Newark, DE 19711 - University of Delaware Library Institutional ...

I. Tavern Meadow
The meadow was used only for the horses of tavern guests.
Grazing animals controlled the height of meadow grasses
and eliminated the need for hand mowing with scythes or
sickles. A fence completely enclosed the meadow to prevent
horses from wandering off. Meadow grasses are currently
maintained in a rough state by the Horticulture Department
to re-create the early landscape.
J. Folts Field (lot #96)
This cultivated area represents the fields and outlots on
which crops such as tobacco, corn, pumpkins, rye, broomcorn,
and clover were grown. There was often little room in &i
the smaller family gardens to cultivate these larger agricultural
crops. The following is a seasonal schedule of
crops grown in the Foltz field:
1. October-April = Winter rye or Red Clover
2. May-September = Corn and/or pumpkins, tobacco,
broomcorn, beans
Companion plantings of corn and pumpkins or corn and beans
often covered fields in summer. Corn stalks provided
support for the vines of runner beans. The upright growth
habit of corn also allowed pumpkin vines to sprawl along
the ground. The vines formed a dense groundcover which
controlled the evaporation of soil moisture and the growth
of weeds.
K. Animals
Domesticated animals were commonplace in early Salem and
included chickens, guinea fowl, horses, cows, and swine.
Because the restored town of Salem lies adjacent to urban
Winston-Salem and is home to many residents and a college,
it is difficult to tend many animals today. However, to
create a sense of the animal life once existent in Salem,
chickens and guinea fowl inhabit several of the current
museum lots.
1. Guineas
These unusual, two-legged creatures are native to Africa,
but were first brought to the U.S. during colonial times
as domesticated fowl.
Guineas do not like close confinement, but prefer to
roam and graze as they please. Basically carnivores,
they eat all types of insects as well as slugs, and
are useful additions to any farm or backyard garden.
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