What is Homestead Heritage known for?

Homestead Heritage is an agrarian- and craft-based intentional Christian community. It is known for its 550-acre farm where they use draft animals for farming and a Craft Village featuring specialized buildings for blacksmithing, pottery, woodworking, and fiber crafts.

What are the hours for the Homestead Craft Village?

The Homestead Craft Village is open Monday through Saturday. While some sources indicate hours from 10 AM to 5 PM, others state it is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Where is Homestead Heritage located?

Homestead Heritage is located near Waco, Texas, with addresses listed as 747 Dry Creek Rd. or 608 Dry Creek Rd., Waco, TX 76705.

What can I see at the Craft Village?

The Craft Village showcases handcraftsmanship through specialized shops for pottery, blacksmithing, cheese-making, and woodworking. Visitors can also find one-of-a-kind handcrafted items like soaps, hand-turned wooden bowls, and rocking chairs in a restored 1820s antique barn.

What is the history of Homestead Heritage?

The community began in June 1973 as a small peace church in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, New York, before eventually settling on a farm near Waco, Texas, which they purchased in 1990.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

Homestead Heritage in Waco

Homestead Heritage

An agrarian- and craft-based intentional Christian community featuring a 550-acre farm and a Craft Village showcasing award-winning handcraftsmanship in pottery, woodworking, and blacksmithing.

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What to know

Homestead Heritage is an agrarian- and craft-based intentional Christian community located on a 550-acre farm near Waco. The community, which comprises about 190 families and nearly 1,000 people, utilizes draft animals for farming and raises its own staple crops. Its origins date back to June 1973, when it began as a small peace church called Voice in the Wilderness on Manhattan's Lower East Side in the Hell's Kitchen area. After a period of community living in Colorado, the group purchased the Brazos de Dios farm in 1990. The heart of the visitor experience is the Homestead Craft Village, a showcase for the community's commitment to handcraftsmanship. The village includes specialized buildings for fiber crafts, cheese-making, pottery, and woodworking. Notably, the furniture makers here have won national awards and have contributed pieces to the permanent White House Collection by Presidential request. Visitors can also explore a restored 1820s antique barn that once stored hay and now houses unique handcrafted items such as hand-quilted quilts, soaps, and hand-turned wooden bowls. Beyond the crafts, the community hosts several annual events. The first Texas Homestead Fair was held in 1990, and the site continues to host seasonal festivals, including a Labor Day Festival and an annual Homestead Fair in late November. The site also serves as the home of the Ploughshare campus.

Visitor tips

The Homestead Craft Village is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Avoid visiting on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day as the village is closed.

Nearby context

Located northwest of Waco on Dry Creek Road, Homestead Heritage provides a rural contrast to the city's urban center, situated on the historic Brazos de Dios farm.

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