Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Three Sisters Progress

A few weeks ago I wrote about planting a “three sisters’ garden.” Three sisters refers to planting squash, corn and beans together in a mound. A Native American way of gardening. Corn in the center. Then climbing beans next to the corn and squash around the outside. The beans are supposed to climb up the corn; the squash are expected to shade out any weeds that may grow.

Here’s a progress report. With lots of rain and plenty of warm weather, everything came up, almost at the same time. The corn really needed to have a head start on the beans, which it did not have. The beans are growing wildly, throwing out their climbing tendrils with nothing to latch onto. The corn, wimpy and slow, seemed overwhelmed by the exuberant beans. The squash is growing as squash does this time of the year, slowly.

We weeded the little mound a couple of times, couldn’t wait for the squash. And we cheated a little, too. I stuck a four-foot long stick right dab in the middle of the mound for the wildly thriving beans. Within a day the beans found the stick and seem much happier with something to cling to. The corn, struggling, seems a little put off by what I had done. If corn thinks, it’s probably wondering why I didn’t have a little more patience and wait for it to grow taller so it could accommodate the beans. So far the three sisters are not getting along too well. But I guess most sisters have spats from time-to-time.

More about the experiment later.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: The shortest distance between two points is often not the point.

CHECK THIS OUT: A new edition of BARNS OF WISCONSIN (Wisconsin Historical Society Press) is now available. Go to my website: www.jerryapps.com for details and ordering information.

WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” The class is full, but you can put your name on a waiting list. There is still room in my day-long workshop, Saturday, October 30. The Clearing Folk School www.theclearing.org P.O. Box 65 | 12171 Garrett Bay Road | Ellison Bay, Wisconsin 54210 Toll Free: 877.854.3225 | clearing@theclearing.org Monday - Friday 8-4

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 10, 10:30-2:30. Bramble Books, Viroqua. New location: 213 S. Main Street, Viroqua. Horse Drawn Days and more.

July 11, 10:30-2:30, The Pickle Station, Saxeville, WI. In a Pickle and more.

July 13, 7:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Central Wis. Launch of Horse Drawn Days.

July 29, 7:00 p.m. Brown Street Books, Rhinelander, WI. Horse Drawn Days and more.

August 4. 10:30 a.m. Flying Farmers Meeting, Holiday Inn, Fond du Lac. Stories from the Land.

August 8-14, The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI. Writing Class.

August 22, 11:00-3:00, Barnes and Noble, Racine, WI. Horse Drawn Days and more.

August 25, 7:00 p.m. Bailey’s Harbor Town Hall, Door County Environmental Council. Ames County Novels plus Old Farm.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Wild Roses

Almost by accident I found several wild rose bushes growing on a hillside on the back part of my farm. I was driving my Gator along the prairie trail and my eye caught a spot of pink among the grasses that grew there. I had not seen wild roses here before; the last plants I saw grew alongside the trail to the pond, and had been snuffed out by the over competitive buckthorn that grows everywhere these days.

I discovered not only one wild rose bush, small and rather fragile, but perhaps a dozen. And several were in bloom. For those not familiar, the wild rose flower has five petals, light pink in color. They have a wonderful, quiet, but distinctive aroma. No other rose compares, at least not in my judgment.

Wild roses have a special place on my farm, for the township where my farm is located is called Rose, and the nearest village is Wild Rose. Some claim both the township and the village were named after the wild roses found growing here. Others say, no doubt correctly, that these places were named after Rose, New York in Wayne County, where many of the settlers in this area had first lived.

The wild rose is state flower for Iowa and for the Province of Alberta in Canada. Alas, Wisconsin chose the wood violet as its state flower, missing an opportunity to give this native flower a bit more glory.

To see a photo of a wild rose, go to my son, Steve’s blog: http://steveappsblog.com/?p=547

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Tall trees don’t always provide the most shade

CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Jerry-Apps

WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” The class is full, but you can put your name on a waiting list. There is still room in my day-long workshop, Saturday, October 30. The Clearing Folk School www.theclearing.org P.O. Box 65 | 12171 Garrett Bay Road | Ellison Bay, Wisconsin 54210 Toll Free: 877.854.3225 | clearing@theclearing.org Monday - Friday 8-4

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 10, 10:30-2:30. Bramble Books, Viroqua. New location: 213 S. Main Street, Viroqua. Horse Drawn Days.

July 11, 10:30-2:30, The Pickle Station, Saxeville, WI. In a Pickle.

July 13, 7:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Central Wis. Launch of Horse Drawn Days.

July 29, 7:00 p.m. Brown Street Books, Rhinelander, WI. Horse Drawn Days.

August 4. 10:30 a.m. Flying Farmers Meeting, Holiday Inn, Fond du Lac. Stories from the Land.

August 8-14, The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI. Writing Class.

August 22, 11:00-3:00, Barnes and Noble, Racine, WI. Horse Drawn Days and more.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Pioneer Days

Want to learn more about pioneer days in Wisconsin, 1850s to 1900? My novel, THE TRAVELS OF INCREASE JOSEPH (University of Wisconsin Press) is now available in paperback. Here are two reviews for the book to give you some idea of its contents:

Like all of Jerry’s books, Travels is steeped in meticulous research, but this time Jerry has let his imagination have at the facts. We follow the career of Increase Joseph Link from the time he gets drummed out of theology school until his death. His calling to preach comes in the form of a literal lightning bolt and leads him to form the church of the Standalone Fellowship, based on teachings contained in a mysterious red book the preacher keeps with him at all times and never lets anyone else read. When not preaching a gospel of God, man, and the land, pastor Link peddles a cure-all tonic (the recipe also remains his secret, but I'm betting on a high alcohol content) that sells for "50 cents, or two for a dollar." It's a wonderful read and an education in Wisconsin history and the formation of America. I highly recommend it. Marshal Cook

The Travels of Increase Joseph by Jerry Apps is a superbly crafted historical novel of a pioneer preacher who came to the wildlands of Wisconsin in 1852 with his small gathering of followers, the Standalone Fellowship. Supporting the Fellowship by selling his special curative tonic, and delivering oratory and with powerful messages that are nothing short of spellbinding, Joseph Link dared to speak out as he journeyed and his words and ideas made an impression that stayed. The Travels of Increase Joseph is a most thoughtful and wonderfully entertaining read. Jerry Apps writes with vibrant character and has a penchant for making Wisconsin history come alive. Midwest Book Review.

Check your local bookstore, or order from my website, www.jerryapps.com.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: The land comes first. It’s the land; we must learn to listen to it, and take care of it.

CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Jerry-Apps

WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” The class is full, but you can put your name on a waiting list. There is still room in my day-long workshop, Saturday, October 30. The Clearing Folk School www.theclearing.org P.O. Box 65 | 12171 Garrett Bay Road | Ellison Bay, Wisconsin 54210 Toll Free: 877.854.3225 | clearing@theclearing.org Monday - Friday 8-4

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 10, 10:30-2:30. Bramble Books, Viroqua. New location: 213 S. Main Street, Viroqua. Horse Drawn Days.

July 13, 7:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Central Wis. Launch of Horse Drawn Days.

July 29, 7:00 p.m. Brown Street Books, Rhinelander, WI. Horse Drawn Days.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Horse Drawn Days at Stonefield

Wisconsin Historical Society’s Stonefield Village, near Cassville, celebrated Horse Drawn Days this past Saturday. People toured the agricultural museum of horse-drawn farm implements, watched a farrier shoe horses, rode a horse-drawn carriage, saw a log cutting demonstration, and observed broom making.

Watching Randy Moshead and his three-horse team plow a small field in front of the museum delighted those who came to the day-long event. Children and adults gathered to watch Randy’s team pull a one bottom riding-plow that turned over ribbons of black soil. Slowly and deliberately the team worked and by day’s end much of the field was plowed.

A comment heard from those who watched, “How quiet it is when horses pull a plow.” Indeed, no roaring engines, no smell of diesel fumes, just the occasionally soft jingle of a harness chains and an even softer commands from the driver.

The Saturday event took many of us back to the days when horses pulled the plows, when the sounds were those of the birds and the soft spring breezes, and the smells were those of freshly turned soil and horse sweat. And no one was in a hurry.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: When you farm with horses, you are never alone.

CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Jerry-Apps

WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” The class is full, but you can put your name on a waiting list. There is still room in my day-long workshop, Saturday, October 30. The Clearing Folk School www.theclearing.org P.O. Box 65 | 12171 Garrett Bay Road | Ellison Bay, Wisconsin 54210 Toll Free: 877.854.3225 | clearing@theclearing.org Monday - Friday 8-4

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 15, 12:00 noon. Wis Historical Society Museum on the Square. Horse Drawn Days.

June 16, 11:45-12:30. Wisconsin Public Radio, Larry Meiller Show. Horse Drawn Days.

June 18, 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. SE Wisconsin Festival of Books, UW-Waukesha campus.
Ames County Novels.

July 10, 10:30-2:30. Bramble Books, Viroqua. New location: 213 S. Main Street, Viroqua. Horse Drawn Days.

July 13, 7:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Central Wis. Launch of Horse Drawn Days.

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Whip-poor-wills

I heard whip-poor-wills calling at the farm the other night. Just after the sun went down, on a still evening without another sound. Their calls echoed through the valley below our cabin, a haunting call that reminded me of my growing up years on the farm.

We usually heard the first whip-poor-wills in late May, after the grass had greened up, the oat crop was lush and growing, and we had the corn ground ready for planting. Pa said the whip-poor-wills were calling, “Plant your corn, plant your corn.” It sounded like that as the seldom seen night birds called their name over and over, sometimes a dozen or more times in a row.

When we heard the whip-poor-wills the other night, my son, Steve said that it was one of his favorite sounds at our farm when he was a kid. It was one of my favorite sounds when I was a kid as well.

THE OLD TIMER SAW THIS ON A T-SHIRT. “I was born with nothing and I have most of it left.”

CHECK THIS OUT: http://twitter.com/jerryapps


WRITING WORKSHOPS

August 8-14. My week-long writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County. “Writing From Your Life.” The class is full, but you can put your name on a waiting list. There is still room in my day-long workshop, Saturday, October 30. The Clearing Folk School www.theclearing.org. P.O. Box 65 | 12171 Garrett Bay Road | Ellison Bay, Wisconsin 54210 Toll Free: 877.854.3225 | clearing@theclearing.org Monday - Friday 8-4

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 8, 7:00 p.m. Launch for Horse Drawn Days book, Barnes and Noble West Madison.

June 9, 10:30 a.m. College Days, UW-Madison campus. Ames County Historical Fiction Series.

June 12, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Horse Drawn Days at Stonefield Village, Cassville, WI. Discussion of book and demonstrations with horses and horse drawn equipment.

June 15, 12:00 noon. Wis Historical Society Museum on the Square. Horse Drawn Days.

June 16, 11:45-12:30. Wisconsin Public Radio, Larry Meiller Show. Horse Drawn Days.

June 18, 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. SE Wisconsin Festival of Books, UW-Waukesha campus.
Ames County Novels.

July 10, 10:30-2:30. Bramble Books, Viroqua. New location: 213 S. Main Street, Viroqua. Horse Drawn Days.

July 13, 7:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Central Wis. Launch of Horse Drawn Days.