A Farm Story

In the fall of 2011, Wisconsin Public Television began developing a documentary about farm life in Wisconsin during the late 1930s and through the War years of the 1940s.  I helped them with the project and they gave the hour-long program the title of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story,” which is now complete.

 The show includes still photos that many Wild Rose area people contributed-- one-room country schools, making hay, threshing bees,  cucumber picking, swimming at Little Silver Lake and much more  The film also has several shots of Wild Rose’s Main Street featuring Hotz’s Hardware and the old Mercantile, still the largest building in the village, as well as the millpond and the old grist mill.

The narration includes stories from several of my books  including, RURAL WIT AND WISDOM, WHEN CHORES WERE DONE, LIVING A COUNTRY YEAR, EVERY FARM TELLS A STORY, ONE-ROOM COUNTRY SCHOOLS and OLD FARM: A HISTORY.

The premier showing of the film will be at the Wild Rose H.S. auditorium (600 Park Avenue, Wild Rose) on Monday, October 15, 5:30 p.m.  The showing will include a reception with light refreshments.  There is no charge and everyone is invited—I’ll be making some brief remarks as part of the program.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  Remembering where we have been can help us see where we are going.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 13, 9-4.  The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life. Go to www.theclearing.org for information.

October 15, 5:30 p.m. Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  First showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV. Refreshments. Free to the public.

October 24, 2:15 p.m., Wisconsin Library Assoc. Annual Meeting, LaCrosse Conference Center, LaCrosse, WI  “Garden Wisdom.”

October 30, 5:30 p.m. Temple Theater, Viroqua, WI. Showing of “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.” Wis. Public TV. Refreshments.  Free to the public.

November 1, 6:30 p.m. Minoqua Public Library. Minoqua, WI.

November 7, Platteville Historical Society, Platteville, WI.

November 11,  5:15 p.m. Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison,” Garden Wisdom.”

November 13, Barnes and Noble Book Store,  Madison West. 7:00 p.m. Launch of “Tamarack River Ghost”.