Before refrigeration, keeping food edible was a genuine skill set, and the Urban Park Rangers spend the late morning at the Old Stone House showing what it involved — the preparation, the preserving, the techniques that carried a colonial household through to the next harvest. It is free, unfussy, and staged on the ground where the Battle of Brooklyn was fought. If you are coming back for the Maryland 400 commemoration later, start here.
What to expect
Rangers set up outdoors in Washington Park beside the Old Stone House and run through colonial food preparation and preservation, explaining the reasoning behind each technique as they go. It is a demonstration rather than a class, so you can drift in, watch, ask questions, and drift out again. Kids tend to latch onto the tools and the smell more than the history.
Good to know
- The Old Stone House sits in Washington Park off Fifth Avenue; the R to Union Street and the F/G to Fourth Avenue-Ninth Street both work.
- Urban Park Rangers programmes are free and drop-in — no registration required.
- The demonstration is outdoors, so dress for the weather and bring water.
- It pairs neatly with the Battle of Brooklyn commemoration happening at the same site later the same day.
- Suits curious kids and adults equally; no cooking experience is assumed.
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Common questions
Is it free?
Yes. Urban Park Rangers programmes are free and open to the public, with no ticket and no registration required.
Do I get to eat anything?
It is billed as a demonstration of colonial preparation and preservation techniques rather than a tasting, so come for the method rather than for lunch.
Where exactly do I go?
The Old Stone House sits inside Washington Park in Park Slope. Rangers set up outdoors near the building; if you cannot find them, call 311 for the day's details.
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