FARM BUREAU MEMBER DESIGNS
R
ecently, Rock County Farm Bureau member Ronna Morton-Ballmer finished a Farm Bureau-themed quilt that will adorn the WFBF office. About a year ago, Ronna was contacted to see if she would be interested in taking on the project for the Farm Bureau. "It's really been a pleasure to have this project entrusted in my hands," said Ronna, who has invested "somewhere between 50 and 100 hours into the quilt. I've worked on it, off and on, for more than six months." Ronna uses combinations of color, texture and design, which were the basics of the home furnishings project area that she excelled in as a 4-H member and in 1976, attended the National 4-H Congress representing the area of home management. "I love to create and personalize each quilt--no two are alike," added Ronna. "I try to incorporate as many little things that will catch someone's eye and draw them into the quilt, using fabrics and patterns that tie into the theme and interests of the person, or group in this case." Ronna added that she doesn't follow a pattern and that she enjoys seeing the completed project come together. "With quilts, you start small, with many unique pieces," said Ronna. "As the quilt comes together, larger pieces are formed and you see progress. It's so rewarding to see it come together in the end, a work of art." As far as selecting the fabric for the Farm Bureau quilt, she knew the Farm Bureau colors were red, white and black so she started searching for farmthemed fabrics that were in that color scheme. "When I couldn't find official Farm Bureau fabric, I opted to center the quilt on agricultural products and themes that pertained to our beautiful and diverse state," explained Ronna. "I incorporated different products into the quilt, i.e., cows, pigs, chickens, barns, windmills, tractors, milk cans, eggs and crops, but I needed to stay within the color scheme, so it wasn't easy." She added a bandana print, a woodgrain and other textures and found a red, black, gray and white panel print and coordinating tile-print fabric at Twin Turtle Quilts in Clinton with words and phrases that reflected the 'down-to-earth,' family-based, heart-of-the-home feel. "My hope was that it would draw people into the quilt and that they would connect with the rural roots and family feel
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Rural Route
By Marian Viney
of the Farm Bureau organization," said Ronna and added that selecting just the right fabric is, "right up my alley." She cut the panel print and used it to center the quilt and added a Farm Bureau t-shirt from her daughter's collection. She also added a centennial square to acknowledge Farm Bureau's 100-year mark. "It's been a pleasure to work on this project and I hope that the quilt will provide a backdrop and conversation piece at the Farm Bureau office once it reopens," said Ronna. Sassy Farm Chicks in Orfordville, owned by two farm ladies, Rhonda Streich and Tina Wellnitz, used a computerized longarm quilter to add a farm-themed design with corn, tractors and cows once Ronna finished piecing the top. After it was quilted, she added the rod pocket and binding.
Growing up on a dairy and crop farm southeast of Janesville, Ronna was a member of 4-H and FFA. She graduated from Clinton High School and attended UWMadison and graduated from Farm & Industry Short Course. She later returned to UWMadison, UW-Rock County and then earned her bachelor's degree from UW-Whitewater. For 25 years, Ronna was a sales manager for Tupperware, leading one of the top teams in the nation. She has served as a 4-H project leader for nearly three decades, serves as a judge at many fairs throughout Wisconsin and serves on the Rock County 4-H Fair Board. Ronna also is a substitute teacher for four school districts. WISCONSIN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
