Once upon a time, children, teenagers and parents didn’t go through life with smart phones in their back pockets. Unbelievably, there was even a time when college football didn’t dominate Saturdays, and Sunday dinner was prepped the day before.

Want proof? Grapevine’s Nash Farm can provide it. Re-enacting history from the late 19th century happens daily at the city-owned property at 626 Ball St. The events, programs and tours educate visitors about the agricultural life of the historic Grape Vine Prairie. In the fall, the events there grow like crops in a good season, offering a glimpse into farm life before TVs, SUVs and NFL.

“I love finding new skills and crafts that I had no idea existed and then sharing them with everybody else,” said Kimberly Wageman-Prack, Nash Farm’s coordinator who loves to research all things 19th- and early 20th-century. “There are some fantastic gems hidden in newspapers and periodicals.”

She’s eager to share her knowledge of history with the public, too. Families can learn the do-si-do at the barn dance, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11. This event is more of a glimpse into the more modern times of the 1950s. A called dance, fried chicken box supper and pie auction are part of the fun. Tickets, priced at $25, must be purchased in advance. Information: grapevinetexasusa.com or nashfarm.org.

After a night of dancing, the entire family can attend the free Fall Roundup, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 12. The public can bring handmade items in the spirit of a county fair to display, ranging from patchwork quilts to doll-making, knitting projects and jellies.

A tent dubbed “Traditions in the Making” will display those handmade items. The entries will be judged, and ribbons presented by noon.

“If you’ve made it, you can enter it,” Wageman-Prack said. “I want visitors to look at the display and be inspired by all the possibilities of what they could create that they may not have even considered or imagined doing. Maybe by seeing other’s skills, it will bring to the forefront a skill or talent they hadn’t known they had. It gives you a sense of accomplishment.”

Hands-on learning experiences will include pickle making, rug and rope creation and crafting corn husk dolls. A chuckwagon demonstration will recreate cooking on the trail, while a smokehouse will cook meats much differently than turning on the backyard gas grill. The Grapevine Cornet Band will play, while sheep and chickens roam the farm.

Concessions will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting Nash Farm’s educational programs. An old-fashioned cakewalk will end the day.

“I see a lot of kids today afraid to try things because they’re afraid they’re going to fail,” Wageman-Prack said. “We want them to try. You have to make some less than stellar things before you get good at it and you have to try things to see if you even like it or not.” 

Ending October will be Bewitched at the Barn, a family event set for 7p.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 26. Storytellers will spin tales, as was popular in the 19th century, and the stories will become progressively spookier as the night gets darker. Admission costs $5 and includes popcorn and lemonade.

Then Nov. 1 begins the month with a chance to learn how to make holiday gifts. At the Victorian Gifts Workshop, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., visitors will learn how to create a pin cushion or cover boxes and make a “pen wipe,” perfect for storing pen and ink. Cost is $65.

“It’s a great opportunity for parents and children to bond away from the screens, make some lasting memories and perhaps make some new family traditions,” Wageman-Prack said.