Saturday, October 31, 2015

Halloween From Yesterday


On this chilly, rainy Halloween, I’m reminded of how we celebrated the day back when I was a kid.  First, here is what we did not do.  There was no such thing as “Trick or Treat.”  Nobody walked from house-to-house dressed up like a zombie, or a ghost or some other “scary” creature like a presidential candidate.  The problem was that the farms were too far apart.  Our nearest neighbors were a half-mile away. 


What we did do was celebrate Halloween at our country school.  Regular school activities were suspended that afternoon.  The teacher arranged to have a big wash tub filled with water in the school’s entryway into which she dumped a bunch of ripe red apples.  We all bobbed for apples, meaning we tried to grab hold of one with our teeth, no hands allowed.  What happened was that we got a very wet head as we pushed the apple to the bottom of the tub in order to bite into it.

Then, blindfolded, one of the mothers—they were invited to the party—led us one at a time into the schoolroom and to the teacher’s desk where we were to identify scary objects: a ghost’s eyeballs (grapes), a witch’s brains (spaghetti), or a witch’s brew (vinegar).  We didn’t tell those who followed what we had experienced.  

I don’t recall that we made jack-o-lanterns—we all grew pumpkins in our farm gardens, but they were not wasted on a silly jack-o-lantern.

Some of the young men in the community saw Halloween as a time for mischief—tipping over outhouses was high on the list, and they were not difficult to find.  Every farm had one and the school and the churches generally had two---one for the boys and one for the girls.

I remember one of the more creative pieces of mischief.  Our closest neighbor to the north, Allen Davis, upon entering his barn to milk his cows the day after Halloween discovered that several of his cows were wearing horse harnesses.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Halloween, like so many things, is not like it once was.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

November  5, 7:00 p.m. Baraboo Library, Whispers and Shadows.

November 7, Edgerton Book Festival, The Land (TV documentary) and Whispers and Shadows

November 10, 6:00 p.m. Wausau Public Library, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 12, 7:00 p.m. Bellville High School Auditorium (with Bellville Public Library).  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History

November 14, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 15, 9:15 Midvale Lutheran Church, The Land (TV documentary)  plus discussion of Whispers and Shadows.

November 17, 7:00 p.m. Hotel Red (1501 Monroe Street- corner of Regent and Monroe, Madison.)  “Wisconsin Agriculture: A History, a discussion with Doug Moe. Sponsored by Mystery to me Bookstore.  Book signing to follow.

November 18, Preview of TV Documentary, “The Land With Jerry Apps” Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  Whispers and Shadows book signing. (Time to be announced)
Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):

The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs, Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps a Farm Story.
Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story). Also available is Jerry’s new novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County as well as Whispers and Shadows and his newest nonfiction book, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835




Sunday, October 25, 2015

Making Wood


Saturday began cold and dreary with rain and wind.  Several weeks ago we declared the day our annual wood cutting day.  A little “ornery” weather, as my dad used to describe such a day, was not to interfere.  And it didn’t.  Steve and Natasha; Paul, Sue and Josh; plus Madison friends Halley and Andrew all gathered at Roshara to cut wood for our two wood burning stoves that heat our cabin. 

Earlier I had selected a black oak tree that a spring windstorm had torn apart.  It was less than a quarter mile or so from the cabin—which made hauling the cut wood a little easier.  Unfortunately, or maybe the right words are “it usually happens,” the chainsaws—two of them recently “tuned up” and sharpened started hard and one of them, I’ll not reveal the brand, wasn’t up to cutting such a big tree.

Finally, after a little loss of religion and a sore arm from too many pulls on the chainsaw rope, the big oak was cut into blocks, which Natasha loaded onto the tractor’s frontend loader and I hauled to the shed.  There Paul and Josh, using my electric block splitter, cut the blocks into firewood size pieces.  Sue, Halley and Andrew piled freshly cut sticks against the side of the woodshed for the winter.  We’ll let the wood cure for at least a year before I burn it.

At noon we feasted on corn and potato chowder (Ruth prepared it) freshly baked bread (thank you Andrew), cheese curds and chocolate cake.  By afternoon the rain stopped, and by 3:00 p.m. the job was finished.

What a great day it was, the wonderful smell of freshly cut oak wood, the opportunity for family to gather, tell stories of earlier wood cutting days—we’ve done it every year for many years—and be outside on a cool, albeit a little wet, October Saturday.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Making wood is one more way to bring family together.

UPCOMING EVENTS:


October 29, 7:00 p.m. Brown County Library, 515 Pine Stree. Premier of TV Documentary,” The Land With Jerry Apps. “ Book signing, Whispers and Shadows.

November 1, 2:00 p.m. Gard Theater, Spring Green. Ag History and Wisconsin Place Names (a Robert Gard book).

November 5, 7:00 p.m. Baraboo Library, Whispers and Shadows.

November 7, Edgerton Book Festival, The Land (TV documentary) and Whispers and Shadows

November 10, 6:00 p.m. Wausau Public Library, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 12, 7:00 p.m. Bellville High School Auditorium with Bellville Public Library.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History

November 14, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 15, 9:15 Midvale Lutheran Church, The Land (TV documentary)  plus discussion of Whispers and Shadows.

November 17, 7:00 p.m. Hotel Red (1501 Monroe Street- corner of Regent and Monroe, Madison.)  “Wisconsin Agriculture: A History, a discussion with Doug Moe. Sponsored by Mystery to me Bookstore.  Book signing to follow.

November 18, Preview of TV Documentary, “The Land With Jerry Apps” Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  Whispers and Shadows book signing. (Time to be announced)
Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):

The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs, Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps a Farm Story.
Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story). Also available is Jerry’s new novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County as well as Whispers and Shadows and his newest nonfiction book, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835




Monday, October 19, 2015

Door County Writing Workshop


It was a weekend for enjoying fall colors in much of Wisconsin, and especially in Door County.   The dark blue waters of Green Bay contrasted with the array of color—reds, yellows, subtle browns and greens.  Glorious.

Ruth and I were in Door County for my annual life story-writing workshop held at The Clearing near Ellison Bay.  Thirty-five of us gathered to learn about how to write our personal stories.  I’ve taught this workshop for 25 years and I’m still learning, probably as much or more than the students in the workshop.

What a wonderful collection of students who came from near and far—several from the Chicago area.  There was an engineer, a former Coast Guard member, a pastor, several educators. former and present, and a goodly representation of current and former farmers.   They drew pictures, wrote stories, and shared what they wrote.  They laughed and cried and got to meet some new friends.

And perhaps most importantly, they came to realize that their stories were special and worthy of capturing on paper and sharing with family and friends, and that they were writing history.

The Clearing also has a wonderful collection of my books for sale in their gift shop at the Jensen Center.  Stop by for a look.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: When we forget our histories, we forget who we are.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 23, 11-12:00 a.m. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum (on the square). Whispers and Shadows.  Wisconsin Book Festival. (Note time change.)

October 23, 3:30 p.m. Wisconsin Historical Society Auditorium (On UW Campus) Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.  Wisconsin Book Festival.

October 25, 2:00 p.m. Schlitz Nature Center, Milwaukee with Boswell Books.  Whispers and Shadows.

October 29, Brown County Library.  Premier of TV Documentary,” The Land With Jerry Apps. “ Book signing, Whispers and Shadows.

November 1, 2:00 p.m. Gard Theater, Spring Green. Ag History and Wisconsin Place Names (a Robert Gard book).

November 5, 7:00 p.m. Baraboo Library, Whispers and Shadows.

November 7, Edgerton Book Festival, The Land (TV documentary) and Whispers and Shadows

November 10, 6:00 p.m. Wausau Public Library, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 12, 7:00 p.m. Bellville High School Auditorium with Bellville Public Library.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History

November 14, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 15, 9:15 Midvale Lutheran Church, The Land (TV documentary)  plus discussion of Whispers and Shadows.

November 17, 7:00 p.m. Hotel Red (1501 Monroe Street- corner of Regent and Monroe, Madison.)  “Wisconsin Agriculture: A History, a discussion with Doug Moe. Sponsored by Mystery to me Bookstore.  Book signing to follow.

November 18, Preview of TV Documentary, “The Land With Jerry Apps” Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  Whispers and Shadows book signing. (Time to be announced)
Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):

The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs, Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps a Farm Story.
Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story). Also available is Jerry’s new novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County as well as Whispers and Shadows and his newest nonfiction book, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835




Saturday, October 10, 2015

Putting the Garden to Bed


We put the farm garden to bed a weekend ago.  No killing frost yet, which is most unusual.  Sue picked the remaining tomatoes.  I dug the last of the beets, pulled the rutabagas (not a good crop this year), and cut the remaining collards, which are still growing like everything.  I picked the last couple of the zucchini (what a run they’ve had this year), cut the last of the broccoli (also much better than average crop), and gathered up the remaining squash and gourds.

When we finished with the digging, pulling, cutting and gathering, we removed all the tomato and potato vines from the garden.  We had some late blight, and this is one way to keep the disease from the garden.

When this work was completed, Steve wrapped up the electric fence wire, and Paul pulled the little steel posts that had surrounded the garden.  Once more our two wire electric fence had successfully kept the deer (only one violation all summer), the turkeys and the raccoons away from our vegetables.

Now it was time to hitch the tractor to the disk and work all the remaining refuse into the soil—which Steve did.  He’s become the go-to-guy for driving the John Deere.  Once the ground was well worked, Steve and Sue broadcast winter wheat over the entire garden area.  Steve worked the wheat into the soil with the disk—and the job was done.  The garden is ready for winter.

With a little rain, the wheat will germinate, and the turkeys and the deer can feast on the new crop—our gift to them for keeping out of the garden all summer long.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  Time to think of next year’s garden.

October 11, 10-12:00 a.m.  Heartland Forum, Chicago.

October 11, 4:00 p.m. Old World Wisconsin-Wisconsin Ag. History

October 12, 5:00 p.m. Coloma Historical Society.  Limping Through Life

October 15, 6:30 p.m. Prairie du Sac Library, Whispers and Shadows

October 17, 9-4 Teaching writing workshop at The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI

October 17, 4:30-6:00 p.m. The Clearing.  Book signing, Whispers and Shadows and Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

October 23, 10-11:00 a.m. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum (on the square). Whispers and Shadows.  Wisconsin Book Festival.

October 23, 3:30 p.m. Wisconsin Historical Society Auditorium (On UW Campus) Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.  Wisconsin Book Festival.

October 25, 2:00 p.m. Schlitz Nature Center, Milwaukee with Boswell Books.  Whispers and Shadows.

October 29, Brown County Library.  Premier of TV Documentary,” The Land With Jerry Apps. “ Book signing, Whispers and Shadows.

November 1, 2:00 p.m. Gard Theater, Spring Green. Ag History and Wisconsin Place Names (a Robert Gard book).
November 5, 7:00 p.m. Baraboo Library, Whispers and Shadows.

November 7, Edgerton Book Festival, The Land (TV documentary) and Whispers and Shadows

November 10, 6:00 p.m. Wausau Public Library, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 12, 7:00 p.m. Bellville High School Auditorium with Bellville Public Library.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History

November 14, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 15, 9:15 Midvale Lutheran Church, The Land (TV documentary)  plus discussion of Whispers and Shadows.

November 17, 7:00 p.m. Hotel Red (1501 Monroe Street- corner of Regent and Monroe, Madison.)  “Wisconsin Agriculture: A History, a discussion with Doug Moe. Sponsored by Mystery to me Bookstore.  Book signing to follow.

November 18, Preview of TV Documentary, “The Land With Jerry Apps” Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  Whispers and Shadows book signing. (Time to be announced)
Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):

The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs, Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps a Farm Story.
Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story). Also available is Jerry’s new novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County as well as Whispers and Shadows and his newest nonfiction book, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street

Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835

Sunday, October 04, 2015

Apple Time


It’s that apple time of the year.  Freshly picked apples in the stores, at the apple orchards, at the farmers’ markets, at the roadside stands.  As a kid, I looked forward to this time of the year as I am a great apple lover.  Few things taste better than a big, bright red apple.  The kind that when you bite into one it crunches a little and apple juice runs down your chin, mixing it up with your smile.

We had a small orchard on the home farm, a half dozen trees or so—Whitney Crab, Jonathon, Northwestern Greening are some of the varieties I remember.  We never pruned them, never sprayed them, mostly ignored them—until this time of the year.  Apple picking time.  My mother made apple pies, canned applesauce, and made apple pickles to store in the cellar and eat during the cold days of winter.

We stopped at an orchard the other day and bought a half bushel of Cortland and a half bushel of Macintosh.  Ruth is making apples sauce, and preparing apple pies.  Here is one way that she prepares apple pies for later baking.

FROZEN APPLE PIE
--Mix your favorite apple pie filling together in a bowl. She uses tapioca for thickening.
--Line pie pan with heavy duty foil, extending foil 5 inches beyond the rim.
--Put pie filling in foil lined pan
--Fold foil ends loosely over filling
--Freeze until apple mixture is firm.
--Remove foiled covered pie filling from pan.  Cover filling tightly and put pie filling including the foil covering in a freezer bag, labeling the size of the pan used.
--When ready to bake a pie, remove filling from foil.  Do not thaw.
--Place frozen filling in pastry-lined pan.  Dot filling with butter.
--Cover with top-slitted crust.
--Bake at 424 degrees until syrup boils with bubbles that don’t break.  About one hour.
Enjoy!

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: An apple day is—a good idea, no matter what the doctor says.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 7, 6:30 p.m. Reedsburg Library, Whispers and Shadows

October 11, 10-12:00 a.m.  Heartland Forum, Chicago.

October 11, 3:00 p.m. Old World Wisconsin-Wisconsin Ag. History

October 12, 6:00 p.m. Coloma Historical Society.  Limping Through Life

October 15, 6:30 p.m. Prairie du Sac Library, Whispers and Shadows

October 17, 9-4 Teaching writing workshop at The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI

October 17, 4:30-6:00 p.m. The Clearing.  Book signing, Whispers and Shadows, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

October 23, 10-11:00 a.m. Wisconsin Historical Society Museum (on the square). Whispers and Shadows.  Wisconsin Book Festival.

October 23, 3:30 p.m. Wisconsin Historical Society Auditorium (On UW Campus) Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.  Wisconsin Book Festival.

October 25, 2:00 p.m. Schlitz Nature Center, Milwaukee with Boswell Books.  Whispers and Shadows.

October 29, Brown County Library.  Premier of TV Documentary,” The Land With Jerry Apps. “ Book signing, Whispers and Shadows.

November 1, 2:00 p.m. Gard Theater, Spring Green. Ag History and Wisconsin Place Names (a Robert Gard book).

November 5, 7:00 p.m. Baraboo Library, Whispers and Shadows.

November 7, Edgerton Book Festival, The Land (TV documentary) and Whispers and Shadows

November 10, 6:00 p.m. Wausau Public Library, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 12, 7:00 p.m. Bellville High School Auditorium with Bellville Public Library.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History

November 14, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.  Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

November 15, 9:15 Midvale Lutheran Church, The Land (TV documentary)  plus discussion of Whispers and Shadows.

November 17, 7:00 p.m. Hotel Red (1501 Monroe Street- corner of Regent and Monroe, Madison.)  “Wisconsin Agriculture: A History, a discussion with Doug Moe. Sponsored by Mystery to me Bookstore.  Book signing to follow.

November 18, Preview of TV Documentary, “The Land With Jerry Apps” Wild Rose High School Auditorium.  Whispers and Shadows book signing. (Time to be announced)

Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fund raiser for them):

The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs, Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps and Jerry Apps a Farm Story.
Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including The Quiet Season (on which the DVD A Farm Winter is based), as well as Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm, (which are related to the DVD Jerry Apps a Farm Story). Also available is Jerry’s new novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County as well as Whispers and Shadows and his newest nonfiction book, Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street

Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835