Photo: Mr. and Mrs. Claus at Rentschler Farm. Photo by Sue Kelch

On Sunday, December 8th, the Saline Area Historical Society sponsored the annual Christmas at Rentschler Farm. Volunteers showed visitors around and provided historical information.

On the first floor, Kordula Sadek, a senior in high school, showed the dining room Christmas decorations and food that would have been served around the holidays.  Nora Stevenson, also a senior in high school, was in the kitchen making pomander balls or apple of amber (piercing cloves in oranges), providing a wonderful aroma.

On the second floor, Bob Lane showed the “nut room,” a room used for dry food storage. Bob explains about the home: ” When they built the house in the early 1900s, there was no indoor plumbing. There was also no electricity, although it was prepped.” The wallpaper, also on the ceiling, is original in the nut room.

There were many framed prints in German around the home, including a marriage and confirmation certificate, as well as a Bible quote and cross-stitched blessing.  Bob states “German was a common language in Saline after 1850 when the German immigrants started coming here from Europe.”

Speaking of Saline’s German heritage, Dean Girbach explains, “In the 1920s, some of the German churches in Saline were doing their services in German. My grandmother came to St. Paul because she wanted the kids to learn English.”

The outdoor tour featured a barn where cider and German treats such as Pfeffernuse cookies were provided, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus and other volunteers hosted children’s crafts.

Merry Christmas from the Rentschler Farm.

For more information on the Rentschler Farm, visit www.salinehistory.org/our-museums

For a brief history of making pomander balls, visit www.almanac.com/how-make-pomander-balls