FORGING, WHICH DATES 
BACK AS EARLY AS 4500 
B.C., IS USED FOR 
VARIOUS ARTISTIC AND 
FUNCTIONAL PURPOSES.  
DUE TO ITS 
VERSATILITY, METAL 
CAN BE USED FOR 
JEWELRY, HOME DECOR, 
TOOLS, HEAVY 
MACHINERY AND MORE.  
"FORGE DAY" IS HELD 
EACH YEAR ON THE LAST 
SATURDAY OF JANUARY 
AT MISSISSIPPI STATE 
UNIVERSITY 
EXTENSION'S CROSBY 
ARBORETUM.
IT CELEBRATES THE 
ART FORM OF 
METAL SMITHING AND 
ITS CONTRIBUTION TO 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
MANKIND. 
VISITORS GOT AN UP-
CLOSE LOOK AT 
FORGING METAL, AND 
SOME EVEN GOT TO TRY 
IT FOR THEMSELVES.
>>>> TAKE PKG
>> REPORTER: AMY 
TAYLOR-MYERS.
SOME OF US WHO HEAR 
THE TERM "FORGING" 
BELIEVE IT MEANS TO 
COPY, IMITATE OR 
DECEIVE&
BUT WHAT YOU SEE AT 
THE ANNUAL FORGE DAY 
IS FAR FROM FAKE. 
THE EVENT 
DEMONSTRATES METAL 
SMITHING, WHICH 
INVOLVES SHAPING 
METAL TO CREATE AN 
ART PIECE OR TOOL. 
CHARLES POLK SAYS HE 
ENJOYS PRACTICING 
THIS FASCINATING SKILL, 
WHICH HE IS LEARNING 
AT A YOUNG AGE.
>> CHARLES POLK, 
BLACK SMITH PICAYUNE, 
MS
"USUALLY I MAKE 
RAILROAD SPIKE KNIVES, 
S-HOOKS, DRIVE HOOKS, 
BOTTLE OPENERS, THAT 
KIND OF STUFF.  
I LIKE TO DO KNIVES.
IT'S FUN, IT'S A 
CHALLENGE, AND YOU 
NEVER KNOW WHAT 
YOUR REALLY, WHAT 
KIND OF SHAPE YOU'RE 
GOING TO GET OUT OF 
IT.
I MADE AN 18-INCH BUOY 
BEFORE. 
AND IT WAS PRETTY 
FUN.
REALLY THE FINAL PART, 
IT'S WHEN YOU TAKE IT 
OUT AND COOL IT OFF 
AND GOT IT IN YOUR 
HANDS, AND YOU'RE 
LIKE, 'MAN I MADE THAT.'   
AND IT'S JUST NEAT, IT'S 
WORTH YOUR WHILE, 
IT'S WORTH ALL THE 
WORK."
>> REPORTER:  POLK 
WAS ONE OF THE MANY 
ARTISANS AT FORGE 
DAY WHO SHOWED 
VISITORS HOW TO 
SHAPE METAL, USING 
HEAT AND PRESSURE. 
METAL SMITHING IS 
VERY SIMILAR TO BLACK 
SMITHING.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE 
IS BLACK SMITHING 
WORKS WITH IRON AND 
STEEL, WHILE 
METALSMITHING 
INVOLVES VARIOUS 
DIFFERENT METALS. 
HE SAYS THE 
POSSIBILITIES FOR 
CREATING A ONE OF A 
KIND PIECE ARE 
ENDLESS.
>> CHARLES POLK, 
BLACK SMITH PICAYUNE, 
MS
"THERE'S SO MANY 
TECHNIQUES, THERE'S 
TAPERING, THERE'S 
FULLERING, YOU CAN 
STRETCH IT OUT, MAKE 
IT WIDER, IT JUST 
DEPENDS ON WHAT 
YOU'RE TRYING TO 
MAKE, IT REALLY DOES. 
AND UM, IT'S NOT 
COMPLICATED, SOON AS 
YOU GET IT, IT'S STUCK.  
YOU AIN'T GOING TO 
JUST FORGET IT, IT'S 
LIKE RIDING A BIKE. 
THE HARDEST THINK I'VE 
PROBABLY EVER DONE 
WAS HEAT TREATING. 
WHEN YOU STICK IT IN 
THAT COLD WATER, YOU 
NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S 
GOING TO CRACK OR 
SOMETHING, AND THEN 
YOU MIGHT AS WELL 
JUST THROW IT AWAY. 
WHEN YOU'RE HEAT 
TREATING, IT COOLS OFF 
FAST, AND IT'S GOING TO 
SNAP IF YOU DON'T DO IT 
JUST RIGHT."
>> REPORTER:  POLK 
SAYS MANY OF THE 
PIECES HE MAKES ARE 
FOR SALE, AND HE ALSO 
CUSTOMIZES ITEMS FOR 
INDIVIDUALS. 
FOR ANYONE 
INTERESTED IN 
LEARNING ABOUT METAL 
OR BLACK SMITHING, 
CLUBS AND 
ORGANIZATIONS ARE 
AVAILABLE, LIKE 
MISSISSIPPI FORGE 
COUNCIL AND GULF 
COAST BLACKSMITH 
ASSOCIATION.
>> CHARLES POLK, 
BLACK SMITH PICAYUNE, 
MS
"I'M PART OF GULF 
COAST BLACKSMITH 
ASSOCIATION.
IT'S JUST A GREAT 
PLACE TO GO IF YOU 
WANT TO LEARN BLACK 
SMITHING AND JUST A 
WHOLE BUNCH OF 
OLDER SMITHS WHO 
KNOW JUST ABOUT 
EVERYTHING.  
WE HAVE A QUICK 
BUSINESS MEETING 
THEN PEOPLE GO OUT IN 
THE BACK, THEY HAVE 
FORGES THAT'S 
ALREADY LIT. 
AND YOU JUST GO BACK 
THERE AND BRING YOUR 
TOOLS AND FORGE 
WHAT YOU WANT."
>> REPORTER:  IN 
ADDITION TO 
ORGANIZATIONS AND 
ARTISANS BEING 
PRESENT WITH ITEMS 
FOR SALE, FREE KNIFE 
SHARPENING WAS 
OFFERED TO THOSE 
WHO BROUGHT DULL 
KNIVES TO FORGE DAY.  
PAT DRACKETT, WITH 
CROSBY ARBORETUM, 
SAYS THE EVENT WAS 
CREATED IN RESPONSE 
TO PUBLIC INTEREST. 
>> PAT DRACKETT, 
DIRECTOR, CROSBY 
ARBORETUM, MSU 
EXTENSION
"WE HAD SO MANY 
PEOPLE WHO WOULD 
STAND AROUND THE 
BLACK SMITH'S GROUP 
AT THE PINEY WOODS 
HERITAGE FESTIVAL 
THAT WE DECIDED WE 
WOULD TRY TO DO A 
FORGE DAY IN JANUARY, 
WHEN NOT MUCH ELSE 
IS HAPPENING. 
WE HAD A GREAT 
ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR, 
BECAUSE WE 
BENEFITTED FROM A 
VISIT MISSISSIPPI 
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 
GRANT THAT ALLOWED 
US TO DO ADVERTISING.  
AND WE HAD PROBABLY 
3 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF 
PEOPLE THAT WE HAD 
LAST YEAR, WE HAD 
CLOSE TO 500 PEOPLE 
HERE TODAY, AND 
REACHED A LARGE 
SECTION OF THE PUBLIC.  
SO WE COULDN'T BE 
MORE PLEASED.
I HAD A WOMAN JUST 
TELL ME IT ENGAGED 
HER SON FOR 3 HOURS, 
AND HE HAD BEEN 
COMPLAINING ABOUT 
COMING, AND HE 
THOUGHT IT WAS GOING 
TO BE A DULL AND 
BORING CLASS. 
SO WHEN WE SEE 
SCOUT GROUPS COME 
IN TO WORK ON THEIR 
METAL WORKING 
BADGES, AND JUST THE 
FUN THAT PEOPLE HAVE 
HERE, IT JUST BRINGS 
PEOPLE OUT TO THE 
ARBORETUM THAT 
MIGHT NOT NORMALLY 
HAVE VISITED."
>> REPORTER:  
DRACKETT ADDS THAT 
METAL FORGING IS 
BECOMING A POPULAR 
HOBBY FOR YOUNG 
PEOPLE.
>> PAT DRACKETT, 
DIRECTOR, CROSBY 
ARBORETUM, MSU 
EXTENSION
"IT'S WONDERFUL TO 
SEE PEOPLE GET 
CAPTIVATED AND THINK 
THIS MIGHT BE 
SOMETHING THAT THEY 
WOULD LIKE TO PICK UP.  
YOUTH CAN 
PARTICIPATE, SOME OF 
THE FORGERS WILL 
ALLOW THEM TO 
PARTICIPATE AND WE 
HAVE WAIVER FORMS 
AND PROVIDE SAFETY 
EQUIPMENT FOR THEM 
FOR THAT, BUT HE WILL 
START MAKING THESE 
LITTLE SWORDS, OR A 
LITTLE HOOK.  
AND WHEN SOMEONE 
MAKES SOMETHING LIKE 
THAT AND TAKE IT HOME, 
IT'S A REAL MEMENTO 
OF SOMETHING YOU'VE 
BEEN ABLE TO CRAFT 
YOURSELF."
>> REPORTER:  SOME OF 
THE FORGING 
EQUIPMENT USED AT 
THE EVENT DATES BACK 
TO THE 1850S, CREATING 
A SALUTE TO OUR OWN 
ROOTS AND HERITAGE.
BLACKSMITH CHUCK 
AVERETT WAS ONSITE, 
MAKING METAL POPPY 
FLOWERS TO HONOR A 
VERY IMPORTANT TIME 
IN HISTORY.
>> CHUCK AVERETT, 
BLACKSMITH 
"THIS POPPY WE'RE 
MAKING TODAY IS GOING 
TO GO TO FLANDERS 
BELGIUM , WERE A KIT IF 
THE FIGHTING TOOK 
PLACE FOR 4 YEARS 
THERE. 
AND THE DESIGNER OF 
THE PROJECT 
CONTACTED BLACK 
SMITHS FROM ALL 
AROUND THE WORLD, TO 
PUT THIS THING 
TOGETHER, BECAUSE 
WORLD WAR I WAS THE 
LAST PLACE BLACK 
SMITHS WERE USED UH, 
IN A YOU KNOW, A 
LARGE EXTENT OF THE 
WORK FORCE.  
WE'RE MAKING THESE 
2016 POPPIES, FOR THE 
YEAR 2016, WHICH IS 
THE 100-YEAR 
ANNIVERSARY OF ONE 
OF THE MAJOR BATTLES 
THERE. 
SO YOU'RE WORK TODAY 
WILL GO TO BELGIUM. 
THE REASON THEY 
CHOSE POPPIES WAS 
BECAUSE THIS IS A 
NATURAL FLOWER THAT 
GREW THERE, AND EVEN 
AFTER ALL THE 
SHELLING AND BOMBING 
THAT TOOK PLACE, THE 
POPPIES CONTINUED TO 
COME UP, AND THIS IS 
WHAT THE SOLDIERS 
REMEMBERED MOST, 
WHEN THEY CAME 
HOME, HOW PRETTY THE 
POPPIES WERE."
>> REPORTER:  AS MOST 
ITEMS SEEM TO BE 
PURCHASED 
PREDOMINANTLY IN 
CHAIN STORES, METAL 
FORGING IS THOUGHT 
TO BE "JUST SOMETHING 
FOLKS DID IN THE OLD 
DAYS." 
BUT CHARLES POLK 
SAYS THIS TIME-
HONORED ART HAS A 
NEW LEASE ON LIFE. 
>> CHARLES POLK, 
BLACK SMITH PICAYUNE, 
MS
PEOPLE SAY THAT 
BLACKSMITHING'S A 
DYING ART, AND IT'S 
NOT.  
THERE'S SO MANY 
PEOPLE GETTING INTO 
THIS, AND IT'S JUST 
AMAZING HOW MANY 
BLACK SMITHS THERE 
REALLY ARE.  
IT'S PRETTY FUN, AND 
IT'S CRAZY TO THINK 
YOU KNOW, 
SOMEBODY'S DONE THIS 
A THOUSAND YEARS 
AGO. 
WE'RE JUST TAKING THE 
NEW GENERATION INTO 
THE NEW AGE OF BLACK 
SMITHING."
>> REPORTER:  IN 
REFLECTION, THIS 
YEAR'S FORGE DAY AT 
THE CROSBY 
ARBORETUM OFFERS A 
COMPELLING TAKE-
HOME MESSAGE: 
AS YOU WATCH THE 
TURNING WHEEL OF AN 
OLD FORGE, IT SEEMS 
TO SYMBOLIZE AN ART 
FORM THAT IS MAKING A 
COME-BACK, FULL 
CIRCLE.  
FROM PICAYUNE, 
MISSISSIPPI, I'M AMY 
TAYLOR-MYERS, 
REPORTING.  
>>>> SS IN
>> TAYLOR-MYERS -   
YOU CAN WATCH THIS 
STORY AGAIN ON 
FORGE DAY ON OUR 
FARMWEEK WEB SITE, 
OUR FACEBOOK PAGE 
OR YOU-TUBE.....
OUR WEB SITE 
ADDRESS IS
FARMWEEK.MSUCARES.
COM
THE CROSBY 
ARBORETUM OF 
MISSISSIPPI STATE 
UNIVERSITY EXTENSION 
IS LOCATED ON RIDGE 
ROAD AT PICAYUNE.
FORGE DAY TAKES 
PLACE ANNUALLY ON 
THE LAST SATURDAY OF 
JANUARY.
>>>> OUT
>> TAYLOR-MYERS-  
>>> PAD / PROMO 
BELIEVE IT MEANS TO 
COPY, IMITATE OR 
DECEIVE&
BUT WHAT YOU SEE AT 
THE ANNUAL FORGE DAY 
IS FAR FROM FAKE. 
THE EVENT 
DEMONSTRATES METAL 
SMITHING, WHICH 
INVOLVES SHAPING 
METAL TO CREATE AN 
ART PIECE OR TOOL. 
CHARLES POLK SAYS HE 
ENJOYS PRACTICING 
THIS FASCINATING SKILL, 
WHICH HE IS LEARNING 
AT A YOUNG AGE.
>> CHARLES POLK, 
BLACK SMITH PICAYUNE, 
MS
"USUALLY I MAKE 
RAILROAD SPIKE KNIVES, 
S-HOOKS, DRIVE HOOKS, 
