The Settlers Village in Wheatland, Missouri is one of the community projects I work on as a member of the Hickory County Master Gardeners sponsored by the University of Missouri Extension Office. We care for the landscaping making any changes as we see fit so as to have the plants look their best the first week in September for the annual Wheatland Harvest Festival.
In the spring of 2006, while observing Master Gardeners
working on the garden at the McCarty Senior Center, Rhonda Hargis of the
Settlers Village Committee stopped to inquire if it would be possible for Master Gardeners to
assume the care of the flower beds at the Settlers Village. The Master Gardeners agreed and have
maintained the gardens ever since.
Since the Wheatland Harvest Festival is in
September, our goal is to have as many plants in bloom at that time. When we
started this project, the only perennials existing in these three beds were
hostas, and they were only present in the west bed. Since that time we have
planted five dwarf crape myrtles to add color to the bed.
The east flower bad was planted with little
princess spirea, pygmy barberry, blanket flowers, cleomes, and summer
poinsettia. We planted the middle flower bed with zinnias at both ends
surrounded by creeping Jenny, cannas, Stella de Orr, elephant ears, shasta
daisies, big blue liriope, and variegated miscanthis.
In the spring of 2007, we placed a cedar
trellis on the sign post at the east entrance and planted morning glories to
twine up the post. We also strategically placed two sections of fence at the
northeast corner and planted vining black-eyed Susan to climb the fence and
portulaca for contrast at the base of the fence.
The borders of the beds were formed of oak
timbers on which time and weather had taken its toll. These were covered with
aluminum flashing which reflected the heat back into the flower beds they were
encasing. In the spring of 2008, we removed the old borders with the flashing
and replaced them with railroad ties.
In the spring of 2008, we also constructed two
new beds behind the first two cabins at the east end of the Village. These were
planted with rose of sharron, castor beans, cleome flowers, and
portulaca.
Future plans include constructing herb beds on
the north side of the kitchen building.
The Butterfield Overland Relay Station was park of the original Pony Express which passed through Hickory County. There are plans to put this original trail on a national register and promote it similar to the Lewis and Clark Trail. That would bring more travelers and tourists to the area in the future.
The village kept adding reconstructed original log constructed buildings donated from throughout the local area. Volunteers tear them down at their original site and carefully mark the logs and bring them to the Wheatland square to put back together.
Whenever the buildings need repairs, they are done to keep in the style of log construction and sometimes new materials are used. It is also a place to display the tools and equipment used during that period.
Here I am (hat) with most of the group that I work with on this project.
Cleome Flower
I was very happy to see some hostas come back in time for the festival. They were all burned up from the excess heat this past summer.
Saturday September 8th began with a parade to open the Wheatland Harvest Festival. Below are the photos my husband Keith took as I was on the float with the Master Gardener group. We also had a booth and gave away many different plant starters.
Square Dancers
Here comes the Master Gardeners' Float!
The Master Gardener Float - Thanks to Master Gardener Beth Benanti and her family for all their work/design contribution and the vehicles! (Beth is on the end and I'm in the middle)
The United Methodist Church covered their truck with all kinds of shoes and set up a booth for shoe donations for the needy.
The Shriners in their little cars never miss a chance to promate their good cause of helping children.
An overview of the Settlers Village from across the street on the square in Wheatland.
One of the older fire trucks. I didn't get photos of all the newer fire trucks...there was so many!
The county has all volunteer firefighters.
Then came all the old wonderful cars...
...and old tractors....
...and bicycles...
Crazy Bicycle Guy
Here's the oldest fire truck built about the same time as Lake Pomme de Terre (about 1963)
Lucas Oil Race Track is the most modern addition to Wheatland and has changed the history of the town in a new direction. For more information on what they are all about see:
http://www.lucasoilspeedway.com/
There are plenty of horses in Hickory County...
Hickory County Sheriffs Posse Inc - Hermitage, Missouri
...and mules...
...and more mules...
...and Bill Gunter's draft horse
After the parade was over, there were many craft and information booths in the park and inside the old log buildings.
View of Master Gardeners three
center gardens
The old church building was a great place to gather.
Here is Keith inside the Blacksmith Shop where many old tools can be seen as well as the basic interior structure of the log building.
Me and the Crazy Bicycle Guy who tried to talk me into riding his old fashion bicycle.
No thank you.
Here I am with J.T. and Wilma Helm; old friends in Hickory County since we moved here in 1978. Wilma was with me when I worked for the Hickory County Reassessment measuring old barns in Cross Timbers and I went into labor with baby Sarah - the nearest hospital 80 miles away.
These two photos are of the Master Gardener Booth where free plant starts were given away.
One of the booths had a couple members of our local commune, The Stepping Stone Farm, near Weaubleau, MO. One of their products for sale is Ozark Hickory Rustic Handcrafted Furniture. The group is part of a "Brand New Culture" called The Twelve Tribes. The group is located in 11 states and eight other countries. This group has been in Hickory County since 2003. For much more information see:
www.twelvetribes.org
And, of course, we ended our time at the festival with some square dancers. The rest of Saturday and Sunday had many more activities including several bands and games for children and lots of food. From what I could see in the short time I was there, this was the best festival since we moved to Hickory County in 1978!
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