Valley Sentinel - 12-01-2022

UW-Platteville Richland to discontinue in-person degree instruction in fall 2023

Taylor Scott, Managing Editor

Citing an unsustainable enrollment, University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman directed Interim Chancellor Tammy Evetovich on Nov. 22 to begin transitioning the University of Wisconsin - Platteville Richland campus in Richland Center away from in-person degree instruction, discontinuing it entirely starting in fall 2023.

With enrollment falling from around 600 students just under a decade ago to 60 students this fall semester, Rothman said he acknowledged that "the university has undertaken good faith eff orts to stabilize enrollment, but these efforts have not stemmed the continuing enrollment decline."

Requests for general comment to UW-Platteville Branch Campus Communications Manager John Christensen were referred to Chief Communications Officer with UWPlatteville Paul Erickson and went unanswered.

Richland County Administrator Clinton Langreck weighed in, "County Administration will be working with UW Leadership and our County Board Supervisors to understand how this order impacts our partnership with

the UW System, our utilization of the campus buildings and grounds, and how this will impact higher education in the community.”

Recent county budget discussions included the possibility of Richland County selling the County-owned campus, however the proposal was rejected by the County Board.

State Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) also weighed in on the news,

“I am saddened to hear that the UW Board of Regents has decided to end in person instruction at UW Richland. I know this was a difficult decision that they have been discussing for quite some time as the number of students attending classes at the UW Richland campus has fallen to less than 60 fulltime students.

I am reassured to know that the UW system is going to do everything they

Good Idea and Arts, Humanities, Historic Preservation Grants available

Applications for the Arts, Humanities and Historic Preservation (AHHP) Grant and the Good Idea Grant are now available. Information about the grants, as well as application forms, are available at www.co.sauk.wi.us/ artsandculture.

Completed Arts, Humanities, and Historic Preservation grant applications are due to the Extension Sauk County Office, Attn: Arts & Culture Grant

Committee, 505 Broadway, Baraboo, WI by 4:00 p.m. on January 20, 2023.

The Sauk County Arts & Culture grant programs encourage art and historic preservation education and community development in Sauk County. The grant programs provide support for projects and organizations that value innovation, creative expression and community within Sauk County.

The Sauk County Arts & Culture

Committee awards grants through a competitive application and review process. The Arts, Humanities, and Historic Preservation (AHHP) Grants are designed to expand the presence of the arts, humanities and historic preservation throughout Sauk County. Grants provide supplemental funding for a variety of projects including festivals, community events, lectures, tours, digital projects, community

can to support and guide the students, faculty and staff through this transition.

It is my understanding that they will all be offered options at other campuses and assistance to move forward. It is also my understanding that the UW will work with our community to explore options to maintain the UW system’s presence in Richland County by offering alternative programming and collaborating with local stakeholders.

There is no doubt that this is a major change for our community. The campus has been a hub of activity and learning for many, many years. I appreciate the UW’s efforts to provide options for those affected and ideas for ways to fill in the gaps that this departure will leave in Richland County.”

Part of the directive from Rothman included developing "a plan related to the ongoing presence at and mission of the Richland campus."

Rothman went on to suggest that the campus offer enrichment programs, online reskilling and upskilling courses for adult learners and online degree completion courses at campus facilities.

"The focus of the plan should be on maintaining a sustainable presence at the Richland campus that meets regional needs."

conversations, film projects, exhibitions and more. The AHHP Grants are larger grants that support non-profit organizations and government entities up to $4,000 and require matching funds.

The Good Idea Grant program is designed to support and leverage

Profile: Katie Green tribute to Helen Birkemeier Community Calendar: Country Christmas, Trivia, Music Our Fragile Democracy: The final chapter?

Photo via UW-Platteville Richland

The exterior sign at the UW-Platteville Richland campus in Richland Center.

The (not so) Plain and Simple Correspondent: A Tribute to Helen Birkemeier

Katie Green, Columnist

The passing of a unique lady of my acquaintance provides me with the welcome opportunity to reflect upon her and what that friendship meant to me over the past eighteen years. She was small in physical stature but had a quietly mighty impact in the River Valley community. Scores of others will have their special hoard of memories about her. This is the short version of mine.

In the spring of 2004 I flew to Wisconsin and began to scout around for the next home for me and my partner. We wanted to be near Madison, where two sons lived with their families, but not in it. The circle around Madison I investigated went as far west as Spring Green and as far south as Mineral Point. I had been writing a syndicated column about nature and environmental concerns for a newspaper chain out West and a friend of our son's told him about a woman in the Spring Green area who did roughly the same. Her name was given to me and after I was dropped off at the Usonian Inn by my realtor to begin a couple days of snooping around Spring Green to see if this was the place for us, I phoned Helen Birkemeier. (In those days, holdovers from the Victorian age listed their names in telephone books.) I explained my mission and the fact that I was on foot. “Don't worry,” she said instantly. “I'm going to come pick you up, bring you to my farm, and make you eat your heart out!” She spent the next couple of hours proving her point. The flower borders, the sweet old farmhouse, the deep, rich soil that was gardener's gold, the greenhouse... Ah! Then the small dynamo offered me lunch, as well. That would not be the last time I dined at their table, happily, and only the beginning of being engaged with the Birkemeier tribe at frequent intervals.

To say that Helen was author of the legendary “Woodland Walker's Guide” each week for years is only to scratch the surface of her many talents and affinities, which were seemingly unrelated but on a deep level were linked by a commitment to harmony, beauty and compassion.

On

As she showed me around her greenhouse full of exotics, flower and vegetable starts, and explained about her son Jim's environmentallyfriendly lumber business, besides her own native plant enterprise, I quickly sensed formidable intellectual curiosity, prodigious energy, and an extraordinary tender heartedness. In the months and years that followed I was to learn of (and met two) of the three girls with spina bifida she and husband Bill adopted and of the couple's mutual dedication to music. She was an organist for decades, they both sang in choirs to the great glory of God and The Muses, and their children were taught to love and perform music as well. The children share their social conscience, too. Theirs is a close-knit unit whose lives demonstrate that the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

We did ultimately choose to land in rural Spring Green, and soon were living only a few miles from the Birkemeier farm, the glorious gardens, the periodic bonfires of waste wood that were also potluck dinners for them and their friends of all ages. There was always a collie dog present, a companion who shadowed Helen on her treks through the woods and elsewhere. Regularly I would phone Helen to clarify some fine point such as finches' or squirrels' color adaptations, butterfly habits, or plant crosspollination weirdness, either for my own curiosity's sake or in the interests of accuracy for something I was writing myself. Our styles and sources were far different: hers were rigorously detailed, based on many scientific journals and websites, mine a combination of emoting or deploring, culled from observation and trusted commentators. As the evidence of climate change became more evident to me, I wanted to make converts, to be poetic and rally the troops. She wanted to be exact and leave conclusions up to the reader

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… although her thumb rested on the scale leaning toward certain positions and practices. There were contradictions within: there was that Prius they drove, the solar panels, and serious conservation habits. But on the subject of climate change, Helen and Bill were doubters of the “there have always been cycles of warming and cooling” variety, based on Bill's dependence on the sacred texts of the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics and the Wall Street Journal. After Helen died and went off to join the saints, I asked a mutual friend who was likewise baffled by their distrust of predominant science, which now overwhelmingly agrees we are on a collision course with disaster, “Do you suppose she ever changed her mind about global warming?” My friend answered, “No. I think she enjoyed being a contrarian.” Maybe. I agree that outwardly she was strong and fearless in her convictions, loyally following Bill's lead, but she was able to draw her own conclusions.

On one notable occasion, the play “The Vagina Monologues” was performed at the Gard Theater in Spring Green. Helen wrote a letter to the paper expressing distress that this indelicate subject would be aired publicly, although she had not seen and would not see the play. I attended the play, didn't find it particularly shocking, and wrote a letter to the editor suggesting that the human body and what people did with it privately was always relevant in a free society. (Never more than now.) People might choose to expose themselves to the ideas contained therein, but no one was compelled to go. A third person then responded to my letter insisting I had insulted Helen. Anxiously I phoned Helen, asking if she had felt attacked or betrayed by my letter. I had certainly meant no disrespect. “Heavens, no!” she assured me. She could give and she could take in equal measure and

our friendship proceeded warmly as before.

On one visit Helen demonstrated for me how to tame wild birds to eat from her hands. She or Bill or both had rigged up a scarecrow one could stand behind. This scarecrow had outstretched arms with little platforms for bird seed. After the birds became used to feeding there, one could substitute human hands on top of the wooden platforms, wait patiently, and the birds would return to eating as if nothing had changed. Before that we had been sitting on the south porch of the house overlooking a small pond they had built, absorbed in watching frogs, dragonflies, thirsty birds, and whoever else was drawn to water. There was always something mind-expanding going on at the farm. At one open house/plant sale, my little grandchildren were thrilled to ride on a gentle pony, a memory they cherish to this day. In time the Birkys became more than mere friends, part of my crazy, mixed-up extended family where something quirky could erupt at any moment. Agree strongly, or disagree politely, or be skeptical about a fixed position, it was all part of the merry-go-round of life.

The last time I saw Helen was at the Meadows after Bill developed dementia. She began to be unsteady on her feet, and elected to move in with him. It was during the height of the Covid epidemic and we visited, masked and separated by layers of plastic walls. She was also hard of hearing by this time and it wasn't a rewarding experience for either of us, but at least she knew I missed her and cared. After that we just exchanged emails. I shall consult her mentally so long as I live, and am forever grateful that our meandering paths crossed. Who will now phone

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to tell me the rattlesnakes are out of hibernation, sunning on the bank across from the barn? Helen was one of the Creator's stellar creations. Somewhere among the stars is Bill and a succession of collies waiting for her to come home.

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

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If you are able

the cover “The morning sunrise of opening day” (2022)

Photo, by Robert Busser

Submitted as part of our Blaze Orange Board contest, Robert Busser brings us this rural Iowa County sunrise from Nov. 19. He took the picture from his stand opening morning of the 2022 regular gun deer season. Pictured above is

Katie Green

Photo contributed by Katie Green Pictured is a squirrel with a blonde variant.

Our Fragile Democracy — Part 10: On the verge of…?

Beverly Pestel, Columnist

“Our Fragile Democracy” explores 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.

The 2022 election, hailed as possibly the most important in our lives, is behind us. Declared of such importance because of what it could potentially decide regarding the future of our democracy. Two sides, both fighting to secure the United States they envision for the future. Two very different futures.

On one side, despite a multitude of evidence to the contrary, many candidates were prepared to declare both our past and future elections fraudulent. There were candidates running for office who had promised to reclaim our country by declaring election results invalid. They were ready to give themselves the right to overturn the will of the people and choose their own winners. Ironically, they were prepared to accept their own election victories, and then use those victories to purchase the right to declare the victories of any of their “enemies” invalid.

Yeah, enemies. Not political challengers, not political opponents, political enemies. And who are these enemies they are trying to reclaim our country from? Is it from those currently in positions of authority? Is it the potential power embedded in those positions that they envy and crave?

Or is the enemy the growing number of citizens that were originally excluded

from the: “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”? Are they attempting to reclaim the country from those groups who fought, and among whom some died, to be included in that self-evident truth? Do many of those who voted for these candidates not understand that they themselves were not included in that original privileged group of the “created equal”? One must suspect that they do not. Is this

peacefully to the polls and voted to destroy their right to have their vote count in the future? For one thing, it tells those of us who voted differently that we have a lot of work to do to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

group of voters deluded, uninformed, misinformed, or simply oblivious?

To our credit, the majority of voters rejected the election denying candidates in most races – but not by overwhelming numbers – and that is scary. Our democracy is founded on the principle of “the consent of the governed.” If that principle is destroyed, democracy ceases to exist. What does it say about us that a significant percentage of voters marched

Driftless Grace — Lights and display contest

and Jefferson.

So, what is the future the other side envisions? I’ve been reading too much American history lately to pretend that there is ever one side that is free of ulterior motives and is one hundred percent altruistic. However, we do have some evidence of the other side’s priorities. There are Democratic bills sitting in the U.S. House of Representatives that would codify a woman’s right to her reproductive freedom, ensure voting rights and accessibility for all eligible citizens, guarantee the rights of all persons to marry the person they love, LGBTQ rights prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the American Dream and Promise Act that would make 4.4 million DREAMers eligible for Conditional Permanent Residence or Temporary Protected Status. Many of the bills passed by the House in 2022 are labeled by the other side as “The Ten Worst Bills the House Passed This Year.” (Association of Mature American Citizens) Recently, Heather Cox Richardson, in her “Letters from an American” reminded us of the words Pres. Abraham Lincoln delivered in 1863 on the battlefield at Gettysburg.

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Cox continues.

The men who wrote the Declaration considered the “truths” they listed “self-evident”: “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

But Lincoln had no such confidence. By his time, the idea that all men were created equal was a “proposition,” and Americans of his day were “engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.”

We may need to admit that we are still engaged in that great civil war. The battles too often are still bloody, and they continue to ebb and flow in favor of different sides. The ultimate outcome is not guaranteed in the absence of a determined, persistent, and conscientious defense of the democracy that has made us the envy of the world.

Our fragile democracy remains just that. The sentiments of Abraham Lincoln are as pertinent today as they were in 1863. It is for us to be “dedicated” and to “take increased devotion” to be “highly resolved” that the “government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

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.

When I was a kid, I thought that small towns kept to a rigid schedule – one I could never hope to understand as a mere civilian. The idea that workers put up our Christmas lights whenever they felt like it was blasphemy. That illusion was broken for me recently, though not in an unwelcome way.

It was the morning of the first real snow, more than a week before Thanksgiving. At some point between when I set out for the post office and when I left to go back home, the village employees had decided to put up our Christmas decorations. I returned to a scene of snowflakes being hoisted onto the light poles at Lexington

Of course, I don’t know that this decision was based on the weather. But it’s something I can see myself doing (and have already done with a few of my own decorations). It seems that the factors of wanting to decorate and having a reason to do so converged on this day. In any case, it’s nice that the workers take pride in Spring Green’s appearance.

I’ve been thinking a lot about taking pride in one’s work since my most recent job interview. This was a position that I wouldn’t have considered five years ago, simply because it didn’t match up with my major. But as I’ve worked in more places, I’ve both diversified my skill set

and learned that being in my field of study doesn’t automatically make for a good job. In applying for this one, I hoped to play a role that would help other

people do their jobs more effectively. As with the snowflakes, it was a convergence of my desire to be helpful with the opportunity to do so. I wouldn’t expect any job to be perfect, but this one checked a lot of boxes. And like the folks who put up the snowflakes, I felt uniquely suited to make my community a better place. I didn’t get the job — but I showed up with my decorations and winter coat anyway.

Grace Vosen is a writer and conservation educator living in Spring Green. She blogs about both the human and nonhuman communities of our region at DriftlessGrace.com.

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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)

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Grace Vosen, Columnist

Grace Vosen

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Beverly Pestel

Chris Hardie's 'Back Home' column

Turn thankfulness into gratitude

Hardie, Columnist

Thanksgiving has come and gone but perhaps this can be the year that we turn a day of thankfulness into a holiday season of gratitude.

I can see, smell and hear the ghosts of Thanksgiving's past when I close my eyes and remember large family dinners where grandparents, aunts, uncles and

Back in those days, there was one football game instead of three, but I don’t recall ever watching the TV. Instead I remember games, card games and a lot of what my grandmother used to call “visiting”. The pot was on all day and the stories flowed as freely as the coffee.

Visiting seems to be a dying vocation in an era where we fill our time with electronic diversions and inane social media dialogue. I can only imagine the scolding if any of us young cousins who would have dared to have our faces aimed down at an electronic screen instead of paying attention to our elders – especially at the dinner table.

But instead of just one day of being thankful, what would happen if we built that into a daily feeling of gratitude?

Harvard Health says the word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness or gratefulness.

cousins gathered for a day of feasting and fun. My home was once the location of such events, as it started with my greatgrandparents and carried on through the next generation.

My great aunt Sara was the master lefse maker. For many years the Norwegian potato wrap was baked on the top of the wood-fired cook stove that still sits in our kitchen. That eventually was replaced by a lefse grill, but the product was still the same. It was thin and translucent – never thick and tough – and nearly melted in your mouth.

Now I can appreciate the amount of food and preparation to feed more than 30 people – plus to find room for everyone to sit. But it never seemed crowded and we never ran out of food. By the time the afternoon chores were done, it was time for another round of eating.

When we feel gratitude, we acknowledge the goodness in our lives and recognize that the source of that goodness lies in part outside of ourselves. So being grateful connects us with people, nature or a higher power – maybe all three – that is larger than us.

I’d say that gratitude combined with a little humility and a dash of common sense is sorely needed in our world today.

Deer hunters weigh in Several readers responded to my recent column about deer hunting, remembering my late father and grandfather and the reasons why I find solace and comfort in the woods.

Bob O’Brien of Sauk Centre, MN wrote: “Thank you for the wonderful article about hunting with your dad and grandpa. I lost my hunting mentors in 1982 and 2016. This year is my 51st deer season and the lessons and memories those two men gave I carry with every season.”

Like me, O’Brien has inherited some

hunting items.

“I got grandpa's rifle when he died and now my son hunts with it and I carry dad's old Winchester 94 and turkey hunt with grandpa's shotgun. Someday my grandsons will have these guns and memories of their dad and grandpa.

“The hunting heritage is a beautiful thing and I thank God for it. Thank you again for the article. It warmed my heart and I must admit this crusty old dairy farmer

has tears in his eyes as I write this. Man, I miss those men.”

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.

Chris

Chris Hardie

Photo by Chris Hardie Chris Hardie harvested this buck during the November hunt.

Reflections from Lost Horizon Farm —

Garvoille, Columnist

Each edition, retired dairy farmer Barb Garvoille brings her musings on dairy farm life from her own years of experience on Lost Horizon Farm with her late husband Vince “Mr. Farmer” Garvoille. This mooving memoir focuses on 19802000, join Barb as she rises with the herd.

The Milkman

The milkman came every other day to collect chilled milk from the bulk tank. By law, the milk in the bulk cooler could have a temperature no higher than 40 degrees. The first job of the milkman (there was only one milkmaid ever at Lost Horizon Farm, and she was the wife and substitute driver for her husband, the milkman) was to "read the stick" and record the corresponding pounds of milk, the date, and the temperature of the milk both on the chart in the milk house and in his/her own record-keeping book. The "stick" was the calibrated piece of stainless steel that would show the level of milk in the bulk tank. By consulting the tank manufacturer's chart, the milkman could equate the pounds of milk in the bulk tank at that particular time with the milk mark on the stick.

There was a special trap door in the milk house that was the inlet for the large diameter milk hose that the milkman had coiled in the back of his bulk truck. This hose had the propensity to snake, so the milkman would pull it through the trap door and direct it to the base of the bulk tank. With an adapter, he would connect his hose to the valve on the bulk tank, turn the valve, and electrically pump the milk from the farm tank onto his truck. When the tank was empty, he would take his hose out and pull it back through its special milk house aperture and coil it into the recessed rear compartment in his truck. He would return to the milk house, lift the lid of the bulk cooler, and rinse out the tank. Then it was the farmer's job to put the automatic bulk tank washer in its place at the base of the tank, shut the lid, and throw the switch to begin the mechanized cleaning of the empty bulk tank. The tank cleaner had a timed cycle of CIP detergent wash, rinse, CIP acid wash, and rinse. For the best cleaning results, we added 2 drops of JOY liquid to the CIP detergent, but a person had to be exact. Otherwise, the bulk tank would be overflowing with bubbles of JOY, and the tank would have to have a repeat washing! The bulk tank valve and its

Milking (cont.)

housing had to be cleaned by hand before it was reinserted, and for this job soapy water and a toothbrush worked best.

It used to be a normal daily occurrence to see multiple milk trucks passing by our

farm on the county road. Each truck cab was usually tricked out with the name of the cheese factory or cooperative the milk was sold to, or, sometimes, just the name of the driver. Many of our drivers were family owners/operators. They were teams: husband and wife, brothers and cousins, fathers and sons, employees and substitutes: Dave and Alice, Dean and Donnie, Warner and Ron, LeRoy and Alan. Over the decades, we had some especially memorable drivers. The most remarkable of these was a devout young fellow who left a religious card on our bulk tank. It notified the reader that if one could answer the ten questions it posed in the affirmative, he/ she could sign the card and be saved. Such a simple and quick salvation!! One older driver soberly described to us the intricate details of his abduction by aliens. Another driver appeared just before Thanksgiving with his cab filled with frozen turkeys. Mr. Farmer swore that the bird we got was extraordinarily tender from rolling around in that truck. One driver always cleared his throat before speaking. You knew it was he even if you didn’t look up at the time. Another driver ran his route during the day and tended bar at his family’s tavern at night. One enthusiastically gave us the exact location of an active Badger den that he had observed along his route. He knew that we shared his appreciation of our rarely seen state animal. (The last time a Badger was seen on Lost Horizon Farm was in the spring of 1980.)

Because farming is such an independent and in situ occupation, there were days when the milk truck driver might be

the only other adult we conversed with. Drivers knew what was going on in the country: what notorious activity might have transpired recently, how people felt about the headlines, and, of course, what road conditions were like. Persons may not realize the extraordinary dedication of milk haulers. A farmer’s bulk tank held only so much milk, and the scheduled pickups had to be adhered to, regardless of the weather, day of the week, or holiday.. It was the farmer’s job to be sure access to the milk house was unobstructed. That meant no machinery or vehicles in the truck’s way and that snow was cleared away in the wintertime. It just was implied courteous behavior for the farmer to make sure the milking was done before the driver’s arrival or to notify the driver (not always possible in the time prior to cell phones) if something was amiss. A holdup at one place could cascade and make the driver’s day very lengthy. Significant snowfalls or ice storms could render roads impassable. In those rare situations, a farmer sometimes had to dump milk after the bulk tank reached capacity. Cows have to be milked on schedule, and, if the bulk tank was full, there was no other choice. However, milkmen tried diligently to get to every farmer’s place on their route. If roadways had been impassable during the day because of a weather event, there were the rare occasions when the milkman showed up after dark. Any construction on rural roads had to somehow make accommodations so that milk trucks could get through to make their scheduled pickups.

Turnout

Once the cows had been milked and the milk house chores done, the cows could be turned outside. In the wintertime, the pace of turnout and the following cleaning activities in the barn quickened because cows could be out in the barnyard for only a very brief period of time. Teat endings could get chapped and sore or might even freeze with overexposure to extreme cold.

The walkway would be scraped down, and fresh barn lime applied. With the cow trainers still turned off, the cows would be individually released from their stanchions. They would generally back out of their stanchions slowly and walk sedately down the walkway and outside. However, if spring was in the air or if there had been a prolonged spell of extremely cold weather and the herd had not been turned out for a few days, or if there was a cow in heat, one could expect a very rapid exodus. A running cow or a cow mounting another cow on the walkway was dangerous because of the increased likelihood of a fall and injury. The cows would then hear farmer commands of: "Slow down!" or "Stop your running."

Once the cows were outside, the gate would be shut, the south barn doors would be closed, and cleaning began in earnest. The hay that the cows had not consumed would be forked into the stanchions for

bedding. Grain not consumed and dry chaff could be shoveled into pails and fed to youngstock that were not as fussy as some of the cows.

However, any foodstuff that was wet had to be shoveled off the manger and put in the gutter. The manger was like a dinner plate for the cows; a clean surface was conducive to better eating, and cows that ate well had the capacity to be the most productive.

Additional bedding from the barn could be added to the stanchions and fluffed up with a fork. If the gutters were full, the barn cleaner was run and then the gutters were bedded. The cows were fed, the walkway was limed again, and the cows were then called back into the barn with a “Come Bos.” (This call actually was drawn out into something sounding like: “Come Baaaaaasss.”) During the warmer months of the year, the cows spent most of their day grazing in the pasture, so that the barn was kept clean and empty until milking time. During the winter, the cows were quite anxious to return to the warmth of the barn. They would push one another to jockey for a “first” position, and a person had to be very careful when opening the gate .After each cow had been locked in her stanchion, the location of each cow trainer would be assessed, and after necessary adjustments were made, the cow trainers would be turned back on until the next milking time. Cows cue into and own their stanchion position in the barn, so cow trainer adjustments were usually few.

Cows in the barn could expect that several times throughout the day, someone would either be scraping down the walkway, cleaning up behind them, or pushing feed up to them,or currying them. Grooming was most frequent during the winter months when the cows were inside more and tended to get more of an accumulation of manure on their flanks and tails. Wintertime was also a good time to trim the switches on the cow's tails. A person would position their thumb and forefinger at the end of the cow’s tailbone, and use the other hand to cut the switch hairs below that point. A person had to use very sharp scissors to cut through the coarse hair and some hardened clods of manure.

Evening Chores, Evening Milking and Evening Milk House

The chores in the evening were the same as those in the morning with a few variations. When cows remained in the barn at night, an additional feeding would be done after the evening milking.

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.

Barb

Barb Garvoille

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille

The milk truck making a pickup at Lost Horizon Farm. A juvenile Yetti on her sand mountain is in the foreground.

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille

Photo of Mueller table equating stick reading with pounds of milk. This Mueller table was so well used, it actually adhered itself to its protective cover!

Events for

COmmunitycalendar

December 2 - December 15

Friday, December 2

Holiday Light Parade: Spring Green Country Christmas 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Downtown Spring Green, 208 N. Winsted Street, Spring Green springgreen.com For more information, search Spring Green Country Christmas on Facebook . Glitz, Glitter, and Lights – this is a wonderful way to kickoff your holiday season. The Spring Green Holiday Light Parade and Concert in the Post House Garden. Enjoy the festivities while sipping hot cocoa and relaxing to the sounds of the season. Santa and Mrs. Claus are going to take a break and visit with us during the parade! Be on the lookout for them.

Free Holiday Movie: ELF 7:30 PM The Gard Theater, 111 E. Jefferson St, Spring Green ninasdepartmentstore.com Come enjoy this holiday movie sponsored by the River Valley Arts and the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

LIVE MUSIC: Holiday Sing-along 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com John Christensen will host at the piano for this night of sing-alongs to Christmas Carols and other Holiday Classics. Get in the holiday spirit and gather around the piano for a night of song. Special guest players are also welcome! Come out for a night of casual holiday fun!

Saturday, December 3

Breakfast with Santa 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM River Valley Elementary School, 830 W Daley St, Spring Green springgreen.com Enjoy a full hot breakfast while you visit Santa and Mrs. Claus! Be sure to bring your camera to catch the magic of the season! Reservations requested. Register online.

Cookie Walk 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Spring Green Community Church, 151 E. Bossard St, Spring Green The 15th annual Spring Green Community Church Cookie Walk features approximately 400 dozen cookies of many varieties. At the Cookie Walk, participants circle the tables of cookies and fill a container that is provided. Cookies are sold by the pound. It’s a great way to save some time in the kitchen, taste-test some new cookie recipes or get a jump start on enjoying holiday treats.

Holiday Book and Bake Sale 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Spring Green Community Library Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St, Spring Green The Friends of Spring Green Library save their best books for these sale dates, many GIFT books, current fiction, local authors, and special interest books will be available. We will also offer baked goods from our members, always a treat! This event is a fundraiser to support the SG Community Library.

RV Holiday Craft Bazaar 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM River Valley High School, 660 W. Daley St, Spring Green Find the perfect holiday gift! Over 40 vendors willl be selling their crafts.

Spring Green Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning. 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.

Christmas Hot Chocolate Bar 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM The Clyde Company, 131 W. Jefferson St, Spring Green springgreen.com Join us & warm up at our new storefront to celebrate Christmas in the Valley with a delicious FREE cup of hot chocolate & a hot chocolate bar stocked with a ton of goodies! We will also have yummy cookies!

The Minions Rise of Gru - Free Movie 1:00 PM . The Gard Theater, 111 E. Jefferson St, Spring Green springgreen.com . Join us for a free movie sponsored by The Spring Green Lions Club!

Wreath Making Workshop & Wine Tasting 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oak Ridge Dr., Muscoda wildhillswinery.com $42 with wine tasting, $36 Alcohol-free Join Wild Hills Winery and Briarwood Flowers for a fun and exciting wreath making workshop and wine tasting! The workshop will take place in our heated rustic shed, but we encourage guests to dress warm. Guests will create their own beautiful, festive wreath, which they can take home to enjoy. Over the course of the workshop, guests will enjoy 8 wine samples from Wild Hills Winery's wine portfolio. Also, we will provide a complimentary grazing box filled with cheese, charcuterie, and other delights. All materials included. Must be over 21 for wine tasting. Non-alcoholic options available.

Bingo for Boobs: A benefit for Lisa Christianson 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Franklin Masonic Lodge, 227 Oak St. Lone Rock Lisa has been undergoing chemo for six months and will have surgery in december. Lisa has a long road to recovery ahead of her. Please join her friends and family for an afternoon of fun to help raise proceeds that will help her hrough this challenging time. *all proceeds go to lisa. $5 per card. 4 games per hour. Snacks & drinks available. Prizes!

Holiday Fireworks in the Park 6:00 PM North Park, Spring Green springgreen.com Come enjoy the holiday fireworks sponsored by Rite-Way Plaza and Dick Powell!

THEATER: River Valley Players — “A Christmas Carol” 7:00 PM The Gard Theater, 111 E. Jefferson St, Spring Green springgreen.com Tickets are $10 online Join APT actress Tracy Michelle Arnold for an inventive staged reading of her adaptation of Charles Dickens' timeless holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. Running for two perfor mances only, don't miss Ebenezer Scrooge's "spirited" transformation in this beloved Christmas tale presented by River Valley Players. Sponsored by Prem Meats, Arcadia Books, and Wilson Creek Pottery.

LIVE MUSIC: Sugar Mama and the Rent Check 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Join us for another wild night with Sugar Mama and the Rent Check. Playing a mix of funk, soul and rock 'n roll, Sugar Mama and the Rent Check are a Spring Green-based band featuring Laura Burbaugh on vocals, Ellie Barta-Moran on vocals, killer tambourine and guitar, Todd Miller on lead guitar, John Christensen on vocals and keyboard, Tim Gittings on bass and harmonica, and Rob Steffen on drums. $5 in advance.

Sunday,

December 4

Traders Monthly Jam! 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Traders Bar & Grill, 6147 US Highway 14, Spring Green For more info, look up Janna and the Junkyard Dawgs on Facebook . It's the first Sunday of the month, which means it's time to get jammin' at Trader's monthly jam! Come on down and be apart of a great time!

Sunday, December 4 cont.

THEATER: River Valley Players — “A Christmas Carol” 2:00 PM The Gard Theater, 111 E. Jefferson St, Spring Green springgreen.com Tickets are $10 online Join APT actress

Don't

Monday, December 5

Holiday Book Sale 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spring Green Community Library Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St, Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org The Friends of Spring Green Library save their best books for these sale dates, many GIFT books, current fiction, local authors, cocktail art books, and special interest books will be available. This event is a fundraiser to support the SG Community Library. Trivia Night 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Join us for a night of Trivia! Kyle Adams will host as we put teams together for a contest of trivia. Come for the prizes, stay for the fun! First Question at 7:00 - and it should last about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Tuesday, December 6

Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Fun stories, songs, and themed activities each week for children and their caregivers. Stories and songs 20-30 minutes followed by craft/activity. Children under 6 must be accompanied.

After-Hours Open House 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Pamela’s Fine Jewelry, 150 W Jefferson St, Spring Green springgreen.com Shop for the Holiday, network with other commu nity members, and enjoy the festive cheer!

Wednesday, December 7

Funtivity Kits Available Today! 10:00 AM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org (608) 588-2276 Drop by to pick up a "FUNtivity" grab-and-go activity. Kits are geared toward children and families, and are available while supplies last on the cart inside the parking lot entrance doors.

Thursday, December 8

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.

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.

Play Reading: Feed the Fish 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Spring Green Community Library Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St, Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org All are invited this series of three readings of a holiday play in progress. Set in Wisconsin, “Feed the Fish” is based on the 2010 cult-classic movie of the same name starring Tony Shalhoub. Young people are especially encouraged to take part. Participants may attend any or all gatherings. A limited number of movie DVDS will be available for advance checkout. The events are free and open to the public. This project is made possible by funds provided by the River Valley ARTS and the Wisconsin Arts Board.

Friday, December 9

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.

LIVE MUSIC: The Honey Pies 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Tickets $10 in advance, $15 at the door Displaying a formidable range of musical backgrounds and notable depth of experi ence, The Honey Pies apply crystal vocal harmonies and virtuoso instrumental skills to the best of traditional, contemporary, and original Americana music.

Saturday, December 10

Spring Green Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning. 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.

Country Christmas Winter Wine Walk 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Spring Green Contact Julie Jensen with questions at 608-588-2054 $30 Must Be 21 Enjoy your time with us and relax as you wander through Spring Green. Take in the lights, sounds and smells of the different stores. It truly is the most magical time of the year! Registration is every 15 minutes from 3:00 to 4:00 at the Chamber Office. Only 225 tickets available! So plan ahead so you do not miss out on this fabulous night of laughter and enjoyment! Registration

Sunday, December 11

LIVE MUSIC: Slowpoke Songwriters Round 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Featuring The Spine Stealers and Lone Goat Rodeo. Tim Eddy curates this series of

Tracy Michelle Arnold for an inventive staged reading of her adaptation of Charles Dickens' timeless holiday classic, A Christmas Carol.

miss Ebenezer Scrooge's "spirited" transformation in this beloved Christmas tale.

Free Holiday Movie: Christmas with the Kranks 7:30 PM The Gard Theater, 111 E. Jefferson St, Spring Green Come enjoy this holiday movie sponsored by the River Valley Arts and the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

singer/songwriters from the Driftless Area, the second Sunday of every month. 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. If you would like to take part on stage, please contact Tim Eddy. No cover, but tips for artists are always welcome.

is held at the Chamber Office, 208 N Winsted St Spring Green.

Brown Church Christmas Service 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM 29864 Brown Church Dr., Lone Rock 608-356-8421 This Christmas service will be combined with the Lone Rock Congregational Church with Pastor Craig Peach officiating. The Brown Church is ecumenical and our services are open to people of all faiths.

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

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

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Tuesday, December 13

Events for December 13 - December 15 calendar Wednesday, December

Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Fun stories, songs, and themed activities each week for children and their caregivers. Stories and songs 20-30 minutes followed by craft/activity. Children under 6 must be accompanied.

Community Potluck 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Spring Green Community Center, 117 S Washington St, Spring Green springgreen.com Bring a dish to pass! All are welcome! Ending time is an estimate only and varies.

Arcadia Book Club Favorites of 2022 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM This is a virtual Zoom meeting, register online readinutopia.com Please join us to share your favorite book of 2022! Enjoy a lively conversation and get some excellent recommendations.

Thursday, December 15

Teen DIY and Crafting Day 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spring Green Community Library Community Room, 230 E. Monroe St, Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org Learn to do a new craft, or just bring your own and hang out! This program is designed for middle and high school aged teens. We will meet in the Community Room unless otherwise posted!

Mid-Morning Matinee 11:30 AM - 1:45 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Join us each month for an exciting movie matinee on the third Thursday of the month starting. Morning includes lunch served by Roarin 20s Dining and Social Club at 11:30 AM followed by an exciting film aimed at patrons 18+ AT 12:00 noon. Sign up at the library by stopping in or calling us at 608-546-4201 to reserve your seat. Call or stop in for each months movie title.

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.

Family Movie Night 5:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain kraemerlibrary.org Children and their families can sit back and enjoy a free family-friendly movie and pizza dinner at the library. We we will be showing the newly released Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Sign up is encouraged but, not required to attend. Sign up at front desk or by calling 608-546-4201.PG 1h 49m . Children under 6 must be accompanied.

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.

CIVICS & SERVICES CALENDAR

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

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

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Please email us with these meetings, or use the form on our Community Calendar page — and let's build community together: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

November 17-December 21:

Operation Hygiene

Barrels for donations can be found across Plain, Lone Rock, and Spring Green Check springgreen.com for the full list of items needed In partnership with the River Valley School District, we are collecting hygiene products for families in need that are in the River Valley School District. Several Businesses in the area also have "spare change" buckets that will also be donated for hygiene products that the school purchases for students in need.

December 3:

Toy Drive for Children spending the holidays at UW Children’s Hospital 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain Donate Toys, cozy blankets, holiday PJs, holiday socks, items to decorate the children's rooms during the holiday season, IV bag covers (some kids needing transfusions are scared seeing a bag of blood), pillowcases in cute fabrics or with holiday fabrics. We will collect all donations and donate them to American Children's hospital in Madison.

December 4:

MEETING: Coon Rock – Join 4H! 5:00 PM . Arena Fire Station, 111 David Cir, Arena . Develop positive relationships with peers and adults, be actively involved in their own learning, contribute as active citizens through service and leadership,and much more!

December 5:

MEETING: Lone Rock Library Board 6:00 PM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com/about/library-board The community is invited to attend all library board meetings. Meetings are the first Monday of each month unless otherwise noted.

December 6:

MEETING: Spring Green Library Board 5:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St, Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org The Library Board of Trustees meets each month, typically on the first or second Tuesday, at 5 PM. Chang es to this schedule are posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. The meetings are open to the public.

MEETING: Arena Village Board Meeting 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Village Hall, 345 West Street, Arena villageofarena.net Arena typically holds board meetings the first tuesday of the month.

December 7:

MEETING: Village of Spring Green Board Meeting 7:00 PM Virtual event vi.springgreen.wi.gov

December 8:

MEETING: River Valley School Board 7:00 PM River Valley Middle School, Library, 660 Daley St, Spring Green

December 12:

MEETING: River Valley Area Community Gardens Annual Meeting 6:30 PM 151 E Bossard St. Spring Green

December 13:

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

December 14:

MEETING: Plain Village Board Meeting 7:00 PM Village Office, 510 Main Street, Plain

DESIGN/PAGE

GRAPHIC

AND MORE! COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTORS

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.

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

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

We have so many ideas to grow and do more for our community, but we need help, we CAN’T do it alone. If you want to be a part of something bigger please email us and let us know what your interests are: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

Areas in most need:

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M A R K E T I N G | A D V E R T I S I N G | P A R T N E R S H I P C O N T E N T B U S I N E S S I N S I D E R UPCOMING SPECIAL SECTIONS/EDITORIAL NOTES: December 15 (moved by popular demand): Local Holiday Gift Guide (Special Section) – Our annual catalog listing of local gift options. First listing free for area businesses, additional listings only $15 each. All other advertising options available as well. Inquire if interested. December 15: Blaze Orange Board (Special Section) – Our annual juried brag board of trophy (and otherwise) deer and views out in the field from the season. Yes, we know the antlerless-only holiday hunt won't be over yet. But are you going to sit freezing in your stand for a big doe over the holidays? We didn't think so.

12, 2023: Winter Wonderland (Special Section) – Our annual winter special section of cold activities and events to break us out of our winter doldrums. Have ideas for Winter After Dark events? Let us know!

January

All special sections subject to change and participation. The more support and engagement we get, the more we can offer the community together.

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Supporting sponsorships of special sections may be available at $200 for all benefits above, excluding banner (limited availability), but also including 50% off ads in the section.

Featured Business/Sponsored Articles — $200 for 1/2 page promotional article with 1-2 pictures ($100 if sponsor for the section) – Limited availability. Runs online as well.

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$400 full page, $200 half page, $100 quarter page, $50 eighth page, $25 sixteenth page – Limited availability. Inquire about sponsorships, partner content and online and social ad opportunities.

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ary/OpInIon

Sauk County grants available

the creativity of Sauk County artists, craftspeople, musicians, writers, historians and arts, humanities or historical preservation organizations in endeavors that will contribute to Sauk County’s creative economy. Awards are a maximum of $500 and may be applied for any time during the year until funding runs out. Good Idea Grant applications are due to the Extension Sauk County office by the 21st of each month until all funds are used.

Each year the Sauk County Arts & Culture Committee awards grants to nonprofits, governmental units, and

local organizations throughout the County to support a wide variety of humanities and arts based projects.

The Sauk County Arts, Humanities and Historic Preservation grants program is made possible with funding from Sauk County and the Wisconsin Arts Board. Additional information can be found at the Arts & Culture Program website (www.co.sauk.wi.us/artsandculture) along with application materials in a google form or fillable PDF format. If you have questions about whether your organization or project is eligible, or any other questions, please call the UW Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250 or email at ahhpgrants@ saukcountywi.gov

The Sauk County Gardener

Forcing Bulbs

Winter officially arrived at our home the week of the deer-hunting season. As I’m not a hunter myself, I spent my time working on some “indoor” gardening projects. One of those projects was harvesting my Brussels sprouts. It took a bit to get them pulled; but afterwards, we trimmed, blanched, and froze 14-quart bags of deliciousness for eating later this winter. My other indoor project was repotting my amaryllis bulbs for some winter blooming. I had several that were “resting” in the basement. I had let the plants go dormant, so they were ready to be repotted for another blooming. I repot my amaryllis when I have time, so I don’t always have them blooming for the holidays. However, I greatly appreciate the blooms in January and February when the snow is deep.

Forcing bulbs indoors is a favorite indoor gardening project for many people. There are numerous bulbs you can force if you give them the right conditions to break dormancy, make roots, and bloom. Daffodils, hyacinths, and crocus are common ones to force. They need a chilling period before they will bloom, just like they do in nature. Two others to consider, paperwhites and amaryllis, don’t require a chilling period. Your local stores may still have springblooming bulbs available that are ideal for forcing. You will need to chill them once you get them home anywhere from 2 to 4 months depending on the bulb. You can also purchase prechilled bulbs.

There are three techniques you can use to force them: (1) in gravel, (2) in water, and (3) in soil. Keep in mind, if you force them in water or gravel, they will use up their resources and typically will not rebloom. Once the bulbs have been forced this way and have bloomed, you can toss the spent bulbs in the compost pile. I decided to ignore that advice last year and

Selecting the Perfect Christmas Tree

As Thanksgiving is now over, it is okay to now begin decorating for Christmas at our house. One of the big decisions we make each year is what kind of tree we are going to have. I’m talking real versus artificial. In years past when our children were still at home, it was tradition to go to a tree farm to select and cut our Christmas tree. I love a live tree, but we have high ceilings and it’s tough to find one that is as tall as I like, is still full and of course, we can still drag out of the woods on our own. Lately, the decision comes down to whether we are going home for the holidays or how long we have to leave it standing to get through all the family gettogethers. Looks like this year we’re going to be using our artificial tree.

If you’re looking to select a real tree this year, there are some things to know before you pick your tree. In addition to knowing what type of tree you like, there are some rules that apply to selecting all live trees that will ensure they will hold for the season. Before heading out, figure out where you’re going to put the tree in your house. It should be away from sources of heat and out of main traffic areas. Take note of how big the truck can be to fit in your tree stand. Also, note how big your tree topper is so you leave enough space between the top and the ceiling for it.

With those details in mind, head out to the tree farm or lot of your choice.

Look for one that has a good shape and a straight trunk and is not visible through the branches. It should also be slightly sticky to the touch Next, check the freshness of the tree. There are a couple ways to check it: (1) grab a branch and gently pull your hand toward you. The needles should stay

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hung onto three hyacinth bulbs that I forced in water. All three have started regrowing and one is starting to rebloom. I don’t know yet how well it will bloom or if the other two will at all as I didn’t chill them before they started to regrow. I’ll keep you posted. Those you force in soil can be saved after they bloom and planted outdoors for future blooming after another year.

For the water or gravel method, the bulbs are not submerged in water; instead, they are suspended above the water level. Place them on a bed of gravel and fill with water until it just about touches the bottom of the bulb.

For the water method, a bulb vase is ideal. It has a narrow neck to help keep the bulb above the water level. The roots will reach for the water. Move the bulbs to a cool, dark location for 4 to 6 weeks, monitor the water level, and watch for sprouting. Then move them back into a brightly lit location between 60- and 70-degrees F. Add water as needed and wait for them to bloom.

For the soil method, simply plant the bulbs in a pot. Bulb tops should

on the branch. (2) Gently tap the tree on the ground; only a few needles, if any, should fall. Check the individual needles as well by bending a few needles in half. The needles from firs, such as Balsam or Fraser, should snap. Fresh pine needles should bend. Some additional things to consider are fragrance, branch strength, and color. Choose a Balsam or Fraser fir if you like a strong Christmas tree smell. They also have strong branches, great for heavy ornaments. Firs have short blue/green or dark green needles and retain their needles well. If you like longer needles, consider Scotch or white pine. Scotch has stronger branches and has good needle retention as well. Need a larger, taller tree at an economical price – choose the white pine. Spruce trees are another great option. Their stiff branches hold ornaments well and have excellent color. A word of caution – their needs can be quite sharp so keep that in mind if you have

be even or just slightly below the container’s rim. Allow the bulb tops to stick above the potting soil. After potting, water and place them in the refrigerator, root cellar, any other cold storage location you have. Water them regularly and keep them in complete darkness. Once the bulbs have met their chilling requirements (hyacinth – 12-15 weeks; crocus, daffodils, narcissus, and tulips – 15-17 weeks), move them to a cool location that receives low to medium light. After about a week, you can move to a brighter and warmer location. Keep them watered and watch for blooms. Once they are done blooming, plant them in the garden for future blooms.

This week’s article is written by Jeannie Manis, a Wisconsin Certified Sauk County Master Gardener Volunteer. If you have any gardening questions, please contact the Extension Sauk County by emailing to trripp@wisc.edu or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.

small children or pets. Once you have the tree home, cut off at least a half-inch from the bottom of the trunk and put it in water as quickly as possible. It’s important to keep your tree stand always full of water. During the first few days, you may need to water your tree 2-3 times. It’s recommended that you get a tree stand that can hold at least a gallon of water. Keep it away from heat sources as much as possible. Follow these tips and your tree should last 4-6 weeks into the holiday season.

This week’s article is written by Jeannie Manis, a Wisconsin Certified Sauk County Master Gardener Volunteer. If you have any gardening questions, please contact the Extension Sauk County by emailing to trripp@wisc.edu or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.

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Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener

“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.”

— Larry Wilde

Jeannie Manis Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener

2022 Gun Deer Hunt Harvest Totals, Three Hunting Incidents In Area Counties

The 2022 gun deer hunt in Wisconsin kicked off the holiday season with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, put delicious, wildharvested protein on the table and make memories with family and friends. Preliminary license sales, harvest registration and hunting incident numbers are now available.

Preliminary License Sales Totals

As of 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 27, sales for gun, bow, crossbow, sports and patron licenses reached 795,072. Of that total, 436,423 were for gun privileges only and 554,898 were for all gun privileges including gun, sports and patron licenses. The year-to-date sales for all deer licenses are down 1.6% from the same time last year.

Of the licenses sold to date, 63% were purchased online. The remaining 37% were sold in-person through transactions at DNR license agent locations. Deer hunting license and harvest authorization sales will continue throughout the remaining deer hunting seasons.

This year, licenses were sold to hunters in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Additionally, hunters came from 21 different countries to deer hunt in Wisconsin.

Preliminary Registration Totals

Preliminary figures show that hunters registered 203,295 deer during the 2022 gun deer season, including 98,397 antlered and 104,898 antlerless deer. Since archery seasons opened on Sept. 17, hunters have registered 301,540 deer statewide.

Compared to 2021, the total firearm deer harvest was up 14.4% statewide, with the antlered harvest up 14.7% and

antlerless harvest up 14.1%.

All four deer management zones showed harvest increases from 2021 for both antlered and antlerless harvests.

The Central Forest Zone (+30.6%) saw the most significant increase, with the Northern Forest Zone (+19.3%) also seeing a considerable increase. The Central Farmland Zone was up 13.5%, while the Southern Farmland Zone was up 10.2%.

The Central Farmland Zone in Adams County led the state with over 12 deer registered per square mile. Vernon County led the Southern Farmland Zone with almost seven deer registered per square mile. The Central Forest Zone in Eau Claire County registered 4.8 deer per square mile. Taylor County registered the most per square mile in the Northern Forest Zone at four.

Opening weekend saw cold temperatures and snow throughout the state, with ideal conditions except for the strong winds on Saturday, Nov. 19. DNR staff across the state reported good weather throughout the weekdays of the season. Warm weather later in the season melted snow, reducing deer and hunter activity.

For the gun deer season, the 2022 regional harvest breakdown by deer management zone is available online.

More information regarding preliminary registration totals, including county-level numbers, is available on the DNR website.

A 2021-2022 comparison of preliminary gun deer season registration totals is also available online.

Registration Of Deer Required With GameReg

As a reminder, hunters must register their deer by 5 p.m. the day after recovery through GameReg, the game registration system. Harvested deer may be registered in one of three ways:

• Online: gamereg.wi.gov (fastest and easiest method)

• Phone: 1-844-426-3734

When prompted, use your phone keypad to spell the first three letters of the county. For example, a registrant in Adams County would spell A-D-A by pressing “232.”

• In-Person: Find a station that offers a phone or computer for registration through the online hunting resources stations portal. Reminder: When registering, you will need your unique harvest authorization number to begin the process.

Gun Deer Season Hunting Incidents

At the publication time of this news release, the DNR reports eight firearminvolved injuries and one fatality for the entire 2022 gun deer season.

Area incidents include: Sauk County, Woodland Township: On Nov. 19, 2022, at approximately 11:10 a.m., a 22-yearold male was the victim of a gunshot wound to the thigh. During a deer drive, a 20-year-old male shooter, who was a driver in the hunting party, shot at a running deer, striking the victim, who was a stander in the hunting party. The victim was transported to the hospital and treated.

Iowa County, Mifflin Township: On Nov. 19, 2022, at the close of hunting hours, a 15-year-old male suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot. The victim was

unloading his firearm while sitting in the passenger seat of a truck when the firearm discharged. The victim was transported to a local hospital and treated.

Sauk County, Sumpter Township: On Nov. 26, 2022, at approximately noon, a 27-year-old male suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg. The victim was attempting to sit on the ground by a boulder when he lost his balance. He then had an unwanted discharge from his firearm. The victim was flown to the hospital via Med Flight for treatment.

The average hunting incidents per year for the last 10 gun deer seasons (2013-2022) is 6.4. In addition, there were zero fatalities in 6 of those 10 years.

Wardens remind all hunters to use the four firearm safety rules as a cornerstone for safe and successful outings:

T- Treat every firearm as if it is loaded;

A - Always point the muzzle in a safe direction;

B - Be certain of your target, what's before it and what's beyond it;

K - Keep your finger outside your trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.

DNR VIOLATION HOTLINE:

Anyone with information regarding natural resource violations may confidentially report by calling or texting: 1-800-TIP-WDNR or 1-800847-9367. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trained staff relay the information to conservation wardens.

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Mark Walters, Columnist

Hello friends, This week I am writing to you about a three-day experience that I had the weekend before Wisconsin’s deer gun season at my hunting camp in northern Juneau County. Our camp is on public land and together with up to 25 friends and family called The Red Brush Gang we build an 18x36 foot pole barn that is home for two weeks and then dismantled on the last Sunday of deer gun season.

Friday, November 11 High 53°, Low 30°

The history of much of my life, especially in the fall has taken place in Wisconsin’s Central Forest which in reality goes from Tomah to Marshfield and over to Black River Falls. Today along with my golden retrievers Ruby and Red I will hunt ducks on The Meadow Valley Flowage. From the age of 22 to 27 I was a steel fabricator at Bar Bel Fabricating in Mauston. I lived in New Lisbon and had a duck blind on the MVF. I had my first two golden retrievers at the time, and they were Ranger and her pup Ben.

At that time there were no wolves, bear, or fisher, and the wild turkey population was just being introduced. I have legally harvested bear, turkey, and wolf since there return.

It was 51 opening days of the deer gun season when I first hunted here and I have never missed an opening day.

Back in ‘87 I attempted to canoe up the entire Mississippi River. I made it 980 miles before an injury to my left wrists ended that journey. That fall I purchased a camper and started what I call fall camp which in reality replaced the canvas tent The

Red Brush Gang used.

Adjacent to the camper I created a 12x 14 foot shed and I loved the life I created while staying at “Fall Camp” for over 90 days and well into the winter for the next 10 years.

Simply put I hunted with a bow and gun for deer. Shotgun for ducks, geese, and grouse and when the local waters froze over I ice fished. I also trapped for beaver, muskrat, mink, and raccoon. At night I would cross country ski and ice skate on the flowages.

The way I was able to pull this off was that I began writing the column that you are reading in 1989 for The Poynette Press for $10.00 per week. I self-syndicated in 91 and added five more papers for a paycheck of $60.00 per week. My life was simple. I would do 5-7 day trips, hand write my column, snail mail it to Dick and Molly Emerson and they would make sure the system worked. I would take photos, go to a one-hour film developer and snail mail them to my papers whose numbers steadily grew to a peak of 70 in 1999.

The Red Brush Gang is made up of family and friends of whom almost all of the elders went to Poynette High School. We started having kids and by about the year 2005 we had 17 in our group, and they were allowed to come camp build weekend as soon as they were done filling their diapers.

Another very interesting story is that until about the year 2000 almost all of our bucks that we harvested were 6-pointers and under. In our big buck contest, a typical winner was a fork horn with a 8-inch spread. In reality, we did not care, there were so many deer that our hunts were loaded with action. Once the wolves became pack to pack, two things happened, we started seeing a significantly smaller amount of deer and the bucks started getting much

larger racks.

All of our hunting after opening weekend is done by driving deer on large tracts of forest and marsh. Since I have the biggest mouth and was willing to do it, I became the boss of enforcing and creating drives where many of the pushers were 12-yearolds in the must wear hip boots. I was harsh but fair and the kids and adults became a mobile unit that was very effective at killing deer.

Our theory has always been to push away from the road at the start of the day and on the trek back, at dark, start dragging deer.

I love this area so much that I moved here in 99 and for 33-years I have made it as an outdoor writer in the newspaper industry through thick and thin.

Back to my duck hunt, I did not see a bird today, did not care!

Sunset

Follow along the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman’s Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking. He currently writes for around 60 newspapers on a weekly basis. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!

Want to read more? Check out previous weeks’ columns at www.outdoorsmansjournal.com

Photo contributed by Mark Walters

The Red Brush Gang building their shack about 15 years ago.

Fifty-One Falls in the Valley

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Red Brush hunters are initiated at a young age.

Photo contributed by Mark Walters The return of the gray wolf to Wisconsin’s central forests hasbeen the subject of many interesting conversations.