Once survival skills, now arts

Pioneer Day festival demonstrations show the modern world how it once was done.

By LOGAN NEILL, Times Staff Writer
Published November 2, 2007

Sam Jordan, 43 stands at attention as his 39th Carolina, Company K soldiers receive their orders for the day at a Pioneer Day event in Dade City in September.
	[David Degner | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Daniel Wallace | Times (2001)] The annual Pioneer Day event takes place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Chinsegut Nature Center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road, north of Brooksville. The event is free. Call 754-6722.

BROOKSVILLE - Kristin Wood organized the first Pioneer Day festival with the hope that people in the community might get a kick out of learning about all-but-lost arts such as cow milking, soapmaking, palm weaving and lumber jacking. Twelve years later, she is thrilled by the prospect that the event has inspired some visitors to take up some of those activities as a hobby.

"I think it shows that people, even in this day of iPods and video games, don't want to see those things die," said Wood, who is director of the Chinsegut Nature Center.

Indeed, Wood says several of the participants of Saturday's Pioneer Day got their love for the old ways by attending the festival in the past.

John Korycki is one of them. The 24-year-old who heads up the Hernando Cooperative Extension Service's Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program has been demonstrating the art of ropemaking at the festival for the past four years.

Korycki, who used to work as a technician at the Chinsegut Nature Center, says he learned from an older gentleman who demonstrated a number of pioneer crafts at the festival.

"Although it's a bit tricky I managed to pick it up pretty quickly," Korycki said. "Now, it's almost second nature to me."

To make rope, Korycki uses twine from a plant known as sisal. He hooks six strands of the fiber to a machine called a jack. Then the strands are spun into tightly wound strands using an over-under method of braiding. According to Korycki, it typically takes about 75 feet of sisal twine to make a 12-foot length of rope.

Korycki says that young children are particularly fascinated by ropemaking, and he often gets several of them involved during his demonstrations.

"Most kids have no idea how hard life was during pioneer days," Korycki said. "They get a kick out seeing all this stuff, but if you were to ask them, most would tell you they wouldn't want to live like people had to 150 years ago."

The festival will feature about 25 pioneer craft demonstrations, plus wagon rides, children's games and historical displays. Admission and parking are free. A free shuttle service will be available to off-site parking facilities.

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or 848-1435.

If you go

Pioneer Day

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Where: On the grounds of the Chinsegut Nature Center, on Lake Lindsey Road, west of U.S. 41, north of Brooksville.

Admission: Activities are free. Visitors are invited to purchase food items and products made during the event.

Information: Call 754-6722

[Last modified November 1, 2007, 20:44:41]