Valley Sentinel - 06-29-2023

Inside this edition

4PeteSake introduces recipients, reminds community to put Day in the Park on their calendars

With summer upon us the list of local things to do can be enthralling! First to get on my calendar in ink is the 4PeteSake Day in the Park. This year it will fall on Sunday, August 20th, starting with the 5K run/walk, 15 or 30 mile bike ride, and pickleball tournament and continuing all day with live music, a silent auction, kids’ activities, food, drinks, and most importantly, an incredible turn out of you and your neighbors.

The Day in the Park is fun, no doubt about it, but it is really about all of us turning out to help our neighbors who, through no fault of their own, have come upon truly hard times. The money raised while you enjoy this summer gathering helps them through their hard times. Over the next two months I will be introducing you to the recipients of your generosity and kindness. May you hold them in your hearts as you enjoy the Day in the Park.

Diana Brown

Diana Brown has spent her life exploring. She grew up in Orange County, California and moved to rural Lone

Rock later in her life, after losing her husband, in order to be near her sister who had relocated here years before. Before moving here Diana had snow skied the White Mountains in Arizona, and ridden all over the United States on her motorcycle with her husband, absorbing the beauty of the country from the mountains to the deserts. Those were amazing, fun, and interesting years culminating in living in Reno, Nevada with her beloved husband.

Now, as she battles pancreatic and liver cancer, and since Sharon has passed away, the illness and the regular trips to Dodgeville and Madison for treatments wear her out. When her pain nurses in Madison saw how she was struggling, they recommended she turn to 4PeteSake for assistance.

Diana is no longer able to explore the world, but she enjoys the view out of the windows at Sharon’s house, where she still lives. She appreciates her namesake niece, Diana and her husband, Bob, and her nephew, Art, all of whom help her as needed.

Diana is incredibly grateful to 4PS for

how nice they have been, the ways in which they have made the process easy, and the generosity of their help. And she thanks everyone, who, through 4PS, is helping her through this difficult time.

Corey Rock

Corey Rock grew up in Spring Green the youngest of Eleanor and Eugene Rock’s eight children. Growing up in the service industry taught him the value of hard work. He remembers being a young boy doing the work his family demonstrated–peeling potatoes, clearing tables, getting the chicken out of the freezer for chicken night, and always emulating his Dad’s meticulous cleanliness of the Round Barn. In his memory it never felt like a burden to be in a service industry family–in fact today he says, “if you ever feel like something is missing (in your life)--help out. Ask yourself what you can do to help someone.”

In the past few years Corey has experienced great sadness, losing four siblings and his mother (at 101 years of age) and then his own diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma and its treatment.

Savor the River Valley receives Iowa County Grantto fund advertising and marketing

Patti

Savor the River Valley, a grass-roots initiative of more than 40 food businesses in the River Valley, has received a grant from Iowa County. Now in its second year, Savor is building on its network of support for farmers, food processors, food retailers and restaurants.

The Outdoor Recreation for Tourism Grant will fund advertising and marketing materials for Savor’s 2024 Earth Day Farm & Food Tour. The $3,200 grant will be matched by the hundreds of hours Savor members and volunteers will spend planning, implementing and hosting the

tour.

In 2023, Savor introduced the Earth Day Farm & Food Tour featuring six host sites and highlighting Savor member businesses along the tour route. Despite the mix of snow and sleet that day, more than 300 people attended the inaugural event.

“Even though the weather was less than favorable, you could feel people’s excitement and eagerness to get out and do something,” said Heidi Zepeda, co-owner of Tortilleria Zepeda, one of the host sites.

“It was such a wonderful opportunity to invite our community to come and experience our farm and mill,” said

Halee Wepking, co-owner of Meadowlark Community Mill, another host site. “We had an excellent turn out, with folks coming from all over the region. Hosting an open house had been a goal of ours for a long time, and Savor played a huge part in making it a reality.”

“Part of Savor’s mission is to connect people—especially tourists—to the awesome farmers, food processors, food retailers and restaurants in the River Valley,” said Patti Peltier, the tour organizer. “It’s easy for visitors to pass through our communities without engaging with our food businesses.

Once they discover all the quality local food

Through it all he focuses on the good–loving his pet cockatiels, remembering his athletic achievements, and looking toward getting to the other side of his illness. He is grateful to his sister, Laurie, for the support she gives him (although he maintains that he can cook for himself!). Instead of losing hope, he focuses on what he wants to do when he is better. And on living now, when he feels well enough to do so. In talking with Corey, it is clear that making other people happy drives him. He misses the days of his childhood when he remembers people being courteous and respectful of one another. He wants people to be happy and does everything he can to listen to the people in his life, in the hopes of helping them to achieve happiness.

Corey is so very grateful to each of you for helping 4PS to be able to take his focus away from paying his tremendous medical bills, and put it on healing and thinking of others. He looks forward to the day when he is well enough to return the generosity.

For more information about 4PeteSake please go to 4PeteSake.com.

we offer, we feel certain people will return again and again.”

“We at Savor are so grateful for Iowa County’s support,” she added. “This grant will enable us to get the word out to even more people in 2024.”

River Valley Commons, a non-profit that seeks to increase the well-being of the River Valley community, acts as fiscal agent and provides project management for Savor the River Valley.

For more information on Savor the River Valley, its local food directory, events, classes and tours, go to www. savortherivervalley.org.

Katie Green on Cecilia Farran

Fourth of July Community Calendar

Q&A: Richland County vice chair resigns, reflects

Page 2 Pages 6, 7 Pages 3, 5

Jean Alt, 4PeteSake

Peltier, Savor the River Valley

The (not so) Plain and Simple Correspondent: Story Time with Cecilia Farran

“We are absurdly accustomed to the miracle of a few written signs being able to contain immortal imagery, involutions of thought, new worlds with live people, speaking, weeping, laughing.”

—Vladimir Nabokov

Who doesn't like a rousing good story, one based in truth or spun out of stardust? On the page, on the air, or on the stage. One that inspires, amuses, chastens, puzzles, creates outrage, breaks your heart, or ignites your soul. I have favorites in all those categories and more. I recently devoured Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship by biologist Catherine Raven, a story so brimful of emotion and information about connecting to the wild that I thought my senses would set off the smoke alarms and my brain would explode. Foxes have been totem creatures for me since childhood in the mountains of home. How I loved this painful true story of extended cross-species contact, describing the two ends of life completing the circle from birth to death -- as all lives must. Where I live in a senior retirement facility, the residents constantly trade their life stories, many are quietly, touchingly modest, some notably accomplished, all are survivors

actress and a professional singer of light opera and sacred songs. Grandma's other son and daughter also expressed their stories in song and dance. Find your own way, as there are many.

The Irish are justly famed as mesmerizing storytellers. One such of Irish descent, Cecilia Farran, resides here in the River Valley. She says “I come from a family of storytellers. I guess I just fell into it naturally to use the Celtic bardic tradition to draw people closer to their own stories.”

An esteemed writer, dramatist and storyteller, Cecilia shapes stories to reach into the core of the listener, As she states “We are storytelling creatures and story is a great vehicle to ponder questions, seek answers.”

It’s an ancient tradition. Think of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; of wandering minstrels in the Middle Ages who went from court to court, finding patrons among nobles and royalty; of Sheherezade (in The Thousand and One Nights) whose story-telling ability literally kept her alive; Chaucer's lengthy epic of unforgettable traveling pilgrims (The Canterbury Tales), Bob Dylan's protracted vocal tales; Garrison Keillor invented characters and traditions of Lake Woebegone endearing them to a very wide and loyal audience; everything Shakespeare; even rap artists, and Cecilia’s favorite, J. R. R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, Lord of The Rings

Cecilia’s home lies deep in a pine forest near the Wisconsin River outside of Spring Green, named the quintessentially Celtic-sounding “Taralir.” She built it of log to honor her father, his admiration for trees, and for the legacy he left her — that of asking questions. As he worked his farm fields alone with horses, later with a tractor, he pondered the nature of things and later at the noon dinner table would put questions to his children, teaching her to think deeply.

as my father faces with rural wisdom the sorrow of losing his wife.” Cecilia explains, “The story is set at a noon meal, as he and I share the last loaf of mom’s homemade bread. It’s a perfect conversation starter for discussions with farmers facing difficult times.” She says she is always looking for the teachable moment where one of her stories might bring clarity to personal circumstances. She hopes to nudge people “out of the box” that holds feeling and thinking captive.

Raised on the family’s Waukesha County farm, honored in 2015, as a Wisconsin Century farm, she describes a “free-roaming childhood” in which she was in love with the land and the hard work of farming which she knew well.. Yet she craved an audience for her stories from an early age, hanging out the car window to shout out to pedestrians on the sidewalks in town, collaring anyone who would listen to her pronouncements, thus embarrassing her mother.

She eventually married and homesteaded throughout the 1960’s-70’s and as her singer/songwriter daughter Celia wrote in a lovely tribute to her “She left the farm, but the farm never left her.” (celiaonline.bandcamp. com/track/she-left-the-farm.)

However, that life close to the land eventually ended as her husband's drinking got out of hand. Just as her four grown children had, she also fled, leaving behind her own special events production company which created large themed events for corporations such as the Milwaukee Convention Bureau, Miller Brewing, the State Dept. of Tourism, and Arthur Anderson Corp, some for over a thousand guests.

normal human experience and the answers given by religion.” She is led by her own “rambling”; in nature, in books, and in ideas that have whirled in the galaxies and now arrive unbidden at her doorstep.

Her writing now takes her into memoire and ancestral themes and she performs at venues as varied as Fermentation Fest Pasture Performance in Reedsburg; Wisconsin State Prison, New Lisbon; Wisconsin Book Festival at Play Circle Theater, UW Union; Northlands Story Telling Conference Keynote performance, Madison; WI Writers Conference Keynote Performance at UW Baraboo; Milwaukee Irish Fest; and once upon a time, Spring Green Lit Fest.

“The performance at the New Lisbon State Prison was perhaps the most rewarding show I ever did. They got it. I had written the one woman script after my eldest son Martin died at age 39 from the complications of alcoholism. I often dramatize characters and in this show called Voices I take on his persona returned from the grave, banjo in hand, telling his story of the crazy torment with alcohol. It resonated with them. Nothing can match an audience of one hundred men in prison garb rising to their feet en masse to applaud your show.” It is an excellent example of finding the teachable moment.

to an advanced age. It is obvious that they appreciate an audience when listened to attentively. One fellow whose ancestry is in part from Plain, stunned me the other day with his encyclopedic knowledge of Wisconsin army brigades' valor in the Civil War. He is so retiring that his devotion to researching their story was unknown to me until I stumbled on it by accident.

I have no real talent for verbal storytelling myself since I go off on many tangents on the way to the ending, but have known some of the best. That includes my Irish father. His mother, my grandmother Kathleen Flynn, told her stories most arrestingly as a dramatic

DONATION DRIVE

In Taralir's solitude and beauty she finds inspiration, shaping stories for the ear of the audience. Although she publishes in print too, she prefers the moving cadences only the storyteller 's voice can achieve. She summons her muse in the quietude and solidarity of the forest while still an avid observer of the human world beyond the boundaries of her retreat. Always a fire burns inside to keep banked and ready to blaze when she conceives of another story.

Cecilia’s writings often appeared in the monthly Voice of the River Valley One memoire “Daily Bread” [November 2016]. Cecilia also presents as a performance piece, “In it we see the Ritual of Wheat: from planting to table

When I first met her she was the proprietor of 43/90 North Earth Books and Gifts in Spring Green in the Albany Street Courtyard. The Celtic theme in scarves, jewelry, books and clothing and all the rocks and crystals was very dangerous to myself (at least half Irish and a rock hound.) When I asked about the shop she said, “That is far in the past. I now have time to write, garden, kayak the back waters and contemplate life.”

Following divorce and the juncture to a new life she took on a new name. While Cecilia, her given name, runs through all branches of her genealogy, she adopted Farran to honor Cecilia Farran, the first Irish ancestor of the family to emigrate to the US.

While her family historically was devoutly Catholic, Cecilia’s spirituality is untethered from the Church. Her penchant for continually asking questions took her deeper, “to go behind

But her favorite venues are circle gatherings of small groups for candlelight house concerts. “My stories are conversation starters. Eventually the evening becomes more about the telling and listening to the stories of those gathered. With the intimacy and shadows of light dancing on the walls” the story carries to the heart by osmosis. “Perhaps it is replicating storytelling ‘round the turf fire of old. We seemed wired for this sort of experience and so, so thirsty for it.”

As T.S. Eliot wrote in Little Gidding, “Last year's words belong to last year's language/And next year's words await another voice.” Cecilia can go beyond the story, deep into the words to find and give another voice to your unique story.

To book a candlelight house concert, or customize any of Cecilia’s current shows for any venue: cecilia @ceciliafarran. com or (608) 228-0261

Katie, who until recently lived in Plain, has been writing for fun and profit since childhood. Self-described as opinionated, she writes in the interests of a more loving, better-functioning world for all. She may be reached at katiewgreen@icloud.com.

Katie Green

Katie Green, Columnist

Photo contributed by Cecilia Farran Cecilia performing in her one woman show “The Aishling” at the White Church Theater.

Meeting Our Needs — Part 10: The Garden Needs Tending

“Meeting Our Needs” is a series that acknowledges the organizations and individuals who work to make our communities better, stronger, healthier and more inclusive. We know we face challenges and divisions among us, but we miss and underestimate the essential goodness of rural Wisconsinites when we fail to celebrate those who are lifting us up in so many ways. Let us hear your stories, contact bpestel@msn.com to be included in this series.

needs and have needs – just what I’ve been waiting to hear about.

The community garden concept provides space for folks who enjoy gardening to grow their own produce when they don’t have the space themselves to do it. If you’ve had the pleasure of eating fresh-picked green beans out of your own garden instead of beans out of a can, you know the value of such spaces. But this service does not happen without a lot of sweat and effort by dedicated folks committed to serving their community – and there are never enough of them because the needs are many.

A lot of folks will rent and care for their own plot, but some may need help tilling with the on-site tiller. But this is only the beginning of what needs to be done at the gardens.

work in a team or alone on their own schedule.

They are also working to get task forces assembled so people can sign up for whatever they are interested in.

Tasks Forces include:

Grounds / Equipment / Irrigation: Primary responsibilities are caring for and maintaining the lawn, equipment and tools and the irrigation system as needed.

Food Pantry: Primary responsibilities are caring for the food pantry plots including planting, weeding, mulching, and harvesting.

I drove by the River Valley Community Gardens in Spring Green earlier this Spring to drop off newspapers and cardboard. I had heard that they do something called “lasagna gardening” and it involves newspaper and cardboard. Well, that was a new term for me. I had to look it up. The technique involves layering brown and green yard and garden waste, such as grass clippings and shredded fall leaves, on top of newspaper or cardboard. Microorganisms turn the layers into rich soil over time. Lasagna gardening can improve soil quality and prevent weed growth at the same time. OK, I’m sold. My next stash of newspapers is for my garden. While I was at the site, a small crew of folks was busy getting ready for the season to start and I had the chance to talk with Rose Ellen Schneider. It was obvious that the folks who provide this service to the community both meet

Several large plots are set aside for the Food Pantry, and they need to be weeded, mulch, and cared for. Then that produce needs to be harvested and taken to the Food Pantry, Meadows Memory Care and other institutions, used to fill the kiosks, and sometimes taken to shutins. The needs to get that done are great, but the needs met by such work are extraordinary and so important to the community.

Then there is all the work involved in maintaining the common areas. Fruit patches need to be weeded and mulched, trees and vines need to be pruned and trellised. Flower beds need to be weeded and mulched, and flowers deadheaded and transplanted. Oh dear, I’m tired already, and I’ve only begun to describe the chores that need tending. Areas need to be mowed and trimmed, tools sharpened and maintained, someone with a trailer needs to be found to haul things away. Buildings need to be painted and stained, and a new shed needs to be built this fall.

Much of the work is ongoing through the spring and summer. Especially busy times, however, are in the spring and early summer and then again in the fall with garden cleanup. The staff are trying to organize training so folks can either

Flowers / Perennials, Ornamentals and Fruit: Primarily responsible for caring for the flower beds and the fruit patches (strawberries, rhubarb, and the black, red, and yellow raspberry patches).

Administration / Finance / Fundraising,

Sub-Committee: Publicity including photography: Primary responsibilities are writing articles of interest for local media and taking pictures of events at the Gardens (must be willing to attend workshops and Garden events)

Sub-Committee: Finance / Fundraising: Primary responsibilities will be helping plan / organize and set up Fundraising activities.

Finally, they are always looking for Board members who serve for a 3-year term. These folks do not have to be renting a plot but must be interested in gardening.

If you see a place for yourself here, contact Rose Ellen via email at info@ rvacg.org, or phone 608-588-6040

So, consider getting a little sun, a nice workout, meeting new friends, and providing invaluable community service all at the same time. It’s all worth the cost of scraping a little dirt out from under your fingernails at the end of the day.

How many other ways to meet our needs may have escaped our notice and deserve our support? Let me know at bpestel@msn.com.

Richland County Column — Resignation from the County Board, reflections on service

Shaun Murphy-Lopez, Richland County Board Supervisor

Here is my final update on the Richland County Board of Supervisors.

Resignation from the County Board

On June 25 I submitted my resignation from the County Board to Sheriff Porter, who by state law is the required

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EDITORIAL

person to receive resignations from County Board Supervisors. Serving the people of District 2 as a County Board member has been a great opportunity and honor. I’ve learned an incredible amount about how county government operates and received great support from the people of District 2 and

Richland County. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, for three consecutive terms since 2018. The reason I am resigning is to pursue other opportunities. I’m currently exploring invitations to join the boards of the Prairie Enthusiasts of Southwest Wisconsin and Driftless

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Beverly is a retired professor. She lives in a remodeled farmhouse and tends 40 acres of woodland in Richland County. When not in the woods she spends her time reading, writing and enjoying the beauty of the Driftless Area.

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I anticipate that the County Board continued on page 5

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Beverly Pestel, Columnist

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Photo by Beverly Pestel Pictured are the community gardens.

Capitol Report — Marklein: A 4.4 Billion Tax Cut!

On Thursday, June 22, 2023, in final committee action on the state budget, the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) cut taxes by $4.4 billion! The last day of committee-level budget deliberation is traditionally the moment when we determine state employee compensation and cut taxes, based on the status of our state finances at the end of our work. I am very proud that we are able to cut your taxes and return your hard-earned dollars to you.

Our $4.4 billion tax cut is the largest tax cut in the history of our state. This massive tax cut adds the frosting to a budget that meets all of our obligations and funds our priorities.

We cut income taxes by $3.5 billion and property taxes by $795 million, along with finally ending the personal property tax once and for all. The average taxpayer will see a $573 decrease in their state income taxes beginning in 2023. Every single taxpayer will receive a tax cut.

Prior to deciding our tax cut, we

needed to set compensation levels for state employees. The state is just as susceptible to inflation as the private sector. We needed to address compensation to retain and recruit good

increase on July 1, 2023 and 2% in 2024. We are increasing the starting wages for Department of Corrections (DOC) Security positions to $33 per hour, continuing add-ons for working in maximum-security facilities and those with high vacancy rates. We also created an add-on for medium security facilities.

investment in K-12 education, $1.55 billion for transportation, $3.1 billion for health services, $95 million for child care and $2.4 billion in building projects throughout the state of Wisconsin.

We invested $1.1 million in School Safety, $62 million in law and order and $109.5 million in workforce development.

people to provide the services that every citizen expects from our state agencies. We are investing in the people who work for the state of Wisconsin. All state employees will receive a 4%

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, We suspected that the Republican budget was going to have a stench to it, and sure enough, it does. Sen. Marklein boasts of great tax cuts of $4.4 billion in the budget ($3.5 billion in income taxes). Let’s look a little deeper. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, “Under the proposal, which passed 12-4 along party lines, those making between $40,000 and $50,000 would save an average $88 per year under the GOP plan. Those making between $100,000 and $125,000 would save an average $678. Those making over $1 million would save an average of $30,286 per

Dear Editor,

As a single adoptive parent, I was able to raise my infant and toddler son in the early 1990s on one modest income because I had access to good and affordable child care in Chicago – barely affordable at about $500 a month or 1/6 of my gross monthly income. Currently, child care in Wisconsin is scarce and very expensive, often comparable to college tuition.

year.” Looked at from another angle, the highest earners would have their taxes cut by 1.15% while the lowest earners would have their taxes cut by 0.04 %. Well, Southwest Wisconsin, how does that sound to you? How many of you are going to get that $30,000 tax cut? For most of us, what great things are we going to do with that $88 that we do get? The rich get a generous tax cut, but the rest of us do without adequate childcare, expansion of broadband, adequate school funding, increased local funding without strings, expansion of Medicaid, paid family leave, raising the minimum wage, AND our UW-Richland campus. Sen. Marklein calls this tax cut frosting

A federally funded program called Child Care Counts existed during three years of the pandemic to help child care providers stay afloat and help parents find resources allowing them to continue working. Over a quarter of Wisconsin providers have said they would have had to close had they not received that federal funding. But those federal funds will be cut in half and eventually expire in 2024.

Finally, the committee funded a number of housing bills that were signed into law earlier in the day. We invested $525 million to increase housing throughout Wisconsin. The programs include a Workforce Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, a Residential Housing Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund, a Main Street Housing Rehabilitation Revolving Loan Fund and a Commercialto-Housing Conversion Loan Fund. I am encouraged by these programs and hope they will be utilized by communities and developers to address housing shortages throughout the state. Our final actions wrap-up months of work on the state budget. I am very proud of the historic $1.1 billion

on the budget, it’s more like watery porridge for most of us with a side of stale bread.

I still want to know what the Republicans are saving that $7 billion budget surplus for. Oh wait, they are using it as an excuse to cut taxes for the rich. Where is the shame with this bunch? A more pertinent question – Why in the world do we continue to vote these guys into office? The question now is: What is Gov. Evers going to be able to do to mitigate the damage these Republicans are doing to us and to the state? Is he going to veto the budget, or will he be able to line-item veto us into something sane? When are we going to get tired of this

Democratic Governor Tony Evers included $340 million in his proposed budget to stabilize the Child Care Counts program and make it permanent. But the Republican Joint Committee on Finance, led by my State Senator, Howard Marklein, has voted to kill that funding and declined to allocate any state dollars for Child Care Counts in the next biennial budget. That cut puts 2100 child care programs serving 87,000 children

We paid down debt. We right-sized government agencies. We provided funding for technology upgrades throughout state government. We listened, researched, deliberated and addressed the needs of our state.

I appreciate all of the input I received from people throughout the 17th Senate District, and all over Wisconsin. Thank you for participating in the state budget process. It was an honor to lead the state budget for the State Senate.

As always, please do not hesitate to connect with me to provide input, ideas or to seek assistance. Send an email to sen.marklein@legis.wisconsin.gov or call 608-266-0703. I want to hear from you.

and elect representatives who care about us. These Republicans evidently care about something, but it sure isn’t us. The only reason they keep getting elected is because too many people are not paying close enough attention to what they are doing. Southwest Wisconsin cares about its kids, its public schools, its local government, its access to higher education, its roads, its access to broadband, its clean air and water. But caring is not enough, if we want these things, we have to vote for them, that means voting this bunch out in 2024.

Beverly Pestel Rockbridge, Wisconsin

at risk of closing, parents at risk of leaving the workforce and losing $232 million in parental wages, and employers at risk of losing a workforce.

Senator Marklein, how do you and your Republican colleagues have the audacity to call yourselves the party of “family values”?

Marilyn Martin Richland Center, Wisconsin

Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green)

Senator Howard Marklein

Richland County Column — Resignation from the County Board, reflections on service

continued from page 3

will solicit applications from District 2 residents, and I encourage you to apply if you are interested. If the County Board decides to fill the vacancy before the next election in April 2024, they will vote to decide who will be the next County Board supervisor out of the applications received. Subsequently, nomination papers will be due by the end of this December for the next 2-year term of April 2024 – April 2026.

Reflections on my Service

The position of County Board supervisor comes with a lot of responsibility and opportunity. On average I attended four or five meetings per month, and often spent many hours preparing or reading materials for meetings. But I’d also like to share what I believe to be some positive highlights from my five years on the County Board.

Highlight #1 – More

Transparency

When I began in 2018, no meetings were recorded and meeting materials were never available before meetings. Furthermore, the public had no access to written materials handed out at meetings. Today almost every County Board committee meeting is recorded with a YouTube link posted on the County’s website. Meeting materials are also posted online for the people to see. I am relieved that we increased transparency, which makes County officials more accountable to the residents of Richland County.

Highlight #2 – Better Administration

Back in 2018, the County Clerk also served as the Administrative Coordinator, a loosely defined position lacking a job description. In an effort to provide more consistent supervision for unelected department heads and have one person preparing the annual budget (among other reasons), the County Board changed to an Administrator form of government

in 2019. Due to the higher salary of the position, this was an unpopular decision with some people. At first, I was against hiring an Administrator

account grew to a healthier level. Last month we received news that our bond rating had returned to its 2016 level, resulting in lower interest rates on borrowing for Richland County (i.e., less of your property taxes going to interest).

Highlight #4 – Increased Diversity

Shaun Murphy-Lopez: The LGBTQ Pride resolution that was passed in June 2021. I didn't realize how much this would mean to so many people in our community until after it passed.

VS: What is your biggest regret?

SM: That the County's annual budget is still really difficult to understand.

for that reason. But, after many discussions I began to understand our then County Clerk was not interested in taking on new responsibilities as Administrative Coordinator. So, I changed my mind and voted in favor of the change. A lot of progress was made in Richland County with our first Administrator, including long-term financial planning, more competitive wages and benefits for employees, and the adoption of clearer policies for everyone to follow.

Highlight #3 – Improved Bond Rating

My predecessor Dr. Bryan Myers did a great job of sounding alarm bells in 2017 and 2018 about the County’s declining bond (aka credit) rating. Although I ran against him in 2018, I agreed with his fiscal concerns. Once I was elected and saw the poor County budgeting process, I made an unpopular decision to vote against an unplanned spending request from the Sheriff’s Department for patrol cars. I learned this type of request was standard operating procedure. Subsequently, due in part to better budget controls and improved planning on the part of the County Board (including the adoption of a strategic plan), the County’s bank

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Healthcare Employment Opportunities

*Occupational Therapist – full-time position, Up to a $5,000 Employment Bonus, prorated based on FTE!

*Physical Therapist & Physical Therapy Assistant – full or part time opportunities

*Dietitian – part time to full time day shift position

*Imaging/Lab Technologist (Clinics) – full-time day shift position working 4 -10 hour day shifts

*MRI Technologist – .5 to a 1.0 FTE day shift position. Up to a $5,000 Employment Bonus, prorated based on FTE!

*Imaging Technologist – day or night shift position in the hospital available. Up to a $5,000

Employment Bonus, prorated based on FTE!

*Respiratory Therapist – part-time day and night shift positions

*Med Tech/MLT or CLS – .8 FTE Premium Pay Weekender Day shift position

*Operating Room Technician – .8 FTE day shift position. $3,000 Employment Bonus eligible!

*RN Float – .6 FTE evening/night shift position! Employment Bonus Eligible!

*RN Med/Surg – .75 evening/night shift position! Employment Bonus Eligible!

*RN OR Circulator – .6 FTE day shift position!

*RN Skilled Nursing Care – .6 FTE p.m. shift position

*Director of Finance – full-time management position

*Director of Marketing – full-time management position

*Director of Health Information Management – full-time management position

*Human Resources Recruitment Assistant – full-time day shift position

*Grant Writing Coordinator – half time position

*Hospice Chaplain – 5 to 10 hours per month position

*Certified Nursing Assistants – part-time positions available in our Nursing & Rehab Center day, evening and night shifts available, $3,000 Employment Bonus included!

*Maintenance Technician – full time position with on-call responsibilities

*Environmental Services – part-time day and p.m. shift positions. $1,000 Employment Bonus!

*Culinary Aide – .8 and .5 FTE day shift positions available

To find out more detailed information about all open positions and to apply, go to our website at www.uplandhillshealth.org

Upland Hills Health 800 Compassion Way Dodgeville, WI

When I ran for County Board in 2018, I was apprehensive to campaign as an openly gay person because this had not been tested in Richland County, and I didn’t know how I would be received. To my relief, it was a non-issue, and the people elected me regardless. While I know this part of me made some people uncomfortable, I am grateful for the kindness shown to me and my husband by the residents of this district. I was also grateful to other members of the County Board who in 2021 passed a resolution supporting people from the LGBTQ community. Thank you to all who have been supportive of LGBTQ residents in Richland County. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your representative on the County Board. It has truly been an honor.

If you’d like to contact me in the future, my personal email address is shaunmurphyjefferson@gmail.com, my mobile phone is 608-462-3715, and my address is 20548 Cave Road, Hillsboro 54634.

Shaun Murphy-Lopez is the Richland County Board Supervisor for District 2 and Vice Chair of the County Board, as well as serving in leadership roles on multiple committees.

Valley Sentinel asked the outgoing County Board vice chair and supervisor about his time serving and what the future holds for Richland County.

Valley Sentinel: We appreciate your reflections, what is your single proudest achievement from your time serving on the board?

Early in my first term I brought some good examples of budgets that are easier to understand. The Government Finance Officers Association has a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award Program. I brought information about the program to the Finance Committee, but there wasn't interest from my colleagues at the time. I regret not getting this accomplished.

VS: What do you believe your replacement should or needs to bring to the board?

SM: They need to bring qualities like honesty, transparency, friendliness, responsiveness, dedication, and attention to detail. In my experience, Richland County residents are eager for local elected officials who bring those qualities.

VS: What are the biggest 1-3 issues facing Richland County right now? Where will the solutions be found?

SM: 1) What to do with the UWRichland campus, 2) Whether or not the County Board and staff will follow the 5-year financial plan, 3) In general, checking to see if new expenses are in the already adopted annual budget, and then tracking how all departments are performing compared to their adopted budget. I think the solutions will be found by County Board supervisors who have the qualities above.

VS: Feel free to add anything else.

SM: I'm so excited about all the people in our area who are working to bring new life into the Driftless. That's what's motivating me to join other boards. Our region has so much potential with its existing beauty, villages, and people. Our area the best place to live in the Midwest. Let's keep up our momentum!

Seeking office space

Valley Sentinel is seeking office space in the downtown area of Spring Green. Flexible ideas for the space include a newsroom, co-working space for small businesses and entrepreneurs, local retail/consignment, local art

Shaun Murphy-Lopez

COmmunitycalendar

The Community Calendar is curated and designed by Julianna Williams. Events are subject to change, always check ahead for up-to-date information on any events you are interested in.

Events for June 30 - July 13

Friday, June 30

Wine Down Fridays 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr, Muscoda wildhillswinery.com Come enjoy live music and wood fire pizzas from our food truck. There is no cover, but we ask that folks support free live music by not bringing in outside food or drink. Family friendly! You may want to bring lawn chairs and blankets for extra seating. Handmade and hand tossed wood fire pizzas for sale made from scratch by the Halverson family! Please expect a wait during peak serving times. Relax, enjoy the music, take in the fresh air, have a glass of wine, and enjoy some delicious snacks from our tasting room while you wait. It will be worth it!

SOLD OUT – LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 288: Phillip-Michael Scales // Hemma 7:00 PM 506 E Madison St, Spring Green shittybarnsessions.com Doors open at 6 Advance tickets sold out. That sald, tickets often come up that people can't use, so check out SH*TTY TICKET SWAP, which helps to connect ticket buyers and sellers As a kid, Phillip-Michael Scales didn’t understand what it meant that his aunt’s close friend, the guitar player who called him “Nephew” and he called “Uncle B,” was actually B.B. King. When it did become clear, as Phillip-Michael began playing guitar, he decidedly shied away from soloing and most things blues. Instead, he fell in love with songwriting when an English teacher told him “A great writer can make their reader identify with anyone.” Hemma comes from a family of singers and has spent the last decade carving her own path as a troubadour in the country and folk tradition.

Saturday, July 1

Lone Rock Market 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Under the Lone Rock Water Tower, 358 S Oak Street, Lone Rock For more information, look up Lone Rock Market on Facebook We will be hosting a variety of Farmer's Market and Craft Vendors at our Weekly Community Market Mid-May Through Mid-October. Any items you would like to see at future markets or if you are a Vendor that would like to participate in our future market please message or contact for more information 608-604-3537.

Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning. Preorders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMarket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact info.

Mindfulness: Discussion and Practice (Zoom Only) 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Virtual Event springgreen.com Our meetings will include discussions and short mindfulness exercises/practices. We will explore sitting, standing, lying down and moving mindfulness experiences. Find the zoom link online.

Driftless Landscape Tour 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, 5607 County Rd C, Spring Green taliesinpreservation.org Rates: Adult - $25 Student, Senior, Teacher & Military - $20 Children under 10 years old - Free Join us for a conversation about the interconnectedness of land and culture while enjoying an approximately 1-mile walk across the Taliesin property. Guests on this tour will explore the landscape that Wright felt so connected to and learn about the geology, ecology, and cultural history of the area while discovering what draws so many people to the Driftless Area.

Car-B-Que 11:00 PM - 12:30 PM Kaul Park Bear Valley, WI For more info look up Kaul Park Bear Valley, WI Classic Car Show Chicken BBQ Bean Bag Tournament 11:00 AM - Arrival of classic cars and trucks. No entry fee and no judging. For more information call Craig: 608-574-9705 12:00 PM - Chicken Bbq: ½ Chicken, Potato Salad, Beans $12 12:30 PM - registration for bean bag tournament. $10 per 2 person team. 100% payback. Please no pets and no carry-ins.

Monday, July 3

Lone Rock 4th of July Celebration: Girls Softball Tournament 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM Fireman's Park, S Pine St, Lone Rock lonerock4thofjuly.org Come out and enjoy tournament games by players from the surrouinding communities.

Free Family Flicks: Super Mario Bros 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Join us for a Free Family Flicks at the library as we show the newly released and themed movies all summer long! Open to all ages. Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and drinks included. This week: Super Mario Bros!

Lone Rock Market 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Under the Lone Rock Water Tower, 358 S Oak Street, Lone Rock For more information, look up Lone Rock Market on Facebook We will be hosting a variety of Farmer's Market and Craft Vendors at our Weekly Community Market Mid-May Through Mid-October. Any items you would like to see at future markets or if you are a Vendor that would like to participate in our future market please message or contact for more information 608-604-3537.

Lone Rock 4th of July Celebration: Concession Stand Open 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM Fireman's Park, S Pine St, Lone Rock lonerock4thofjuly.org . Tickets needed to redeem food and drinks.

LIVE MUSIC: Lone Rock 4th of July Celebration — Crossfire Band and Doc’s DJ 4:00 PM - 12:00 AM . Fireman's Park, S Pine St, Lone Rock lonerock4thofjuly.org . Music and dancing by the concession shelter. Crossfire 4-8PM, Doc’s DJ 8:30-12. Lone Rock 4th of July Celebration: “Old Timers” Baseball Game 8:00 PM Fireman's Park, S Pine St, Lone Rock lonerock4thofjuly.org

Tuesday, July 4

Lone Rock 4th of July Celebration: Marketplace 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Fireman's Park, S Pine St, Lone Rock lonerock4thofjuly.org Local vendors and organizations set up booths in a farmers market setting.

Blackhawk 4th of July Celebration & Parade 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Blackhawk Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 10174 Co Rd C, Sauk City bhbumc.org . CASH

ONLY BBQ Chicken Dinner & Pie11:30 - 2 PM Dinner Contents: 1/2 Chicken, Baked Beans, Cole slaw, Roll ,Chips, & Milk Dine-In & Carry-out Served in the Fellowship Hall. Full Dinner $15 Chicken Only $8 Pie Slices $1. Food Stand & Beverages Ice Cream, Soda, Brats and Hot dogs, Toys, & T-shirts. Games, treats & more ... Old Time Family Games 1PM Tents and Tables available on site. Blankets and lawn chairs welcome. See our poster or parade map for more information at https://bhbumc.org/calendar

Summer Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Summer Family Storytime lasts about 30 minutes and is full of stories, songs, and followed by a simple craft. Geared toward ages 3-5, but older and younger siblings and friends are always welcome. All children must attend with an adult.

Lone Rock 4th of July Celebration 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM Fireman's Park, S Pine St, Lone Rock lonerock4thofjuly.org Parade starts at 11 AM! EMS Chicken BBQ and Lone Rock Community Church Chicken BBQ 11 AM - 12 PM Concession stand and ticket booths open at 12 Home Talent Baseball Game: Plain vs. Wisconsin Dells 1 PM

TUNINGO – Free musical bingo game with DJ Allen Blood - Games are free! 4-5 PM Music & dancing 5-6 PM Raffle Drawing 6:00 PM Music & dancing 7-11 PM Fireworks at dusk

Movies, Munchies and More: American Graffiti 1:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com . Come to the library for a cup of coffee, a sweet treat, a movie. Synopsis: On the last day of summer vacation in 1962, friends Curt, Steve, Terry and John cruise the streets of small-town California while a mysterious disc jockey spins classic rock'n'roll tunes. It's the last night before their grown-up lives begin (PG,1h 50m, 1973).

Team Puzzle Competition

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Grab a couple of friends or family and register for this team puzzle competition at the library! Your team of 2-6 players of your choice (all ages welcome) will have three hours to assemble. Puzzles are still being decided upon (what, how many, pieces, etc). The team who is the closest to finish at the end of three hours wins! You will need to register your team of at least two members by Monday June 26th, before the event. Top team/s will win a local prize! Light snacks and beverages included for all competitors.

LIVE MUSIC: King Cobra at Trader's 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Traders Bar & Grill, 6147 US Highway 14, Spring Green wisconsincanoe.com Come on out enjoy some fun music and people, as well as great food at one of the best places around!

Saturday, July 1 cont.

LIVE MUSIC: 4th of July Weekend Festivities 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road, Spring Green www.wiriversideresort.com

Warm weather, cold cocktails, and great live music! Join us outside on the Riverside stage with Hotrod Eddie! Let’s welcome in the summer! Fireworks at dusk.

SOLD OUT – LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 289: The Deslondes // Esther Rose 7:00 PM 506 E Madison St, Spring Green shittybarnsessions.com Doors open at 6 Advance tickets sold out. That sald, tickets often come up that people can't use, so check out SH*TTY TICKET SWAP, which helps to connect ticket buyers and sellers We shed old skin in order to evolve and move forward. We let go of who we were in the past and embrace who we’re meant to be now. The Deslondes have taken such steps as not only bandmates, but as brothers. The New Orleans quintet—Dan Cutler, Sam Doores, Riley Downing, Cameron Snyder, and John James Tourville—have weathered ups, downs, and everything in between only to strengthen the bond between them.

Sunday, July 2

LIVE MUSIC: 4th of July Weekend Festivities 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road, Spring Green www.wiriversideresort.com Warm weather, cold cocktails, and great live music! Join us outside on the Riverside stage with Retro Bus! Let’s welcome in the summer!

LIVE MUSIC: Better Daze 5:30 PM Post House Garden, 127 E Jefferson St, Spring Green Look up The Shed on Facebook for more info Come enjoy a summer outdoor music series featuring different local artists every week! Grills will be fired and beverages available, so come and enjoy the best that River Valley has to offer!

Wednesday, July 5

Teen Time 2:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org It's all about Teen Unity this summer! It's time to test out the power of playing as a team. Can you trade the group for wool, wood or sheep in Catan or build the highest towers out of Lego or Jenga? Teen Time will give you a chance to participate in special games or activities through the summer. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Come on into the library for good vibes, books & fun!

LIVE MUSIC: McCarty & Sanyer Violins 5:45 PM American Players Theatre, Picnic Area, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green americanplayers.org Leyla and Maureen are the two violinists of the Madison-based Camerata String Quartet. Maureen worked with as an APT musician for five seasons during the early years. Both Leyla and Maureen have been involved in playing and teaching violin in Wisconsin since their youth, and are fond of performing an eclectic mix of appealing music.

Snorytime 6:30 PM 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Put on your pjs, grab your stuffed animals, and come to the library for bedtime stories, calming music, and more! All ages welcome.

Thursday, July 6

Storytime 10:30 AM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock Join us every Thursday for storytime!

Curious Kids Club 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . We will learn about a new world culture through crafts, food, and fun games. Join us to discuss Norway and Norwegian!

Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green springgreengeneralstore.com . The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

April

Community

Events for July 6 - July 13

Thursday, July 6 cont.

Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr, Muscoda wildhillswinery.com Join certified Yoga Instructor for Wine & Yoga every Thursday evening in summer! Lara offers a fun and relaxing yoga session in the beauty of our vineyard. Please bring a mat and water. $12 per person.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green ninasdepartmentstore.com Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

LIVE MUSIC: Scott Stieber and Don Meyer at Local Night 5:30 PM Post House Garden, 127 E Jefferson St, Spring Green Look up The Shed on Facebook for more info Come enjoy a summer outdoor music series featuring different local artists every week! Grills will be fired and beverages available, so come and enjoy the best that River

Friday, July 7

Wine Down Fridays 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr, Muscoda wildhillswinery.com Come enjoy live music and wood fire pizzas from our food truck. There is no cover, but we ask that folks support free live music by not bringing in outside food or drink. Family friendly! You may want to bring lawn chairs and blankets for extra seating. Handmade and hand tossed wood fire pizzas for sale made from scratch by the Halverson family! Please expect a wait during peak serving times. Relax, enjoy the music, take in the fresh air, have a glass of wine, and enjoy some delicious snacks from our tasting room while you wait. It will be worth it!

Yolanda Peterson & Mary Jones Memorial: Arena Centennial Celebration 6:00 PM Baseball Park, 239 Sharon Street, Arena Little league tournament and concession stands.

Saturday, July 8

Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning. Preorders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMarket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact into.

CANCELLED: All Ages Storytime 10:30 AM 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Bring the whole family to the library for a morning of song, stories, movement, and fun!

Yolanda Peterson & Mary Jones Memorial: Arena Centennial Celebration 10:30

AM - 9:00 PM Baseball Park, 239 Sharon Street, Arena Home Talent Baseball 6:30 PM Dodgeville vs. Arena Little League Tournament Co-ed Volleyball Parade at 11.

Concession Stand, Craft Fair, Car & Tractor Show, Fireworks.

LIVE MUSIC: Bluegrass Jam 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green 608-5880-707, karin@springgreengeneralstore.com, SpringGreenGeneralStore.com Free event. All ages welcome! Bluegrass Jams will be held on the second Saturday of each month. While the weather permits they'll be held on our back deck. Bring your instrument and play along or come to listen; all are welcome.

LIVE MUSIC: Bushman from Lodi on the River Stage 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road, Spring Green www.wiriversideresort.com

Warm weather, cold cocktails, and great live music! Join us outside on the Riverside stage! Let’s welcome in the summer!

LIVE MUSIC: 3 SOULS 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM Keg & Kettle Bar, 104 S Oak St, Lone Rock For info search 3 Souls on Facebook We love playing at Keg & Kettle, come and join us for some Classic Rock!

LIVE MUSIC: Los Bad Hombres 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door Los Bad Hombres came together in the fall of 2019: a group of seasoned musicians with professional backgrounds in jazz, salsa, reggae, funk, African and even classical music. The result is an exciting and unusual mixture of personal styles and musical genres. Los Bad Hombres has something for everyone, and will make you want to get out on the dance floor!

Sunday, July 9

LIVE MUSIC: The Growlers on the River Stage 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road, Spring Green www.wiriversideresort.com

Warm weather, cold cocktails, and great live music! Join us outside on the Riverside stage! Let’s welcome in the summer!

David Maraniss visits Arcadia to discuss "Path Lit By Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe" 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Arcadia Books, 102 East Jefferson St., Spring Green readinutopia.com Arcadia Books is honored to welcome back David Maraniss! While the subjects of his books are greatly varied - U.S. Presidents, athletes, war, the city of Detroit, and the Red Scare and its effect on his own family - what they all have in common is Maraniss's exceptional research and writing.

Monday, July 10

Lego Builders 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Do you love Lego's? Join us throughout the summer as we highlight different kinds of Legos . Each meeting will have a different challenge to complete. Free building will also be encouraged.

Lone Rock Market 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Under the Lone Rock Water Tower, 358 S Oak Street, Lone Rock For more information, look up Lone Rock Market on Facebook We will be hosting a variety of Farmer's Market and Craft Vendors at our Weekly Community Market Mid-May Through Mid-October. Any items you would like to see at future markets or if you are a Vendor that would like to participate in our future market please message or contact for more information 608-604-3537.

Rural Musicians Forum: Isthmus Brass Quintet 7:00 PM Cornerstone Church, 210 N. Lexingtion St., Spring Green ruralmusiciansforum.org For more than a quarter-century, the Rural Musicians Forum has served the Wisconsin River Valley community and beyond.

Tuesday, July 11

Summer Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Summer Family Storytime lasts about 30 minutes and is full of stories, songs, and followed by a simple craft. Geared toward ages 3-5, but older and younger siblings and friends are always welcome. All children must attend with an adult.

Avian Connections 2:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org Have you ever been face to face with a native Wisconsin bird? Katie of Avian Connections will be bringing a few of her educational birds to share their amazing adaptations! This event is in partnership with The Meadows Assisted Living and Memory Care, and truly all ages are welcome to attend.

4PeteSake: Pickleball Clinics 6:00 PM Pickleball Courts, North Park, Daley St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org Want to learn how to play pickleball? Thinking about participating in the 4PeteSake Pickleball Tournament at the Day in the Park? Instructor Lisa Roelke will be holding clinics! Equipment will be provided. No registration necessary. Suggested donation of $5 to benefit 4PeteSake. Questions? Contact Natalie lausly niausly@4petesake.com.

What’s Blooming in the State Parks - Wildflowers of South Central Wisconsin 6:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org Join Cindy Cseri (retired naturalist and volunteer with Friends of Wisconsin State Parks) for a 45-minute slideshow of wildflowers of South Central Wisconsin. Enjoy the Spring beauty and early Summer fragrances that bloom in the state parks. State Parks and Friends Groups' information will also be shared. A short Q&A will follow.

Wednesday, July 12

All Ages Storytime 10:30 AM 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Join us for a morning of stories, songs, dance, and hands-on activities! Our summer theme is All Together Now. With the help of guest storytellers from Spring Green and beyond, we'll focus on all the ways that we can be part of a community: through the spoken word, music, art, nature, movement, and more. When the weather is nice, summer Storytimes will be outside outside on the lawn. We'll provide cushions and toys, but feel free to bring picnic blankets, lawn chairs, or other outdoor gear!

Classics Conquered: Song of Solomon 2:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com . Join us for a conversation about a classic work or author you have always meant to read. Don't let the reputation scare you; we will get through the book together. We are going to focus on Toni Morrison. For July: Song of Solomon (1-215 or Part 1).

Teen Time 2:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org It's all about Teen Unity this summer! It's time to test out the power of playing as a team. Can you trade the group for wool, wood or sheep in Catan or build the highest towers out of Lego or Jenga? Teen Time will give you a chance to participate in special games or activities through the summer. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Come on into the library for good vibes, books & fun!

Music in the Park: Water Street Jacks 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM White Mound County Park, S7995 White Mound Dr, Hill Point www.co.sauk.wi.us/parksandrecreation Jacks. Bring a picnic, blanket or lawn chair with your family and friends. Water Street Jacks is an Americana, folk-rock band out of southern Wisconsin. $5 per vehicle, free if you have the Sauk County annual sticker!

SOLD OUT – LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 290: Banditos // Joseph Huber 7:00 PM 506 E Madison St, Spring Green shittybarnsessions.com Doors open at 6 Advance tickets sold out. That sald, tickets often come up that people can't use, so check out SH*TTY TICKET SWAP, which helps to connect ticket buyers and sellers

Thursday, July 13

Storytime 10:30 AM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock Join us every Thursday for storytime!

Rockin' Reptiles & Awesome Amphibians Show 1:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org

Rockin' Reptiles & Awesome Amphibians. Sponsored by the Friends of the Kraemer Library. Learn about adaptation and the important roles they play in nature. A few live animals will stop by to help us learn! Registration is not required but, room capacity does apply. Children under 6 must be accompanied by adult.

Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green springgreengeneralstore.com The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

Community Read Along 4:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com During this second session, we'll talk about the first half first half of Wildwood. Tell us what your favorite characters and moments were, and make predictions for the last half of the book.

Free Line Dancing Classes 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Keg & Kettle Bar, 104 S Oak St, Lone Rock For info search Keg and Kettle on Facebook Free beginner line dancing classes!

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green ninasdepartmentstore.com Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

LIVE MUSIC: Psycherelic at Local Night 5:30 PM Post House Garden, 127 E Jefferson St, Spring Green Look up The Shed on Facebook for more info Come enjoy a summer outdoor music series featuring different local artists every week! Grills will be fired and beverages available, so come and enjoy the best that River Valley has to offer!

CIVICS & SERVICES CALENDAR

This calendar is a place listing (for free) the typical meeting dates for area governmental bodies, and Please email us with these meetings, or use the form on our Community Calendar page — let's build community together: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

July 1:

Friends of the Library Book Collection 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Commmunity Room, Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org The Friends of the Spring Green Community Library will accept donations of gently used books for resale on Saturday.

July 3:

MEETING: Lone Rock Library Board Meeting 5:30 PM Lone Rock Community Library, 34 N Broadway St, Lone Rock

July 7:

VOLUNTEER: Build the Driftless Trail: Knobs Road Segment 9:00 AM -1:00 PM Knobs Road Trail, Knobs Rd, Ridgeway Volunteer to help finish and touch up a short piece of the Knobs Road Segment. All the necessary tools and equipment will be provided, but please bring layers, water, a snack, and gloves. If you plan to join this workday, please register, or contact Barb Barzen at barb@driftlessconservancy.org

July 10:

MEETING: Library Board Meeting 5:00 PM Commmunity Room, Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org

RVACG Board Meeting 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM rvacg.org River Valley Area Community Gardens, 900 N. Westmor Spring Green Bring lawn chairs if attending. If raining, the meeting will be held at SG Community Church 151 Bossard, Spring Green

July 11:

MEETING: Arena Board Meeting 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Village Hall, 345 West Street, Arena villageofarena.net

MEETING: Lone Rock Village Board Meeting 7:00 PM Village Office, 314 E Forest St, Lone Rock

July 12:

MEETING: Plain Village Library Board Meeting 6:30 PM 510 Main Street, Plain villageofplain.com

MEETING: Village of Spring Green Board Meeting 7:00 PM . In person and virtual event . 154 N. Lexington Street, Spring Green . vi.springgreen.wi.gov

The Community Calendar is curated and designed by Julianna Williams. Events are subject to change, always check ahead for up-to-date information on any events you are interested in.

Reflections from Lost Horizon Farm — Making Hay (Part 3) & Milking and Weather Events

Each edition, retired dairy farmer Barb Garvoille brings her musings on dairy farm life from her own years of experience on Lost Horizon Farm with her late husband Vince “Mr. Farmer” Garvoille. This mooving memoir focuses on 1980-2000, join Barb as she rises with the herd.

The hay baler wrapped and tied sisal or plastic twine (also called “string”) parallel to the two longer edges of each bale. Although bales were called square, they were really more on the rectangular side. When a person handled a bale, one placed a hand under each string to grasp it.. Yanking on one string might lead to a bale that was pulled into an inverted U shape or a bale that broke apart. Malformed bales and broken ones meant more handling and more work! Oddly shaped bales did not track up a hay elevator: they would tumble end over end and knock other bales off the elevator or simply fall off by themselves and oftentimes come apart on impact with the earth. Long time hay handler, Mr. Farmer, used a hay hook for moving bales. Less experienced persons like myself used the gloved hand method. Sometimes a twine string would be so tight that a chore glove might get clamped under it and slide off one’s sweaty hand as the person tossed the bale. It was a funny sight to watch one’s chore glove journey off and go wherever the bale was headed.

Galvanized garbage cans with missing or rusted out lids made great twine barrels. Twine strings that were pulled off square bales at feeding time got thrown into such receptacles. Strings were handy for a myriad of jobs where a tie of some sort was needed: to make an additional stanchion lock, to close a feed or seed sack, to create a temporary pail handle, to bundle found feathers and pull along to amuse a barn cat, to fashion a makeshift belt or suspenders or to make a quick replacement for a broken boot lace. Twine strings were useful in the garden too: as stake ties or as guides for runner beans or peas. Lengths of strings tied together and held taut along a tree trunk could make a perfect circumference guide for a circle of mulch under a newly planted tree or shrub. Opportunities for twine strings’ repurposing were limited only by a person’s imaginative skills!

Baled hay was not without danger.

Bales that were stored too wet could spontaneously combust and cause a barn fire. Bales that felt really heavy or that appeared too green were set aside and soon fed out to youngstock. Farming is framed by daily judgment calls, and our

risk adverse selves erred on the side of caution when it came to storing bales. Haying was a time to be alert for stinging insects. Bumblebees liked to create nests in the leftover hay accumulated in the base of the round baler; it was not atypical to drive off to the field with the round baler and have a trail of bumblebees following it and their suddenly mobile home. Yellowjackets (also called “ground bees”) could be a danger if their below ground nest was inadvertently disturbed by haying equipment. Paper wasps liked to build inside of elevators and on overhangs. Bald-faced hornets, that we enjoyed watching as they stalked and preyed on live flies, built their pendulous gray basketball-like nests on branches often about the height of the hay wagons. Great care was taken not to disturb these hanging homes. Experience taught a person that each of these species was capable of multiple stings.

Milking and Weather Events

Cows are conditioned to being milked at set intervals and are not cognizant of weather-related interruptions. They know only the need to relieve the pressure of a full udder. Any farmer who has had to delay milking time because of a mechanical breakdown or weather related conditions knows how a cow that has waited too long to be milked can bellow in a way that is both pleading and frenzied; a vocal touchstone of malaise. Any nursing human mother could certainly relate to the feeling of an overly full mammary!

Thunderstorms, ice storms, windstorms, or even animal interference

with electrical equipment could cut power to the farm. One time a raccoon climbed the power pole in the yard and shorted out our transformer; another time a squirrel ran across lines at the substation outside of town and caused a power grid meltdown. Power outages were particularly onerous before sunrise or after sunset. A person might be milking, and, all of a sudden, it would be pitch dark in the barn, and every milking unit would fall to the ground. A person would have to thread his way from between cows, trusting that his touch and gentle tone of voice would be calming to the cows (A startled cow can be one that kicks.), and carefully feel the way to the milk house where the flashlights were kept. The receiving jar would already be leaking milk from its duckbill safety drain, so a person would have to quickly find and place an ultra clean pail under that. Then a person would return to the barn, illuminating the path ahead with the flashlight, and pick up the milkers, all the while hoping that no cow had stepped on or reclined upon a fallen milking machine! As soon as power was restored, each of these milking units would have to be thoroughly cleaned before resuming milking.

The neighbors would be called in order to determine how extensive the outage was, and someone would call the power company. The tractor would be hooked up to the generator, and it would be pulled on its cart up to the power pole. Mr. Farmer would throw the cut- out switch to the main line, plug the generator to the adapter box, rev up the tractor, start the generator, check the gauge and adjust the throttle if need be. Then there would be enough power to start up milking again. (The generator had the power to run 25- 1 horse motors or any combination thereof.) It was very spooky and dangerous to hook up the generator during a bad thunderstorm, but it was downright numbing to do so during a blizzard when the adapter box had frozen shut, and all the power cords were stiff.

At one time, Lost Horizon Farm was on a feeder line that serviced 5 farms. Part of that line went through woods up and over a fairly steep ridge, and there were several times when the source of a power outage would be a fallen tree. Sometimes insulators would crack or break in extreme conditions, and they would cause a short. The cattle had even tried to disrupt service. By rubbing against an especially rough (and, therefore, pleasant feeling) power pole in the pasture, the cows had actually caused the pole to tilt. Luckily, the utility lineman noticed this leaning piece of

infrastructure and put a new and much more sturdy pole in place. A year or two afterward, our county roadway was widened, and all the power poles were replaced. The power line was rerouted so that there were no longer any power poles in the pasture or in the woods. Sadly, when the power failed on a day when weather could not have been a factor, it was almost always the result of an automobile accident somewhere. I should mention here an historical aside from the time “ before Barb” (Mr. Farmer called that time period “BB time.”). During the winter of 1976, before Lost Horizon Farm had a generator, an ice storm created a massive area wide blackout, and the farm was without power for 3 days. Milking was done by running a hard plastic hose from the manifold of the John Deere B tractor to the vacuum line. In this way, there was enough vacuum to milk one cow at a time. Coincidentally, 1976 was also the year of a summer drought (no rain for 3 months), and it was the year the well on the farm went dry. As farmers say:”Bad things happen in threes.”

That latter event meant hiring the well driller and selecting a new well site. The drilling rig was engaged, and an eight inch pipe casing was pounded down into the earth with a pile driver. By state statute, the new well had to have the casing pass through a layer of rock before it could legally draw water. This would seal the well, prevent collapse, and eliminate contamination. After two days of drilling, a rock layer was reached. During the third day of pounding, the well casing became firmly wedged in the rock, unable to be pulled up or pushed down. The only solution was to pull up the drilling bit and send down 10 sticks of dynamite on a long fuse in its place. The resulting subterranean blast created a large hole that filled with water. After pumping water out of this hole at a certain speed for an entire day, the cavern was deemed fit for Lost Horizon Farm's new well at 90 feet in depth. The old well had been a sand point well at 60 feet in depth. How did the livestock obtain water during this period? The Spring Green Fire Department brought water to the farm’s stock tanks via their tanker truck.

Barb has called Lost Horizon Farm, just north of Spring Green, her home for the past 43 years. She is fond of all creatures (including snakes). Her joy stems from being able to be outdoors every day observing and treasuring the plant and animal life on her small piece of this planet. She loved milking cows and is proud to have been a dairy farmer.

Barb Garvoille, Columnist

Barb Garvoille

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille

A hay hook awaits use.

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille Pictured here are antique insulators: blue Hemingray and brown ceramic insulators from power lines as well as several differently colored 1900's era roof lightning rod glass ball insulators.

Jefferson

LITERARY SECTION

Poetic Wonderer

Next Evenings Afield event set for Cates Family Farm

The Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative has announced its 2023 lineup of free monthly programs, called Evenings Afield. One Thursday evening per month, from May-September, this watershed partnership offers two-hour events that are part field trip and part socializing with people who share a general interest in land conservation.

All events are from 6:00-8:00 pm, at sites in and around the Lowery Creek watershed, which runs from Pleasant Ridge north to the Lower Wisconsin River at the Taliesin property.

The Evenings Afield program is intended to grow and inform a community that is actively engaged in stewarding the Driftless Area in our region. Topics relate to the ecology, agriculture, geology, and history of the area, emphasizing information that applies to managing land and water in Driftless topography.

On May 18, Driftless Groundwater 101 was held with Maureen Muldoon and Katie Abbott, at the Cates Family Farm.

On June 8, Restoring Your Woods & Prairie: Where to Begin was held with Mike Degen and Aaron Wunnicke, at Taliesin’s Phoebe Point Trail.

Here is the remaining schedule for 2023:

July 20 – Grass-fed Beef: From Grazing to Grocer with Dick Cates and Eric Cates, at the Cates Family Farm.

August 10 – Biological Farming & Perennial Crops with Gary Zimmer and Patrick Michaels, at Otter Creek Organic Farm.

September 7 – Agroforestry: Where to Begin with Erik Hagan, at Savanna Institute’s South Farm

For a description of each session and to register (required), visit driftlessconservancy.org/events. Driftless Area Land Conservancy serves a coordinating role for the Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative partnership. Visit driftlessconservancy. org/lowery-creek-watershed for information on other watershed activities.

fire's sun (a weeping) the sun goes down as i sit and I see, this too bright burning of something not right; squinting my eyes at sky's silhouette lit tree, I look down to cry with my tear's blurred sight.

a.thomas

27june2023

Lexington & EDUCATIONAL

OPPORTUNITY

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We are looking for interns/volunteers who want to be in the unique position to learn the nuts and bolts of a news media publication that started from the ground up.

You will have the chance to make an impact at the ground level of a startup and see the effect of your work and ideas carried out with a lot of flexibility, in an environment and creative culture you can help influence and create.

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We are a new, all volunteer local news source that holds a strong belief that by working to keep our communities informed and engaged on a variety of topics including arts & culture, events, community news and serving as a watchdog for our local governmental bodies, we can help create a strong identity for our community and ignite positive growth and change throughout the area.

Interested? Send us your area(s) of interest and a resume to: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

Internship will be unpaid, interns will be required to sign a FSLA-compliant internship agreement. If credit is available from intern’s educational institution for participation in an internship, we are glad to work with you to meet any requirements for receiving credit.

Want to help build community? Know a college student that’s looking for a summer or fall internship for academic credit or to gain experience? Already attending village board or school board meetings and want to record or report on them? Want to engage with arts & culture, ag, businesses and other topics important to our community? Want to take scenic walks or drives delivering papers to subscribers and businesses?

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Solar Celebration highlights community power

On Sunday July 16th, the Clyde Community Center in Avoca, WI, will celebrate the completion of a solar energy system to power the center. From 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, activities will include a Taco Bar and Bake Sale fundraiser for the center, an expansive line-up of short educational talks ranging in topic from non-profit grant opportunities to USDA REAP grants for farms and rural businesses to general basics on solar power and how tax incentives lower the upfront costs, and incidental music by Don Greenwood. RC Tacos will provide their authentic food and Clyde cooks have been busily baking.

Ethos Green Power Cooperative (EGPC) designed and installed the 8kW solar array of 18 panels as a groundmounted system earlier this year. It is designed to offset 100% of usage, nearly eliminating the electric bill charges.

Since 2013, EGPC has installed 10,000 solar panels for more than 4,000kW of solar power. As customer-owned solar

Areas in most need:

-Graphic design (publication layout, visual story design, infographics)

-Sports reporting

-Municipal meeting recorders/reporters

-School board reporters

-Social media posting/creation

-E-newsletter

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-Agriculture reporter/columnist (current events)

We have the infrastructure set up for most of these areas, we're just in need of manpower from passionate community members.

power becomes more commonplace, a new rural energy economy will bring good work for younger generations. EGPC is worker owned and operated, employing 20 people in the SouthWest region of Wisconsin.

According to Juniper Sundance, who headed up the project for the Clyde Community Center, “We want to encourage more homes, farms, and businesses in our area to use small scale solar systems for their energy supply. The agencies who are coming to speak have been useful in helping us plan our system. Although we needed a short term loan to get this project built as soon as the ground could be worked in the spring, it already has made a big impact on our utility bills. Our nonprofit is dependent on donations. We see this Celebration as a great way to educate as well as bringing support for our Center.”

The Clyde Community Center is located at 6281 State Hwy 130. See us on https://www.facebook.com/ ClydeCommunityCenter

Barb Barzen, Driftless Area Land Conservancy

Photo via DALC Cows at Cates Family Farm outside of Spring Green.

The Clyde Community Center presents

The Sauk County Gardener

Watering During Dry Times

Jeannie Manis Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener

“I have always considered the rain to be healing-a blanket-the comfort of a friend.”

— Douglas Coupland

This past weekend, I had a difficult time trying to plant some last-minute plant purchases. The ground was so dry and hard in most places making it nearly impossible to dig, even in areas where I’ve never had trouble before. Normally, the only things I need to water are the few decorative containers I plant and occasionally my vegetable garden. I don’t plant a lot of annuals or fussy perennials that need a regimented watering schedule. However, with the weather forecast not showing any rain in the near future, that means many gardeners will have to start regular watering – if they haven’t already.

Here are some tips to combat dry spells

Signs of the Season

“Green was the silence, wet was the light, the month of June trembled like a butterfly.”

— Pablo Neruda

On my way to work this week, I noticed the chicory was starting to bloom. Besides being a pretty blue flower, it’s also a summer-blooming indicator plant. When chicory blooms, it’s time to prevent damage from the squash vine borer. It’s also the time when the adult Japanese beetles start to emerge from the soil. These first adults become “scouts” for other Japanese beetles. The scouts will find the buffet in your yard and then tell the others where it is. Keeping this in mind when you see the chicory blooming, it’s time for you to start scouting for Japanese beetle scouts.

and make sure your gardens get the most benefit from watering.

1. Water before 8 am. This will help minimize evaporation and disease risk. If you can’t water in the morning, water late afternoon/ early evening so foliage has time to dry.

2. Water deeply. Gardens need about an inch of rain each week and they need the water to get to their root systems so they can take in nutrients. If you use sprinklers, an easy way to measure is to place a couple of containers about an inch deep in your garden (a tuna can works well). Turn the sprinklers on and when the can is full, you’ve watered the area with an inch of water. Take note of how much time it takes, and you can set up a timer for future waterings.

You can minimize the damage if you can find and destroy as many of those early scouts before they can tell their friends that your garden buffet is now open. They are most active in the afternoon so that is the best time to go on the hunt. One thing to keep in mind, both the adults and the grubs begin to die off when the soil is very dry so if you don’t water your lawn during peak adult beetle flight, you may see a reduction in grubs. So far, that’s the only advantage I can see with our current dry spell.

Another sign I observed in my garden was white “butterflies” checking out my broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. The caterpillars of these pretty butterflies are often referred to as the “imported cabbage worm” and are pests for cole or crucifer crops, munching on the

The Flash Drought of 2023 - Ideas and Resources

While the early part of the year was characterized by large amounts of precipitation, the May Wisconsin experienced this year was the 4th driest on record. While some areas are receiving scattered amounts of precipitation this week, the speed with which the drought came on and led to the designation of “flash drought” for much of the state led UW-Madison State Climatologist Steve Vavrus to call this time “remarkable.”

The UW-Madison Division of Extension Crops and Soils team hosted a webinar on June 9th, 2023, bringing together speakers from across disciplines to provide their insights on how to navigate these conditions. A summary of their key points along with resources they pointed to are provided below.

Joe Lauer, UW-Madison Professor and Extension-Funded Faculty Corn Agronomist

Lauer emphasized that we are not really behind average yearly rainfall yet due to the wet April we experienced and that it is not time to panic yet as several years that have started out dry like this have turned out to be record crop years. He reminded us that corn will not use much water during early vegetative stages and as long as the roots can keep up with the receding moisture line in the soil, we should be okay for some time. It is possible that hot, sunny days may interfere with this and that leaf curling early in the day is a sign that the stress is getting worse.

For more information from Joe Lauer on corn and weather graphs for Arlington and Marshfield, see his website http://corn.agronomy.wisc. edu/Season/Default.aspx

Shawn Conley, UW-Madison Professor and Extension-Funded Faculty Soybean and Small Grains Agronomist

Conley shared that soybeans need very little water prior to the R1 stage, and a drought in August is far more detrimental to soybean yield. He encouraged farmers to skip an early season fungicide application for “plant health” if it's dry. Finally, he addressed emergence issues and advised producers to check if unemerged seeds never germinated and still have potential or are dead from drying out after germination. In the latter event a replanting could be necessary if the herbicide program allows. He also noted that soybean aphids and twospotted spider mites could be issues, but that at this stage some vegetation loss in soybeans is acceptable so hold off on insecticide applications.

On the small grains side, he stated that drier than normal conditions could lead to good wheat yield due to low disease pressure and lodging.

For more information from Shawn Conley on soybeans and small grains, see his website at https://coolbean. info/2023/06/08/impact-of-earlyseason-drought-on-soybean-yieldios-

continued on page 11

For most sprinklers, it can take between one to two hours. A soaker hose needs about 200 minutes to deliver an inch of water but is much more effective. The water is more targeted, has time to soak in, offers minimal evaporation, and won’t wet the leaves. With either method, you don’t have to water all at once; you can spread it out over a few days just so long as it adds up to about an inch a week. Remember, overwatering can be very damaging as well.

3. Water the roots. Plants need the water to get to their root systems so they can take in nutrients. Leaves, stems, and fruit do not need water and keeping them dry can help prevent diseases.

4. Catch water. Newly planted trees and shrubs can suffer significantly when they have limited water.

leaves of your prized crops. If you spot these butterflies near your garden, start inspecting the lower leaves of your cole crops weekly for eggs and larvae. The larvae are velvety green worms up to an inch long with a light, yellow strip down the back. Handpicking is an option if you have a small crop. You can also use floating row covers. Another option is to apply Bacillus Thuringiensis var Kurstaki or Aisawai (Bt) to early instar larvae. Although I don’t care to use chemicals unless absolutely necessary, this is one that I have used and had success controlling the larvae. Bt is a naturally occurring, soil-borne bacteria that’s been in use since the 1950s for natural insect control. It is non-toxic to mammals, birds, and fish and has also been found to have low toxicity to bees. The key to using Bt is to target the early larvae and then

Create a small berm or low depression around your tree or shrub. It will trap or catch the water, so it has time to soak in instead of run off.

5. Watch for “dryness”. Plants have several ways to indicate they are thirsty. Droopy leaves and browning leaf edges and between leaf veins.

6. Use organic matter and mulch. Organic matter worked into the soil allows it to hold water more easily and retain nutrients. Mulch helps cool the roots, suppress weeds, prevent soil compaction, and slow evaporation.

7. Remove weeds. Pulling weeds removes competition for water and other nutrients that your plants need.

Implement these techniques and your garden can get through some pretty long dry spells with minimal impact.

ensure you have good plant coverage. As with all chemicals, make sure it actually will treat the insect you are trying to control, read the directions carefully to ensure proper usage.

It's also time to watch for any signs of disease on your tomatoes. Some common tomato diseases include early blight, Septoria leaf spot, anthracnose, and late blight. Fungicides containing copper or chlorothalonil (and labels for use on vegetables) can be effective for all of these except late blight if they are applied very early (before symptoms develop) and used regularly throughout the growing season. To learn more about tomato care, visit barron.extension.wisc.edu/ files/2023/02/Homegrown-Tomatoesfor-Wisconsin.pdf. It’s a great resource document about caring for homegrown tomatoes in Wisconsin.

Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener

UW-Extension Sauk County

Outdoors & AGrIcuLture

The Flash Drought of 2023 - Ideas and Resources

continued from page 10

on-early-season-soybean/ Marta Moura Kohmann, UWMadison Assistant Professor and Extension-Funded Faculty of Forage Systems Agroecology

Kohmann focused on the state of the alfalfa crop. She noted that if alfalfa is small and stunted/dormant/droughtstressed in early vegetative stages, then we should wait to cut as yield will be low. If the alfalfa is at or near bloom but has gone dormant and over 10 inches tall, then cutting it can be economical and the forage will provide decent feed. If there is not enough for a harvest but it has gone dormant at reproductive stages, then removing the dormant forage prior to regrowth can be beneficial to ensure higher quality forage for the next cutting. Alfalfa is unlikely to regrow until soil moisture is replenished.

For more information and to contact Marta Kohmann, email mourakohmann@wisc.edu

Daniel Smith, UW-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program Southwest Region Outreach Specialist

Smith addressed fertility concerns in dry conditions. He encouraged us to be optimistic as agronomists always have to be. He noted that the largest concern is around volatilization losses from applying urea or UAN at sidedress for corn. Volatilization can be up to 40% if we don’t experience rain and fertilizer is unincorporated. Urease inhibitors

can be valuable here, but they do break down over time and require rainfall within a couple weeks to be most effective.

Smith also noted that not applying more than 3000 gallons per acre of manure to hay ground is good practice right now and that applying to forage that has had significant regrowth after first cutting is risky at this time due to the potential for burn with the high rates of evaporation we’re experiencing.

For more information and to contact Daniel Smith, email dhsmith@wisc. edu

Steve Vavrus, UW-Madison Senior Scientist, Director of the Center for Climatic Research, and State Climatologist

Vavrus noted that this extraordinarily dry weather is due to a high-pressure system stuck over Canada bringing northeasterly winds and the smoke from wildfires in Quebec. There are signs it may break up soon. He provided perspective that May 2023 in Wisconsin was not only very dry on a national scale, but also historically as it was the 4th driest May on record for the state. He shared resources on how to stay on top of the latest climatic conditions, which can be found below in the resources section. Vavrus encouraged farmers and agronomists to participate in citizen science by contributing to the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports and the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network to improve the data from which policymakers and

U.S . Dr ought Mo nitor

Wi scons in

scientists are making decisions. For more information from Steve Vavrus on Wisconsin’s climate, see his website at https://www.aos.wisc. edu/~sco/

Paul Mitchell, UW-Madison Professor and Extension-Funded Faculty of Agricultural and Applied Economics in Cropping Systems Management Mitchell reassured us that it is early in the season and things are far from determined, but that even in the case of crop failure 75-80% of Wisconsin corn and soybean acres are insured. He noted that the crop was overall looking very good this year so far with good emergence and stand quality ratings, so a good yield is still very possible. He emphasized that it is important for farmers to be in direct contact with their crop insurance agents if things start to worsen as the intricacies of each situation can only be navigated by a crop insurance agent. Finally, he discussed the difference between Revenue Protection, the most common insurance program, and Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion (RP-HPE), a program with lower premiums but more risk involved. The key difference is that with RP-HPE, if grain prices increase from the time of purchase to the time of harvest, the guarantee does not increase to match the higher price, leaving a producer vulnerable to being unable to purchase feed for livestock or grain to satisfy futures contracts.

For more information from Paul

Mitchell on crop markets and economics, see his website at https:// aae.wisc.edu/pdmitchell/

Gene Schriefer, State Executive Director of the United States Department of Agriculture in Wisconsin Schriefer shared with us the details of what is required to trigger drought assistance from the USDA. He stated that a county must be in a D1 drought for eight weeks or a D2 or higher for any amount of time before a disaster is declared. The other pathway is to document 30% or more crop loss in a county and then contact USDA to petition the Secretary of Agriculture to declare a disaster. There are several programs available for livestock, forage, and crop ground, and farmers should consult USDA personnel or the website for more information. Schriefer also encouraged farmers and agronomists to participate in the citizen science networks referenced by Steve Vavrus, CMOR and CoCoRaHS to improve the data the USDA uses for declaration of drought.

For more information on USDA Disaster Assistance Programs, see the USDA website at https://www. fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/ disaster-assistance-program/index

For more information on all of these topics, visit cropsandsoils.extension. wisc.edu or contact your Regional Crops Educator.

—Natasha Paris, Sam Bibby, and Josh Kamps

June 20, 2023

Valid 8 a.m. EDT

An Outdoors(wo) man’s Journal

Selina Walters, Guest Columnist

Hello everyone,

This week I, Selina, am taking over the column to fill you all in with recent life updates and new developments in my education/professional development. Today my Dad flew into Schultz Lake in Ontario, Canada meanwhile I am 1400 miles to the Southwest near Whiteriver, Arizona sitting outside with a temperature of 79 but UV index of 10. I am here for the summer working for the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a member of the Apache Trout Conservation crew, but I will get into more of those details later on.

Before I get too far ahead of myself I want to update you all on my senior year at UWSP and all of the activities I had going on during the school year. During the last few weeks of summer 2022 the Wildlife Biologist out at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, Brad Strobel, reached out to me wondering if I would be interested in helping teach the middle school students at Necedah N-Gage academy about natural resources and specifically stream ecology. This was truly a full circle moment for me as the wildlife refuge has been very impactful to me and had a major influence on my decision to pursue a career in natural resources, I also spent all of my K-12 education in Necedah. Throughout the year I visited Necedah twice a month to

deliver lessons and help students create science projects comparing a restored and ditched portion of the Little Yellow River that flows through the refuge. Students were in the Little Yellow River starting in late March, and as you could imagine there were many filled waders, (including mine) and the water was COLD! All of the students were troopers though and there were few complaints, but many memories made by all.

This year I was the Vice President of our student subunit of the American Fisheries Society (AFS). With this role I organized the speakers for our weekly meetings which were made up of many fish biologists from Wisconsin and also the rest of the US. Perhaps most memorable was one from the Grand Canyon who said he grew up in Wisconsin and spent a lot of time in Necedah fishing on Castle Rock Lake. AFS also presents many unique opportunities like helping work up lake sturgeon when they spawn in the spring, broomball, and attending the WI AFS Conference where we got to hear about fisheries research happening throughout the state.

For the second year in a row I participated in undergraduate research at UWSP. This year my project focused on the influence of riparian habitat (area between fully aquatic and terrestrial habitat) on brook trout prey availability, diet, and body condition. Essentially I was looking to see if land use had any effect on the bugs available for brook

trout to eat, what they were actually eating, and in turn the size of brook trout in that stretch of stream. The work associated with this project lasted the duration of the year with field work beginning in the fall, processing samples in the lab throughout the fall and winter, and creating my actual project during the winter and spring. Research was initially something I was very intimidated by and I did not think I would be able to complete it, but it has led to some of my most impactful learning experiences and I am very grateful to have had the opportunities to do it.

UWSP and the Aquatic Biomonitoring Lab (ABL) have turned me into quite the aquatic bug nerd, and I continued my job at the ABL this last year and was even promoted to Quality Control Officer. Jeff Dimick runs the ABL and has been a huge mentor during my time at UWSP, he may have even turned me into a bit of a “crazy bug lady”, as a dream career for me would involve aquatic macroinvertebrates, though they are not easy to find. For right now though, I am (mostly) out of the school mindset and enjoying my time working down in Arizona! As I said earlier I am

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working for the USFWS as a part of the Apache Trout Conservation crew. Apache Trout are native to the White Mountains of Arizona and have a very small range. Non-native brook and brown trout outcompete and prey on Apache Trout, and they are currently listed as threatened on the Endangered Species List. As a part of the crew it is my job to electrofish some of the streams where they are present to perform population surveys and remove non-native species (this means sending the brook and brown trout to their maker).

I’m running low on room, but long story short: this academic year was the most challenging but rewarding year yet, and now I am down in Arizona climbing mountains in the snow (it has been cooler here than it has been in WI most of the time I’ve been here) to go and work with a threatened fish species!

I will write again at the end of summer to fill you in with more details about my job!

Selina

Photo contributed by Selina Walters Selina with a nice sized Apache Trout!

Photo contributed by Selina Walters Selina performing gastric lavage, a non-lethal way to collect diet samples, on a Brook trout for her research project this last year.

Photo contributed by Selina Walters Dinosaurs! Working up lake sturgeon during their spawning period is hard and dirty work.