A New Fire Every Day

March is here, winter is waning, and The Farmers’ Museum is starting the yearly spring renewal. Our lives as museum professionals are tied to the seasons much as a farmer is tied to the seasons. Lippitt Farm is planning the spring planting, anticipating new lambs, and preparing the harness and plow. Yet we also have other seasonal duties unique to a museum. School children are visiting again, and we are open to the public on Sundays for our Sugaring Off Pancake Breakfast and museum tours. The visitors bring new energy and life to these old buildings.

It is fun to see the children visit, as for them everything we do is something new. Their energy can be contagious. Our days as craftsmen, farmers, and museum professionals respond to this renewal with work to prepare for the new season. Yet our daily tasks must still be completed as well. In the blacksmith shop every day starts with a new fire. No matter how taxing, frustrating, or rewarding was yesterday’s work, today starts anew. We clean out ashes of yesterday’s fire, lay out the kindling and coal, and start a new fire.