Free wagon tours of Howell Living History Farm's spring plowing operations will leave from the farmyard continuously from 10:30am until 3:30pm, taking visitors to fields where farmers will be plowing with horses and circa 1900 equipment. Rides last approximately 20 minutes and are given on a first come, first serve basis. Tours will be narrated.

Children's craft program: Garden Row Marker
On a walk-in basis (Groups of eight or more must pre-register)
Time: 11:00am to 3:00pm
Approximate time to complete project: 20 minutes
Materials fee: $3.00

One of the surest signs of spring at Howell Living History Farm is the arrival of the Barn Swallows, those little blue and buff birds that travel all the way from South America to build their nests in the beams above the horse stalls.

On Saturday, April 18, visitors of all ages are invited to celebrate their return with Mercer County Naturalist Jennifer Lear and equine friends Jessie, Bill, Barney, Mac, Jack and Chester - the Howell Farm horses that enjoy the swallows’ protection. The swallows consume flies, gnats, and other insects that are bothersome to the horses as well as other farm animals and visitors.

The program, “Naturally Friends: Farmers and Barn Swallows,” is the first in a series focused on the beneficial relationships that exist between farmers and the birds, bees and other wildlife that live in the fields, woods, pastures, and barns where farmers raise their crops and animals.

The farm’s Program Coordinator, Kathy Brilla, has tracked the swallows’ arrival for the past 15 years, logging landings between April 9 and April 21. In 10 of those years, the flocks’ arrival occurred on April 18 or earlier.

Visitors can meet the swallows and learn about their life cycle during a 90-minute program that begins at the Howell Farm Visitor Center at 1:30 p.m. April 18. The program is free and suitable for people of all ages and abilities. Reservations are not necessary.

Besides a visit to a swallow’s nest, the celebration will feature nature games and stories for children, a climb into a hay mow for a swallow’s-eye view of the barnyard, and, for the avian guests of honor, some early hatches of Mayflies and gnats.