Events at Chrisholm Historic Farmstead

Open House Tours - Chrisholm Farmstead

Apr through Sep, 3rd Saturday of the month, 1-3pm
Sat, Apr 20, 2024
Sat, May 18, 2024
Sat, Jun 15, 2024 (open 2-3 pm after completion of earlier scheduled event)
Sat, Jul 20, 2024
Sat, Aug 17, 2024
Sat, Sep 21, 2024 (Combined with Cellar and Barn Tour event)

Roll Out the Pie Crust Workshop

Who doesn't love pies? Fun, hands-on program led by Butler County First Prize Pie Baker Carmon Hacker of Friends of Chrisholm who will demonstrate how to make the classic roll-out pie crust. By following a simple process, you can successfully achieve this feat without tears in the pastry and fix them if they do happen.

All participants should bring a 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass and a rolling pin, if possible. After learning how to make this crust, you can create any one-crust or two-crust pie that your imagination desires! $5/participant Ages 16+ unless accompanied by an adult.

Sat, February 24, 1:00 - 3:00 pm (Pre-registration required at https://www.yourmetroparks.net/ under the Events tab)

Spring Vine Gardening

Fast growing vines can add a lot of color and structure to your pots and gardens. Join Ginny Hertenstein, a Butler County Master Gardener, at the Chrisholm shelter to learn which vines grow well in our area. She will show us how to collect branches found locally to make a trellis in a pot. All supplies will be offered to complete your project to take home. After the program, visit with the Friends of Chrisholm inside the beautiful Augspurger House during our regularly scheduled Open House event occurring 1pm-3pm.

Sat, May 18, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (Pre-registration required at https://www.yourmetroparks.net/ under the Events tab)

107th Augspurger Reunion/Friends of Chrisholm Annual Meeting

Our guest speaker for this event, Fred Iutzi, is a descendant of the historic Amish community of Butler County. He is an agronomist interested in long-term sustainability for agriculture and communities who comes to us from Bloomington, IL.

Fred’s talk, Perennial Lessons from the Past For Agriculture of the Future, will address the dilemma of how do we farm to give short term food productivity to meet needs for the current generation without degradation of soil and water and loss of productivity for future generations, while also addressing the now recognized need to slow farming’s impact on climate change.

Fred will review ecological principles that apply to natural ecosystems and farming systems throughout history – including the innovative, ecologically intensified farming that Amish and Mennonite farmers practiced in the 17th-19th centuries. He will highlight inspiration for future agriculture from across multiple chapters of history and cultures, including the need for perennial crop use to take center stage. This will include a review of work underway today at perennial agriculture organizations.

This event is open to all Augspurger descendants, historical Butler County Amish Mennonite community descendants, members of Friends of Chrisholm, and those interested in learning more about our organization.

Sat, June 15, 11:00 am – 1:30 pm (Details on registration will appear in the Chrisholm Times Spring 2024 Newsletter)

Making Some Christmas in July

By July, we are often ready to be finished with summer and think about the seasons to come. If you feel that way and you like to craft, come join Becky Simpson of Friends of Chrisholm at Chrisholm Farmstead to make some holiday ornaments. Get a head start on your holiday crafting and remember that cooler days are ahead.

This program is open to those 16+ unless accompanied by an adult.

Sat, July 13, 1:00 – 3:00 pm (Pre-registration required at https://www.yourmetroparks.net/ under the Events tab)

Cellar and Barn Tour

Come join us for this rare opportunity to view the cellar of Chrisholm with its vaulted ceiling sub-cellar, thought to be the only existing one of its kind in Butler County. In addition, we will view the historic bank barn. The event will feature a short kickoff talk on the functional role of cellars on historical farmsteads and the bank barn. As staggered groups visit the cellar and barn after, the house will remain open for viewing as well. From the various exhibits, learn about the connection of Chrisholm to the leader of the first group of Amish families to settle in Butler County in 1819, the growth of this once-flourishing settlement, and its evolution through the 1800’s. Please note for your planning, the outdoor stairway entrance to the cellar is not modified for wheelchair access.

Sat, September 21, 1:00 – 3:00 pm (Pre-registration required at https://www.yourmetroparks.net/ under the Events tab)

Yes, It’s True! A Thriving Amish Community Once Existed in Butler County

Come to learn about our historic 19th century Amish community. Jeff Lehman, of Friends of Chrisholm and descendant of four of the community families, will present a talk on the origins of the community, it’s connection to Chrisholm historic farmstead, it’s growth, internal conflict, and eventual loss of Amish affiliation. The Chrisholm house will be open for viewing following the talk.

We are especially encouraging longtime multi-generational local area residents with connections in their family history to the following Butler County Amish surnames to attend: