Have you seen slabs of bacon and ham hanging in Prairietown? Have you wondered how they got there or if they're real? I can tell you firsthand, they're real. Several years ago Conner Prairie had a program called "Butcherin’, Stuffin’ and Smokin.” Since that time, we have had many new staff join us who had never experienced the process of butchering and since the meat in the smokehouses in Prairietown tend to be such great conversation starters, we decided that this was a good year to prepare our own meat on site. So, we undertook the butchering process as a training session for staff last week.

We secured two hogs from a local butcher, which they prepared as they would meat for a hog roast at a local church or community event. Our job last week consisted of separating the various pieces of meat and then packaging or preserving them accordingly.

One of our first steps was to separate the sides of pork. We used a hatchet to cut through the bones along the spine. Then, we could remove the tenderloin, the delicious cut of meat that runs along each side of the spine. Next, we had to separate the ribs from the bacon, which is a delicate process that requires a certain amount of patience and focus. Once the ribs were removed, we could separate the shoulder and ham from the sidemeat or bacon. This step was relatively easy, but required attention to detail; it is important to make sure that the cut surfaces are as smooth as possible because these are the cuts of meat that will be packed in salt to dry, then be smoked and hung in the smokehouses. Any little pockets or flaps can create havens for tiny insects to lay their eggs, or pockets for mold to grow, but if cut correctly, these pieces of meat can be stored and used safely for many, many months. We saved all of the little pieces of meat that we cut from the bacon, shoulders and hams in order to make them smooth and added them to a bowl of scrap meat that we will grind into sausage. This way, virtually every piece of the hog is used, just like it would have been in 1836.

In this modern era, where we can be so disconnected from our food, I find it somehow soothing to have been a part of this training program. I am a vegetarian, so I naturally had a few uncomfortable moments during this process. But I was able to see just how much care and effort went into the process of working with this meat. I could see that everyone involved was very serious about the process. Each piece was handled by hand, free from chemical or mechanical impurities. And great care was given to make sure that every ounce of flesh was examined and used to its best purpose. It was a reminder to me of just how much life has changed over the past 170 years.

Next time you come to visit Prairietown, be sure to keep your eyes open for ham, bacon and other pork, and be sure to ask about how it got there. It's a fascinating process!

The minute I stepped out of the van and set foot on the clay-rich soil of Chuaquenun, I felt like I was in a different world. I'd been there before—to Guatemala that is, and even to other poor, rural, indigenous villages on mountainsides just like this one—but it felt like I'd been transported to another place and time.

This was a place where people live differently than I do, where they wear different clothes, use different words, sing different songs, eat different foods. But I was reminded again and again that their stories are still part of my story, and that our stories together are part of the human experience, the past and present and future that make up the beautiful and complex mosaic of our lives.

We spent three days building houses and building relationships in Chuaquenun, then brought medical care and supplies to two other rural villages and visited several orphanages. A busy week away from the office? You could say that! But my mission trip to Guatemala a few weeks ago reminded me of something key about Conner Prairie that I often take for granted: I don't have to go to another country to be transported to another place and time. It's right here, in my own backyard!

Our shared history is all around us—and Conner Prairie is one place where you're guaranteed to experience it every time. Visit Prairietown for a taste of the 1830s. Ask questions, learn, think about how the people there are different or the same as you. Or take a flight in 1859 Balloon Voyage and be awed by the landscape of Hamilton County, landscape that has been here for many, many years and is also a part of our history.

Our outdoor areas open in a few weeks (on March 27, to be exact), and I hope this year you'll come visit us with fresh eyes. I hope you'll look at Conner Prairie as an opportunity to live a piece of your own history—OUR own history. See you soon!

Conner Prairie President Ellen M. Rosenthal and I, Tim Crumrin, director, experience delivery, recently attended a meeting to discuss the initial planning for Indiana's bicentennial of statehood in 2016. It brought to mind that many understand that Conner Prairie is one of the longest-occupied and documented sites in the state. But, that it has a long history of presenting history is not so well known.

The first effort came in 1927 with the placement of a stone marker celebrating William Conner's settlement, which served as the host for the committee that chose the site of Indianapolis as the future state capital. The stone still stands just to the right of the welcome center main entrance.

More importantly, 2010 marks the 75th anniversary of an event that foreshadowed an element of modern Conner Prairie. On May 17, 1935 Eli Lilly opened the grounds to host a history pageant. Three scenes were re-enacted: the signing of the Treaty of St. Mary's in 1818, which led to the removal of the Lenape Indians from Indiana, the first trial in Hamilton County, which was for illegally selling liquor and the choosing of the state capital.

To modern eyes, these scenes before "a capacity crowd on the hillside of a natural amphitheatre," today's Lenape Camp and symphony areas, seem quaint and almost laughable. The costumes ranged from coonskin caps to Victorian frock coats (see photo). The language veered from the melodramatic to the frankly racist. The overall attitude was unabashed celebration of an almost mythological past.

But its true importance is that 75 years ago, those involved were trying to make history come alive. It was interactive and participatory, as when a hat was passed to help pay the fine of the defendant convicted of selling liquor illegally. They were following Eli Lilly's goal to "[not] merely create a museum, but... to give to future generations historical understanding not to be found in books. What their eyes see they will never forget."

In essence, that is the cornerstone upon which Conner Prairie is built.

I love my job! I've been saying that ever since my mentor and former supervisor Ericka Mason moved to Michigan to get married and vouched that I could run the historic clothing department here at Conner Prairie. Thank you, Ericka, and thank you, Tim Crumrin (director, experience delivery) and Dan Freas (vice president, guest experience), for believing her.

I didn't major in history or fashion design. So, how did I end up running historic clothing at Conner Prairie? It started with my kids! I majored in office administration and worked as secretary at a university, a church and a construction company, but I'm a crafter by nature. I chose to homeschool my children, and that's how I met the people who dress up in historic clothes and entertain children and adults into being interested in history - through field trips.

We were all fascinated with the idea of living history and turned to the best place in the area (and in the country, I later learned), Conner Prairie, to see if there was a way for kids to volunteer. There was, and my kids became youth volunteers/interpreters. I decided I'd rather volunteer in the costume room than make the commute twice a day. Then, I became a part-time interpreter, and two years later, when the seamstress left, I was offered her job (which I had often said would be perfect for me).

I was right - it is perfect for me. What makes clothing coordinator a perfect fit? It's multi-faceted! I have to confess that I am mildly ADD (but not hyperactive). Consistency has always been my downfall, and I'm easily distracted. There are so many different things to do here that if I can't think about "this" any more, I can jump up and do "that" until my brain is ready to tackle "this" again.

What do I get to do here? I get to keep track of all the reproduction historic clothing that we keep on hand for our interpreters' use, including washing and mending (with help, fortunately). I get to help interpreters and youth interpreters design clothing that fits their personality while being historically accurate. I get to design new patterns! I get to buy fabric! I get to research historic garments and how they were used and look at lots of great pictures of them, as well as the actual garments. And since I'm the sewing maven, I get to sew try-on clothing for Discovery Station and the 1859 Balloon Voyage area, as well as a few costumes like the Gingerbread Man.

I love my job!

How many days of the year do you NOT do things outside? Sometimes the weather isn't good and I don't want to go outside either, but on the farms across America that's not an option. Even though the wintertime tends to be a little slower on the farm, the chores don't stop. Animals need to be fed everyday, waters need to be checked and filled, which isn't very much fun when it's 10 below.

The Conner Prairie staff that works outside during the winter to take care of the farm and animals are Kevyn Miller and me, Richard Kroyer. Kevyn is the livestock manager and I'm assistant herdsman. I assist Kevyn with all the chores and do everything relating to the horses - very critical but exceedingly fun.

As I was saying before, running a farm and owning livestock is a 365-day-a-year job and Conner Prairie is no exception. If you want to harvest corn next year, the field has to be prepared, seed has to be ordered, and so on. Do you ever wonder what happens to all that nice hay and grain the livestock has been eating all year? It turns into wonderful compost that is spread on the fields as fertilizer.

Animals don't just get sick when it's sunny. Sometimes it's freezing rain on Christmas day and someone has to be with that animal out in the field to make sure it has everything it needs. That's me or Kevyn.

Although you've probably already figured it out, things like fences need to be maintained all year round as well. If the phone rings just as you're sitting down to Easter supper with the family and the voice on the phone says, "Happy Easter, Richard. I think those are your horses in my front yard." Guess who gets to round them up and fix the hole in the fence?

There are some things we plan on doing in the wintertime. It is a great time to make repairs and upkeep to machines used in summer, and clean and oil all the leather harnesses and saddles for the horses. Our farm support office is quite the mess right now because it's doing double duty as a harness cleaning and repair shop.

There are always hiccups to be taken care of during the year and the winter is no exception. If all goes well in this wintertime, Kevyn and I will have happy, healthy animals, clean barns, good working equipment and great crops to share with you come opening weekend.