer anywhere, fall is an incredibly busy time of year. Everything that was planted in the spring has to be harvested, and the Wiregrass Farmstead at Landmark Park is no exception. Every fall, we have an annual Wiregrass Heritage Festival that salutes farmers, past and present. This year, we are adding the first annual Landmark Park Quilt Show in the Stokes Activity Barn. If you are a quilter, or if you are the lucky owner of antique quilts, you can be a part of our inaugural show. Antique quilts will be for display only, and modern quilts are eligible for prizes in several different categories. We are anticipating over 100 quilts to be on display, and if you can't make it to the festival on October 24, the show will also hang on Oct. 23 and 25. Visit our website at www.landmarkpark.com for applications and rules. We would love to have you be a part of the show. Fall is the perfect time to reflect on the warmth that quilts have offered families from generation to generation.

Landmark Park is also looking forward to September 17, when the annual Low Country Boil, our fall fundraiser will take place in the Stokes Activity Barn. If you have never been to a Low Country Boil, you are in for a real treat. Shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn and onions simmer in a 60 gallon kettle. When the cooking is done, the feast is served out of wheelbarrows. Tickets are available for presale now, so give us a call if you're interested. Kids are also welcome to come to the party.

Don't forget Science on Saturday begins this Saturday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. Topic for this week is Weather Watch. Also this Saturday, the Wiregrass Woodturners will meet in the Alabama Agricultural Museum at 9:30 a.m., and the Landmark Dulcimer Club meet at 12:30 p.m. (beginners) and jam at 2 p.m. (more advanced Mountain Dulcimer players).

Like I always say, learning shouldn't end just because you leave the classroom. Come out the park and explore your world.

Summer Nostalgia

This afternoon, Education Director Dana Peters and I had the chance to release a butterfly and luna moth that hatched this afternoon. Beautiful, and absolutely amazing.

Summer camps are coming to a close next week. I remember coming to Summer Camp as a child here at Landmark Park. My favorite was always Ecology Camp. I liked sleeping out in a tent, listening to the crickets and roasting marshmallows over a campfire. I know that the kids who have had the privilege of attending this year will carry their own memories with them long after the camps are over.

Our four and five-year-old campers take a break to pose for a photo on the steps of the gazebo.

Several other programs are coming to an end in the next few weeks as well--Animal Adventures ends tomorrow (July 24) with "Life of a Honeybee," Animal Tales will hold the last storytelling program on Tuesday, July 28 and the last Heritage Forum will be this Sunday (July 26).

As these summertime activities wrap up, we usher in Science on Saturdays. Every Saturday in August, families will have a chance to learn something new about the magic of science.

Before we know it, the days will get shorter, the weather cooler and autumn will be upon the Wiregrass. Landmark Park will hold our first annual Landmark Park Quilt Show during Wiregrass Heritage Festival. The quilts will actually be on display October 23-25 and the dedicated ladies who have been helping organize the show are anticipating over 100 quilts. If you have an antique or modern quilt that you would like to display, let us know. We would love for you to be a part of this new tradition. Rules and application forms can be found on our website at www.landmarkpark.com.

Make sure to visit us this Saturday, July 25, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for a watermelon sampling. Did you know there are several different varieties of watermelons? I didn't. Well, I knew there were "seedless" and "ones with seeds" but that was it. Apparently, there is a lot more to it than that. Come learn about it with us and have a taste of some of the varieties we grow here at the park.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer!
Laura

Gators and Volunteers

One of my favorite things about working at Landmark Park is the relationships that develop between the staff and volunteers. Earlier this week, one of our volunteers, Teddy Sherrill, celebrated his birthday with us by treating the staff to a lunch of fried catfish, hush puppies and french fries. We finished the celebration with watermelon from the garden.

Another one of our dedicated volunteers, Tom Boyle, is responsible for planting the beautiful sunflowers in the front field at the park. Next time you're out, take a minute to watch them dance in the breeze.

Volunteers at Landmark Park are an integral part of the operation of the park. With a full time staff of only 8 people--for a 100 acre park--volunteers are essential. Some volunteers come out regularly to help with projects like cutting the grass, while others help staff the special events. Volunteering for Landmark Park is a great way to give back to the community and have a really good time while you do it.

On another note, at this week's Animal Adventures program on Alligators, I got the chance to hold a baby gator! So cute! The last Animal Adventure program, The Life of a Honeybee, will be held on July 24. Make sure to sign up today.

Through the end of July we'll continue with the Heritage Forums, Music by Moonlight, Animal Tales and Animal Adventures. We will also have a Watermelon Harvest and Sampling on July 25 and Science on Saturday begins in August. Check our website at www.landmarkpark.com for more info.

Honey, Dulcimers, Outlaws and More!

Landmark Park has had a very busy week! This is one of my favorite times of year. The weather is warm, the days are longer and the park is buzzing with activity.

The first piece of news to come out of the park is that our honey is ready for purchase! It was harvested out of our 11 hives and can be purchased here at the park, at the Blue Plate Restaurant and at the Dothan Area Convention and Visitors Bureau for $6 for a pound and $10 for two pounds. Not only is it delicious, it helps people like me who have terrible allergies. Eating local honey made from the pollen of the plants in your own area helps your body build up an immunity to those types of pollen (or so I've been told). SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED. It's going fast, so make sure to get some soon.

I'm very much looking forward to this weekend. On Saturday, July 11, the Landmark Dulcimer Club will meet at 12:30 p.m. in the Interpretive Center for a lesson on the mountain dulcimer for beginners, and at 2 p.m. the more advanced players will jam and practice. When I found out that not only does the club meet here at the park every first Saturday (this week's practice was moved in honor of July 4th), but the lessons are free with paid gate admission, I immediately purchased an inexpensive mountain dulcimer and attended a lesson. It was so much fun! And, the dulcimer was relatively easy to learn. I've been practicing since my last lesson and am excited to have a chance to play with a group again.

Sunday, July 12, the Heritage Forums continue at 3 p.m. with a presentation by Dr. Alan Brown on "Outlaws in Alabama." I'm looking forward to an interesting talk by Dr. Brown on three notorious outlaws of 19th century Alabama—Steve Renfroe, Rube Burrow and Morris Slater (AKA Railroad Bill). The Heritage Forums are also free with paid gate admission...you can't beat that price!

Also on Sunday, we will be feeding the reptiles at the park at 4 p.m. We have some really cool snakes and the staff will feed them and give visitors a crash course on herpetology. Folks will have a chance to meet our two corn snakes, Chainsaw and Amber, and our 6-foot Eastern Indigo snake, Indy. We open the reptile feeding to the public every second Sunday.

Anyone who says there's nothing to do in Dothan should check out Landmark Park! From folk music to reptile feedings, it will keep you occupied and educated.

Make sure to visit our website at www.landmarkpark.com to stay up to date on our events, and add us to your friend list on facebook, twitter and myspace. And become a park member! As a member, you and your family will receive free daily admission and more.

Until next time,

Laura

Welcome to Landmark Park's official blog!

Welcome to the first official blog of Landmark Park, Alabama’s Official Museum of Agriculture!

For those of you not familiar with the park, we are a 100-acre science and history museum, dedicated to preserving the agricultural heritage of the Wiregrass region. Located on Hwy. 431 North in Dothan, three miles north of Dothan’s Ross Clark Circle, Landmark Park is a cherished place for kids and adults alike.

I, Laura VanLandingham, am the public relations director for the park and will be the main author of this blog. I have been in my position since March of 2008. But Landmark Park has played an important role in my life long before I became an employee. I grew up attending summer camp, walking the boardwalk and enjoying the StarLab Planetarium. I love having the chance to introduce people to the park. I hope to use this space as an extension of our quarterly newsletter, The Lark.

A subscription to The Lark is one of the benefits to joining Landmark Park. Members pay a flat yearly rate and receive free daily admission to the park, free StarLab Planetarium programs, advance notice of special events, and more. The membership program is a great deal that quickly pays for itself.

Check back here for stories about the Landmark Park lifestyle!