While Rockingham State Historic Site’s historic house is closed during renovations, the Dutch barn will be open and staffed most Sunday afternoons (and some Saturday afternoons, too) into the summer and will be where visitors can enjoy some special programming, as well.

The barn would have been an important part of the daily life of an 18th-century farm, such as Rockingham. Making apple cider, soap and candles, and preserving food would have all been typical labors that sustained the people living at that time. Cheesemaking would have also been a part of this routine, using the milk provided by cattle, sheep and goats raised on these farms.

Susan McLellan Plaisted, Proprietress of Heart to Hearth Cookery who last was here to demonstrate apple butter making, will be presenting “From Cow to Cheese: The 18^th-Century Whey” on Sunday, June 25, 2023, from 1 to 4 pm.  Susan will show the process of cheesemaking from rennet to cheese by making an actual fresh cheese, displaying her 18^th-century cheesemaking equipment, and augmenting the program with selected slides of her preparing cheese with 5 to 8 gallons of fresh cow’s milk. Visitors may stop by at any point in the afternoon to watch the ongoing process and ask questions, staying as long as they would like.

The event is free, but donations to Rockingham are always welcome!  There will be light refreshments available and the Museum Store will be open.  Rockingham is located on Rte. 603 (Laurel Ave./Kingston-Rocky Hill Rd.), one mile north of Rte. 27 in Kingston and one mile south of Rte. 518 in Rocky Hill.  Visit the website, rockingham.net for further information.