Ryedale Folk Museum

Ryedale Folk Museum are holding their annual Halloween Party on October 31st 2014. Experience the museum at night with our family fun Halloween evening party 6-8pm. There will be pumpkin carving and fancy dress competitions, children’s crafts, themed food, apple bobbing & more! For more information or to book please call the museum on 01751 417367 or email emma@ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk

Here a re a few photos from Tractor & Engine Day 2014. which was held on Sunday 13th July. Thanks go to Museum Director Jennifer Smith for these. JS

Last week we had an escapee pullet from the museum's flock of chickens. It was a Barnevelder , a breed originating in Holland. They lay a lovely brown egg and are great for showing or for a backyard hen.(See Your Chickens , http://www.yourchickens.co.uk/directory/hens-a-z/barnevelder_1_761063. Hopefully Richard and I made the pen hen proof... JS Barnevelder Pullets Barnevelder adult chickens

Today at the museum the sun was shining and the cornfield and vegetable garden looked great. I am sure you won't see a cornfield this colourful anywhere else in Yorkshire. JS Cornfield Flowers look lovely but where's the wheat? Vegetable Garden potatoes looking very tidy. Onion bed. Peas An abundance of herbs.

I found a few photos from last month, the Model Village needs constant upkeep just like real size houses. I did the strimming and cresosoted all woodwork,Jane Thompson & pupils from Ryedale School were a good help. Jonathan S Ryedale School working on model village Busy creosoting the model barn

One of our most exciting events, the Ryedale Folk Museum Tractor & Engine Day is not to be missed. Dozens of tractors of all types, stationary engines and other vehicles will be present and also drive round the village. I hope you enjoy looking at this video and photographs of previous tractor days. The above video was filmed in 2009,photos from 2009 & 2010 Ryedale Folk Museum - Tractor and Engine Day blog from Tony O'Reilly - The Atom Film Co on Vimeo . Please click on the above link to watch an excellent video from 2011 Tractor Day.

Has anybody got the yearning to learn blacksmithing? Ryedale Folk Museum is running a blacksmithing course this Saturday 12th July 2014, ring the museum for further details 01751 417367. In the meantime enjoy this video of our resident blacksmith Robin Butler making a Celtic brooch. Jonathan Severs

Portable Miniature Carousel Richard Bowman making adjustments to running gear  Just found these photos I took ages ago of the miniature carousel which was in the workshop in May. It was originally a searchlight used in the Second World War and was donated to the museum after it's conversion. Jonathan S

Volunteers are at the heart of the museum, they started the museum in 1964 and continue to contribute to our special character today! So we thought how nice it would be to share with you the areas in which they support the museum, and to say a BIG thank you to each and every one of them! Front of House, where it all begins! “The museum’s volunteers provide a vital contribution from working with school children to providing office support among many other tasks. I am in constant admiration of their spirit and enthusiasm.” – Tony Clark (Trustee) The Office “Our office volunteers provide a vital behind the scenes contribution to the running of the museum. From writing letters to answering the telephone, we are grateful for their often unseen involvement." - Helen Dean (staff member) Fat Betty’s “Our cafe volunteers always provide service with a smile, helping us to be Yorkshire’s friendliest museum.”  – Maureen Wass (staff member) The Blacksmith “Robin has been volunteering here sinc...

Cornfield  Flowers Project Cornfield Flowers Project at Ryedale Folk Museum - saving rare arable flowers from extinction in North-east Yorkshire As spring takes hold and the natural world awakes from its winter slumber, the first signs of some of the UK’s rarest wildflowers are eagerly awaited in a corner of the Ryedale Folk Museum. In front of the roundhouse is the Cornfield Flowers Project demonstration field.  For much of the year, this is bare earth with little to hint at the value of the seeds that lie beneath.  By summer time though, this field will be a blast of colourful plants growing amongst a cereal crop, and provides an accessible display of some of the most endangered arable wildflowers in North Yorkshire and the UK. Demonstration field in full bloom at Ryedale Folk Museum The museum has supported our Project since its beginnings, and has been our public face throughout this time – raising awareness of the plight of arable wildflowers and providing a rare opp...