Ag History Project Adds Exhibits

Two Agriculture History Project board members added their talents to the exhibits at the farming-centric museum this month.

Fred Chamberlain selected 10 of his black and white portrait photographs for an exhibit titled “Portrait of Pajaronians”.

Laura Rider demonstrated the operation of the four-harness fly-shuttle loom she has so carefully been restoring. She hopes the loom can become part of the education program where students can actually weave on the loom.

The Ag History Project unveiled the new exhibits at a reception earlier this week. The event drew a small crowd, and one got right in the mix.

While some gave Rider advice as she wrangled the restored loom, Watsonville resident Bambi Jones sat down at another historic loom that Rider had retied all the string heddles—those are the strings that create the pattern on the tapestry—to test out some color options in a weave.

After running through red, turquoise and royal blue, Jones decided the blue made the pattern "pop" the most.

, located at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, aims to preserve and promote the history of agriculture on the Central Coast.