Love to cook and love the outdoors? Why not combine them into one glorious experience? The Maine Forest and Logging Museum needs volunteers to make the beans. It's a multi-day affair and involves heavy lifting. The first day has volunteers preparing the ingredients and getting the fires going. The beans go into the ground at the end of that day, which takes 2 strong people and a metal pole. The next day, the beans come out and are served to hungry guests. The specifics of the bean-making job are:
- get the cooking fire and the bean pit fires going;
- bring out the bean pots and clean if necessary;
- soak the dry beans in water until doubled in size;
- cut the vegetables and measure the other ingredients;
- parboil the beans until tender;
- add the other ingredients to the bean pots on the fire;
- cover and put bean pot into the bean pit;
- clean up the work area: wash dishes and dispose of waste;
- put out the cooking fire;
- put all remaining equipment back into the shed and lock up.
If doing this job during Living History Days, the beans for Sunday must be prepared while Saturday's beans are being served.
It's a lot of work, but it is rewarding. It's also a good time reminiscent of camping: preparing food outdoors with fires going, in very peaceful setting.
