In Pursuit of a Dream - OR Premier

This is one wagon train that never made it to Oregon City. Their last stop was at the Philip Foster Farm, where they built a log cabin, planted an apple tree, and set up an Oregon Trail marker to commemorate their historic and well-documented trip. These modern teenagers experienced the Oregon Trail and created an educational video to introduce more students to the hardships and benefits of this traumatic journey. April 10th at 7:00 will be the Oregon premier showing at Oregon City High School's theatre. $15.00 admission benefits the Clackamas County Historical Society.Here's the trailer:

Heritage Trees at the Philip Foster Farm

Joanne Broadhurst, Foster descendant, describes the Philip Foster Farm's Heritage maples, horse chesnuts, and 1842 lilac, our Clackamas County Heritage Trees:

Historic Camellia Transplanted from Estacada

An heirloom camellia finished its three and a half year jouney to the end of the Barlow Road this week.
It was donated to the Philip Foster Farm by Dr. Mike Malone of Estacada in 2006, but the Farm was undergoing changes in its facilities at the time.
Volunteer Sam Morse began digging the huge root system  on Labor Day weekend of 2006. It soon became clear that the job was bigger than Sam's shovel.
Willy Rademacher of Estacada Bark and Nursery joined in the digging, bringing a large tractor to pull out the shrub and load it into Sam's Toyota pickup for the trip to Linda Bonner's garden in Eagle Creek, where it rested in the shade for three years.
On February 16th, 2010, Sam prepared a hole at the Philip Foster Farm. The next day, Bill Patterson's Nursery of Eagle Creek donated equipment and labor to haul the camellia to the Farm and settle it into its new home. Juan Manuel Reyes and Antonio Guzman did the last bit of expert shoveling.

Local businesses and volunteers continue to make the Philip Foster Farm a beautiful and authentic heritage site for all our guests.

1852 Fiddling

I found this video while researching music for the Philip Foster Farm Song Book to be published this spring:

Candace Johnson's Award

Summer campers from 2009 will remember Candace as the popular counselor in the 1890's day dress. Last month she won an award from the Sandy Library art show - 1st place for an acrylic painting called Drained. Candace's work has also shown up on Foster Farm posters and flyers. .Congratulations Candace! We love your work!

Merry Christmas from the Philip Foster Farm!

Did you know that the year the first wagon train arrived in Oregon (1843) was also the year that Christmas began making its comeback in England? The holiday had been divided between debauchery and religious observance to such an extent that many Christians refused to celebrate it, considering it a sacrilege to combine the elements of spiritual devotion with the merrymaking and pagan influences of the solstice.

Meanwhile, in London, Charles Dickens persuaded his readers that grumpiness was not a virtue in his classic A Christmas Carol, and an enterprising printer created Christmas cards - colorful postcards to acknowledge the season - the same year.

How did your family handle this transition? Make the time to ask those questions this year as you gather with older friends and relatives. Annual traditions are an important part of your family history, and a window into your family's values.

If you find anything interesting, please do comment here. And have a very Merry Christmas!

Oregon Trail Unit Study Resources

Last month, "Jamin" posted some links to great online resources for families wanting to learn more about the Oregon Trail. You can see her blog post at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jaminacema/731949/.

Thanks, Jamin, for connecting families with hands-on learning opportunities!

This is Jamin in front of the memorial at Donner's Pass.