Wednesday, October 12, 2022

 Farm visitors, Bob and Cheri Page - Guy and Cindy Bradbury.


Thursday, October 6, 2022

 Marilyn and I spent a day at the farm and completed some fall projects on our way back from visiting Dan and Gerry in Michigan









. I've attached a few pictures.

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Summer Activities and starting fall harvest.







Sunday, July 10, 2022

 All the crops are growing well even with the lack of rain.  The woodchucks have had a field day in the garden.  There was a lot of activity in the last few days with visitors.  Kristin, Danny, Brock, Sage and Skye from California were there for a week.  Danny's brother drove over from Iowa for a couple of days and brought steaks that he gets from the meat packing plant he works at.  The Maris and Tuttle group join for a couple of days as did Brian and Denise and Alisa.  Barb was there for awhile but had to head home to dog sit.  Seems all had a good time boating, kayaking, playing in the corn field, going for hay rides and eating.  We missed some folks because of Covid.  Will post a few pictures with more later.




The potato field after and before weeding and a nice sunset.






 

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Peter and Sylvia Tennessen in the mid 1930's

Thank you Steve Warzyn for attaching photos found in one of Joan Weyers photo albums. These photos show mom and dad. Mom and dad were married on Jun 17, 1936, and when they were first married they lived with Grandma and Grandpa Tennessen on the Tennessen farm just south of Highway 8 and a bit east of Catawba. Their first child, a daughter - Delores, passed away before she was two years old. When Dad's youngest brother, Joseph, married Lydia Hladish, in 1940(?),mom and dad moved out of the Tennessen household to make space for Uncle Joe and Aunt Lydia. They purchased 80 acres from the Makovsky family (where the Maris's home is now located)and moved into a home with an unfinished attic where all of us lived into the mid 50's. Clara Russell, who lived across County J from Grandma and Grandpa Vlach's farm, loaned mom and dad $800, interest free, so they could buy this property. Mom was so grateful for that loan which was repayed before 1945. Some photos from the early days at the Tennessen farm in Catawba are posted here along with a photo of Pauline Warzyn taken in front of St. Patricks Church in Phillips when Pauline was about 12 years old.

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Nikki and Lilly Olson in Oconomowoc at the Kiltie

Today, June 1, 2022, Nikki joined me at the old-fashioned drive-in, The Kiltie in Oconomowoc where Lilly Olson works. Pauline tripped during one of her walks and is recovering at Aurora Hospital in Oconomowoc. Lunch at the Kiltie occurred after our visit with Dee and Pauline. Nikki enjoyed a veggie burger and deep fried cheese curds. My lunch consisted of a small turtle sundae. Yum! A very productive shopping trip to the Johnson Creek Outlet shops followed. Nikki bought gifts for her brother and her parents. She also purchased a pair of Nikes for herself and a couple of t-shirts. The cost of Nike, Calvin Klein, the Gap, and Tommy Hilfiger items is much lower here than it is in the Czech Republic. After our shopping spree we visited Dee at the Lazy W. A delightful day.

 Some pictures of Nikola at the farm.  Barb, Alisa, Nikola, Brian, Marilyn and I completed the planting process.  Things are starting to come up.  There are a couple of potatoes showing their leaves.  The rotor tiller was run between the potato rows but some weeding is necessary on the next visit.  The asparagus continues to yield large quantities.  The lawns were mowed and Barb completed the trimming.  

The boat was launched along with the kayaks.  Nikola got a chance to drive the John Deere, the boat, and paddle with the kayaks.  We also got a lesson on making dumplings that were fantastic







.   

Tuesday, May 17, 2022





 The Planting Crew

 Hastings greetings,

Barb, Brian, Alisa, Den and I planted ten rows of potatoes, and most of the Sylvia garden this weekend at the Farm. Alisa roto tilled the garden with Dennis her mentor. Then Alisa Barb and Brian planted corn and beans ( green beans, yellow beans, pinto beans, and black turtle beans). I helped them plant two colors of onion sets, beets. The wind picked up so we held off on lettuce and carrots seeds for now.  Unsure about the kale status.

While that scenario was happening, Dennis got the tractor started and prepared the potato field.  Then Alisa drove the John Deere and I sat on the potato planter to plant the traditional three kinds of potatoes:  Yukon, Reds, Russets, and Basement Mix( last years leftovers).   Planted five rows last year so we will have a bumper crop at ten rows, for you to enjoy, with excess to Phillips Food Shelf.

Brian attracted a couple wood ticks while birding behind the Maris compound. Den worked on starting the chainsaw.  I cleared the asparagus from last year’s growth, and voila, we watched the asparagus grow six inches in 24 hours!  Roasted it in olive oil at 450 degrees for ten minutes and yummy!  We pulled a few weeds in the flower beds but oh dear, it started to rain, so we played 500 cards for hours!  After Alisa drove home, Brian and I took on the siblings, Saturday night, and again Sunday morning with coffee.  So fun.  Even though I lost.

Barb, Den and Brian fixed the front screen door that blew off this winter.  We will post photos on the Farm Blog soon.

Nicola, Anna and Franticeks granddaughter from the Czech Republic, is visiting us soon.  Nicola was doing graduate studies in International something in Montreal Canada this winter, and arrived from Vancouver to San Francisco this past weekend.   The last I heard our grandkids were biking her to the local Walnut Creek Farmers Market for strawberries and pastries!

Nicola arrives here next Wednesday, May 25.  We will take her to the Farm over Memorial Weekend, finish planting the garden, and more cards!   Then working on details to get her to Milwaukee with her three suitcases.

Doug, we fly to Copenhagen on June 4 for a couple days until we head to Norway.  Any suggestions for touring and restaurants?  Thanks!

Hope to see you all in August when the Oregon group arrives to Oconomowoc!
Stay safe and eat your asparagus.  Think fresh potatoes!
Marilyn 

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Easter at the Farm with Mariann, Lou and Barb.  A lot of card playing and nothing much else accomplished.  The temperature finally got above 32 degrees on Easter afternoon.

 

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The first visitors to the farm in 2022 were Pauline and Dee.  We were reading receipt books and talking about sausage and I got the big meat grinder from the basement and cleaned it up.  We went in to Phillips and bought 8 pounds of pork and made Italian sausage.  It turn out really good, although we have to make some modifications.  We did not have all the correct spices at the farm.  Next trip may be experimenting with the polish sausage in "I Can Make Better At Home".