No more than 100 years ago, and in many cases even less than that, a number of the things we enjoy today were made in an entirely different way.

Even though I’m still considered a young person, I can recall a time when telephones didn’t have buttons, but instead used a rotary dial. Back then call waiting wasn’t an option you could add to your service plan, and I can recall thinking that caller ID would revolutionize the way we communicate, or don’t communicate in some instances.

But never do I recall a time when knives were only made by the hand of a skilled blacksmith, butter was churned on the front porch or when baskets were woven from straw or other materials gathered from nature.

I’ve always been able to go to buy a knife at the local hardware store, pick up dairy products from the grocery store and carry my items home in a paper or plastic bag.

Well for those of you who either recall a time when things were simpler, or if you are curious to find out about such a time, visit the Crosby Arboretum this Saturday.

There, you will find the Piney Woods Heritage Festival, an annual event that celebrates the development of calloused hands and a hard day’s work that leads to sweat on a brow.

It’s almost like a look back into the past, if you can go without your social media account for a few hours.  While there, take in the smell of the fire pit as metal is heated to a glowing red before a hammer molds it into shape, chat up the people utilizing old technology to create real butter and  maybe even take home a bag of kettle corn, popped fresh that day.

There are several events held at the Arboretum each year, and just like Bug Fest and the Strawberries and Cream Festival, the Pine Woods Heritage Festival is just one more reason to rediscover our local tourist attraction that showcases native plants.