Valley Sentinel - 08-11-2022 by Valley Sentinel

Photo via 4PeteSake Performances during the last 4PeteSake Day in the Park, in 2019. conditions. We cannot thank you enough.The3rd Annual 4PeteSake Golf Outing will be held at the House on the Rock Resort on Friday, September 16th. Please visit informationinaugural-golf-tournament4petesake.com/2020-formoreandtoregisteryourteam.

RUN/WALK & BIKE A 5k Run/Walk and 15 or 30 mile bike ride BOTH get the day started at 9:00 a.m. Day-of registration for both events begins at 8:00 a.m. The entrance fee for each event is $30 or $25 each for families or 4 or more. Questions about the Run/Walk can be directed to Cristin Lagerman at cristinleigh@ gmail.com. For questions about the bike ride, contact Lisa Roelke at lroelke3@ gmail.com. Plunge for Pete! Participate in the Walk or Bike Ride and ﬁnish by splashing down in the pool. There We are delighted to announce that the Day in the Park will return on August 21, 2022. We hope to see you all back for a wonderful day of music, food, and fun with our neighbors and friends. The day’s activities will feature music from local bands, food and drink from local vendors, kid’s activities and a silent auction. There will also be a 5k Run/ Walk and a 15 mile or 30 mile Bike Ride.After two years without the Day in the Park fundraiser, we have been amazed, humbled and so proud of the overwhelming generosity and support of the 4PeteSake community. 4PeteSake has been able to help River Valley residents in need throughout the pandemic, with both Fall and Spring Funding in 2020 and 2021. The impact on the recipients and their families has been life changing as they cope with ﬁnancial hardship created by health Jean Alt, 4PeteSake continued on page 9

Photo by Paul Arentz, Driftless Now Paul Arentz, Driftless Now Founder and owner of Nectar Bakery, Alyssa Janco, pictured in the storefront. continued on page 10

While there are many bakeries in the Wisconsin Driftless, each has its own story behind them. Whether a new bakery, legacy, or under new ownership, each are unique.Mywife Amanda brought Nectar Scratch-Made Bakery to my attention and asked me to check it out and think about writing a story on the bakery. As I looked through Nectar’s website, I read an intriguing statement. It read, “We aim to bring you quality products with as little harm possible done to our home and those that steward it. We recognize we are on stolen land and aim to increase our involvement each year in reparations for the indigenous communities who are past, present, and future.” A bona ﬁde Native American myself, it was a done deal. I would write a story if Nectar would have me…and they did. Nectar opened its doors about a month ago. The story of Nectar’s creation goes 4PeteSake Day in the Park announced, returns for the ﬁrst time since 2019

Nectar: a scratch-made bakery opens storefront in Spring Green back a bit further. So, here we go. Located in the ever-popular village of Spring Green, Wisconsin in Sauk county’s southern boundary, Nectar, not to be cliché, has an amazing and humble beginning.Founderand owner of Nectar, Janco, has a deep background in theatre. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a degree in theatre, Janco soon started working in Milwaukee as a dresser. “I just really sort of fell in love with that kind of a job. It's a service industry job, which is what I'm doing now in the food industry”, she said. Janco said it was nice in the dresser wardrobe career to feel she was needed and explained she felt there was a really great connection with the actors she worked with and acknowledged the relationship was special. Janco came to Spring Green for her

4PeteSake Day in the Park Announced Community Calendar: Live music, exhibitions, theater Series: Reflections from Lost Horizons Farm Insideeditionthis Pages 1, 9 Pages 6, 7 Page 5 Thursday, August 11, 2022 | Vol. 3, No. 19Spring Green, Wisconsin FREE , Single-Copy

Let’s say you request records from a public official under the state’s Open Records Law. Let’s say the official, though legally obligated to provide them, does not. Let’s say the records are not provided until after you hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit, at considerable expense. Have you won the case? Should you be entitled to recovery of your costs and legal fees? Here’s what the Open Records Law says: “[T]he court shall award reasonable attorney fees, damages of not less than $100, and other actual costs to the requester if the requester prevails in whole or in substantial part.” In cases where officials changed their mind and “voluntarily” turned over records after being sued, courts have held for four decades that requesters could still recover fees and costs if the lawsuit was “a cause” of the release.Under this provision, requesters have been willing to risk expense fighting for the release of records to which they are entitled. And it has allowed attorneys like me to take these cases on contingency, knowing we have a reasonable chance of getting paid at the case’s conclusion. But in July, the Wisconsin Supreme Court knocked the stuffing out of this recovery mechanism in a 4-3 decision in Friends of Frame Park v. City of Waukesha. The court, without ever Tom Kamenick, Wisconsin Transparency Project Tom Kamenick being asked to do so, declared that public records plaintiffs “prevail” only if a judge orders the records to be released. In cases where the public official gets sued and has a change of heart, as often happens, there is no longer a clear path to fee recovery. This is not what the state legislature intended or wrote when it enacted the Open Records Law in 1982. The law doesn’t say a plaintiff has to get a court order; it says a plaintiff has to “prevail.” And when you get the records you sued to obtain, you’ve prevailed. You got what you wanted. YouWhatwon.does all this mean for ordinary people trying to get records? Well, if it’s harder for attorneys to get paid for their work, they won’t be able to take as many cases on contingency. That means fewer people can afford to file a record lawsuit. Fewer lawsuits means custodians have less fear of being sued. Custodians without a healthy fear of consequences are more likely to violate the law by delaying or denying requests for no reason. As Justice Jill Karofsky noted in dissent, this “deleterious new standard for attorney fees may disincentivize government actors from making timely disclosures, eviscerating the very purpose of the public records laws.” The losing party in this case has filed a motion for reconsideration, asserting that this new test for when a requester is entitled to fee recovery was never even briefed. Meanwhile, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty is calling on the Legislature to promptly fix the problem that the court’s majority has created. Transparency advocates have also called for a legislative fix. When the U.S. Supreme Court did nearly the same thing in 2001 (abandoning 40 years of a permissive view of “prevailing” for attorney fees), Congress reacted by amending the federal Freedom of Information Act to expressly provide for fees after voluntary production. Wisconsin should do the same. Your Right to Know is a monthly column distributed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council (wisfoic.org), a group dedicated to open government. Tom Kamenick is the president and founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Project.

Your Right to Know — Court ruling kneecaps records law

After a week delay due to COVID, the inaugural Chamberfest was held, abreviated, on August 6 at the Spring Green General Store.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR judges were nominated by the previous fake conservative president and conﬁrmed by Republican Senators. “We the people” are responsible to vote for legislators who will faithfully represent us. Freedom-loving women and the men who support them can turn the tide in the upcoming fall election. If you value your freedom, health and well-being, vote for Independent or Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Register and vote like your life depends on it, because it does!

The (not so) Plain and Simple Correspondent: Ancient History 101 Katie Green, Columnist

"We felt really good about the turnout, especially considering the hot weather. The musicians were amazing, Josh Krause entertained both children and adults with his storytelling, and we all got to experience live classical music in the backyard of the General Store!"

—Zou Zou Robidoux, Chamberfest artistic director Submit your artwork or photography for cover consideration: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

Katie Green

On the cover "2022 Chamberfest at the Spring Green General Store" (2022) Photo, by Nath Dresser

This unpopular decision by the court, made at the behest of religiousright evangelical men, who seek to subjugate women, has essentially made all women property in Republican controlled states. This is no longer the “Land of the Free!” Three far rightwing Supreme Court

DearAcrosseditor,recorded time, women have been treated as second-class citizens. For too long, men have hoarded power for themselves. During the past hundred-and-ﬁfty years, women have fought for and won rights previously enjoyed only by men. These rights include the right to vote, own property, the right of inheritance, and the right of personal health and family planning. The Supreme Court recently voted to overturn Roe based on their personal religious beliefs, not established law or the will of the people. These judges

—Karin Miller, Spring Green General Store owner "We are very happy with how ChamberFest went. We had a wonderful turnout, especially considering the heat and the last-minute postponement, and had so many kind interactions with the people who came. The artists truly enjoyed performing in such a beautiful space for an engaged and supportive audience."

mown grass, chat with your neighbors at the mailbox, hoping to find no bills or begging letters? As Shakespeare intoned in Julius Caesar, “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” We tend to get hung up on and be appalled by bad news, but when it's too frequent it becomes merely white noise. I, too, require some time off now and again to recuperate and focus on what makes me glad to be alive. I subscribe to positive news magazines such as Yes! and Orion and daydream about what delicious new recipe to try tonight for supper that is cold and crunchy, disgustingly good for you, so that both your doctor and your mother would approve of it, and thus you could justify a sinful dessert afterwards. Katie is an author that, until recently, lived in Plain that has been writing for fun and profit, mostly the former, since childhood. Her writing is self described as opinionated, but meant to be in the interests of a more loving, better functioning world for all. She may be reached at: greengal2@charter.net.

“The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men” —Plato. For those who have lost track of the rolling centuries or were never introduced to the ancient philosophers, Plato lived in Athens, Greece from about 429 to 347 B.C.E. [Before the Common Era]. My friend Steve has this quote appended to the side of his car on a magnetized plate that can be moved around or removed at will. He can replace it with other witticisms or instructions about improving the quality of your citizenship. Personally, I can't imagine being apathetic. That isn't a characteristic of our extended family going back as far as I can research into the dawn of recorded time. However, much has been written lately about the lack of interest people have in knowing who their elected officials are, what issues are at stake that might even affect themselves greatly, and voting. You'll note that Plato didn't say “evil women”, but, in all honesty, there have been a few of those, as well. Other countries have much higher rates of voter participation. An article tabulated just prior to the 2020 election showed Turkey in first place, followed by Sweden, Australia, and Denmark. The US was way down the list with about half as many voting. Neighboring Canada and Mexico did better in voter turnout than we. Voting is “compulsory” in both Turkey and Australia, as it is in Greece, but that doesn't mean everyone obeyed and came to the polls as directed. No heads rolled. Notable was that in every country during the outbreak of Covid, wherever voting by mail was instituted voter participation increased markedly. Of course, now our Republican-led legislature and State Supreme Court in Wisconsin are erecting more and more barriers between voters and how or if we may vote, in person or by mail. You'd think that in itself would shake folks out of apathy to angrily protest… andGuessesvote. about why apathy is in such lavish supply are many. Too much “news” from too many sources, a lot of it contradictory and seemingly false? Adrenal exhaustion from being bombarded constantly with reportage of catastrophes? (As Paul Fanlund pointed out in a recent issue of the Cap Times, “...good news happens gradually... ‘News’ is usually going to be abrupt and mostly bad, just as it has always been. Think these are bad days? In the 1960s we had a nuclear missile crisis, multiple assassinations of our generational heroes plus the Vietnam War. No walk in the park, for sure.”) Can you remember distinctly the details of periods of calm, when you mainly watch your zucchini explode to baseball bat size overnight, mow the lawn again and inhale the sweet smell of new-

Second-class citizens were appointed, not elected. Why should four men and one woman have the sole power to aﬀect millions of women’s lives? Further, church and state were to remain separate! Their decision violates everyone’s freedom of religion. Now we are desperately in need of freedom from religion!

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022Page 2 Commentary/Opinion/Lte

Lee D. Van Landuyt Hillsboro, Wisconsin

Community Discussion PolicyFrom time to time the editorial board may select letters to the editorof a particular compelling community interest where apublic ﬁgure or accountable public action is the recipient of criticismand allow, in the same issue, the subject of the criticism chance forrebuttal, with expounded independent input. The format shall be point, counterpoint and expert analysis. This community discussionshall serve as a moderated dialogue that presents multiple views of important community topics.

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS EDITION Full

Proposed Cuts to Richland County Government Postponed

Editorial PolicyOn certain topics in areas of great community interest, the editorsof the Valley Sentinel may take positions they believe best representand serve the interests of the community. Any opinions or positions taken by the editorial board are separate and distinct in labeling andsubstance from the community journalism that appears in the rest ofthe publication and does not aﬀect the integrity and impartiality of our reporting.

• There is a large backlog of capital maintenance needs across our county government, including at the courthouse, fairgrounds, Health & Human Services building, highways, parks, and UW-Richland campus.

page 9 Richland

Column PolicyEditors may feature opinion columns written by public figures,members of the public or other publication staff. Columns reflectthe opinions of the individual contributors and do not representpositions of the publication. Guest columns of an anticipated length more than 500 words should seek prior editor authorization.

Beverly Pestel and up-to-date policies at: www.valleysentinelnews.com on County Column — Proposed cuts to Richland County government postponed

Our Fragile Democracy — Part 2: 'If you can keep it' got. Democracy comes from the Greek and is translated “people rule.”

continued

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• The State of Wisconsin limits the County’s ability to raise property taxes for daily operations. We are allowed to raise taxes for borrowing, but we can generally only raise taxes for operating by going to referendum, asking voters to approve an increase. While the State of Wisconsin has been reducing income tax rates, they have also been reducing their shared revenues to Richland

Graphic Designer Julianna Williams Commentary/Opinion

… As the story goes, after the Constitutional Convention in 1787 someone shouted to Benjamin Franklin, “Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?” To which Franklin supposedly responded: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

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• We have been using proﬁts from Pine Valley Community Village to pay for operations for the county government, instead of using that proﬁt to make mortgage payments on the new building.

Beverly Pestel, Columnist

estimate of our true interests, unperplexed and unbiased by considerations not connected with the public good. But this is a thing more ardently to be wished than seriously to be expected…Candor will oblige us to admit that…men may be actuated by upright intentions…that much of the opposition…will spring from sources, blameless at least, if not respectablethe honest errors of minds led astray by preconceived jealousies and fears…And a further reason for caution…Ambition, avarice, personal animosity, party opposition, and many other motives not more laudable than these, are apt to operate as well upon those who support as those who oppose the right side of a question.” Those ﬂashing hazard lights may just have been upgraded to something akin to a tornado siren. There may be more issues that make our democracy fragile than we would care to admit, but let’s start with the fact that the success of a representative democracy depends on the vote. First, who gets to vote, second, who actually votes. Then we have to ask whether our representatives honor the will of the voters, and whether there is equal representation of the voters within Congress.So,witha Constitution in place, it is up to the voters to see to it that what is ardently wished is seriously to be expected. So, on to the voters and their responsibility to the “If you can keep it” issue. 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. Ernest Grass, esq. Column Beverly Pestel Commentary/Opinion Column Katie Green Commentary/Opinion Column Barb Garvoille

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Valley Sentinel is a free, bi-weekly single-copy news publication, available on newsstands in the area. Covering Arena, Lone Rock, Plain, Spring Green and the surrounding areas in Sauk, Iowa and Richland counties. Est. 2020 igne conﬂatum “Forged in Fire”

Letter to the Editor PolicyLetters submitted for consideration are subject to fact-checking andediting for space and clarity. Submissions must have a compelling localcommunity interest. Letters to the editor must ﬁt within a 500-word limit, and include name, city and phone number. Phone numbers arefor oﬃce use only and will not be published. Letters of a political nature,without chance of rebuttal, will not be published the week before anelection.

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

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 Page 3Commentary/OpInIon Contact us PO Box 144 Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588 USA (608) valleysentinelnews.comeditor@valleysentinelnews.com588-6694 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Nicole Aimone Managing Editor Taylor Scott Legal Editor Gary

Valley Sentinel is published in Spring Green, Wisconsin every other Thursday by Lower Wisconsin River Valley Sentinel, LLC. ISSN 2694-541X (print) — ISSN 2694-5401 (online) Member, Wisconsin Newspaper Association “Our Fragile Democracy” is a series of thought-provoking columns by retired local professor Beverly Pestel exploring the history and struggles of our nation's form of government from its founding to our current social, cultural and political tensions — looking at solutions and means of learning to work with one another, in hopes of preserving our democracy.

If asked the question differently, what might Franklin’s response have been? He may have said something like: “We have an experiment in a highly desirable, optimistic, but very fragile representative democracy – sort of, I hope.” We need to explore that. We also need to explore the kind of issues and actions that are implied by “if you can keep it?” Let’s start with the definition of republic. Republic comes from the Latin res publica, that translates to “public affair” and refers to a form of government in which power is held by the people through their representatives. So, we are certainly a republic, but we are more than that. By some definitions, in a republic, oligarchs or aristocrats can serve as the representatives as long as the head of state is not determined by heredity. A democracy may be closer to what the Founders had in mind, at least it may be closer to what we eventually

available

The Founders obviously understood that “people rule” could be a messy thing where a lot of things could go wrong. Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No.1: “Among the most formidable of the obstacles which the new Constitution will have to encounter may readily be…the obvious interest of a certain class of men …to resist all changes which may hazard a diminution of the power…they hold…” In order to ensure that “people rule” was maintained once someone was in a position of power, there would need to be restraints on attempts for some to keep power. Ironically, Hamilton evidently argued that the President should have the office for life, I think we should be glad he lost that argument. Sometimes four years is plenty, and change is the better choice. “If you can keep it” is always going to involve the choices given the voter, and those choices should not involve large gaps in time. Dictionary.com defines democracy this way: “government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.” We exercise power directly when we vote on ballot initiatives and referenda. That is called direct democracy. More commonly, the voter’s power is exerted by choosing representatives. That is representative democracy.Itisourexpectation, or it should be, that the election is free, fair, and inclusive of all citizens eligible to vote. It is also expected that the representatives will act based on the will of the majority of voters. So, we have a representative democracy, sort of – we hope. We are left hoping because “If we can keep it” can only be accomplished when these expectations are met. To get technical, the United States is a “federal constitutional representative democracy.” It is constitutional because the people and their representatives are bound by the Constitution and the rule of law. So, “If you can keep it” also becomes a matter of guaranteeing that the Constitution is followed and rule of law is maintained. It is federal because power is shared between a national government and state and local governments. But the nature of that sharing is liable to be contentious. Ok, that is a starting point, complete with some flashing hazard lights. In addition, the structures, the understood but unarticulated norms, and the people that make government work (or sometimes not work) puts everything into a massively complex system susceptible to all kinds of dangers. Hamilton continued in Federalist No.1: “Happy will it be if our choice should be directed by a judicious

Over the past month, residents have been abuzz with reactions to Richland County Administrator Clinton Langreck’s proposed cuts to Richland County government. Some of the context for his proposed cuts are the following:

• Our general fund balance has been improving. We now have over three months of our annual expenses held in the bank, and this has resulted in an improved credit rating with the potential for lower interest rates on future borrowing.

• The county government has found it diﬃcult to give regular pay increases to its employees. Over approximately half of the last 10 years, our employees have not seen annual wage increases. As a result, the County Board adopted a goal Shaun Murphy-Lopez, Richland County Board Supervisor of improving employee pay.

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Chris Hardie's 'Back Home' column The disappearance of land lines has led to the demise of pay phones and phone booths and the younger generation not having a clue about what “Got a dime … call someone who cares” even means. Even the ubiquitous red telephone booths synonymous with Great Britain are disappearing from the landscape – although not as fast as phone booths here.Astory from National Public Radio from last November said United Kingdom phone regulator Ofcom is keeping thousands of the red phone kiosks in service – particularly in areas where payphones are still vital in case of emergencies and where cellphone users can’t get a reliable signal. A call box can stay in service if it is used at least 52 times over a year or if located in an area identiﬁed as an accident or a suicide

TherehaveevenboxesquitenoticedtripDuringhotspot.ourrecenttoScotlandwetherearestillafewredcallstillstanding,thoughhalfbeenremoved.arestillabout21,000 left in the U.K. and some have been converted to other uses – like community libraries or to house deﬁbrillators. Ofcom says a decommissioned box can be adopted by a local community for just 1 pound, which has happened with about 6,000 kiosks.Backat the farm we still have a landline, as cell phone service in our part of Wisconsin is a little sketchy but improving. But sometimes I miss the old phone that used to hang in the barn. Chris Hardie spent more than 30 years as a reporter, editor and publisher. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and won dozens of state and national journalism awards. He is a former president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. Contact him at chardie1963@gmail.com.

Arena Subscribers: COVERED Arena Businesses: COVERED Lone Rock Subscribers: COVERED Lone Rock Businesses: COVERED Plain Subscribers: AVAILABLE Plain Businesses: AVAILABLE Spring Green Subscribers: AVAILABLE Spring Green Businesses: AVAILABLE Want to enjoy scenic drives or a walk around town and assist in connecting our businesses, subscribers and community? Whether for fun or for volunteer experience, just one village, route, or more, we’d be happy to have you! Interested? Email: editor@valleysentinelnews.com or call 608-588-6694 and picked a few. I polished one up on my shirt and took a bite. Yes, it was sour. I can still feel the tang on my inner cheeks. But I liked apples – sour or not – so I finished it off. Wayne saw what I was doing and chuckled. “Don’t eat too many of those,” he warned. “Why not,” I replied. “Because you’ll get a tummy ache.” Wayne – who was probably in his early 60s at the time – lived just down the road from our farm in a small mobile home. He lost one arm in a car accident years before, but managed with a prosthetic that included a metal hook. Mechanically inclined he was not, but hand him a fork or a shovel and he would work as hard as the next man.Iwas your typical 10-year-old who loved to “They“Why?”challenge.justdo,”Wayne said. Wayne may not have known the physiological reason as to why eating green apples can make you sick, but he was right. Eating too many unripe apples can cause stomach pain because of an excess of ethylene gas. I took a few more bites and then stopped eating. My stomach felt fine, but I didn’t want to take any more chances. There was hay to unload and more to fetch and I didn’t want to feel sick.Earlier that spring my great uncle Leland died. He and Dad farmed together. It was that year – Dad claimed – that his hair turned gray because he had to farm with a “bunch of teenagers and a one-armed hired man.”Dadwas prone to exaggeration at times, but in this case, he was right. The apple tree, Wayne and Dad are now memories. But when this memory came back to me, I plucked a green apple from the tree in our yard and enjoyed a few tart bites. I believe sometimes ghost memories revisit us for a reason. As sure as God made little green apples.

Chris Hardie Photo contributed by Chris Hardie Eating too many unripe apples can cause digestive discomfort.

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There’s a series of ﬁelds across the top of a ridge on the farm that is aptly called “the hill.”

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Chris Hardie, Columnist I had a ghost memory the other day that took me back nearly 50 years. Also known as involuntary memory, precious fragments, mind pops or a host of other names, ghost memories occur when the sight, smell or sound of something takes you back to a past memory or experience. Often it’s a song, photo, movie or a book that triggers the memory. They frequently come to me as I live in my great-grandparents house that is full of memories. But this memory was triggered out in the yard when I looked at the green apples on our trees.

The world of communication is now in our pocket thanks to the marvels of technology. Our powerful smartphones have so many bells, whistles, gadgets and apps that the actual concept of being a telephone seems like an afterthought.Myparentsmoved to our farm in 1970 and our telephone service was a four-party line. That meant that four households in our neighborhood shared the same phone line. News sometimes traveled fast if there were nosey neighbors who liked to eavesdrop on the conversations. In the event of an emergency, you had to break in and ask them to hang up so you could make the call. The phone in the barn – a 1950s model constructed of heavy black bakelite with a metal dial that was designed to handle the outdoor environment – shared the same number as the house. If you wanted to call the barn from the house or vice versa, you had to dial the number, hang up and wait for the phone to ring. Private phone lines -- an unheard of luxury -- weren't available and touchtone phones were still years into the future. We were part of the Ettrick exchange and the next valley over was Melrose. But that was a long distance call, as was phoning Taylor, the location of our postal service. Long distance calls meant spending money, so they were to be minimal. How unfortunate for my parents that my girlfriend (now wife) Sherry lived in Mindoro, a long distance call. I spent many hours lying on the ﬂoor with the phone cord stretched as far as it would go whispering sweet nothings that were actually pricey somethings. Eventually the folks signed up for a long distance nights and weekends plan which cost less.When we needed a ride home after an athletic event, we would call collect with the assistance of an operator. If you really wanted to save money, you could refuse the charges, knowing that your son or daughter was sending you the equivalent of today’s text message asking for a ride.

inclinereachednarrowedasfollowingthethathill,roadslongandtheandgreat-grandfatherMyothersclearedtreeswithhorsesastumppullerbeforemytime.Thereweretwotoreachtheincludingonewentthroughcattlepasture,thevalleyitclimbedanduntilitasteepthatledupto the ﬁelds. The other road was steeper and both were inclined to washouts. It was the summer of 1974 and we were haying on the hill, which in those days meant stacking small square bales on the hay wagon as they came from the baler. The loads were hauled back to the farm and stacked in the barn. My brother Kevin was driving the tractor and the hired hand Wayne and I were riding on the wagon as we descended the steep hill. A cousin was coming up the valley with an empty wagon so Kevin pulled over to the side of the road under the shade of a tree to make room for the oncoming tractor. The shade was welcome under the hot late July sun. Then I noticed that the tree was heavy with green apples. I climbed to the top of the hay wagon

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Chris Hardie, Columnist Party lines weren’t that fun Tart apple brings sweet memory

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. 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer Come join The Richland Hospital team, whose work was just recognized with 5-Star ranking for medicare Currently we have the following full-me beneﬁt eligible employment opportunies available: RE GIS TERE D NUR SE S Full-me and Part me posion ME DICA L AS S IS TA NT Full-me posions PATI EN T AC CE SS Full-me posions ENVIR ONMENTAL SER VIC ES TE CH Full-me posions CER TI FI ED NUR SI NG ASSIS TA NT Full-me Night posions LPN Full-me posions PH YS ICAL THE RAP IS T Full and Part me posions ULTRA SOUND TE CH NICIAN Full-me Posions MAINTENANC E ME CHA NI C / PO WER PLA NT AS S IS TA NT Full-me Posions SENIOR LIFE SOL UTIONS THE RA PIS T Full-me Posions RE SP IRATO RY T HERAP IS T Full-me Posions PHA RMA CY TE CH Full & Per Diem Posions Updated Wage Scales Photo by Jalin Huang The lone oak in the valley on the farm.

Barb

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille Peaches getting a calf kiss. Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille Barb and Vince by the milk house getting ready to milk cows. Tater in the foreground. Center, WI 53581 608-647-6321

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 Page 5Commentary/AGriculture

Barb has called Lost Horizon Farm, just north of Spring Green, her home for the past 42 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. Garvoille, Columnist

adno=300787For more informaon on these current openings or to complete an online applicaon, please visit: hps://www.richlandhospital.com/careers/ Human Resources The Richland Hospital, Inc. 333 E 2nd St, Richland

Each edition, retired dairy farmer Barb Garvoille brings her musings on dairy farm life from her own years of experience on Lost Horizon Farm, just north of Spring Green. This mooving memoir focuses on 1980-2000, join Barb as she rises with the herd. When a person drives into a farmyard, one expects to see domestic animals as well as livestock. Most farmers keep dogs outside unless the dog is given the label of "house dog"; then it is allowed the luxury of living in the farm dwelling. Every one of the five canines on Lost Horizon Farm had a distinct personality and so etched its own history in our memory. Tater Tater was a rescue dog who came with the Garvoille family She was a small terrier crossbred with short brown and gray wiry hair, large, round eyes framed by bushy eyebrows, and an attitude reflective of a puppyhood spent in an abusive home. She retained a sexist distrust; her lips would draw back in a snarly growl and her body attained a defensive posture whenever she felt a masculine threat. However, females she knew could call, "Tater Bug" and pat their lap, and this tiny canine would propel herself onto the comfort of that zone in an instant. Tater had a great love for sweets; the crackly sound of a candy bar wrapper being opened would bring her to your side like a shot! Tater did not like to go into the barn when the cows were in their stanchions. As a house dog, she preferred being a loyal companion outside if one was working in the garden or walking in the fields. Her little legs would work very hard to keep pace. She minded well too. If directed to stay in the yard while you took the truck or tractor somewhere, there she would stay until your return. Occasionally Tater would chase barn cats, but she largely ignored the two outside dogs of her era; Peaches and Queenie. Peaches Peaches, or Pie Face, as we called her, was a Golden Retriever. She was the consummate gentle dog; trusting and gentle toward every human visitor. She never bothered other dogs or the livestock, but, amazingly, could morph into a precision killer of any cat, kitten, woodchuck, squirrel, raccoon, opossum, mole, vole, rat, or rabbit that was unlucky enough to come within her field of vision. The thrill for Peaches must have been solely in the killing, because once the animal was dead, she had no further interest in it. The lone oak tree in our valley has always been a favorite of raccoons. One early summer evening, Peaches watched as a mother raccoon led her four young from the woods, across the hay field into the cornfield towards that lone oak. Peaches immediately focused on the quintet and sprinted the 400 yards from the farm buildings out into that field, and, in no time, had killed first the mother and then each of the young. As was her style, she left the coons where she had dispatched them and came trotting home nonchalantly! Peaches spent her evenings during her first farm dog year in a top-of- the-line Qual-Line Fence dog run replete with an insulated dog house. Somehow, in our general state of business, we had neglected to have her spayed before her second heat. This fact was not lost on our neighbor's Golden Labrador who, under the cover of darkness, stole down to Lost Horizon Farm, dug his way under the chain link of the dog run and Reflections from Lost Horizon Farm — Dogs on the Farm (Part 1) bredWhenPeaches.thesix puppies came, Vince (“Mr. Farmer”) told our neighbor, Ed E. Moseman, that he was going to charge him for child support; Ed E. countered that he was going to charge breeding fees for his dog! Much to Mr. Farmer's surprise, Peaches' offspring (because of their hunting dog lineage, I suspect) were greatly desired, and when they were 8 weeks' old, all found great homes, and we were told, became beloved companions to their new families. During her second year, Peaches had eye surgery to correct an ingrown eyelid and wore an Elizabethan collar for a few weeks. I can still visualize her dropping her left shoulder to the ground and pushing that collar on the dirt of the farm driveway in an attempt to rub off that hateful cone of shame. Peaches contracted heartworm, survived the treatment, and lived for many years afterward in the company of her best dog friend, Queenie. Queenie sometimes would travel around the countryside, and Peaches, of course, would follow. Queenie had a sharp nose and could always track her way home. Peaches was not quite as bright about returning or, perhaps, she had more of a youthful wonderlust. She was gone twice. The first time, Mr. Hetzel, the neighbor two ridges over, called to report she had spent most of the night sleeping on top of his car hood. (I expect she had jumped up there for the fleeting warmth of a recently run vehicle.) The second time she was gone for so long that we put a "lost" announcement in the local paper. That time she had traveled three ridges away, and by the time we recovered her, she had been truly beautified. She had been bathed, clipped, combed, and fitted with a new collar; Peaches had been transformed into a very showy dog! Thank you, Silvermans. Riding in the back of the pickup truck was one of Peaches' absolute favorite things in life. Say “mount up,” and she’d jump into the box of the truck. One very hot summer day, I had taken her to run an errand, and when I returned home, the truck box was empty. I retraced my route calling Peaches' name but to no avail. About an hour after my dejected return home, one soaking wet, somewhat sheepish- looking, dog appeared.Somewhere along the way, Peaches had jumped from the moving truck, run down to Wilson Creek, had a cooling swim, and then come home cross country. It was the one and only time she pulled that stunt!...

Barb Garvoille

THEATER: APT’s Spring Green Night - Love’s Labour’s Lost 8:00 PM American Players Theater, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green americanplayers.org Tickets are just $25 for River Valley School District Residents An early Shakespeare comedy. The King of Navarre and his three companions, Berowne, Dumaine and Longaville, commit themselves to three years of hard study with no distractions. To ﬁrm up his resolve, the King declares that no woman will be allowed within a mile of the court. When a French Princess arrives with her attendants, Rosaline, Maria and Katherine, the men immedi ately regret their oath in this fun and satisfying summer Shakespeare. Use promo code SG22 in person at the APT Box Oﬃce, by phone at 608-588-2361.

Thursday, August 18 Saturday, August 20 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 Communitv Public Library every Saturdav morning. Pre-or ders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMar ket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact into. Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda wildhillswinery.com Come for the wine specials...stay for a peaceful and rejuvenating yoga session with certiﬁed instructor Lara Carpenter. All sessions are held outdoors in our vineyard. Yoga sessions are $10 cash only.

Sunday, August 14

Summer Storytime 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green (608) 588-2276 Join us for a story read by Ms. Grace and a nature walk afterwards to learn about the plants and animals in the area!

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 CommunityPage 6

Events for August 12 - August 25 COmmunitycalendar

THEATER: Play Talk - The Brothers Size 4:00 PM American Players Theater, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green americanplayers.org Stay after the play to learn more and chat with the cast. For more info visit our website or contact the APT Box Oﬃce, by phone at 608-588-2361. Arcadia Books Hosts Cynthia Newberry Martin, author of "Tidal Flats", at Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com

Cynthia Newberry Martin will discuss her book, Tidal Flats, with Caitlyn de Araujo, just down the street at the Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret. Following the discussion and reading, stay for A Night of Words! A Night of Words 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com An open mic. Friends sharing words. Watch. Listen. Speak. Share. Maybe you have a favorite poem, or passage from a book you’d like to share. Or maybe you write your own and are ready to share it with the rest of us. Maybe you just want to tell a story. Or maybe you just want to listen. It’s all good. Let’s hang out and share words together. Poetry. Stories. Original work and old favorites. This and that. A Night of Words.

Summer Storytime + 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com Join us this summer for stories and crafts! Geared toward ages 3-7, but all are welcome.

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.

APT: Inside Out Tour 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM American Players Theatre 5950 Golf Course Rd Spring Green . springgreen.com . $15 or free w APT insider card. Get a peek at APT’s inner workings during our popular two-hour walking tour of the grounds, costume shop, backstage areas and more. You'll see all that goes into making the productions you ultimately see on the Hill and in the Touchstone Theatre.

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.

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, Spring GreenGeneralStore.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.

BOOK CLUB: Arcadia Book Club discusses "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Virtual Event readinutopia.com/events A novel about the late 90s explosion of video game culture. It stars with childhood friends Sam and Sadie who reconnect in college in Cambridge, Mass. and come up with a game that skyrockets to popularity, bringing them fame and fortune. Like the ‘unicorns’ of various startups, they must navigate not only creative and business challenges but interpersonal relationships.

Friday,August 19 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 Communitv Public Library every Saturday morning. Pre-or ders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMar ket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact into.

White Oak Folk Fest 10:00 AM White Oak Savanna, 4352 WI-23, Dodgeville whiteoakfolkfest.com Bluegrass Breakfast

LIVE MUSIC: John Gay 5:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda wildhillswinery.com Join us for Wine Down Fridays! Rec Adult Softball Games 7:00 PM Spring Green Municipal Park, Park Dr, Spring Green Every Tuesday at the North Park. This is just a relaxing, for fun adult softball game to meet people, stay in good physical health, and to enjoy life. Bring your glove, a ball, bat if you have one, helmet if you desire, and an awesome personality. For more info search “RV Adult Rec Sports” on Facebook.

COmmunitycalendar

LIVE MUSIC: Myles Talbott Dyad 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shiﬄet Road, Spring Green www.wiriversideresort.com Join us for live music outside on the river stage! Drinks specials, great food and even better views!

“The Magic of Isaiah” Family Magic Show 5:30 PM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com Join us at the Lone Rock Community Building for a family friendly reading-focused magic show by The Magic of Isaiah. The show will, featuring juggling, puppetry and clean family comedy.

THEATER: Talk Back - A Raisin in the Sun 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM American Players Theater, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green americanplayers.org Stay after the play to learn more and chat with the cast. For more info visit our website or contact the APT Box Oﬃce, by phone at 608-588-2361.

Monday, August 15 Wednesday, August 17

2022 Spring Green Car Show 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Jefferson Street Spring Green springgreen.com This is a GREAT day where Spring Green shuts down its main street to showcase some of the coolest cars around. The Spring Green Car Show features all years, makes, and models of classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars, and trucks. There is truly something for everyone to enjoy! Judges, New Car Show Classes. 2022 Spring Green Car Show Classes: Best Antique Car, Best Classic Car, Best Pre-Modern Classic (American Made) , Best Muscle Car, Best Hot Rod, Best Street Rod, Best Import, Best Mopar, Best Custom (modified) Car, Best Modern American Car, Best Antique Truck, Best Classic Truck, Best Custom (Modified) Truck, Best Modern American Truck, Best Engine, Best Overall Ford/Mercury, Best Overall GM, Best Paint Job, Best of Show, Grand Champion.

LIVE MUSIC: White Oak Folk Fest 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM White Oak Savanna, 4352 WI-23, Dodgeville whiteoakfolkfest.com National, regional and local music acts take the stage in Lloyd Jones Barn Pavilion to perform Bluegrass, Blues, Old- Time Country and more. 7 PM: Welcoming Set, 8 PM: Cajun Strangers,10 PM: Campﬁre Sing-along with Mark Dvorak. Saturday, August 13 Trivia Night 5:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda wildhillswin ery.com Join Wild Hills Winery every second Saturday night for TRIVIA NIGHT! Movies, music, history, culture, geography–you never know what the categories will be! Grab a friend or grab a team. Minimum of two people, max of 8 per team. No reservation required, but space may be limited so come and sign up early. Compete for Wild Hills Winery gift cards, free wine, and other goodies! Best part, trivia is FREE! Sign up starts at 5 pm. Hosted by Aaron Murphy-Lopez

Girl Scout Pool Party 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Spring Green Pool, Spring Green Munci pal Park, Park Dr, Spring Green . A fun pool party to introduce girls to Girl Scouts. Meet new friends and make a splash! All Girls K-12 are welcome. RSVP to LaShell Lentz 608-347-0502.

Friday,August 12

LIVE MUSIC: 4PeteSake - Day in the Park 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Spring Green North Park, Daley St, Spring Green 4petesake.com A 5k Run/Walk and 15 or 30 mile Bike ride BOTH get the day started. Day-of registration for both events begins at 8:00 a.m. The entrance fee for each event is $30 or $25 each for families or 4 or more. Questions about the Run/Walk can be directed to Cristin Lagerman at cristinleigh@gmail.com. For questions about the bike ride, contact Lisa Roelke at lroelke3@gmail.com. Plunge for Pete! Participate in the Walk or Bike Ride and finish by splashing down in the pool. There will be a pool party from 10:00 a.m. until Noon. Showers at the pool will be available to anyone participating in the Run/Walk or Bike Rides. Live Music From 11:00 to 7:00, the 4PeteSake stage will be rockin’, rollin’, strummin’ and grooving’ with some of the area’s finest bands. Make sure to stick around for a swingin’ finale courtesy of the Solstice Jazz Band. 11-11:45: Acoustic River,11:45-12:30: Don Greenwood, 12:30-1:30: Peatsmoke,1:30-2:30: Camela Widad, 2:30-3:30: Better Daze, 3:30-4:30: Jambidextrous, 4:30-5:30: Steve Brown and Janna Johnson-Fuchs, 5:30-6: speeches, 6-7: Solstice Jazz Band. Band Schedule is subject to change. Food and beverages: available from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. served by the Spring Green Lions. Kids Activities: craft activities, face painting, games and miniature horse cart rides 12-5. Cakewalk Pay $1.00 for a chance to play. Silent Auction / Buy it Now: nearly 200 items, open 11-5. Also: photobooth, merch tent and so much more!

Tuesday, August 16

LIVE MUSIC: Charlie Ballantine Trio 9:30 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Charlie Ballantine is acclaimed as one of the ﬁnest and most versatile young guitarists on the scene today. JAZZ TIMES MAGAZINE hails his playing as “teeming with intricate grooves and maniacal precision his guitar work is both beautiful and complex” and VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE described his style by stating “Jazz, rock, and folk music peacefully coexist in Charlie Ballantine’s world”. $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

SOLD OUT – LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 269: Kiss the Tiger // Joshua Powell 7:00 PM 506 E Madison St, Spring Green shittybarnsessions.com Doors open at 6 Kiss the Tiger pounced onto the Twin Cities’ music scene in late-2016 and have been making big waves ever since. Inspired by the sounds and energy of The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, and Patti Smith, Kiss the Tiger has breathed new life into 21st century rock and roll. Advance tickets sold out. That sald, tickets often come up that people can't use. Check website or socials for the latest detalls about ticket availability.

LIVE MUSIC: 5th WFAC Annual Summer Party 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Arena Community Park, 239 Sharon Street, Arena facebook.com/WFACLUB Join us for Wildlife Forever ATV Club's 5th Annual Member Appreciation Summer Party! Everyone is invited! 100% of the proceeds made will go back to the club for signage, other club events and community projects Bag Tournament begin at 10am - Contact John Brown to enter at 608-553-1343. Food will be provided by DOG HOUSE BBQ at 11am. Member Appreciation Raffle at 5pm Do not need to be present to win! 1st Place: Matthews V3X29 Bow Raffle, 2nd Place: Vortex Crossfire HD 1400 Laser Rangefinder. Tickets are available for purchase at Crappie Shop, Baron Brooks, and Hyde Store, & Trader's Bar & Grill: 1 for $10, 3 for $20. 50/50 Raffles Every Hour from 1-7pm. Live Music Performances by: Larry's Drifters 1:00-3:30pm, Charm School Reject's Sharona & Ray Ray 6-9pm, Possible Arena Home Talent Game 2-5pm. If you have any questions please contact Diane at dianemariehalverson@gmail.com

LIVE MUSIC: Donnie Reyzek 5:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Musco da wildhillswinery.com We are so excited to welcome Donnie Reyzek to the Wild Hills Winery shed! Donnie is a Singer/Songwriter from Richland Center, WI. He likes all kinds of music but country music is his favorite. He picked up a guitar in his high school years and taught himself how to play in his spare time. He writes all his own material, and is currently playing acoustic shows.

APT: Saturday Salon 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM American Players Theater, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green americanplayers.org A casual conversation with APT and Leadership about whatever is on your mind. Free event. Sunday, August 21

APT: Sunday Salon 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Post House Garden, E. Jeﬀerson St. Spring Green americanplayers.org A casual conversation with APT and Leadership about whatever is on your mind. Free event.

LIVE MUSIC: White Oak Folk Fest 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM White Oak Savanna, 4352 WI-23, Dodgeville whiteoakfolkfest.com National, regional and local music acts take the stage in Lloyd Jones Barn Pavilion to perform Bluegrass, Blues, Old- Time Country and more. Check us out online for the full schedule!

LIVE MUSIC: Psycherelic 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shiﬄet Road, Spring Green www.wiriversideresort.com Join us for live music outside on the river stage! Drinks specials, great food and even better views!

Ridgeway Pine Relict Workday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . Ridgevue Road, Ridgeway . Ridgeway Pine Relict State Natural Area is known for its large, quality wetlands and spring complexes. With prescribed burning and brush control, DNR crews and volunteers have increased eﬀorts to improve this site. Questions or to RSVP to attend this workday, contact Mary Kay Baum at marykbaum@gmail.com or 608-935-5834.

SOLD OUT – LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 271 — Seratones // Heavy Looks 7:00 PM 506 E Madison St, Spring Green shittybarnsessions.com Doors open at 6 Those words of Black feminist icon and poet warrior Audre Lorde’s resonate strongly with A.J. Haynes. Seratones urge you to move joyfully in the moment, and parsing that movement through astrology, Black feminism, and Afrofuturism proved redemptive for Haynes. Advance tickets sold out. That sald, tickets often come up that people can't use. Check website or socials for the latest detalls about ticket availability.

ongoing art exhibitions

Taliesin Preservation Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, 5607 County Road C, Spring Green. Open Daily 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Through August taliesinpreservation.org31 Local Art at the Library: Jill Metcoff and Ed Wohl Spring GreenLibraryCommunity 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green Open during August SACRED SPACES: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT X ANDREW PIELAGE Open Daily 9:00 AM5:00 PM Through August 31 Taliesin Preservation, Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, 5607 County Road C, Spring Green taliesinpreservation.org

Nature is a simplistically intricate reﬂection of the wisdom that lives inside our hearts and souls. Nature is a connection to God and to ourselves that crosses all barriers of mankind, time, and space. Sharing quiet contemplation with nature can bring us a sense of calm and peace in the midst of trials because nature heals, answers deep questions, and inspires us on our way. Two-time international bestselling author and a naturopathic life coach with intuitive psychology and reiki master training, Shelby facilitates deep healing to help clients unlock their potential and their peace.

Broadband Reads: Governor's Task Force on Broadband Access Report 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Virtual Event Register online rivervalleycommons.org Join the River Valley Broadband Coalition as we discuss the new 2022 Governor's Task Force on Broadband Access Report.

LIVE MUSIC: Acoustic Jam 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green 608-5880-707, karin@springgreengeneralstore.com, Spring GreenGeneralStore.com

ART IN THE WOODS APT property 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green JULY THROUGH OCTOBER, SUNRISE TO SUNSET

The rolling hills and valleys that deﬁne southwestern Wisconsin are here because the glacier wasn’t. This landscape is without drift, the soil and gravel deposits the glaciers left behind. And thus, this un-glaciated place is called the Driftless Area. As Mike and Grace guide folks through the trail system developed on the estate, come along with us and learn why these are such an important piece of the estate and public access.

LIVE MUSIC: Hill & Valley Exploration Tour Kickoff 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Reedsburg City Park, 222 N Park St, Reedsburg explorehillandvalley.com The Hill and Valley Exploration Tour: a celebration of rural living is a unique opportunity to explore the vibrant and resilient small farm community of Northern Sauk and Richland Counties! All are Welcome for the 6th Annual Hill and Valley Exploration Tour’s Community Kickoff Event featuring free musical entertainment by the Big Griffy Jim and the Polka Dots! Kickoff sponsored in part by Compeer Financial. Contact Mary Nachreiner with ques tions at Mary5959@gmail.com or 757-660-9291.

THEATER: River Valley Players Preview — Songs for a New World & Annual Meeting / Board Elections 6:30 PM Gard Theater, 111 E Jeﬀerson St, Spring Green americanplayers.org

Thursday, August 25 cont. Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda wildhillswinery.com Come for the wine specials...stay for a peaceful and rejuvenating yoga session with certiﬁed instructor Lara Carpenter. All sessions are held outdoors in our vineyard. Yoga sessions are $10 cash only.

Rec Adult Softball Games 7:00 PM Spring Green Municipal Park, Park Dr, Spring Green Every Tuesday at the North Park. This is just a relaxing, for fun adult softball game to meet people, stay in good physical health, and to enjoy life. Bring your glove, a ball, bat if you have one, helmet if you desire, and an awesome personality. Hope to see you there. For more info search “RV Adult Rec Sports” on Facebook.

WHAT’S HANGINg ?

LIVE MUSIC: Rural Musicians Forum - Panchromatic Steel 7:30 PM Pavilion in the Promenade, 116 Brodhead St, Mazomanie ruralmusiciansforum.org Happiest moments in the sun with this hot Steeldrum band. Bring your appetite because M&J Jamaican Jamaican Kitch'n will be on hand to serve delectable Caribbean fare. An amazing pairing of Caribbean ﬂavors and sounds!

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.

Thursday, August 25

Book Signing - Shelby Kotteman 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM North Earth Crystals and Gifts,124 W Jeﬀerson St, Spring Green www.northearth.com shelbykotteman.com

Featuring Aaron Lee Kaplan, Christopher Gold, and Kris Risch. Aaron Lee Kaplan is a folk & blues guitarist and singer/songwriter from Marshfield, WI. His music incorporates a diverse variety of influences and has been described as Twisted Blues. Christopher Gold is a Kentucky-born songwriter living in Wisconsin. He has written and recorded folk songs, country songs, rock & roll songs, and everything in between citing a love for songwriters like Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and anybody else whose work begins with paper and pen. Tim Eddy curates this series of singer/songwriters from the Driftless Area. Support local artists by joining us for a night of original music with several songwriters, all on the stage together, sharing their music round robin style. No cover, but tips for artists are always welcome. Open Mic 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Join us the fourth Monday of every month for an Open Mic, hosted by Dylan Harris. We’ve got the mics, the plug-ins, the piano - you bring the music! Whether you want to play solo, sing to a back up, or get the band together, this is the place. So come on out and show your stuff, or just support the folks on stage. Either way, we’re making music together! No cover, but tips for our host are always welcome!

Local Art at the Library: Jill Metcoﬀ and Ed Wohl Hours Vary Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green Throughout August, Jill Metcoﬀ is exhibiting her photos in the Community Room Gallery and Ed Wohl is exhibiting his woodworking in the Glass Case Gallery at the Spring Green Community Library during regular library hours: Monday-Thursday: 10 AM - 7 PM Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM Friday: 9 AM - 1 PM calendar Monday, August 22 Tuesday, August 23

THEATER: Talk Back - Love Labour’s Lost 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM American Players Theater, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green americanplayers.org Stay after the play to chat with the cast! Join live or catch the recording after.

LIVE MUSIC: Slowpoke Songwriters Round 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com

Free event All ages welcome! Acoustic Jams will be held on the third 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: Shitty Barn Session 270 — Panchromatic Steel 7:00 PM 506 E Madison St, Spring Green shittybarnsessions.com Doors open at 6 Bring your appetite because M&J Jamaican Kitch'n will be on hand to serve delectable Caribbean fare such as jerk chicken/pork, curried coconut sauce ﬁsh/tofu, beans and rice, cooked cabbage and fried plantains. You don't want to miss this amazing pairing of Caribbean ﬂavors and sounds!

Wednesday, August 24 Sunday, August 21 cont.

LIVE MUSIC: Big Night Out 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shiﬄet Road, Spring Green www.wiriversideresort.com Join us for live music outside on the river stage! Drinks specials, great food and even better views!

Open to River Valley k-2nd Graders who need extra help keeping up academically in the summer. Receive one-on one tutoring with local volunteers and a yummy snack!

THEATER: Talk Back - The Moors 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM . American Players Theater, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green . americanplayers.org . Stay after the play to chat with the cast! Join live or catch the recording after.

Hike With Mike & Grace: The Lower WI Riverway 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Phoebe Point, 5607 County Road C, Spring Green taliesinpreservation.org

River Valley Players wants to hear from you! Tell us your ideas for future shows (and tell us how you can help make them happen); Tell us how you see Community Theater growing and enriching the River Valley. You'll also get a chance to hear a snippet from the next RVP presentation, Songs From A New World by Jason Robert Brown, which is being performed in concert at the Slowpoke Lounge on September 22 and 23. Tutoring and Snack With Grandma Pat 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM 234 N. Broadway St, Lone Rock. lonerocklbrary.wordpress.com

Art in the Woods Sunrise - Sunset Throughout APT property, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green americanplayers.org FREE Art in the Woods is a series of art installa tions displayed throughout the APT property. Art that evokes conversation, that intertwines with our landscape, that sparks your imagination. Art in the Woods is presented with major support from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 Page 7Community Events for August 12 - August 25

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 CommunityPage 8 .”stuﬀgood“The COVID-19WisconsinDashboardSummary Cases as of 8/10/2022 Cases as of 8/10/2022 Graphic by juliAnna1,584,203Williams Positive Cases +22,956 from 7/27 +40 from 7/27 Percent of Wisconsin residents ages 5-11 who have received at least one dose by county Vaccine Summary Statistics Vaccine Data 5,907,522 3,788,926 344,48510,040,933 Pfizer administereddoses These two core measures are measures of herd immunity in Richland, Sauk and Iowa County. We do not yet know what level of vaccination leads to herd immunity for COVID-19, or how current or future variants might affect herd immunity. We know based on other diseases that herd immunity is likely at least 60%, and if more transmissible variants become more common, that threshold may become higher, so the current target range is 60-90%. -Adapted from Madison Public Health and Dane ModernaCountydosesadministered Johnson & Johnson doses administered Updated: 8/10/2022 Updated: 8/10/2022 Updated: 8/10/2022 Ages 55-6445-5435-4425-3418-2412-175-1165+ Cases per zip code Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose 13,255 Deaths Data From: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm +91 from 7/27 +0 from 7/27 4,421 Positive Cases 51 Deaths Richland County Ages 5-11 Ages 5-11 Ages 5-11 Ages 5-11 33.1%19.4% 26.4% 60.4% Higher %Lower % Richland County Iowa CountySauk County Dane County +549 from 7/27 +1 from 7/27 18,329 Positive Cases Sauk County 139 Deaths +0 from 7/27 +91 from 7/276,094 Positive Cases 30 Deaths Iowa County Iowa Percent with at least one vaccine dose Target Range Percent fully vaccinated 67.8%70.4% Sauk Percent with at least one vaccine dose Target Range Percent fully vaccinated 65.6% Richland Percent with at least one vaccine dose Target Range Percent fully vaccinated 57.7%59.9% 28.9%62.3%61.1%64.8%69.7%72%78.3%85% 62.7% covid case activity level Updated: 8/10/2022 This map shows the current CDC COVID-19 Community Level for each county in Wisconsin. Community levels measure the impact of COVID-19 illness on health and health care systems in communities. COVID-19 community levels can help communities and individuals make decisions based on their local context and their unique needs. Community vaccination coverage and other local information can also inform decision-making for health officials and Updated:individuals. 8/10/2022 county level weekly statistics Updated: 8/10/2022 2,067,501 546,1362,613,637 First AdministeredBooster SecondAdministeredBooster Total administereddosesTotaladministeredboosters

LIVE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT From 11:00 to 7:00, the 4PeteSake stage will be rockin’, rollin’, strummin’ and grooving’ with some of the area’s ﬁnest bands. Make sure to stick around for a swingin’ ﬁnale courtesy of the Solstice Jazz Band. 2022 Band Schedule 11-11:45: Acoustic River 11:45-12:30: Don Greenwood 12:30-1:30: Peatsmoke 1:30-2:30: Camela Widad 2:30-3:30: Better Daze 3:30-4:30: Jambidextrous 4:30-5:30: Steve Brown and Janna Johnson-Fuchs5:30-6:speeches6-7:SolsticeJazz

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. He can be reached at shaun.murphy@co.richland.wi.us or 608-462-3715. from

• Eliminating one full-time equivalent position between the Land Conservation and Zoning Departments ($60,000)

• Research on mandated versus non-mandated services I welcome your feedback on the Administrator’s proposal, and I will continue to seek the information needed to make wise decisions for Richland County’s future.

• Eliminating the County’s $15,000 contribution to the Richland County Fair

In my last column, I reviewed the state of our county highways, with 45% of our miles in need of significant rehabilitation. This is largely due to Richland County government’s disinvestment in road maintenance, which dropped from $2.4 million in 2001 to $2.1 million in 2019. Since 2019, the County Board has increased taxes to turn this disinvestment around: • In April of 2019, the County authorized a $20 wheel tax. Collection of this tax began in the second half of 2019 and is collected with each vehicle owner’s annual registration fee. This generates approximately $300,000 per year and has been used to restart sealcoating of county highways, extending the life of our newer roads and thereby putting off the need for significant rehabilitations.

Reinvesting in our County’s Highways

UW-Richland Campus Welcomes New Students Recently the UW-Richland campus has begun welcoming new students on its Facebook page. I’m excited to see the bright, new faces coming to our campus. UW-Richland is a great place to receive a higher education in a small-town setting, with all credits transferring to campuses in the rest of the UW system (such as UW-Platteville and UW-Madison). The Richland Promise scholarship offered by the UW-Richland Foundation provides a minimum $1,200/year scholarship to full-time freshman and sophomore students, making UW-Richland one of the most affordable places to get an education in Wisconsin.RichlandCounty government owns and leases (and maintains) the campus to the UW system. To continue to make this a good investment for taxpayers, we need to encourage our youth to stay in Richland County and get their education locally. Please spread the word about this fiscally wise opportunity!

page 3

• Eliminating the County’s $40,000 contribution to the UW-Richland campus By 2025, the above cuts would total $1.7 million annually, and would eﬀectively end Richland County’s relationship with the Ambulance, Economic Development, Fair, Pine Valley Community Village, Parks, Symons, and UW-Richland. Regarding employee pay, the County Board gave employees a 7% pay increase in 2022. the Administrator is also proposing an additional 28% pay raise over the next 5 years (9% in 2023, 7% in 2024, 6% in 2025, 3% in 2026, and 3% in 2027). The cumulative cost of this 28% pay raise would be the following:

• Eliminating one part-time veterans beneﬁt specialist position in the Veteran’s Department ($24,000) By June 2023

Shaun Murphy-Lopez

continued

• Identifying $200,000 in cuts to the Administrator, County Board, Clerk, and Treasurer’s Departments

• Eliminating the County’s $73,000 contribution to Economic Development

4PeteSake Day in the Park announced, returns for the ﬁrst time since 2019 will be a pool party from 10:00 a.m. until Noon on August 21st for all participants. Showers at the pool will be available to anyone participating in the Run/Walk or Bike Rides.

• $3.6 million in 2026

• Reducing funding to the UW Extension oﬃce by $85,000 (from $185,000 to $100,000) By January 2025

• Departmental staﬃng level comparisons with peer counties

Richland County Column — Proposed cuts to Richland County government postponed County, resulting in a greater burden on property taxpayers. Even in times of normal inflation, we are being forced to shrink county government. In this current time of extra inflation, Richland County government has no choice but to simultaneously make cuts and increase revenues. Administrator Langreck has laid out a recommended 5-year financial plan, and it is leading us to some difficult choices. While I do not agree with many of his recommendations, I am willing to support some cuts if we also give voters the opportunity to restore some cuts through a referendum.TheAdministrator has proposed the following: By January 2023

• $1.2 million in 2023 • $2.3 million in 2024 • $3.1 million in 2025

Band Band Schedule is subject to change. FOOD AND BEVERAGES Come for lunch; stay for dinner. Food and Beverages will be available from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Food will be served by the Spring Green Lions, with a menu that includes hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, black bean burgers, pork and chicken sandwiches, plus chips and popcorn. Beer, wine, soda and water will also be available, including beers on tap from local breweries. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a brownie sundae, featuring home-baked brownies, Culver’s custard and, of course, all the whipped cream and sprinkles you can handle.

KIDS ACTIVITIES Kids will stay busy at the Day in the Park with an obstacle course, craft activities, face painting, games and miniature horse cart rides. Kids can have unlimited access to all the Kid’s Area has to offer with the purchase of a wristband. The Kid’s Area is open Noon – 5:00 p.m. Don’t miss the photo booth! Open 12:00 noon to 5:00pm, featuring bundles of great outfits and accessories from the APT costume shop. CAKEWALK The popular Cakewalk returns once again this year. Pay $1.00 for a chance to play. Walk the Cakewalk until the music stops and if you land on the lucky number, you may choose a delicious cake or other delectable dessert. SILENT AUCTION/BUY IT NOW The silent auction offers nearly 200 unique items, including contributions from local merchants and service providers and artwork by local artists. The auction is open for viewing at 11:00 a.m., with tables closing at 5:00 p.m. A Buy It Now area allows shoppers to buy items on the spot and avoid the bidding wars.

• Eliminating one full-time patrol deputy position in the Sheriﬀ’s Department ($79,000)

• A budget by department, showing total expenditures, total revenues, and property tax levy impact for each department

4PeteSakecan’t change the horror of his accident, or bring back the “fit roofer body” that he had before, but they have paid his mortgage for the last year, and he can’t put into words how grateful he is for that. And how immensely glad he is that he held his pride in check and did not walk away. For John that meant paying his mortgage. In the case of Don and Jordean Grass, it meant a slew of repairs to their trailer home. 4PeteSake worked with contractors to replace the rotting floor throughout, repair the bathroom fixtures, replace the kitchen cabinets, fix the leaking roof, and as a touch of extra kindness, bring in a simple round kitchen table at which they can now welcome a stranger, me, into their home. Tears also came to Don’s eyes as he spoke of his difficulty asking for the help. And yet they were out of options. Don had suffered a stroke several years before and then was struck by Stage 4 colon cancer. Jordean struggles with her own health issues. Neither of them can work. But they still manage to pay their bills, they just never had the money left over to pay for repairs. And the things that needed repairing kept adding up. To read about the rest of the recipients and how you can help those in need, please visit the 4PeteSake site at: www.4petesake.com

• In November of 2020 and October of 2021, the County borrowed $650,000 and $350,000 in each year respectively, to perform signiﬁcant highway rehabilitation. These notes were paid oﬀ in full in March of each following year. You may be wondering about the result of these new taxes. In 2020 and 2021, 40 miles on our 305-mile county highway network received a new surface. That’s more than the previous 10 years combined (2010-2019), when only 32 miles were resurfaced.

• Identifying $350,000 in cuts to the Clerk of Court, Coroner, District Attorney, Emergency Management, Register in Probate, and Sheriﬀ’s Departments Identifying $350,000 in cuts to the Courthouse, Highway, and Management Information Systems Departments

• In March 2020, the County borrowed $800,000 to perform signiﬁcant highway rehabilitation. This note will be paid oﬀ by March of 2028.

• Developing a plan to separate the County from Richland County Ambulance

continued from page 1

• $4.2 million in 2027 I believe that wage increase is too high, and needs to be brought down to a more reasonable level. Overall, I was concerned that the Administrator’s recommendations were being rushed at the July 13th Finance & Personnel Committee meeting and needed more careful thought. As a result, I supported postponing consideration of his recommendations until the following information could be received:•County employee wage comparisons with peer counties

• Eliminating the County’s $30,000 contribution to Richland County Parks

Recipients Fall 2021/Spring 2022: Arena: James Johnson, Dreydon Hill Lone Rock: Jamie Layton, Donald & Jordean Grass and John Acker

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 Page 9Commentary/OpInIon/ Community

• Eliminating the County’s $34,000 contribution to Symons Recreation Complex

• Developing a plan to contract all services at Pine Valley Community Village and subsequently sell the building and grounds. By January 2024

• Identifying $350,000 in cuts to the Health & Human Services and Veterans Departments

John Acker & Jordean Grass When John Acker, 56, with encouragement from his family, turned to 4PS, he says, with tears in his voice, that he almost walked away. He felt like he was begging, and he never wanted to “be that person.” He had always been the one to provide the help when neighbors, family, or friends needed it. But he also knew that without asking for help now he was going to lose the home he had put so much hard work and love into over his entire adult life. In August of 2020 he had fallen two stories oﬀ of a roof on which he had been working, shattering a vertebrae,breaking his pelvis, femur, and multiple other injuries. The surgeries, healing, and recovery have been excruciating, and he still struggles, a year and a half later, to just move.

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 CommunityPage 10

Photo by Paul Arentz, Driftless Now The interior of Nectar Bakery, with a map of the Driftless on the wall. first time to do wardrobe at American Players Theatre and fell in love with the area. “They're one of the best theatre companies I've ever worked for in terms of like, a feeling, just a genuine feeling of community, and the way that we sort of fit ourselves into the community here. With some theaters in the city, in a city setting. you can kind of feel a separation between the public and the theater people. It's like everyone's lives are only theater. But out here, it really felt like everyone had their own interests and involvement in the community outside of APT. So that was special to me.” Almost immediately, Janco knew that she would want to live in Spring Green permanently. “I had several theater contracts to finish up in Chicago and Milwaukee, and so I finally got out here in May of 2020 after the pandemic had already started. Thankfully, APT let me stay in their housing during the worst part of the Admittedly,pandemic.”towards the end of Janco’s theater career, she realized that the job she enjoyed doing most was an evening job, the dressing, the running of the shows. But she didn't necessarily like living the lifestyle of someone who works nights.“So,I always knew that I would be leaving the theater eventually. I had found the most fun job but it didn't fit with my life. I swore up and down when I was in school that I wouldn't get into the food industry because everyone always says how hard it is. But this was kind of inevitable.”Jancorecalled in middle school, she would read recipes during recess. “As a child, I had like fake menus all over the place and little, like my Barbies had a lot of food theme sets,” she said laughing. While in college, Janco did a tour of a culinary school just to see what it was like, as she put it, “just in case”. It was inevitable that Janco would have a bakery at some point or other, and Spring Green not only being the place where she truly wanted to live, she felt it was the perfect place to start one. She noted that Spring Green hadn’t had a dedicated bakery for a few years. “There are a couple now. There is another place called Sidney Bakes who makes cakes and cookies and stuff.”

Nectar, in its humble beginnings, started as a cottage food business out of Janco’s APT apartment at the time. She was selling at the farmers market, and when that became too much and APT needed to rearrange some housing, she started renting space in a commercial kitchen from her friends at Enos Farms and Catering in Spring Green. “I rented space in their kitchen and continued to sell at the farmers market because they didn’t have a storefront, it was just a commercial kitchen.”Jancowas baking at Enos for about a year and a half when Kyle Adams, owner of Wander Provisions whose store was in what is now Nectar said, “Hey, I'm moving to a bigger unit. This is already outfitted with the kitchen. Do you think that you would want first dibs on the place?” Janco replied, “Yeah, storefront sounds like what I've been working towards these past almost two years, the future, I mean, the future of business. I'd love to.” Janco shared that Spring Green doesn't have very many safe indoor places to just go and hang out in the evenings or a lot of bars to go to. “Of course, the pandemic played a part in that, but even before the pandemic, there was just essentially the General Store for food and Arcadia Books as a coffee shop. There are other places in town that serve food but they don't have seating. So, one of the main goals for me in having a storefront was there has to be seating because I know that I want someplace to go in like the dead of winter to go work on a project inside in the middle of the day so I don't go crazy in my own apartment. That’s what I wanted to provide for the community with this place.”Janco will be building up her menu, making it more “robust” over time and hiring more help, hopefully becoming one of the mainstays in the community.

The name of the bakery, Nectar, has a practical meaning if not symbolic. When bakery opens storefront in asked why name her bakery Nectar, Janco said the answer was multi-part. “First and foremost, because I really love floral flavors. I think that they are an underrated ingredient in modern society, but I really love them. Part of what I am doing is sort of changing people's mind, the idea that flowers have to be for soap and perfume. Secondly, a lot of what I do, I try to do as sustainably as I can, sourcing things as locally as I can. It's also a nod to the idea of preserving the local food ways, preserving the lives of the pollinators and sort of paying respect to all the little critters and organisms that make food possible. And thirdly, just a silly little nod to my experience at APT. In one of the last comedy shows that I dressed for them, there was a line where they referred to somebody's lips. ‘I kissed the nectar of your lips’, is the line I think, and it was extremely funny. I wanted to add just that little easter egg for the APT people who I worked with who remember that show.” A mainstay for any bakery, Janco sources her flours locally. “I source my flours from Meadowlark Community Mill in Ridgeway, Wisconsin just a half hour from here. The majority of grain they mill is grown right there. I've worked there and I often work there in the winter times.”

Nectar: a scratch-made

Spring Green continued from page 1

One of Nectar’s walls boasts a beautiful map of the Wisconsin Driftless area drawn by Kyle Adams. Looking at the wall, Janco said, “The majority of my sources are on this map somewhere. Sooner or later, I'm going to put little dots and do a little bios oﬀ to the side about all of my vendors.”

At the beginning of this article, I alluded to one of the reasons I wanted to tell Janco’s story, her mention of indigenous people on her website. Janco lived in the Green Bay area and while attending school she found herself attending with quite a few others from the Oneida and a few other Native American tribes. “I think after learning more of the real history of the United States as opposed to what we were just taught in school, it felt right to recognize that. Even though I feel a connection to this land having been born here, this land is not where my heritage comes from. We, as a collective white [sic] people, have sort of stripped the heritage from the people whose heritage is this area. It feels like reparations have been in order and it's about time that something happens with them. The least that I could do is acknowledge that this land that I am graciously able to live on is not mine.” Janco said as her business grows, she will be giving more to help out Native American people. In an ode to indigenous foods and as part of this recognition, Janco has been incorporating as many native ingredients as possible, and stressed if and when she is able, sourcing those ingredients directly from Native Americans. “I absolutely plan to source from them, just little by little get more involved with learning the history of the people in this region in particular, especially if I plan on being here for a long time and just asking how I can help. “I don't think I'm that great of an activist, except in the kitchen. Because to think that food isn't political, is kind of foolish. It's always been either politicized or weaponized in some way by the dominant culture.”Iwould normally tell a bit about what is on the menu, not this time. Best to travel and visit Janco at her bakery and take in the wholesome smells and good food for yourself. Of course, I did not leave without buying a ﬂavorful Lavender-Lemon Cookie and a Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie. That is a whole other story in and of Nectaritself.islocated at 136 S. Albany Street in Spring Green and open Friday-Monday 8am-3pm. Serving coﬀee from 8am-10pm with main menu available at 10am.Visit Nectar Scratch-Made Bakery on Facebook, the web, or give them a call at 608-5886363. DriftlessNow.com’s focus is on the nature, geological features, cultures, and people of the Driftless area. In addition, we showcase events that celebrate the pride and diversity that makes the Southwest Wisconsin Driftless region unique.

Janco said it's been partly out of necessity for ﬁnding a new career but also partly because she felt like she was always going to end up opening a bakery someday. “At some point or another, it just felt like this is what I'm supposed to be doing,” she said smiling.

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Photo by Jeannie Manis Vegetables from Jeannie's garden.

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Master Gardener August Garden Care CLASSIFIEDS Healthcare Employment Opportunities

The Sauk County Gardener questions, the docents had answers but there were a few that stumped even the most seasoned master gardener. For me, the question about why hydrangeas were not blooming is an issue I struggle with as Hydrangeawell. come in a variety of forms, colors, and sizes. They can be planted in grouping, as shrub borders, or in containers. Their ﬂower heads can provide interest not only during the blooming season, but also into the winter. My grandmother had a border of white hydrangea on the north side of her house. This type bloomed on new wood that started out white and gradually turned pink. I added an ‘Incrediball’ smooth hydrangea to my landscape as it reminds of her hydrangeas. The blooms can get as big as your head however, mine does not as it is planted in partial shade. Lack of sun is one of the reasons why hydrangeas

Caring for Hydrangea won’t flower. The other most common reasons why hydrangeas won’t bloom include improper pruning, cold injury, too much nitrogen, and lack of water. If your hydrangeas do not get enough sun, they will bloom poorly or not all. This is most likely the reason I have for some of my hydrangeas not blooming. I always thought heavier partial shade was better so I have several planted in spots where they could use more sun to bloom to their full potential. Most need 3 to 4 hours of direct sun each day, preferably in the morning with shade in the afternoon. To avoid improper pruning, determine what kind of hydrangea you have. Some hydrangea bloom on new wood and others on old wood. Smooth and panicle hydrangea bloom on new wood. Some panicle varieties are ‘PeeGee’, ‘Pee Wee’ ‘Limelight’ and ‘Little Lime’. Examples of smooth or “snowball’ hydrangeas include ‘Grandiflora’ and ‘Annabelle’. These should be pruned late winter or early spring before any spring growth. Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood should be pruned right AFTER they bloom in the summer. Examples include lace-cap, oakleaf, climbing and big-leaf types.Cold injury is another reason your hydrangeas might not bloom. Some hydrangeas are not as hardy as others, so your best bet is to plant varieties that are hardy where you live. Panicle and smooth hydrangeas are the most cold hardy. If you have one of the other varieties, consider protecting it in the winter.Ifyou have lush green shrubs with very little blooms, your soil may have too much nitrogen. If you’ve determined your soil is lacking nutrients, add a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus to encourage blooms. Another common reason your hydrangeas may not bloom is lack of water. Hydrangeas like consistently most, well-drained soil. If your hydrangea is wilting, it won’t bloom well. If need be, add a layer of mulch around the base to help retain moisture. Knowing what kind you have may require a bit of research, but it goes a long way to helping ensure you’ll be successful growing and getting them to bloom. “Gardening requires lots of water — most of it in the form of perspiration.” — Lou Erickson I was hoping this past week I would be able to take it easy in my garden for a bit. After all the prep work for the SCMGA Garden Tour, I was a little tired. However, my vegetable garden did not get that memo and now my beans, eggplant, broccoli, and zucchini are starting to come on strong. Unfortunately, the humidity doesn’t make it pleasant either. By the time I picked everything Saturday morning, I needed a shower before the hubby and I were able to start processing everything. We froze broccoli, cut up beans for canning, and shredded zucchini for zucchini relish – a famous family recipe that is requested by everyone who has tasted it. I spent Sunday afternoon water bathing zucchini relish and pressure cooking green beans. I still must do something with the eggplant and then hopefully find time to make pesto from the basil that’s growing abundantly. I’m not complaining though, as I consider us fortunate that we’re able to grow an abundance of food for ourselves, family, and friends. Even though there is an abundance of canning and freezing to be done, there are other gardening tasks to be completed as well. In the flower garden, transplant and divide iris, daylilies, coneflowers, daisies, blackeyed Susans, yarrow and other perennials that have finished their blooming cycle. As I have so many daylilies that are blooming or just finishing up, it’s a good time to see what color they are. Deadhead these perennials to encourage additional blooms: baby’s breath, bee balm, blanket flower, butterfly weed, cheddar pink, delphiniums, false sunflower, foxglove, garden phlox, globe thistle, hollyhock, monkshood, purple coneflower, shasta daisy, speedwell, tickseed, yarrow, and many more. When you cut glad blooms for a bouquet, leave the maximum amount of foliage on the plant. This will allow the gladiolus to store more energy in the corm, leading to better blooming next year. If you have some spectacular or unusual coleus, geraniums, or other plants, take cuttings to be rooted for winter houseplants or for next summer gardens. It’s time to plant mums for fall color. Try to find ones that are labeled as garden mums as they can many times be wintered over with a little extra mulching and winter protection. Don’t forget the weeds – they love hot, humidTowardweather.theend of the month, divide or plant Oriental poppies. They like hot, sunbaked soil, so don’t mulch them. It’ll also be time to bring your poinsettia back indoors after being outside for the summer. Withhold water from your amaryllis for the next two months to stimulate bloom. I found two in my basement that I accidentally set aside in the wrong location that haven’t received any water for quite some time. I’m not sure they will survive, but I will still try to revive them.Inthe vegetable garden, regularly pick vegetables such as beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, and others to encourage them to produce more. This goes for herbs as well. If you haven’t already, plant a late crop of radishes, lettuce, spinach, and beets. Other than regular mowing, there isn’t a lot to do in August lawn maintenance other than thatching. Remove the thatch if it’s more than a half inch thick. Finally, you can plant evergreens now through September. Manis Wisconsin Certified

Jeannie

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022 Page 11Community/Outdoors

“A dead hydrangea is as intricate and lovely as one in bloom.” ―Toni Morrison Recently we had the Sauk County Master Gardeners Association (SCMGA) Annual Garden Tour and it was a blast! We had visitors from all over Sauk County plus from neighboring counties. We even had visitors from nearby states. The attendees had the opportunity to “peek” into gardens that they would not normally have a chance to visit. The added bonus was the SCMGA docents who were onsite at each location, eager to answer any questions visitors had. Questions ranged from “What is that plant?” to “where did you get your plant markers?” to “how do I get my hydrangea to bloom?” For most

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Canada anymore. The fishing, what can I say, due to two years with no one on these waters due to Covid the walleye were bigger and easier to catch but we did not slam as many hogs as I thought we would. The new lure for this group which would end up being a trip changer would be the Rapala, Rippen’ Rap in blue chrome. I am aware that this is not a new lure but it was a change for our group and was absolutely a blast. Generally, we troll with crawler harnesses which are very effective but tossing the Rippen Rap would prove to be a lot of fun and found us fish that I think we would have simply trolled over. Big walleye for the day, for the group was 24.5, and gator was 32! As usual, supper which was a fish fry, was served after midnight.Lastyear the shoreline on about 80 percent of this lake burnt, the cabin was saved because the MNR forest fire fighters put sprinklers covering the area and the moisture saved the cabin. Back in 95 we were here when about 50-percent of the shoreline burnt and some of our gang was flown out by helicopter, the rest including myself stayed due to intense smoke, we helped rig up sprinklers and water pumps and it looked like we were all going to get cooked, just in time a thunderstorm came and put out the fire, we had a major “we put it out shing ding” with the fire fighters that night. Wednesday, July 6th High 72°, Low 52° The weather simply could not have been more comfortable for this trip with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the low 50s and only one day of rain; which that days was tough but manageable. Today was the rain day and I would be with Trent. The rain was so powerful that we had to get out of the boat and just stand in a burnt out forest for a good hour while it came down. Mikey caught what would be the big walleye for the week with the blue chrome ‘Rippin Rap’ and tonight we played UNO and some people stayed up until the sun greeted the eastern horizon. The following day Mike was my partner on this always incredible 7-day adventure and a good fish hit the Rippin Rap that I was tossing and it turned out to be a 39.5 inch gator which would be the big fish for the week in that category. I started out this column writing about Michelle and I will end it that way. I went home to an empty house and a broken heart for the first time since the mid-90s. I deal with it one day at a time by staying busy, positive and with a lot of help from friends, neighbors and family. Live for the day! Sunset Shultz Lake/Forty Years Later

So today I turned 61, you can only get here by float plane and forty years ago, 1982, we stayed here for the first time. My friends Chris and Tammy Leblanc along with others, own and manage Chimo Lodge and Outposts and they purchased it five years ago from Pete and Elizabeth Hagedorn. The Leblanc’s, www.josie@chimolodge. com, have endured a major forest fire, two years of Covid 19, another forest fire and the passing of their partner and lead bushmen Daniel Wesolowski in this period of time. In closing on this subject, I was camp manager for this operation in the late 80’s and a bushman for much of the 90’s and this is where I started writing this column. Today I would be in at the tiller of our boat and my brother Mike (he was here in 82) and lifelong buddy Jeff Moll would make up our team. Dick Schuster and his 30-year-old son Trent would be in another, and my brother Tom and his 12-year-old grandson Landon who came up together from Denham Springs, Louisiana would be in another. The border crossing was not a problem because we had our Covid homework done and just a reminder, you cannot bring night crawlers into Outdoorsman’s

Journal

Hello friends, I am sure that many of you are aware that I have taken the last four weeks off due to the unexpected passing of my girlfriend, Michelle Chiaro. The experience that you are about to read about was my first after her passing and in some ways, it was very difficult for me and in others it was very helpful to be with family and friends, deep in the Canadian bush.

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Mike Walters 28.5 inch walleye was the biggest of our seven day adventure.

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Photo contributed by Mark Walters When this plane left Shultz Lake, we were alone for 7 days.

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"An Outdoorsman's Journal" is a paid syndicated column written by professional outdoorsman and Necedah native Mark Walters. In order to continue running his outdoors column, we need sponsor(s) to ﬁll the space in print and online so we can continue to support Mark in his adventures and follow along. This space is premium placement top-of-mind awareness, perfect for both businesses that engage with the outdoors or businesses whose customers engage with the outdoors. Interested? Give us a call at 608-588-6694 or an email at ads @valleysentinelnews.com

Photo contributed by Mark Walters L to R: Dick Schuster and Tom Walters enjoying a shore lunch during their Canadian fishing adventure.

Saturday, July 2nd High 72°, Low 51°

Thursday, auGust 11, 2022Page 12 Outdoors & Recreation