WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

I'M MICHELE SAN MIGUEL.

>> ON PAMELA WATTS.

WE BEGIN WITH THE BARNRAISING IN BRISTOL.

YOU MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS FARM.

THAT'S ALL ABOUT TO CHANGE THANKS TO A NEW PARTNERSHIP.

CELEBRATING ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.

THERE'S ALSO A COOPERATIVE EFFORT FROM GNARLY VINES FARM.

THE FUTURE MAY INCLUDE A CHARTER SCHOOL DOWN ON THE FARM.

>> OUR GOAL IN ALL OF THE LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM IS TO MAKE THEM LIVING AND BRING LIFE TO THEM.

>> ONCE WE HAVE THAT, WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE CHEESE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

>> WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BRING LIFE HERE.

>> FOR THE PRESIDENT AND CEO JIM DONAHUE, THAT EXCITEMENT STEMS FROM WHAT HE SEES AS MANY PATHS OF REBIRTH.

>> I SEE THE GARDEN, I SEE THE BARN.

I SEE PEOPLE IN COSTUME WALKING AROUND.

WE'VE GOT ANIMALS HERE.

THIS IS ACTUALLY WORKING.

>> THE ALLIANCE WAS CREATED WHEN THE LIVING MUSEUMS FORGED A HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP.

STEVE LIKE US AS HIS ORGANIZATION WAS AT A CROSSROADS .

WHAT IS THIS PARTNERSHIP MEANT?

>> SUSTAINABILITY AND VIABILITY.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR NONPROFITS IS FUNDING.

PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE ARE COMING TO VISIT.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE STURBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE EXCITED BECAUSE IF THERE'S A STRONG LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM COMMUNITY IN ALL OF NEW ENGLAND, IT ONLY HELPS STURBRIDGE VILLAGE.

AND THE MISSION IS VERY SIMILAR.

WE SAW OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER IN A WAY THAT WOULD REALLY MAXIMIZE THE RESOURCES OF THE FARM AND LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES OF OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE.

THAT ALLOWS THE FARM MUSEUM PUT MOST OF ITS RESOURCES INTO PROGRAMMING.

>> THIS SALTMARSH FARM IN BRISTOL WAS DESTINED FOR DEMOLITION IN THE 90'S WHEN THE STATE BOUGHT IT FROM THE HEIRS OF SAMUEL COLT.

>> I LIVE FIVE MINUTES FROM HERE, BUT WHEN I COME TO THE FARM, EVERYTHING FALLS AWAY.

>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU TOOK A STEP BACK IN TIME?

>> WITHOUT QUESTION.

IT'S QUIET.

THE PACE IS VERY SLOW.

>> THE PACE WILL BE PICKING UP AS THE GROWING SEASON GETS UNDERWAY.

SEVERAL BARNS, WOODSHOP, WOOL SHED, A CHEESE HOUSE AND A BLACKSMITH SHOP AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL HOMESTEAD.

>> YOU BROUGHT ME A DISHWASHER.

YOU'RE THE DISHWASHER.

THAT WAS THE JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DISHES ARE DONE.

>> THEY RE-CREATE LIFE ON A TENANT FARM WHERE PRODUCE AND PROFITS WERE SHARED WITH THE LANDOWNER.

THE TIMELINE IS AFTER THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND BEFORE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION EVEN THOUGH STURBRIDGE VILLAGE DEPICTS LIFE IN THE 1830'S, THERE IS MUCH IT CAN SHARE BY BRINGING EXPERT INTERPRETERS TO BRISTOL.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT LIVING MUSEUMS HAVE TO DO?

>> HAND SKILLS.

OR PEOPLE ARE AT HOME AND SO PEOPLE ARE GARDENING MORE.

PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING FURNITURE, BLACKSMITHING.

ONE WAY WE CAN BE RELEVANT IS WE CAN DEMONSTRATE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE 1790'S THAT GARDENING AND FARMING AND WORKING WITH ANIMALS AND WORKING WITH YOUR HANDS TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL THINGS WAS A WAY OF LIFE.

MAYBE THAT'S A WAY THAT PEOPLE WANT TO INCORPORATE INTO THEIR LIFE TODAY.

>> MORE THAN DEMONSTRATION, DONAHUE NOTES THEY NEED TO OFFER INSPIRATION.

IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, LIVING MUSEUMS HAVE TO ADOPT A NEW WAY OF THINKING TO THRIVE IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

>> ONE IS TO CONTINUE TO FIND NEW STORIES ABOUT LIFE IN THE 17 90'S AND BRING THOSE STORIES INTO OUR MUSEUMS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME SO YOU WANT TO HAVE ALMOST LIKE A TELEVISION SERIES.

PEOPLE LOVE THEIR SERIES BECAUSE EVERY SEASON THERE IS SOMETHING NEW.

LIVING HISTORY MUSEUMS COULD LEARN FROM THAT MODEL AND BEGIN TO CREATE NEW EPISODES.

>> THERE ARE AFTER OUR CONCERTS IN STORE NOT FOUND AT A HISTORIC SITE.

>> HE HAD THE EYE OF A VULTURE.

>> HUNTED HALLOWEEN EVENINGS WITH PHANTOMS AND BONFIRES.

DRYING SELLOUT CROWDS AND ATTRACTING YOUNGER VENDORS -- VISITORS.

FOR NOW, THE FOCUS IS ON ANIMALS ESPECIALLY BRINGING MORE >> DO YOU LOVE IT HERE?

>> I DO.

I WOULD NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE.

>> SHE IS LOANING HER LIVESTOCK TO THE MUSEUM.

SHE LEFT BIG CITY LIFE IN BOSTON AND BOUGHT THIS FARM CALLED GNARLY VINES.

A FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT STARTED PURCHASING THEIR CHICKEN EGGS.

>> THE CHEF STARTED TALKING TO THEM ABOUT OUR FARM.

I HAVE EXTRA EGGS.

WE HAD 12 DOZEN A WEEK EXTRA.

I WANT 120 DOZEN A WEEK.

SHOULD WE DO THIS?

SURE LET'S DO IT.

THAT'S HOW WE STARTED FARMING.

>> YOU WENT HOGWILD.

>> YES WE DID.

>> LITERALLY.

HER HOGS ARE GOING TO HELP COGGSHALL FARM RECLAIM ITS PASTURE THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.

>> WE USE THE ANIMALS LET'S SAY HERE.

THE GOATS GO INTO THE WOODED AREAS AND THEY WILL CLEAR THE TOPS AND SOME OF THE BOTTOM OF WHAT'S GROWING THERE.

THEN WE PUT THE PIGS IN THE PIGS WILL ROUTE ALL THE BAD STUFF THAT WE WANT GONE.

WE ALLOW THEM TO BRING EVERYTHING DOWN TO DIRT.

THEN WHAT THEY LEAVE BEHIND IS THERE MANURE AND URINE IS FULL OF NATURAL FERTILIZER.

ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS PICK OUT BIG ROCKS AND THINGS OUT OF THE WAY.

SOMETIMES WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO SPREAD THE SEED BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY THE SEED BANK AND THE SOIL.

THE DISTURBANCE THE ANIMALS BECAUSE ALLOWS THE GRASS TO COME BACK TO LIFE.

>> PITCHING IN WITH COGGSHALL SEEMED ANOTHER NATURAL COLLABORATION.

IT HAS THE SPACE BUT NEEDS THE HERD.

BISHOP BRINGS HER FOOD TRUCK TO COGGSHALL FARM WHERE SHE SERVES UP FARM TO TABLE DELICACIES FROM HER NATIVE BRAZIL.

EVENTUALLY STURBRIDGE VILLAGE WILL BRING SOME OPTION -- OXEN AND CATTLE.

SOMETHING ELSE MAY MIGRATE.

NOT JUST PRESERVATION, BUT EDUCATION.

THERE'S A CHARTER SCHOOL FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THE STURBRIDGE VILLAGE ACADEMY.

>> IT'S LOCATED RIGHT ON THE CAMPUS OF OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE.

IT'S AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING SCHOOL.

IT'S A LONGER SCHOOL DAY, IT'S A LONGER SCHOOL YEAR AND IT GIVES US TIME TO BRING THE KIDS INTO THE MUSEUM AND GIVE THEM EXPERIENCES TIED TO THE CURRICULUM OF THE SCHOOL.

>> IT'S A REGULAR CURRICULUM.

>> ACTUALLY IN THE MUSEUM THEY DO JUST AS MUCH OF SCIENCE AND MATH AS THEY DO HISTORY.

OUR FIRST STEP IS TO CREATE REALLY STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXISTING AND OPERATING SCHOOLS HERE IN RHODE ISLAND AND BE ABLE TO PROGRAM FOR THEM HERE AT THE FARM MUSEUM BUT BRING IT INTO THE SCHOOLS.

I COULD SEE AN ACADEMY HAPPENING HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.