High Water

Water covers County Highway O, between Highways 22 and 73 in Waushara County. Photo by Jerry Apps

For a dozen years or more, the water table at my farm and throughout central Wisconsin had been dropping. My two ponds, several acres each when they are at their normal levels were fast becoming mere puddles, marshy substitutes for what they should have been. My ponds have no inlets or outlets; they rise and fall with the water table. Other lakes in the area suffered in a similar fashion. Lake property owners complained that their property taxes reflected a lake home, and what they had was a home that looked out over what looked like a grassy cow pasture.

About three years ago, heavy rainfall each year recharged the water table until today it reached levels no one, not even the oldest of the old timers ever remembered. Lakes and ponds ran over their banks, roads flooded, and water surrounded some farmsteads. Fields that at one time were cultivated, are now ponds. Trees, some of them more than 100 years old and grow on the banks of ponds and lakes are now surrounded by water. I doubt the trees, especially the oaks will survive.

It’s a most interesting time--especially that no one predicted this would happen. Indeed there was concern the water table would continue to drop and cause havoc for irrigation systems, wells, and of course lake recreation.

The questions many now have are: how long will the water table keep rising? How high will it reach? When will it begin dropping again? How far will it drop?

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Never underestimate Mother Nature. She is full of surprises.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS AND DVDS.

My books are available at your local bookstore or from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby and visit Dregne’s.. They have a great selection of my books for sale, or order a book by calling them at 1-877-634-4414.

Home grown Lettuce with Homemade Dressing

Photo by Jerry Apps

As I am cutting lettuce in my garden this morning, my mind goes back to the days when I was a kid, helping my mother with her big garden. Her garden grew just to the north of our farmhouse, along the south side of our 20-acre woodlot.

Leaf lettuce was one of the earliest crops we harvested. I don’t remember that my mother ever bought head lettuce—or if head lettuce was even available in the grocery stores when I was a kid.

Once the lettuce was cut, Ma washed it, put it in a big bowl, made her own special dressing and we dug in. Nothing tasted better, as we had been accustomed to eating the canned vegetables that Ma had put up the previous fall. About all we had eaten fresh up to this time in spring, had been asparagus and rhubarb. Fresh strawberries were next, but that is another story.

For those who grow their own garden, and many do these days, here is my mother’s special recipe. The store-bought dressing is okay, but the homemade type, especially my mother’s home recipe is just the best.

Leaf Lettuce Salad
4-6 cups of leaf lettuce
¼ cup evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
5 teaspoons vinegar
¼ teaspoon pepper

Wash and dry lettuce and place in a serving bowl. In a separate small bowl, stir together evaporated milk and sugar. Add vinegar and stir until mixture thickens. Add pepper. Pour mixture over lettuce and serve immediately.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Homegrown lettuce; homemade dressing. The best.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS AND DVDS.

This recipe and other garden recipes are in my book: Garden Wisdom. It, along with my other books, is available at your local bookstore or from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby and visit Dregne’s.. They have a great selection of my books for sale, or order a book by calling them at 1-877-634-4414.

Small Space Garden Report

Photo by Jerry Apps

Here is a report on the small space garden I started a few weeks ago. My son-in-law, Paul built it for me and it has several features designed just for me and for where the garden is located. The garden is 4-feet by 8-feet and is about three feet above ground level, thus it is easy for me to tend. We have an abundance of hungry, vegetable loving bunnies—a fence around the garden keeps them at bay. The fence also provides a place for various vegetables to climb, thus making the 32 square feet of garden space larger than it actually is.

So far, the weather has been about as good as it could be for gardening, warm days, and enough, but not too much rain. And lots of sunshine. Vegetables like sunshine.

As of today, the peas are climbing the fence and forming pods. The lettuce is about the best I’ve ever grown. The tomato plants, very slow starting this year, are catching up and are about ready for me to stake them. The green beans are ready for fence climbing, as are a couple of zucchini plants. My climbing cucumber plants are a bit behind; threatened a bit by the lettuce and green beans that are seeking to gobble up the limited space.

I will cut the lettuce later this morning, and we’ll have it for supper tonight. Nothing beats vegetables fresh from the garden. Once again, I am surprised by how much can be grown in so little space.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Vegetable gardens come in all sizes.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS AND DVDS.

My books are available at your local bookstore or from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby and visit Dregne’s.. They have a great selection of my books for sale, or order a book by calling them at 1-877-634-4414.

Next Year Will be Better

Waushara County Fair. Photo by Jerry Apps

In the midst of the polio epidemic (1945-1955), with the help of County Agent. Henry Haferbecker, we organized a 4-H Club in my home community west of Wild Rose. About a dozen of us became members. The year was 1946 and one of the strong recruitment strategies Mr. Haferbecker used was telling us that 4-H members exhibited their 4-H projects at the fair, and if we chose the dairy project—all of us were from dairy farms—we could stay overnight at the fair. What kid could say no to that opportunity?

We had heard that some fairs were canceling because of polio, but that did not deter us from working hard with our 4-H calves starting as soon as spring arrived, and continuing on into summer. Any free time we used to teach our calves to lead—not an especially easy task. We took special care of them all summer. Thankfully, the Waushara County Fair did not cancel and we all exhibited our projects.

Today, because of the COVID-19 epidemic, which has swept the state, nation, and around the world, many of Wisconsin’s County Fairs and the Wisconsin State Fair are canceled, along with 4-H member’s hopes of attending and exhibiting their 4-H projects. It is very disappointing for 4-H members. Concerns for health must take first place. And as my dad always said when things looked bleak and I was disappointed about something, “Next year will be a better year.”

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Life has its stormy weather, but eventually the sun will shine again.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS AND DVDS.

My books.are available at your local bookstore or from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby and visit Dregne’s.. They have a great selection of my books for sale, or order a book by calling them at 1-877-634-4414.