It is Jordbruksdagarna Time in Historic Bishop Hill!
Bishop Hill’s annual 19th century harvest festival Jordbruksdagarna (pronounced yord-brooks-DAH-ga-na) will take place Saturday September 24 and Sunday September 25, 2022. As always, there will be a variety of traditional craft demonstrations, food, vendors, and hands-on activities for the children during the 50th Jordbruksdagarna (Swedish for “earth work days”) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Demonstrations, hands-on activities, play, and music are all free.
In the village park, artisans will make rope, process flax, carve wood, forge metal, make butter, and more. Vendors will also be selling farm produce, pumpkins, pioneer popcorn, baked goods, crafts, and much more in the park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Musical performances will include Hammer and Pick at noon and 2 p.m., and the Nordic Dancers at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. each day at the gazebo. There will be a petting zoo located in the northwest corner of the park. Old-fashioned children’s games will also be conducted in the park at 2 p.m. each day.
Jordbruksdagarna is not just located in the park but all over Bishop Hill. For example, the BHHA will be selling fall door swags and nachos by the Colony Store. At the Colony School, the Old Settlers’ Association will be serving their famous Colony Stew. Uncle Bud Apple Cider Slushie will be next to the Carpenter Building. Behind the Bjorklund Hotel from noon to 4 p.m. each day, visitors, especially children, can try their hand at shelling corn, making bricks, pressing apples into cider, and creating a cornhusk doll. Visitors can explore Henry County’s agricultural heritage at the Henry County Historical Museum, where a variety of antique tractors and implements will be on display outdoors. Each day at the Henry County Historical Museum, the Bishop Hill Agricultural Association will demonstrate corn picking at 11 a.m., have an antique tractor parade around town at noon, conduct a kid pedal tractor pull at 12:30 p.m., and corn shelling at 1 p.m. In addition, the Agricultural Association will harvest canola at 1 p.m. each day at the Albert Krans Livery Stable Museum. Corben Strand will be displaying his handmade one-of-a-kind farm landscape at the Steeple Building Museum. People movers will also be available to transport people around town to experience many of the activities, museums, and stores that Bishop Hill has to offer.
On Saturday September 24 only, Swedish singer and songwriter Johan Johansson will perform songs about Swedish history at the Steeple Building Museum starting at 10 a.m. Following this free concert, the BHHA Acting Troupe will perform their Bishop Hill Colony history skit To America at the Steeple Building starting at 11 a.m. Author Lilly Setterdahl will be having a book signing on the porch of the Steeple Building as well from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. She will be featuring her latest book Until the Lights Come Back On. Finally, the Bishop Hill Methodist Church will be having a bake sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by the Steeple Building.
For more details about Jordbruksdagarna activities, call 309 927-3899, email bhha@mymctc.net, check the Bishop Hill Heritage Association Facebook page, or view www.visitbishophill.com. Jordbruksdagarna is sponsored by the Bishop Hill Heritage Association, Bishop Hill State Historic Site, Bishop Hill Arts Council, the Bishop Hill Agricultural Association, Old Settlers’ Association. VASA National Archives, Bishop Hill Volunteer Fire Department and numerous local businesses, with the assistance of many volunteers. The event is also partly funded by the Illinois Art Council Agency, Nature’s Creations, State Bank of Toulon, Brookfield Renewable Energy, Wilbur and Marilyn Nelson, and the Henry County Independent Insurance Agents Association. WJRE is our major media sponsor. The Cambridge FFA, Galva FFA, and Galva Boy Scouts provided special assistance, along with many other volunteers.
