Ross Farm set to open $4.5M learning centre

After 10 years of planning, fundraising and building, the $4.5-million learning centre at the Ross Farm Museum opens this weekend just in time to celebrate the 200th anniversary of New Ross.

The environmentally friendly centreusesgeothermal and passive solar heatingand featuresa living roof. The facility will host workshops on traditional farming and heritage skills. A retail store, The Pedlar's Shop, will offer the work of selected Nova Scotiaartisans.

The idea to create the Ross Farm Museum at the site of the Ross family farm and homestead first came up during the150th anniversary of New Rossin 1966.

"It's fitting that this learning centre, which is an extension of Ross Farm, would open during the200thanniversary of New Ross," said Lisa Wolfe, the museum's director.

Wolfe says the architects,Jost Architects Ltd. of Annapolis Royal,used natural products in the building, just like the early settlers of New Ross would have done.

The community made it known at the start of the projectthat it didn't want the farm built of steel and glass.

"It fits beautifully into the landscape," Wolfe said. "We wanted the building so you wouldn't really notice it it's bermed into the side of the hill, so it takes away from the massiveness of it.It's a beautiful big barn."

An estimated 25,000 people visit Ross Farm every year. Wolfe says they want to learn heritage skills.

"There was a high demand for us to start a school to teach people these skills," Wolfe said.

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There are classrooms, an exhibit space, a room with an open hearth and a bake oven.

The workshops include classes ontraditional farming techniques,food preservation as well as lessons on howto look afterbackyard chickens.

The learning centre's official opening begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m.on Saturday.

To help celebrate, organizers are asking peoplewho live along the routesto Ross Farmto hang up quilts on their clotheslineson Saturdaymorning.

The first exhibit at the learning centre's galleryis a show of antique Nova Scotia quilts from 1800 to1920, curated by master quiltmakerPolly Greene.

CBC Halifax's Information Morning will be on site this morningwith a special live broadcast from the learning centre.