Haying demonstration at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve/NPS

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas will showcase historic horse-drawn haying and raking demonstrations with four teams of draft horses on Saturday, June 16, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting.

This exhibition will allow you to step back more than 100 years as living history interpreters and the Kansas Draft Horse and Mule Association members demonstrate the process of making hay using draft horses and 19th century machinery propelled by real horsepower. This year the bottomland field will become part of the demonstration area along with the field directly adjacent to the visitor center.

Having enough hay to last through the winter months was a necessity. Prairie hay was cut from the bottomland fields and made into hay stacks and also stored loosely in the loft of the large 1882 limestone barn. Interpreters will be on site to talk about the cultural history of the Spring Hill Ranch.

Women’s typical roles will be depicted as living history interpreters demonstrate 19th century techniques of ranch stove cooking from 10 a.m. until noon, while preparing a meal for the ranchhands. There will be a table spread with typical foods of the day that provided plenty of fuel for the hired hands that toiled in their hard labor.

On weekends in June visit with the volunteers at the one-room Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse and learn about prairie education and the school’s rich history. The school is furnished with historic desks, McGuffey Readers, a recitation bench, and other classroom items. 

A 6.4-mile bus tour of the preserve’s backcountry is available daily at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekends through October 28.  There is no charge for the tours.  Advance reservations for the bus tours are recommended, but arrangements can be made on the day of the visit if space is available.  For more information, please call the park at (620) 273-8494 (hit 0). All programs and activities at the preserve are free of charge.