Mary Kate Claytor is the Associate Director of Interpretation at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, Virginia. After a bit of background about this unique living history museum, Mary Kate describes in detail wool production for a yeoman farmer in the 1600-1800's: starting with sheep shearing, wool washing, stale urine and lanolin, through to carding & combing, drop spindles & spinning wheels, historical & natural dyes, and finally ending on a fabric called linsey-woolsey. From there we move on to another category of historical clothing, buckskins. Mary Kate recounts learning how to hide tan while working at Natural Bridge's Monacan village. Then we switch from clothing to foodways by reflecting on both profound & disturbing experiences while taking part in hog slaughters & fowl processing. We end on hearing of how Mary Kate's historical hobbies connect her to her great-grandmother.

Follow Mary Kate on Instagram  & check out the Frontier Culture Museum. 

Music provided by Carla Sciaky

"Sheep Shearing"
[English folk song]
From the album Spin the Weaver's Song
Performed by Carla Sciaky

"The Band of Shearers"
[Scottish folk song]
From the album Spin the Weaver's Song
Performed by Carla Sciaky

"The Weaver and the Chambermaid"
[English folk song]
From the album Spin the Weaver's Song
Performed by Carla Sciaky

Reading segment from Folklore of Sussex by Jacqueline Simpson

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