Autumn Newsletter| Schumacher Farm Park
November, 2017
Dear Schumacher Farm Friends,

It is coming up on about 9 months since I started here as Park Administrator and I've had a good opportunity to settle in and get to know the many personalities and generous hands and hearts of the Friends group. I especially thank the board members and select veteran volunteers who have been key players in acclimating me to the farm schedule and community connections. I am continually inspired by our extremely capable, gracious and vigorous volunteers, as well as the benevolent sponsors and thoughtful in-kind donations that keep farm programs alive and flourishing.

On that note, the calendar of public events has been assembled and will be available soon. You will notice many returning favorites, as well as a few new additions to explore for 2018. We also intend to offer a few open shop days for community-based learning and sharing of craft skills and a monarch butterfly volunteer monitoring program to enhance our conservation efforts.

Finally, I extend enormous gratitude to my farm park colleagues, Angela Webster and Tim McConley for the constant support and assistance in maintaining operations and quality programming this year. Their expertise and ability to collaborate have been an invaluable asset.

If you are interested in helping out in any way, please contact me at the farm office. I welcome your feedback and look forward to another year as we continue to embody Marcella's vision while expanding our possibilities as an educational and passive recreation destination.

Sincerely,
Amy Jo Dusick
Schumacher Barn Turning Red
Installation of Schumacher Barn siding begins.
(Photo courtesy: J. Ableidinger)

Built in 1908, the original Schumacher Barn is in process of returning to red siding with white trim. Approximately 300 hundred volunteer hours were needed to prime and paint the new spruce boards to easier facilitate the installation. A hearty THANK YOU to all the volunteers who contributed to this effort and Tim McConley for his guidance.

Alan Herzberg, Timberstone, LLC (above photo) is doing the siding installation. Very few people have the know-how to restore a barn to its original character. Alan's previous barn restoration knowledge and experience is invaluable for this project.  Stop out and take a look at your next opportunity. 

-Jim Ableidinger
Farm Feature - Return of the Windmill

Qual-Line setting up to install the windmill.   Photo courtesy: B. JohanningMeier

After much diligence and determination by Jim Ableidinger, a windmill has returned to the Schumacher farm. The original windmill was used to pump water to the cow tank and to use in various farm-related operations.   The 'new to us' donated model is a 1926 metal open-gear Monitor windmill, which Jim found in Adams County several years ago. At that time, it was in need of a few parts and some paint. Jim Becker and Jim Koltes, two experienced and avid farm supporters, helped get the windmill back to shape and looking sharp.
Ivan Block conducts the raising of windmill. 
Photo courtesy: B. Johnanningmeier

Ableidinger sought out  Ivan Block of Wausau to install the windmill, along with the aid of a 40-foot truck crane from Ray Statz of Qual Line Fence. Follow-up projects will include a pump for educational demonstrations (not functional) and a split-rail fence around the base of the windmill.

-Amy Jo Dusick and Jim Ableidinger

Windmill fun facts: In the American Midwest during the early to mid-20th century, there were close to 6 million small windmills in operation on farms to operate irrigation pumps and generate electricity. Windmills also played a key role in the expansion of railroad lines s ince water was required for steam-driven engines.
 (http://www.thirdplanetwind.com/energy/history.aspx)
 
Fall Events Recap

This year, Heritage Fest attracted abo u t 450 visitors. Everyone was invited to experience historic farm life with the always popular hands-on demonstra tions from previous year's festivals. There was also a cake walk, pie-eating contest, barn dance and entertainment by the Waunakee Community Band. As always, many talented and wonderful  people from the community came together to make this a great event.

Another fun Halloween at the Farm has come and gone but we'll forever have the haunted memories in our hearts! 
As chilly as it was, we had a good turnout with over 500 guests. Along with our beloved witches and fortune tellers, the recreation coordinators from the Village Center of Waunakee provided great games and crafts to keep everyone busy and help direct the children's sugar energy! Face painter fingers were freezing but they didn't let that stop them from giving the kids their Halloween temporary tattoos. Our Grave Diggers this year put on a great show. They have either a future in Hollywood or, well, grave digging...? 

The Haunted Hay Rides were made extra special this year with the addition of four new spook stations created by groups from our commun ity. The Lions Club of Waunakee performed eye transplant operations in the prairie with nothing but the finest equipment (if you call rusty hand drills fine).  The Rotary Club of Waunakee sent Super Heroes to fight off the evils of hunger, disease and other ugly villains of the world. 
Lions Club of Waunakee 

Rotary Club of Waunakee

The  Pay it Forward group from Waunakee High School gave  away Haunted Zombie H ugs whether you wanted them or not.  And finally our very own  Park  Administrator, Amy Jo and her partner Eric, set up a self-sustained display of heinous pumpkin people and morphed mushrooms. With the new spook stations, there  was an opportunity for our guests to vote on their favorite station and this year's winner was the Pay it Forward Zombies and their Haunted Hugs! We really enjoyed working with these groups and appreciate their creative participation. We hope to continue and expand on this new tradition, so put on your spooky thinking cap and come up with something for next year. We'd love to hear your ideas and put them (and you) to work in our haunted prairie.
2017 Haunted Hayride Winners - Pay It Forward from Waunakee High School
 
We thank all of our volunteers, guests and sponsors for making this year's Halloween at Schumacher Farm a fun success! We can't do these things without you and we really appreciate your support.
 
Please take a look at our website and Facebook page for photos of the event!

  -Angela Webster, Event Coordinator
Center for Rural History Update

The Dane County Public Works Department plans to issue a Request for Proposals in November to contractors interested in doing the site work and interior finishing for the Center for Rural History (CRH).  We are very optimistic that with the bids will come in within our revised budget and that construction work will begin this spring. A year-end appeal letter was mailed on November 18th to past supporters. 

Please consider making a year-end donation to help us with the site work, Center for Rural History furnishing costs, and the farm machinery workshop, storage, and display facilities.
Thank you!

-Jim Elvekrog, Treasurer

In This Issue
Quick Links
 
New Sustainer Membership
A new membership level at $500 per year will be offered starting in 2018 that our friends might want to consider. This membership will include all benefits realized in the regular membership and in addition:
  • invitation to exclusive  Christmas Tea
  • recognition in the newsletter
  • invitation to the annual  planning session
  • ability to advertise in newsletter at a discounted rate
Contact Amy Jo at the park office if you would like more details. 
Artifact Corner

The Summer Newsletter had a question about an artifact and thanks to several interested readers, they said it was a jack used to elevate a buggy or wagon to change the wheels. "Block it up and put a pin in the holes to get it higher."  The jack was donated by Eugene Theis of Waunakee. Thanks to all who responded anonymously.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary when the United States entered World War I in 1917, we have displayed a uniform worn by Roy Cameron from Waunakee. He served with the 331 Machine Gun Battalion from 191 7 -1 918, but he did not fight in  Europe . He was past president of the Village of Waunakee and a member of the
Volunteer  Fire Department for 23 years.

-Barb Johanningmeier
Board Member Highlight : 
Jim Ableidinger

Raised on a dairy farm in Durand, Wiscosin, Jim became well acquainted with farm operations and agricultural practices at an early age. He graduated from Purdue University with a Master's degree in Physics and went on to teach at Waunakee High School, where he worked with Marcella Pendall Schumacher. Jim is curently a realtor with First Weber and serves on the Friends Board as Vice-President. 

This year, Jim has been instrumental in maintaining momentum for restoring the Schumacher Barn and securing and installing the windmill  (see included articles). We are fortunate to benefit from his farm back-ground and saavy personality to accomplish these tremendous tasks. 
Thank you, Jim!
Beat Scout Waunakee Video

Several months ago, many of you may have heard that the Village of Waunakee and Waunakee Chamber of Commerce sponsored the creation of a promotional music video to highlight the Waunakee area. You may not have been aware, however, that Schumacher Farm was used as one of the video locations! Very exciting news.

The video is set to be released on November 17, 2017. Watch for it in your local media or check out the entire video on   Fresh Big Mouf's Youtube channel.  The footage from the farm is near the end.
In-Kind Donation Wish List

Just in time for the holidays. Listed below are a few select items from the farm's wish list. If you would like to donate one of these items or have something else that you think we might have use for, please notify us at the farm office.
  • 100% cotton sheets for artifact storage
  • Riding lawnmower, in good working condition
  • 4 or 5-tine (or both!) pitchfork for garden and grounds
Holiday Recipe for German Silver Dollar Ginger Cookies

One of the healthiest spices
around, ginger is a wonderful dessert flavor complement and it aids in digestion for those large holiday meals. Also  rel ieve s heartburn. Try this easy-to- make,  traditional cook ies at  your table.

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. molasses
  • 1 egg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
In medium sized bowl, sift the first 6 ingredients together. Then add molasses and egg; beat about 1 minutes. Mix in flour mixture until dough forms.

Shape dough into 1/2 Tbsp. sized balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar to coat. Arrange balls about 3 inches apart on greased or

nonstick cookie sheets.

 

Bake in oven for 10-14 minutes. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.

Recipe from Midwest Living Magazine
Classic Rudolph

Everyone knows the classic holiday story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Did you ever wonder where it started? It was written by Robert L. May, an advertising copywriter for Montgomery Ward, and first released to the public in a 1939 Christmas edition children's coloring book for shoppers. Rudolph is one of my first and oldest memories of holiday traditions and sing-a-longs.  What are yours?
 
Upcoming event:

Dec. 2nd (Sat.) at 4 pm  
   Dec. 3rd (Sun) at 1 pm
Tea and wassail served with holiday fare cooked by former board member, Steve Keip, whose home-cooked meals are always a delicious indulgence.

Update: All seats already filled! 
You may sign up online for the waiting list and we will call if a space opens up.

Thank you to CaPaul's Country Place in Waunakee for their donation of a tree for the event.
All photos, except where credited to others, provided by Rona Neri-Bergmann of  Rona's Photography 
Search for Friends of Schumacher Farm and designate it as your preferred charity or use this direct link:  Amazon Smile for Friends of Schumache r Farm   
Amazon Smile provides 0.5% of the sale to your designated charity and has provided over $62 million dollars to participating charities! 

Schumacher Farm Park | (608) 849-4559 | info@schumacherfarmpark.org |