OLIVER KELLEY
FARM
TRAIL EXHIBITS
The Oliver Kelley Farm, a National Historic Landmark, was the home of Oliver H. Kelley, founder of the Grange, the first successful national farming organization. The 1860s farmstead, modern visitor center and farm lab showcase the story of farming, food and agriculture—past and present.
As part of the 2017 Oliver Kelley Farm revitalization, a series of interactive outdoor exhibits were created to engage visitors on a food journey. On the new Food Trail, visitors could learn where their food comes from by walking a 0.1 mile route and experiencing interactive stations along the way. Five exhibit stations examined the food groups—protein, dairy, fruit, vegetables, grain—that make up the USDA’s MyPlate program through interactive activities and graphics at each stop.
The five stations are:
Protein
Open up a model hog to learn where different cuts of pork come from and discover how protein can be found in both animals and plants.
Dairy
Try “milking” a cow with a modern milking machine or by hand. Then learn how milk can be used to make everything from cheese to ice cream.
Fruit
Use an apple sorting machine to separate the fruit by size. See how apples and other fruits grow in Minnesota.
Vegetables
Gather a variety of vegetables that grow everywhere from bushes and vines to underground and learn to identify the parts of plants we eat.
Grain
Complete a puzzle to see how different grains are used, then spin a zoetrope to see grain production come to life.
Click here to read the official MNHS Press Release
Oliver Kelley Farm
Elk River, MN
