Ruddle's Mill Volunteer Work Day, Bourbon County

On Saturday, May 30th, volunteers gathered to repair the old cemetery walls surrounding the Stonermouth Presbyterian Church Cemetery in historic Ruddle's Mill in Bourbon County, Kentucky. On hand were board members and volunteers from the local historical society in charge of protecting the cemetery. The cemetery is very large and is completely surrounded by rock fence. Images are of the preparatory work where a foundation course was set to allow small vehicles to enter the cemetery for grounds maintenance.

Shaker Village Volunteer Work Day, Mercer County, KY

On Saturday, May 16th, six volunteers made repairs to the Turnpike Era rock fences that line the old US 33 route at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. The Volunteer Work Day was in conjunction with the National Barn Alliance's annual National Barn Conference, held at Shaker Village that weekend. Participants in the conference stopped by on Saturday morning to have their questions answered by me and our mason leader.

Jouett Cemetery Volunteer Work Day, Woodford County, KY

Our first Volunteer Work Day of 2009 was held on a chilly, rainy day in Woodford County. Thanks to cover provided by canopies our volunteers stayed dry. Four volunteers showed up to offer their skills and time to make two repairs to a very old cemetery wall. The cemetery is part o the Jack Jouett House Historic Site, and is the home of Captain Jack Jouett, the "Paul Revere of the South."

Hebron Cemetery Workshop, Anderson County, KY

Our first workshop of the year had eleven participants, and was held at the historic Hebron Cemetery in Anderson County, KY. The cemetery has a variety of fence type. Participants spent two days learning the proper techniques for dismantling and repairing a rock fence, and encountered one hurdle - a tree that had grown up next to the fence. The solution was to cut the offending trunk of the tree and build the fence over its stump. The site also had a natural spring with a dry-laid wall above it.

2009 Public Workshop Schedule Announced

The Dry Stone Conservancy's 2009 Public Workshop Schedule has now posted to our website. These workshops fill very quickly because they are extremely popular, so if you are interested, be sure to sign up quickly. There are some really interesting Kentucky sites this year, including Lower Howard's Creek Nature and Heritage Preserve and Maker's Mark Distillery. Come join us!

Kentucky Outreach on the Road

Already this year, I've been to three meetings where I presented my slideshow on the Conservancy and Kentucky's rich drystone history. In February, I have two more meetings scheduled. If you would like to schedule a presentation for your organization, please contact us. The photo is from the presentation in Georgetown, KY for the Scott County Historical Society.

Legacy Trail

Recently the Conservancy met with engineers and designers from Stand Associates and CBA to discuss options for including drystone elements along the multi-use trail being developed in Lexington leading up to the 2010 World Equestrian Games. We got into the planning stage right at the beginning, so there's a strong chance that drystone will show up along the trail. Visit the Legacy Center social networking site to learn more about this great public trail development!