18th century earthen camp kitchen at Mount Harmon

If you are near northeast Maryland (Earleville) tomorrow (Sunday) you can still see the freshly dug camp kitchen and enjoy the Revolutionary War encampment and battle at Mt Harmon Plantation HERE.

Many soldiers could cook around the circular earthen kitchen.  Firewood was burned in each recess with a pot placed above, raised over the exhaust hole by supports, in this example, the three rocks. Tim Abbott, seated, spent four hours digging out this camp kitchen.

For more information see the wonderfully researched article by John Rees: Earthen Camp Kitchen. It was much more efficient than individual fires.  Some of the 800 reenactors cooking for their groups...

Cooking demonstrations were also held in the out kitchen.

Seven or eight years ago I joined Nancy and Jack Gardner for a December cooking demo.  Nancy at the table.

So, go see the unusual earthen kitchen.  I drove up just to see the earthen kitchen but had a delightful day watching and talking with the reenactors.  It is a beautiful weekend to be outside at a beautiful site...

©2014 Patricia Bixler Reber
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