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    Food, glorious food

    At lunchtime during faire days the savory aromas float through the air around the blacksmith shop, teasing the patrons. IHEA volunteers take turns filling their plates with warm food cooked specially for them in the outdoor kitchen. They dine on roasted meats, biscuits and stewed vegetables. Some days it’s soul-warming casseroles or stew.  Patrons often look at the diners and ask where to purchase the meal. Alas, for them, it is not for sale, but earned by the hard work of the volunteers who demonstrate the various arts and crafts for IHEA. In the beginning, there was only a small pit for open-fire cooking. Nothing fancy. But for two years,…

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    A monumental carving in the Wildwoods

    IHEA wood carvers and blacksmiths constructed a monumental carving which is standing proud in the Storyteller’s Garden across from Booth 651 in the Wildwood section of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs, Kansas.  Modeled after a First Nation totem pole, the carving was done on a 16 foot tall cedar tree. In order to complete the carving, woodworkers took two large stumps and notched out areas to hold the massive tree in front of the woodworking shop.  The carving of the totem took place primarily during the 2014 festival season. Many patrons returned to check on the progress of the carving each week.  The bark was removed using…