The exhibits, on display in a series of farm buildings, represent various stages of farm life. They include building a farm, preparing the soil, planting, cultivating and harvesting. Additional exhibits feature tools used by craftsmen such as the blacksmith, wheelwright, cooper and cobbler. Others feature farm animals, processing, preserving, small tools and housewares. Many tools on display were hand-forged by our ancestors, who struggled to raise their crops, gardens and animals by any means.
Many displays show a succession of tools used for the same job.
Each was an improvement over its predecessor, saving time and energy for the farmer. Wheat harvesting provides an excellent example of this process. First there was the handheld sickle, reaping hook and scythe, which cut the wheat. Next came the handheld grain cradle, which cut wheat and swept it aside. With Cyrus McCormick came the reaper, which allowed the farmer to ride his horse or mule that pulled the reaper.