The Casey Farm Preservation Trades Workshop was held on the fields of Casey Farm, under tents, in the open air, and in the barns. Interactive demonstrations took place over the weekend, using props or actual conservation, restoration or construction projects selected on the farm.  The demonstrators  displayed their craft, using traditional trade techniques, tools, and experience, on an on-going basis throughout each day while answering questions and interacting with attendees.  A one on one discussion area was provided to “ask the professional” specific questions or to engage in conversations regarding preservation issues. Guided tours of the house, farmyard, and cemetery, where six generations of Caseys are buried, were be provided.  On Saturday, the Farmer’s Market took place at Casey Farm in conjunction with the Preservation Trades Workshop. 

Casey Farm is a mid 18th-century homestead overlooking Narragansett Bay and the center of a plantation that produced food for local and foreign markets.  Located near Newport, Casey Farm had access to material goods imported from England, enabling its early owners to live in a fashionable manner.  Casey Farm’s prosperity ended with the burning of Newport during the Revolution, and the farm settled into a pattern of absentee ownership.  Starting in the mid 19th-century, the Casey family began to improve the farm, leasing the property to tenant farmers.  Today, resident farm managers raise organically grown vegetables, herbs, and flowers for subscribing households in a Community Supported Agriculture program. 

On June 1, 2004, Historic New England evolved from the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA).  SPNEA changed its long-standing public name to better reflect a renewed commitment to its mission of serving the public by preserving and presenting New England’s heritage for today’s audiences.  Along with the name change, the organization launched a new brand identity, including a revised logo and a new tag line:  “Defining the past.  Shaping the future.”  The name change and tag line focus on expanding audiences by inviting more people to experience, in an authentic and personal way, the lives and stories of the individuals and families who made New England what it is today.  Historic New England also developed a new Historic Homeowner Membership, answering a need for support and guidance from owners on care and conservation of their historic home.  The membership provides individualized access to Historic New England’s Historic Preservation staff for evaluation, consultation, and referrals on a range of issues confronting older houses. 

Heritage Restoration, Inc. (HRI) has been a proud member of the Preservation Trades Network since PTN’s first International Preservation Trades Workshop.  HRI is a Rhode Island based private historic preservation contracting company, performing a more generalist approach to preserving and maintaining historic structures.  Founded in 2001, HRI is staffed with preservation tradespeople that are dedicated to the exchange and dissemination of educational material and techniques.  HRI is partnering with PTN and Historic New England to assist in the assembling of craftspeople and planning of this local event.

Preserve Rhode Island is a state-wide membership organization chartered by the State Legislature in 1956 to be the nonprofit force guiding & fostering historic and heritage preservation, with the mandate to reach out into all corners of the State - a state that has the highest number of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places per square mile of any in the nation.

Kent Ackley - RI Lead Technicians, Inc., East Providence, RI
Historic and Healthy Window Restoration
Windows deserve special attention from homeowners, contractors, preservationists, housing advocates, and lead safety experts. This workshop will explore how to assess the condition of historic window sashes and how to conduct repairs and restoration safely. Appropriate techniques and products that ensure lead safety will be discussed and a case study of a successful implementation of leadsafe window restoration.

Jonathan Appell - New England Cemetery Service, West Hartford, CT
Basic Gravestone Conservation, Gravestone Cleaning, and Graveyard Preservation Philosophy
Discussion of the different kinds of stones commonly used historically to create memorials and their associated problems. The graveyard on site will be assessed to determine what kind of conservation is needed. Demonstration of basic gravestone conservation procedures may include: join gravestone fragments with epoxy; fill in small cracks with an injection grout; infill lost stone with a stone composite patching material. Discussion of gravestone cleaning, what to clean, what not to clean, and why. Included will be a site visit to the Casey Family Cemetery for demonstration purposes.

Anne Baker - Preservation Consultant, Westport, MA
New England 17 & 18 Century Vernacular Architecture
Above Ground Archaeology: How to Hear a House’s Voice A Power Point presentation showing how a house can talk, what a "pass-by view" can tell you about the age of a house, what and how to look for in a time period, reading a ruin, exterior and interior secrets found behind walls, in the outbuildings, or even in a dump, and dating foundation stones by drill marks.

Bruce Blanchard - Historic New England, Waltham, MA
Plaster Stabilization and Re-adhesion
Within the Casey Farm Museum, Bruce will demonstrate the use of acrylic adhesives, perfected by the late Morgan Phillips beginning in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, used by Historic New England throughout the restoration work in their house museums.

Michael L. Burrey – MLB Restorations, Plymouth, MA
Dendrochronology
A brief overview of dendrochronology as a method of dating a wood structure and demonstration of sampling dendrochronology techniques. Timber Conversion Methods from the 17th to 19th Centuries Demonstration of early timber conversion methods such as hewing, riving and pit sawing using period appropriate tools and discussion of particular tool marks left on timbers from these early conversion methods and how they differ from later marks from sash, band and circular saws.

Mary Lou Davis - Mary Lou Davis, Inc., Woodstock, CT
Historic Decorative Finishes, Paints, & Gilding
Conservation treatments on existing or original decorative paint finishes and gilding on architectural surfaces and objects. Discussion on replication of historic finishes on objects, wood, or plaster.

Stephen DeMetrick –Stephen C. DeMetrick Woodworking, Wakefield, RI
Don’t Close the Door on that Old Wooden Door
Applying modern extruded silicone weatherstripping to older doors, replacing the threshold, and installing a drip edge and sweep on the door bottom. Discussion will also include building a jamb & threshold with weatherstripping to install an old door in a new project.

Ted and Walter Eayrs - Blackburn Restoration Services, Middleboro, MA
Caring for Interior Historic Finishes
Explore the best ways to preserve and maintain historic wood and painted finishes. Through descriptions and demonstration the session will focus on traditional finishing techniques and illustrate the process of cleaning, touching up, replicating and maintaining historic interior finishes.

Ken and David Follett – The Follett Group, Mastic Beach, NY
The Long Island Chainsaw Masonry
A cutting edge exploration of the strategic removal of various architectural elements for fun, profit, salvage or simply human curiosity. No blood will be spared as the dynamic duo of the Probe Masters attempt once again the death defying heroics of chain saw incisions into the veins of natural stone. For the more serious minded professionals we will have on hand a variety of tools used to assist architects and structural engineers in the pre-construction design phase to collect information on historic structures. Elements of the art of invasive probes will be presented. Learn what it means to make a smart hole.

Rich Friberg –Pleasant Avenue Restorations, East Bridgewater, MA
Architectural Woodturning
Demonstration and discussion of how to reproduce balusters, carve barley twists, turn new handles for old tools, and the use of story sticks, calipers and drawings.

John Friedrichs - New Dimension Building, Lexington, VA
Mortar, Brick, a Level and a Satchel; Historic Masonry’s Common Ground
This demonstration will emphasize the tools and techniques of historic 3 brick thick, load bearing masonry, common across all of the east coast of the U.S. The bonding, strike on the joint, hand techniques, and related information will be shared.

Bill Gould - William Gould Architectural Preservation, LLC, Pomfret Center, CT
Structural Epoxy Repairs
Know all your options for repairs; materials and techniques of structural epoxy use.

Sarah Jackson - National Center for Preservation Training and Technology, Natchitoches, LA
Limewash: The Other White "Paint"
Limewash is a traditional finish used around the world to protect and decorate a multitude of surfaces. Often it is referred to as a "traditional paint" or whitewash. With the industrial evolution and the invention of modern-day paints, its use in the U.S. began to fade in the early 20th century. The demonstration will go over a brief history of limewash, NCPTT’s study, and discuss application. Also discussed will be the mixing of limewash and preparing the substrate for application. A hands-on demonstration will conclude the demonstration to allow the participants to get a feel for the finish. The Casey Farm Share Barn, used by visitors and volunteers daily, will get many fresh interior coats of limewash. As an on-going demonstration, check in often to participate or view the progress.

George Martell - Martell’s Metal Works, Seekonk, MA
Hot Metal and the Art of Blacksmithing
Traditional blacksmithing in today’s world. Discussions will include Architectural and Restoration work in steel, bronze, and copper.

The Masonry Collaborative - Mortar Matching and Stone Foundation Repointing
A collaboration between the veteran masons available for the weekend, the session will include a short discussion on mortar matching and repointing. The session will then move to the rear of the Casey Farm Cow Barn for hands-on repointing of the stone foundation using a traditional lime mortar mix.

Deborah A. Mills - Deborah Mills Woodcarving, Brooklyn, NY
Traditional Woodcarving
On-going demonstration to create a relief sculpture by hand carving in wood, using traditional chisel and mallet techniques. Through various stages of completion, the steps to create the carving design will be revealed; from the sketched and transferred design or drawing, to the outlining of the design using the v-tool, to the setting in of the major lines, to grounding, then to the rough modeling that establishes relationships among the design elements, and finally to the fine carving that completes the design’s details. Sharpening of chisels using slip stones and oil, then leather strops with sharpening compound will also be shown.

Jade Mortimer - Heartwood Building & Restoration, Hawley, MA
Andy Roeper - Winn Mountain Restorations, Lyndeborough, NH
Defeat Darth Vinyl - Save your Wood Windows and Energy Too
Over the course of the sessions, a complete window assembly will be stripped, re-glazed and weather stripped. Repair techniques including both wood and epoxy repairs will be demonstrated. Proper weather stripping and care and maintenance of the entire window system will be discussed as well as appropriate techniques for stabilization and maintenance planning. Several sash will be available for hands on glazing demonstrations and audience participation.

Michael Orrell - Hoffman Painting & Restoration, New Hope, PA
This Old Mike- Tips, Techniques & Observations from the Restoration Frontlines
A collection of observations & experiences from 40 years in the trades. Field & shop tips, biomechanics and the trades, developing the next generations.

Andrew Panciotti – Providence Cornice Inc., Providence, RI
Traditional Cornicework Techniques
Demonstration of the traditional techniques for details, seams and locks of sheet metal work. The tools, equipment, and techniques to properly perform soldering procedures in joining sheet metal will also be demonstrated.

Michael Robinson – Preservation Woodworking, Wakefield, RI
Tom Spadoni - Smithfield High School, Smithfield, RI
Wood Sidewall Shingling
Sidewall shingling techniques are crucial to a building’s performance and ability to resist weather. The Share Barn will offer two front sidewalls to be reshingled. Attendees will observe the proper techniques of papering, installing splines, starter courses, spacing, proper lapping and nailing. A mock up outside and inside corner weaving demonstration will also take place. Wood Roof Shingling The art of wood shingle roofing is often taken for granted. A wood roof is certainly not a sidewall, and poor work can show up very quickly. Attendees will observe, through use of a roof mock up, the proper techniques of underlayments and sheathing, starter courses, spacing, proper lapping, flashing and nailing.

Taylor Spalt - Premier Cedar Works, Scituate, MA
Sawing On Site
The sawyer will mill timbers on a portable sawmill throughout the weekend for the timber framing crew and their projects on the farm.

The Timber Framing Collaborative - Timber Framing 101: Basic Tools and Techniques
A collaboration between the timber framer veterans available for the weekend. The basic tools, techniques, and philosophy needed in timber framing will be reviewed, discussed, and demonstrated.

John B. Vaughan - Architectural Conservation Services, Bristol, RI
Historic Paint Making & Analysis
On-going demonstration of historic paint making and modern analysis for historic structures and building materials.

James Warden - Milligan Construction, Providence, RI
Down in the Valley- Slate Roof Valley Replacement
Replacement of a leaky open valley on a slate roof using a roof mock up.

Michael Weitzner - Thistle Stone Works, Brattleboro, VT
Interested in Dry Stone Walling? Don’t be skittish about the British…
On-site dry stone walls will be repaired using traditional techniques. Participants will be introduced to the basic methods and dimensions of free-standing field enclosure walls with a view to encouraging those interested in developing dry stone walling skills to obtain further training and professional certification under the Craftsman Certification Scheme of Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain. An on-site stone wall will be partially dismantled, rebuilt, and end capped in anticipation for a future project at the farm. An on-going demonstration, check in often to participate or to view progress.

Preston Woodburn – MLB Restorations, Plymouth, MA
Timber Framing 101: Basic Tools and Techniques
The basic tools, techniques, and philosophy needed in timber framing will be reviewed, discussed, and demonstrated. Rapid layout and joinery will be highlighted.

George, Dominic, & Christian Zachorne – George W. Zachorne, Inc., Wickford, RI
Maritime Restoration & Small Boat Repair
Three wooden boats, in various stage of completion, will be reviewed and the appropriate methods for repair and construction discussed. The boats will include a 9’ 1937 Cutter Tender, a 13’ 1950’s Peapod, and an 1869 Thomas Stoddard replica built in typical Whitehall fashion. Northeastern boat building specifics and tools of the trade will also be presented. Scale boat models, of differing types, plans, and a plank on frame section will be on hand.