New Old Wheels at The Farm!

Celebrating Tasha Tudor's 100th Birthday Year!

Recent additions to the Corgyncombe Carriage Collection.

Top Buggy in Autumnal Loveliness

The top, which is not shown, needs repair.

Click Here for Lovely Music

On the cover of "Corgiville Fair", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, is a carriage with a family of excited Corgis and a Rabbit family with a wagon full of carrots and other vegetables entering the Main Gate of the Fair. The back cover shows farm wagons with entries for the fair. A large variety of different wagons, carriages, and carts for different purposes abound in "Corgiville Fair". The title page has a buggy pulled by a goat and driven by a Corgi smoking a pipe, crossing a covered bridge. The first two pages are a magnificent spread of Corgiville, showing many carriages, one cart even pulled by a pig!

In "A Time to Keep", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, Tasha shows ladies seated in carriages watching the marionette show.

In "Around the Year", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, the endpapers show a carriage crossing a bridge and August has a carriage crossing a covered bridge.

A farm wagon that has racks that can be added for using as a hay wagon.

In "Becky's Birthday", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, Becky's Father drove the village children home from Becky's party in a hay wagon.

In "Becky's Birthday", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, Becky and her Father went to town in a buggy to purchase things at the store.

The 100th anniversary of Tasha Tudor's birth was on August 28th, 1915.

We at Corgyncombe will continue to be celebrating this, the 100th year since Tasha Tudor's birth!

Our email:
atthecottagegate@yahoo.com


http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2015/11/new-old-wheels-at-farm.html
copyright © 2015 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson
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Cider and Doughnuts!

"Treasures of Jolly Autumn" Washington Irving

Cider and doughnuts, a refreshing and delicious autumnal treat!

When I was growing up, my family usually enjoyed cider and popcorn on Saturday night. We liked the cider the best when it wasn't as sweet and it had, as we called it, "bees in it". Now I prefer my cider on the sweet side. At our wedding my husband and I served sweet cider.

At Tasha Tudor's wedding she served her guests 16 dozen doughnuts.


In 2005 I wrote a comparison between Meg's wedding and my wedding as we both had simple, country weddings.
In Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" Meg is the first of the sisters to get married. Reading about Meg's simple wedding reminded Diane a great deal of her own. Diane's 5th great grandfather Eliakim May was 1st cousin to Louisa's great grandfather Samuel May. In "Little Women" Meg said "I don't want a fashionable wedding, but only those about me whom I love, and to them I wish to look and be my familiar self." When Meg's proper Aunt March arrived at the wedding Meg ran out to greet her and the aunt saw that the groom was fixing a fallen garland, she told Meg "Upon my word, here's a state of things! You oughtn't be seen till the last minute, child." Meg replied "I'm not a show, aunty, and no one is coming to stare at me, to criticise my dress, or count the cost of my luncheon. I'm too happy to care what any one says or thinks, and I'm going to have my little wedding just as I like it." At the end of the chapter, after all of the festivities, one of the guests, who was quite fashionable, said to her husband, "That is the prettiest wedding I've been to for an age, Ned, and I don't see why, for there wasn't a bit of style about it."


The reception was held in an old 1796 building that was originally in the Kaatskills.
It was decorated for the reception in elegant, dignified simplicity.
An artist friend of Diane's brought in several portraits that she had painted.


Always favorites to read as the leaves are turning and the days are shortening are Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle". The Kaatskill mountain area and the Hudson River valley has been home to my ancestors since the 1600s and has always felt like home to me.


Diane's great great grandfather, who was born near the Kaatskills.
Diane always thought of him as the family's own Rip Van Winkle.
On the 1865 Agricultural Census he is listed as having 30 apple trees, 20 bushels of apples, and 1 barrel of cider on his farm. In 1864 he had 10 acres in meadows for hay and 10 tons of cut hay. In 1864 he had 2 acres of Indian corn and harvested 20 bushels.


Hay stored for winter in the high big old barn at Corgyncombe, that we call "The Ark".

As Ichabod, the "itinerant pedagogue", is journeying on his horse to attend the party at the Van Tassel house, Washington Irving wrote the following in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow":

"It was, as I have said, a fine autumnal day, the sky was clear and serene, and nature wore that rich and golden livery which we always associate with the idea of abundance. The forests had put on their sober brown and yellow, while some trees of the tenderer kind had been nipped by the frosts into brilliant dyes of orange, purple, and scarlet. Streaming files of wild ducks began to make their appearance high in the air; the bark of the squirrel might be head from the groves of beech and hickory nuts, and the pensive whistle of the quail at intervals from the neighboring stubble-field."

"The small birds were taking their farewell banquets. In the fullness of their revelry, they fluttered, chirping and frolicking, from bush to bush, and tree to tree, capricious from the very profusion and variety around them. There was the honest cock-robin, the favorite game of stripling sportsmen, with its loud querulous note; and the twittering blackbirds flying in sable clouds; and the golden-winged woodpecker, with his crimson crest, his broad black gorget, and splendid plumage; and the cedar bird, with its red-tipt wings and yellow-tipt tail, and its little monteiro cap of feathers; and the blue jay, that noisy coxcomb, in his gay light-blue coat and white under clothes; screaming and chattering, nodding and bobbing and bowing, and pretending to be on good terms with every songster of the grove."


The apple stem is caught in the V of the old apple picker and a gentle tug will bring the apple from the tree. It is then brought down in its cage and deposited carefully in a basket.

"As Ichabod jogged slowly on his way, his eye, ever open to every symptom of culinary abundance ranged with delight over the treasures of jolly autumn. On all sides he beheld vast store of apples; some hanging in oppressive opulence on the trees; some gathered into baskets and barrels for the market; others heaped up in rich piles for the cider-press."

Corn harvested from the fields at Corgyncombe.

"Farther on he beheld great fields of Indian corn, with its golden ears peeping from their leafy coverts, and holding out the promise of cakes and hasty pudding; and the yellow pumpkins lying beneath them, turning up their fair round bellies to the sun, and giving ample prospects of the most luxurious of pies; and anon he passed the fragrant buckwheat fields, breathing the odor of the bee-hive, and as he beheld them, soft anticipations stole over his mind of dainty slapjacks, well buttered, and garnished with honey or treacle, by the delicate little dimpled hand of Katrina Van Tassel."

"Thus feeding his mind with many sweet thoughts and "sugared suppositions," he journeyed along the sides of range of hills which look out upon some of the goodliest scenes of the mighty Hudson."


Corgyncombe corn shock with pumpkins round and pumpkins in the wheelbarrow.

My daughter Sarah and I are researching ancestors who were married in the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow.

Amongst some of our early Dutch families are the Van Alens. There have been reports that Washington Irving was inspired by a Van Alen girl when he created the character Katrina Van Tassel.

Our direct ancestor Jacob Van Alen married Rachel Quackenbush. Corgyncombe's Quackenbush the Duck's name was inspired by our old Quackenbush families. Our early Quackenbush family had kilns and were famous for making bricks.


Dilley Dibble Dabble and Quackenbush at a Valentine tea party!
Quackenbush had a special red paper hat made for the Valentine's Day occasion, which sports one of Post Mistress Phidelia Finch's feathers tucked in the side. The instructions for making the paper hat is in the book, "Tasha Tudor's Old-Fashioned Gifts". The Corgyncombe Courant reporters Diane and her daughter Sarah have had a personal lesson in paper hat making from Tasha Tudor herself.


Picking apples with an old fashioned apple picker on a pole to reach the high ones. Diane takes great joy in using antique tools for their original purpose.

"A mellow October day, when the air was full of an exhilarating freshness which made the spirits rise, and the blood dance healthily in the veins. The old orchard wore its holiday attire; golden-rod and asters fringed the mossy walls; grasshoppers skipped briskly in the sere grass, and crickets chirped like fairy pipers at a feast. Squirrels were busy with their small harvesting, birds twittered their adieux from the alders in the lane, and every tree stood ready to send down its shower of red or yellow apples at the first shake. Everybody was there, - everybody laughed and sang, climbed up and tumbled down; everybody declared that there never had been such a perfect day or such a jolly set to enjoy it, - and every one gave themselves up to the simple pleasures of the hour as freely as if there were no such things as care or sorrow in the world." - from "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Diane's 5th great grandfather was 1st cousin to Louisa May Alcott's great grandfather Samuel May.


Corgyncombe's favorite apples in Diane's old crock.


Peeling apples for a pie.


A Corgyncombe homemade apple pie.


Daisy made her own little apple pie, completely homemade by her "delicate little dimpled hand", to serve her friends and their Baby Dolls.


The little Dibble Dabble Duckies have their bills together quacking and discussing how to pick the winner of the Corgyncombe Courant Tasha Tudor Birthday Celebration Giveaway of the book "Drawn From New England, Tasha Tudor; A Portrait in Words and Pictures by Bethany Tudor". They have settled on a plan to pick the winner of this delightful book. Tomorrow's post will divulge the winner!!!


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The Corgyncombe Agricultural Fair and Exhibition!

"The County Fair" by Tasha Tudor

In the book "The County Fair", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, Sylvie Ann enters her homemade strawberry jam and her gander Alexander. Sylvie's brother Tom entered Buttercup the Jersey calf. The day they delivered their entries to the fair they took along a basket lunch to enjoy whilst at the fair. They have a grand time visiting the exhibits of calves, poultry, the vegetable and canned goods display, bees in a glass case and many honey jars, delicious looking baked goods, and oxen. They had so much fun riding the Merry-Go-Round several times! First place ribbons were awarded to Alexander the Gander and Buttercup the calf. Sylvie's strawberry jam received fourth place.

Tasha Tudor illustrates "The Country Fair" with the true feeling of a beautiful, colourful old fashioned fair with patriotic banners throughout. In the photograph above is the illustration of Sylvie and Tom admiring the vegetable and pumpkin display. Also hanging on the book stand are ribbons won at the County Fair, State Fair, and Junior Show, by Diane when she was a girl, for sewing an apron and making a sewing box complete with a needle holder and pin cushion. Diane had a wonderful time at the fairs also!

Below the book stand is a basket for lunch, a checked sunbonnet, and a jar of strawberry jam.

Pumpkins and cornstalks at The Corgyncombe Agricultural Fair and Exhibition.

Beans, beets, carrots, broccoli, and squash from the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden.

Corgyncombe Cabbage

From the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden, green beans in a lovely old yellowware bowl and tomatoes.
How Diane loves to hear the ping of the jars as they are sealing, whilst having tea after the jars have been taken out of the canner. To her, the sound of the jars sealing is like a squirrel storing up nuts for the long winter. 'Tis so good to enjoy naturally homegrown vegetables and fruits all the year through.

Some of the canned goods put up at Corgyncombe Cannery.

Corgyncombe Corn

Apple Pie

Diane's All-American Pressure Canner. Some jars of put up wax beans are in the background.

Some huge pumpkins in the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden!

The big old barn at Corgyncombe, that we call "The Ark", with the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden at one end. The towering sunflowers grew so high!

The carrots are a brilliant orange after being washed.

Pontiac Red Potatoes Diane dug from the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden.

Sunflower and Basil with canned goods in the background.

In "Around the Year", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, on the September pages are baked goods, vegetables, flowers, jam, and a quilt at the country fair. These illusrations are amongst The Corgyncombe Courant's favorites!

Making Pumpkin Pie.

"The Tasha Tudor Cookbook" opened to the Soups chapter. In the illustration are some of The Corgyncombe Courant's favorite things: copper, yellowware, a crock, ironware, herbs, and vegetables. In front of the book are some vegetables gathered from the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden and tarragon from the Corgyncombe Herb Garden.

The pie has been baked and placed into the old pie basket to enjoy at a pleasant outdoor Autumnal tea.




Peas and green beans.

Diane's old Kalamazoo wood cookstove.


Pumpkin Pies out of the oven.


Doughnuts, a great Autumnal treat.


"Corgiville Fair" written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor.
What a delight the book is with the lovely, detailed paintings and the story where Tasha's wonderful sense of humor comes shining through. Tasha Corgi stands in front. "Corgiville Fair" is amongst the all time favorites at The Corgyncombe Library. It is some of Tasha's best work! If you haven't seen "Corgiville Fair" you are missing out!!!

Hibiscus at Corgyncombe Floral Hall.

A lovely antique quilt on display. There are birds amongst the vines along the border. The quilt reminds Diane of the quilts that Diane's great grandmother's cousin Lena made. As with Lena's quilts, the quilting is done with very tiny, neat stitches.

Diane and Bambi the Goat.

The sunflowers were on the edge of Diane's father's huge vegetable garden. Diane has always loved goats. When she was growing up her family had goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, and rabbits. The barn for the animals was across the lawn and through the lilac hedge.

Below are some of the handspun skeins naturally dyed in colours that Diane has harvested through the years from the goldenrod plant.

Diane spun and dyed with goldenrod the yarn that she knit into the sweater above.

Sarah astride our Morgan horse Ben. She is wearing her goldenrod sweater.

Corgyncombe Nubian Goat Kiddle Lucy.

Corgyncombe Honey Bees.

On display at The Corgyncombe Agricultural Fair and Exhibition, eleven skeins of Diane's handspun yarn to be naturally dyed in the huge old brass dye pot that will be hung on the tripod, over the fire.
The beeswax will be made into candles.

A report in the newspaper in 1922 about Diane's grandfather's brother said that he "recently had a large swarm of bees light in the top of a tall elm tree, out of reach of a ladder. He took his rifle and cut the limb off with three shots. Limb and bees dropped to the ground. He then proceeded to hive them and they proved a fine swarm."

Corgyncombe Nubian Goat Kiddle Louisa May.

Diane's Grandmum one day told her she had a surprise for her. She went to her closet and took out this pieced quilt top. Grandmum told Diane how her grandfather (Diane's great great grandfather), William A. Weaver, pieced this quilt top during the long hours while trying to recover from consumption. William developed pneumonia after chasing his run away oxen in the freezing cold air. Pneumonia turned into consumption, which eventually led to his death. Diane had recently started quilting and was delighted to have her great great grandfather's quilt top. Diane soon set about quilting a feather wreath design onto the quilt top.


A Corgyncombe Sunflower


Corgyncombe Nubian Dairy Goat Carmella Lucille, this spring before giving birth to triplets.


The log cabin quilt is an antique that is pieced with mostly wool fabrics.


Corgyncombe Harvest Party


Vintage Ribbons from Poultry Competitions in 1911 and 1912.


The rooster that reminds us of Babe the rooster in "The Great Corgiville Kidnapping", written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor.


The field corn has been gleaned from the field for Diane's winter critter friends.
The corn has been husked, then will be hung up to dry.

Corn husking bees were common in the old days. Friends and neighbors gathered and would quickly get the job done. When Diane's great grandfather spied Ethlyn at a husking bee he said to one of his friends "That is the girl I'm going to marry" and he did!


A pat of Corgyncombe Dairy Goat Carmella Lucille's Butter stamped with a swan print. Printed butter is lovely to use at the table.
Years ago farm wives would print their butter and take it to the country store for trading. If the housewife was known for superior butter, people would seek out the butter with her print. During the Depression, Diane's grandparents on both sides churned butter and traded it at the same general store. Diane's father's side had a wheat pattern butter print and Diane's mother's side had a star pattern butter print. The Corgyncombe Courant wonders who made the best butter!


Riding the Merry Go Round is such a special treat at fairs and festivals.






Cornstalks, pumpkins, and Old Glory in the mellow Autumnal sunlight.

The Corgyncombe Courant hopes you enjoyed your time at the fair!


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