Autumn Holiday at the Funen Village

An autumn holiday with your hands in the soil

Potatoes, turnips and other root vegetables were an important part of the rural diet for centuries. During the autumn holiday, The Funen Village tells the story of the crops that grew beneath the soil and played a central role in a largely self-sufficient farming economy.

Children and adults can help dig up potatoes in the fields and carve turnip lanterns, just as people did long before pumpkins became a familiar part of autumn traditions.

On Tuesday during the autumn holiday, one of the village pigs is also slaughtered according to historical practices. The butcher and the village farmers explain the process and talk about the role livestock played in everyday rural life.

What can we learn from the past?

The Funen Village is increasingly exploring how history can offer new perspectives on present-day questions about resources, consumption and sustainability. In the 19th century, reusing, repairing and making careful use of available materials were a natural part of daily life, because very little could afford to go to waste.

That does not mean life at the time was more sustainable in the modern sense. But many historical habits offer interesting perspectives on the circular economy and on the way we use resources today. A visit can therefore give families both a better understanding of everyday life in the past and fresh perspectives on questions that are still relevant today.

Autumn can also be enjoyed throughout the village itself, where historic farmhouses, gardens and fields provide the setting for a visit. Here, families can explore and discover how strongly the changing seasons shaped both work and food in the 19th century.