Handcrafted at Hale

Glass

Every Hale-Crafted glass piece sold in The MarketPlace at Hale Farm & Village is hand-blown by our skilled glassblower, using 19th century techniques. The pieces are not stamped out by a machine, but formed by hand at the end of a blowpipe (sometimes referred to as a blow tube).

Most glass items in the 19th century were made for practical use, such as jars, bottles and basic drinking glasses. The designs of these items were often simple and not as ornate as modern era glass. While our glassblower is true to the simple and practical designs popular 200 years ago, sometimes a modern interpretation is used. Pick your favorite design at The MarketPlace at Hale Farm & Village.

Pottery

Our expert potter uses the dominate domestic technique of the 19^th century called salt glazing when creating Hale-Crafted pottery. This technique involves throwing salt into the kiln during the firing process. The sodium from the salt reacts with the clay and forms a glassy coating on the pottery. Depending on the clay, the glaze results in various shades of brown, gray/blue or purple.

The majority of the pottery made in the 19^th century was for practical use, commonly mugs, jars, pitchers and jugs. The pieces demonstrated by our potter are similar to these historic items and are available in The MarketPlace at Hale Farm & Village.

Candles

Each Hale-Crafted candle is hand-dipped using pure beeswax and 100% cotton wicks. It takes over 30 dips to build enough layers of wax to complete one candle. Using a wooden rod, our skilled candle makers dip multiple candles at one time in order to produce enough candles to use in the historic buildings on property, and to offer our guests in The MarketPlace at Hale Farm & Village.

Iron Works

The blacksmith was one of the most important members of a community in the 19^th century. This skilled craftsman produced many of the items needed to survive during the 1800’s. Whether it was making cooking utensils, mill parts, building hardware or fitting a wagon with the iron needed to keep it moving, the blacksmith was always busy at his furnace!

Times have not changed much for our blacksmith; he is here all year long making tools and hardware used throughout the farm. When not making item used at Hale Farm and Village, he is handcrafting items that guests can purchase in The MarketPlace at Hale Farm & Village. Take home a one-of-a-kind fire poker, sticking tommy or leaf hook today!

Brooms

Using sorghum, or broom corn, our expert broom makers hand weave each broom that is used and sold at Hale Farm & Village. Whether it is a duster, shaker or hearth broom, the same attention to detail is apparent.

If you live in a modern home, and a broom is not something you use on a daily basis, possibly a pot scrubber is the thing for you! One of the most popular items made here on the farm, our pot scrubbers are a great item to have around the kitchen to clean and scrub many surfaces. Usually no more than six inches in length, pot scrubbers are made using the same materials and techniques used to make brooms.

Fiber/Textiles

Spinning, weaving and natural dying are all processes that make up the fiber and textile trade at Hale Farm & Village. Producing fiber and textile items was an extremely important part of life in the 19^th century. Before malls existed, families had to make their clothes and the fiber wares used around the house.

Using the wool from sheep raised at Hale Farm & Village, our skilled spinners prepare the wool and make the yarn that will create many of the textiles seen around the farm. Once the wool is spun, it is then dyed using the techniques of the 19^th century. Boiling the wool in large pots of water containing flower petals, vegetable skins, wood and even insects tints the wool beautiful colors.

All the looms used at Hale Farm & Village are historically accurate, many dating back to the 1800’s. The rugs and carpets you see in the historic buildings were all made on property by our weavers. Using the techniques and stylings of the 19^th century, these items are functional, yet beautiful. All fiber and textile items that are demonstrated are available to take home when you visit The MarketPlace at Hale Farm & Village.

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