Lincoln Log Cabin Historic Site to showcase gardens

Staff Report

To show both current and historic farming styles, the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site will host its first Farm and Garden Tour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Participants include the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, the Five Feline Farm and First Fruits Homestead in Charleston as well as the Master’s Gardener’s Idea Garden and Master Gardener’s Plant-a-Row Garden, both in Mattoon.

Kaylee Shouse, summer gardening intern at the Lincoln Log Cabin, said the cabin is planning to give a little insight to the history of gardening.

Other farms, she said, will talk about what they typically grow and information about the farms themselves.

The Lincoln Log Cabin’s farm features crops such as cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, sunflowers, peas and okra. The cabin’s herb garden has rosemary, thyme, basil and more, Shouse said.

She added that while people do normally come to see the Lincoln Log Cabin itself, the gardens still “definitely catch people’s eyes.”

Guided tours of the Master’s Gardener’s gardens and Lincoln Log Cabin’s garden will start at 11 a.m. and the Five Feline Farm and First Fruits Homestead will start at noon.

At 3 p.m., the First Fruits Homestead will have a public ceremony to announce their partnership with Faith in Place, an organization that partners with organizations of different faiths to build healthier communities. According to the Lincoln Log Cabin’s website, First Fruits will receive an infrastructure grant as part of this partnership.

Registration for the tour is $5. Those interested in can register online, email [email protected] or call 217-345-1845.  Participants will receive a brochure with gardening tips, recipes and information of each of the tour’s stops.