Old Barns Attract Many

 

As a boy growing up on a small dairy farm in central Wisconsin, I spent many hours in a barn.  At the time, I was not especially attracted to the place, but I did appreciate how warm it was on  below-zero mornings compared to our cold and drafty farmhouse.  I’d come to tolerate milking cows by hand—the up-side was being able to chat with my dad, who was usually milking a cow nearby. 

Another fond memory was on a rainy day in July, crawling up into the haymow recently stacked with fresh-cut alfalfa and clover and listen to the beat of the raindrops on the barn roof. The combination of the smell of fresh hay and the sound of rain on the roof is a memory that has always been with me.

At the encouragement of others, I wrote Barns of Wisconsin, which was published in 1977.  Much to my surprise, it sold well.  The book has never been out of print.  A revised edition, published by the Wisconsin Historical Society press came out in 2010.  The publisher described the new edition this way:

Featuring more than 100 stunning full-color photographs by Steve Apps, plus dozens of historic images, "Barns of Wisconsin" illuminates a vanishing way of life. . .. "Barns of Wisconsin" captures both the iconic and the unique, including historic and noteworthy barns, and discusses the disappearance of barns from our landscape and preservation efforts to save these important symbols of American agriculture.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: The barns of Wisconsin are history books in red paint, sociology with gable roofs, theology with lightning rods.

UPCOMING EVENT:

March 4, 7:00 p.m. PBS Wisconsin, watch Jerry Apps: A Farm Story

 

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS:

To purchase Jerry’s books, including Barns of Wisconsin, go to your local bookstore, order online from bookshop.org, 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.  and look at their great selection of my books, including my new ones, or order a book by calling them at 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.