Step back in time and experience Ireland of the 1950s, 60s and 70s at the Official Opening of The Farm’s Heritage Exhibition

21 May 2013

Internationally acclaimed author of "To School through the Fields", Alice Taylor, will relive memories of her youth when she officially opens a unique Heritage Exhibition showcasing life in Ireland from the 1950s to the 1970s, at The Farm, Grenagh on Saturday 25th May.

The unique Heritage Exhibition at The Farm will take visitors on a trip down memory lane, exploring the changes that took place in domestic, agricultural and commercial life during '50s, '60s and '70s. Grown-ups who lived through the changes first-hand are sure to feel nostalgic, while children can learn more about what life was like "back in the day" for their parents and grandparents.

Visitors are invited to explore the exhibition at their leisure or take a guided tour of the Heritage Exhibition during the day. They can take a stroll through shops of the era like the hardware store, where they'll find a range of tools and equipment from the era; and the post office which housed the telephone exchange but also happened to be the local grocery shop! Here visitors will see authentic items from the 1950s including a working gramophone, cash register and typewriter.

Visitors will then make their way to a traditional farmhouse, where they'll find a kitchen from 1955 pre-electricity, and also a mirror image of this room, where they'll see a genuine, working Stanley Number 9 Range which is exactly 50 years old this year. In this room, changes are clearly visible thanks to the introduction of electricity and running water by 1965. It is said that by 1969, with the introduction of electricity, and growing popularity of televisions, that you could purchase a car, or even a 1/3 acre site for the same price as you would pay for a television at the time.

It is in this "modern" kitchen, that at 12pm, in an ode to another of her famous book, Alice Taylor will "Quench the Lamp" and will switch on the electric lights to officially mark the opening of the unique exhibition.

On leaving the farmhouse, visitors will find themselves in in the traditional farmyard, where butter was made and cows were milked. The evolution from hand milking to milking machines and parlours is showcased here and visitors can try their hand milking the model cows by hand and machine.

Then it's on to the Petting Area, where kids will be able to meet familiar farmyard friends (who unlike everything else, haven't changed too much over the years), like pigs, goats, lambs, and Sully the Calf. Here they can also meet a number of rescue puppies, who have made The Farm their home, while waiting to be adopted in association with North Cork animal rescue charity, H.A.R.T.

The Machinery section of The Farm's Heritage Exhibition is sure to thrill dads and tractor loving kids, with a massive collection of combine harvesters, balers and 20 tractors dating from 1938 through to 1978, ranging from Ferguson to Massey Harris to Massey Fergusons. The collection houses a self-propelled combine harvester which was originally purchased in Merchants Quay in 1949.

Mick Forde, owner of The Farm, invites people to come and experience the unique Heritage Exhibition and share their own tales and stories from the era. He said "I would love for people to come and reminisce about the good old days of the 1950s, 60s and 70s and share their own experiences of what life was really like. A massive proportion of the population is over 50, so will remember much of what we have on show at The Farm; while another large bulk of the population are under 10 years of age, and they are sure to enjoy fun and games around The Farm, meeting our animals and playing in our playground."

To coincide with the Official Opening of the Heritage Exhibition, The Farm will hold a food tasting in the restaurant, where people can sample The Farm's home baking and a wide range of artisan produce throughout the day.

Situated on 40 acres of farmland, The Farm opened in Grenagh, North Cork in August 2012 and is a vibrant place to learn about the history and heritage of Irish life and farming. Open daily from 10am- 5.30pm, The Farm something for the whole family to enjoy in an interactive and fun environment, with plenty to keep children occupied from play areas to meeting the animals, and always something tasty to savour in the café and restaurant serving great farm fresh food and home baking.

The Official Opening of the Heritage Exhibition takes place at 12pm on Saturday 25th May and everyone is welcome to attend; admission is €8 per person, with family deals available. For further information see http://visitthefarm.ie.