It’s time for one of the Crosby Arboretum’s most popular events, the Piney Woods Heritage Festival. Celebrating its 13th year, the event will bring together an assemblage of demonstrations and exhibits showcasing traditional crafts and practices reflecting the history and culture of the Piney Woods region.

The Arboretum’s first Heritage Festival was established with the goal of creating a community event where people could learn about cultural and historical traditions that are rapidly disappearing along with a shift over the past few decades from rural to urban lifestyles.

School groups will tour the exhibits on Friday, and on Saturday the public is invited. The festival will include storytelling by Miss Chocolate, a local history exhibit from Don Wicks, cypress furniture built by Larry McHenry, and a beekeeping exhibit by D.L. Wesley of Foxworth. Listen to old-time and bluegrass performances by the Jordan River Band, and Hazel and the Delta Ramblers, and dulcimer playing by the Pearl Strings Dulcimer Group.

In “pioneer days”, being resourceful was a necessity. Imagine a time when children’s toys were not able to be “store bought”, and instead fashioned from the materials available to early settlers. In his spare time, a father might sit by the fire carving toys for his child from wood – perhaps a wagon or a wheeled sheep or horse for a toddler to pull.

Dolls were crafted from corn husks or rags. Rugs were woven or crocheted from rags, quilts fashioned from scraps of cloth, and durable baskets crafted from white oak splits. Candle making, soap making, weaving, and quilting were some talents a pioneer woman might possess, in addition to the skills of vegetable gardening, cooking, and sewing.

The Picayune Piecemakers Quilt Guild will display their beautiful handiwork again this year. In addition to quilts, many smaller handmade items will be available for sale. Judy Breland, Stone County Extension Service, will demonstrate pine needle basket making, using longleaf pine needles. Dawn Vosbein with the Pearl River County Extension Service will exhibit of home canning and food preservation. Myra Smith will have a booth with her delicious homemade jams, jellies, and baked goods.

For several years now, local Bob Rouse has exhibited his Pineywoods cattle at the festival. One of the oldest cattle breeds in the United States, they were descended from Spanish cattle brought to the country in the 1500s. Bob also will have an exhibit about the history of timbering in southern Mississippi, using historical family photos, artifacts from the turpentine industry, and a model of a Lindsey eight-wheeled log wagon, patented in 1889 and manufactured by the Lindsey Wagon Company of Laurel, Mississippi.

Wood carving will be demonstrated by John Houston, accompanied by members of his wood carving group from the Senior Center of South Pearl River County. Chuck Averett, a member of the Gulf Coast Blacksmith Association, will demonstrate forging iron on his authentic 1860’s forge. He continues the tradition of a family of ferriers, having started as a child, holding horses while his father forged their horseshoes. He strives to keep the tradition alive today, inspiring others to learn.

Harriet Greulich and members of the Greater Picayune Arts Council will provide a demonstration of butter churning, made possible by the kind donation of cream hailing from the Country Girl’s Creamery, located in Pearl River County. The family-owned dairy’s Jersey Cows produce tasty milk, cheese, butter, and ice cream.

Scott Langlois from the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station will have a sugarcane exhibit, about the process of making cane syrup making. Gourd crafter Janet Schlauderaff will display her one-of-a-kind wares, Sherry Bauer of Plantation Gaits Saddlery will have hand-crafted leather goods, and Will Sullivan will be a “pond ornament” in the Piney Woods Pond, giving a flyfishing demonstration. You will enjoy these demonstrations, and much more!

The Heritage Festival will take place on Friday, November 20 from 10 to 2 for school groups, and Saturday, November 21 from 10 to 3 for the general public. Members attend free, and the cost is the regular site admission, $5 for adults and $2 for children. Call 601-799-2311 or see the website at www.crosbyarboretum.msstate for more information.

The Arboretum is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and located in Picayune, off I-59 Exit 4, at 370 Ridge Road (south of Walmart and adjacent to I-59).

By Patricia Drackett