Agricultural Heritage Economy - Our Past is Our Future

Many cultural heritage sites and agricultural institutions that suffered negative effects of the Great Recession — reduced funding, diminished workforce, fewer volunteers, and more — are now engaged in imaginative work-arounds.

Cultural heritage stops on this tour include:
* The Thornbury family farm and surrounding 35,000-acre Brandywine Battlefield, where one of the Revolutionary War’s largest and most significant battles was fought;
* The University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, which promotes sustainability programs to counter climate change and conducts animal health and welfare education and research to foster agricultural viability; and
* Longwood Gardens, an innovative, world-class public garden that is training the next generation of horticulturalists and redefining what it means to be a green, public space.

These places contradict the impression of cultural institutions stuck in the past with little relevance or connection to today or tomorrow. The tour focuses on new ideas and innovative heritage-interpretive planning.

There is a hayride during this workshop.