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THE MECHANICK' S ADVISER"
For December 16 - 21, 2019
Armoury:
Blacksmith — " The
Blacksmiths are feeling squirrely this week, and the wreath that adorns their Shop
becomes more squirrely by the day. At the workbench, paws scrabble away at a variety of projects:
garden scoops from Aislinn, bucket parts and a tool rack from Mark, curtain rod from Owen, and shutter
dogs from Alex and Tim. There' s bright eyes and bushy tails at the foot of the anvil."
Cabinetmaker — "
Greetings from the Cabinet Shop! It has been a busy week. Bill and John are in full
swing preparing for the Conference in January and continuing work on the high chest. John has glued up
the case for the upper section. Ed and Melanie are continuing to work on the register for the next spinet —
first working on layout and design and now on to its construction.
We are very proud of Bill, who was named Master Cabinetmaker! Also, we have a new
Apprentice who should be joining us in January just ahead of the Conference."
High chest —Bill inspecting John' s joinery
Department of Historic Trades and Skills
Volume
5, Issue 42
�John and the upper section for the high chest ( above), and Ed and Melanie working on the register ( below)
Department of Historic Trades and Skills
Volume
5, Issue 42
�Colonial Garden — " Last
week, the Gardeners were lighting some lovely fires to combat the chilly
mornings and keep our busy hands warm. We' ve harvested many lettuce heads, onions, and Jerusalem
Artichokes
from our Garden for the Palace Kitchen.
We helped harvest turnips and carrots from the
Prentis Field for the Palace Kitchen as well, and close to fifty pounds of turnips were sent to the
Williamsburg Inn for use by the chefs there. The Gardeners have turned the narrow bed near the work
yard in anticipation of planting in the near future. Our current nemesis is the lone deer coming in at night
and eating our greens, so if anyone sees a very round and well- fed doe, go ahead and scold her for us!
This week was busy with greeting our many guests who were in town for the Grand
Illumination.
Our real work has been re -glazing our hotbed window, which was in poor condition.
of scraping and sanding.
Lots
More lettuce went to the Palace Kitchen for a salad fit for the Governor' s table,
as well as Spanish black radish, onions, and sweet potatoes.
We are enjoying our time in the Palace
Kitchen working with Frank and Barbara. The added knowledge enriches our interpretation of the
Garden.
The most asked question this time of year is in regard to the bell jars and hand lights. There is a
great amount of garden envy from guests residing in colder climates, envious that we can grow lettuce all
winter long under the glass. Our peas continue to thrive in the hotbed as well as the plants placed in the
spare hotbed to extend their lives. The cayenne and scotch bonnet peppers are still thriving, and the
borage is blooming.
The beer swimming pool in the cold frame managed to capture a few slugs, a grub,
and a few other pests eating their fill of lettuce and flowers.
If you are not familiar with the technique:
to
catch slugs, sink a shallow dish in the ground near the damaged plants and fill the dish with stale beer.
The pest will be attracted to the beer and not being prepared to swim, will perish."
Farming — "This is a picture of poverty in the 18"'- century Tidewater region. Cotton was not a cash crop
in this area. Rather, it is a " have -to" crop during the Revolutionary War for the average farmer. Reliance
on tobacco as the engine of commerce is a house of cards when the Revolutionary War disrupts shipping.
Near -empty stores are the result and along with it, the cloth to make our garments.
turn to fiber crops to clothe themselves.
Department of Historic Trades and Skills
In response, farmers
This is poverty."
Volume
5, Issue 42
�Joinery — " Cold burns the wind these last few days, but tireless and resolute the Joiners carry on. Scott,
trusting in the strength of his skill, has begun to turn the feet for his food safe. This is the final obstacle
before he assembles the frame and installs the tin panels. Amanda, too, toils at the lathe this week. Each
stretcher for her chair must be shaped from stubborn hickory and made round upon the lathe. Peter issued
himself the challenge of completing his four - anel door in a month, and the fifteenth fast approaches. His
p
mortises are chopped, the thumbnails are moulded, and the grooves all plowed. The tenons and assembly
await his hands. Darker grow the days, but do not despair; come the solstice, light will come back into
the world!"
Department of Historic Trades and Skills
Volume
5, Issue 42
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Mechanick's Adviser
Description
An account of the resource
The Mechanick’s Adviser is a weekly newsletter produced by the Colonial Williamsburg Department of Historic Trades and Skills beginning in September 2015 and continuing to the present. The word “mechanick” is an alternative spelling of “mechanic” and is used here in the more archaic sense meaning a skilled tradesperson or artisan. Some weeks the newsletter was not produced and there is a significant months-long gap in the 2020 newsletters reflecting the pandemic-related limitations and closures of the department. The newsletter relates employee news and the current work projects and research of the various trades’ shops belonging to the department as well as other groups described as “skills” including military, music, and dance programs.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Mechanick's Adviser. Volume 5, issue 42 for December 16-22
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Department of Historic Trades and Skills
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2019-12