The Longfellows Wayside Inn: Grist Mill

Name: Longfellows Wayside Inn: Grist Mill
Location: Sudbury, MA
Website: http://www.wayside.org/guide/grist+mill
Length of Stay: 45 minutes

The Grist Mill is open from April to November. It is a great stop to see the workings of an historic water mill.

Outside you can look around and see the waterwheel and the small pond and stream that feed it. We saw lots of flowers. There are several small streams and bridges. Used grindstones are set out around the building.

From inside they got a closer look at the waterwheel.

Once inside we got to see the workings of the grist mill. They were able to touch many different things. The miller showed all the different types of flour that they make there. He encouraged the girls to ask questions and showed them many different parts about the mill.

We learned about grinding the wheat we use to make bread. The girls were shown how they made white flour from the whole wheat flour and got to compare the colors and parts.

Rose and Amelia asked if they could touch something and the miller told them they could get in the box if they wanted. So they did. The box was full of husks from popcorn, the part that gets stuck in your teeth.

This is something we will do again.

Cassie – 3Dinosaurs.com