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Fall/Winter 2014

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Plays, musicals are top-notch at Timber Lake

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Blarney Stone popcorn strictly locally grown

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Fall/Winter 2014

FEATURE • STORY L

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Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Baratta

Getting Back to Nature

Editor Larry Lough

Mount Carroll man recognized for work with tree farming

Magazine Editor Marla Seidell Page Design Robin Norburg Matt Lindstrom Melanie Brooking Published by

Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Carroll County Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

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features Camping out along causeway

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Federal facility well organized, family friendly

Biggest biker destination

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Poopy’s serves up all kinds of stuff, cheese curds to burgers

Monument to the macabre

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Raven’s Grin is unique haunted experience in Mount Carroll

Creating pieces of art – one board at a time

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Rustic, yet modern living Mount Carroll home surrounded by nature

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Getting back to nature Mount Carroll man recognized for work with tree farming

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Try it before you buy it Fairhaven Fruit Farm a hidden treasure

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Photographer uses lumber from old barns to tell stories

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CAMPING OUT ALONG CAUSEWAY Federal facility well organized, family friendly

Reserve a site Thomson Causeway 823 W. Main St. Thomson 815-259-3628 missriver.org www.usace.army.mil For reservations: www.recreation.gov, or 877-444-6777

BY JOHN KERMOTT SPECIAL TO CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

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ater in the Sauk Valley runs to the mighty Mississippi River.

Recreational areas, such a the Thomson Causeway, at Lewis Avenue and Main Street, give Carroll County residents a reason to run down to the Mississippi, too.

One of the world’s great rivers, right in our back yard, the Mississippi provides unique recreational opportunities. The Thomson Causeway is an island recreation area that is stewarded by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

“Back in the 1930s, when the USACE began building the Mississippi system of locks and dams, they over-purchased the land to be flooded,” said Trevor Popkin, who, along with fellow USACE park ranger Kevin Zidarich, manages the area. “The Thomson Causeway area was purchased land that wasn’t flooded, so they made it into a recreational area. What most people don’t know is that the Army Corp of Engineers is the largest provider of outdoor recreation in the nation.”

A causeway is a raised roadway built over a watery or marshy area.

The Thomson Causeway connects the eastern shore of the river with the island upon which the recreational area is built.

“We have 131 campsites; all but five have electric, water, and concrete slabs,” Popkin said. “We have playgrounds, three shower buildings, and a dump station. We also have a large area designated for hunting and fishing.

“Our biggest draw is the bike trail that runs through the park. There is a boat ramp in the causeway that’s free for campers, and the general public can use it for $3 per day, or they can get an annual pass for $30.”

The Langrehrs, from Fulton, have been making use of the campground since 1996.

“We go almost every weekend, starting the first of May and quit in the middle of October,” Brenda Langrehr said. “We’ve got a 35-foot fifth wheel [camper] with four slides. We like that it’s nice and clean, and

that it’s a quiet family campground. It never gets too rowdy. Trevor and the other park attendants do a wonderful job and keep a well-organized campground.”

The Langrehrs enjoy visiting with other campers and riding bikes on the trail.

“We like to ride our bikes and visit with the people. Then we’ll sit for a while and ride our bikes again,” Langrehr said with a happy laugh.

The fee for a campsite is $16 if you make a reservation for it; otherwise it’s $18. Tent sites are $10.

“Those fees are half price for anyone over 62 with an ‘America the Beautiful’ card,” Popkin said. “And since this is basically a military area, there is a site available for any active duty military member or their family, for up to 2 weeks of free camping.”

The best way to make a reservation is to go to recreation.gov, or call 877-444-6777.

At the north end of the park, visitors are treated to a scenic view It’s 4 miles across the channel to the Iowa side, Popkin said, the widest part of the northern segment of the river.

From time to time special events will be scheduled at the causeway.

One favorite, held on a weekend leading up to Halloween, is Trick or Treat in the Park.

“This is usually our busiest weekend of the year,” Popkin said. “This year it will be on Saturday, Oct. 18.”

The America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass covers recreation opportunities on public lands managed by four Department of the Interior agencies: the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation, and by the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service.

(Source: US Department of the Interior website, http://www.doi.gov/) s

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Poopy’s serves up all kinds of stuff, cheese curds to burgers Photos by Alex T. Paschal/ Carroll County Living Just a typical weekend at Poopy’s, seeing hundreds of bikes roll through.

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN SPECIAL TO CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

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here can you get the best ... uh, “stuff” around?

Poopy’s in Savanna. That’s where.

It’s in the name, after all. Well, sort of.

Poopy’s is a motorcycle-themed bar and restaurant with a gift shop and a tattoo parlor.

“We claim to be Illinois’ biggest biker destination,” said co-owner Peggy Promensvhenkel.

Poopy’s started in 1996. The Promensvhenkels – Peggy and her now ex-husband, Kevin, affectionately known as “Poopy” after a childhood incident with a bird – were new into motorcycles.

“It was not really a big fad at that point; it was still popular among just a small number of people,” Promensvhenkel said. “It was just starting to really get mainstream, … and it kept growing.”

Poopy’s grew as the hobby grew. First, the couple had a motorcycle parts and service shop. Then, they added a tattoo parlor. Next, they added a bar and restaurant.

“It all complemented everything,” Promensvhenkel said. “People would ask, ‘Where can you get something to eat around here?’ And we said, ‘We better just do it ourselves,’ and we had a George Foreman grill and were cooking burgers.”

The businesses outgrew their downtown building, though.

Poopy’s moved to its current site at 1030 Viaduct Road in 2006. The couple nixed the parts and service department in favor of a gift shop in 2008. And they expanded everything.

So, it’s a biker bar, right?

Wrong. Well, sort of.

Continued on page 9

Pictures, artwork and custom bikes decorate the walls of Poopy's.

Katie and Dave Harden of Geneseo look over the extensive merchandise for sale at Poopy's.

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Shelly Tautz, Owner Clothing, Boots, Accessories, Purses, Decor & Much More!

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Continued from page 7

Poopy’s is not dark or dingy. It doesn’t reek of cigarette smoke and isn’t covered in graffiti. Poopy’s is bright and modern. It’s family friendly. And it’s fun – if you can take a little toilet humor.

Said Promensvhenkel with a chuckle, “Everything is a play on the word ...” well, you figure it out.

Poopy’s also features free live music Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In the summer, when the weather is nice, bands play on the large, outdoor stage. And in the fall and winter, they play in the new banquet room.

So, where can you get the best “stuff” around – the best burger, the best rack of ribs, even the best tattoo?

Poopy’s.

The menu is chock full of traditional pub grub.

Some of those with, ahem, crappy-sounding names …

The Big Poop – “guaranteed to back up your plumbing” – is a one-pound burger served with steak fries, coleslaw and a pickle.

“It was supposed to be a joke,” Promensvhenkel said. “My cook and I, we kidded about it. We thought, Who is going to get a one-pound burger? We sell them all week long!”

The Poop Pile is a steaming pile of nachos. And the To Poop or Not to Poop is a basket of cheese curds, mozzarella sticks and jalapeno poppers.

And those with more appropriate titles …

The Hog is a pile of pulled pork “bulging from your basic big ol’ bun.”

The Exhaust Pipes are a riff on nachos, just with steak fries instead of tortilla chips. And the 3-Wheeler is a platter of breaded mushrooms, onion rings and cheese curds.

Breakfast, served Sunday mornings, brings the Outlaw, Rebel, Road Captain and Wannabe (all omelets), as well as the Flathead (eggs, toast and meat), Pan Head (pancakes, eggs and meat), Blockhead (pancakes and meat), Shovelhead (biscuits and gravy and eggs) and Knucklehead (French toast and meat).

“We have everything,” Promensvhenkel said. “And everything is big – big portions.”

Poopy’s also features free live music Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In the summer, when the weather is nice, bands play on the large, outdoor stage. And in the fall and winter, they play in the new banquet room.

So, where can you get the best “stuff” around – the best burger, the best rack of ribs, even the best tattoo?

Poopy’s. And you can even get a crappy T-shirt that says so. s

A large covered deck has plenty of space for eating and drinking. Plus there is lots of open air deck space with picnic tables.

Grab some grub Poopy’s Pub 1003 Viaduct Road, Savanna 815-273-4307

Poopy's is a popular spot for bikers, but all are welcome to enjoy the food, drink and music.

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MONUMENT TO THE MACABRE Ravenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grin is unique haunted experience in Mount Carroll

Photos by Alex T. Paschal Carroll County Living Jim Warfield hanging out with a couple of boneheads.

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A “film crew “ keeps watch over all the visitors.

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN SPECIAL TO CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

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OUNT CARROLL – A walk through the labyrinth of dark, coffin-shaped passageways is a foray into the twisted mind of Jim Warfield.

The 65-year-old lifelong Mount Carroll resident is owner, caretaker and resident tour guide at Raven’s Grin, a year-round haunted house that casts off the traditional trappings of the genre.

The imposing Italianate mansion, with its faded turquoise trim, was built in 1870. The building has been a tavern, a brothel, a school, a brewery, an Oldsmobile dealership, and apartments for rent.

In 1987, Warfield bought the condemned property for $3,000.There was no working

Raven’s Grin in in downtown Mount Carroll. Just look for the pink car high in the sky.

plumbing or electricity. The windows were broken, and the roof was leaking. He moved right in, though, and spent a few years transforming the dilapidated domicile into a haunted house.

That’s when strange things started to happen.

Restless spirits, weird noises, creepy appearances in the underground stone wine cellar by a woman in white.

“The usual,” Warfield said with a laugh.

He had been warned: That old place is haunted, the folks in town muttered.

But he didn’t listen – or care, really.

The strangest thing about the place isn’t a noise, an apparition or a spirit. It’s Warfield, who transformed what might have been a lovely, historic home into a haunted house, moved in, and ever since has given tours of it (nearly every day of the year, including most holidays and even his own wedding night).

“I’m here working all the time,” he says. “I can just take people through the house.”

At first, Raven’s Grin was a haunted house that was open for tours only in October. That lasted a few years.

Warfield mailed a letter to the Chicago Tribune, just in time for the paper’s annual Halloween listing of haunted attractions. He got “quite a bit of ink,” and after his phone rang off the hook the day the newspaper was published, he braced for a busy night.

Warfield warned local businesses – gas stations, restaurants and the like – to stock up on inventory and maybe have a few extra servers on the schedule.

“I said, ‘I think Mount Carroll is going to be full of people for my haunted house this weekend,’” he recalled. “I was right. The town was crammed with people trying to get in for a tour.

Continued on page 12

A crushed car in his backyard was the vehicle Jim was driving when he was rear ended by a semi traveling 80 mph.

c a r r o l l

Jim Warfield, the mad man behind Raven’s Grin has been running the house for well over 20 years.

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The historic home was built with a wine cellar, an arched room carved into solid rock that stays about 50 degrees year round.

A demon head keeps watch over a wall of gum planted there by visitors.

Continued from page 11

“In that one weekend, the village idiot became the town hero.”

Then, Raven’s Grin was a haunted bed and breakfast. But that lasted only a year and a half.

“I’d take them for a tour first, then I’d show them to their bedroom,” Warfield said. “They’d go out for a bite to eat, a beer, and I’d never see them again.

“Very few people stayed the night here.”

Over the years, Raven’s Grin evolved into a ghoulish gallery of creations, a cramped and crowded four-story, 15-room monument to the macabre that is open for tours nearly every day of the year.

Warfield fashioned almost every attraction and decoration on his workbench out back. He pays homage to the 1950s-era fascination with science

fiction, but he marches to the beat of his own ghostly drummer.

“I’ve always been considered as creative and artistic,” he says. “I’ve always had my own ideas. …

Most of it was totally unplanned. I just do what I like. … I think life is too short to spend time just copying other people.”

The tour, which lasts an hour or longer, in most cases, starts in the parlor. Warfield, who gives almost all of the tours himself – except in October, when business is booming – performs a classic front-room shtick that recounts the history of the area, the history of the house, and other stories of note – all with a little humor and his signature laugh. He then leads visitors through a seemingly endless dark maze of rooms, hallways and tunnels.

The house is filled with intricate and one-of-a-

kind scares.

The experience is better ... well, experienced than described. That said, there is one thing worth mentioning: The slide. The four-story Bad Dream Bed Slide takes visitors screaming from the second floor all the way down to the cold, dark stone wine cellar underground.

Raven’s Grin is unlike the typical haunted house. It’s not violent. It’s not bloody. It’s not filled with special effects, strobe lights, or actors in rubber masks.

Raven’s Grin has been described as a combination of outsider art gallery, rusty theme park, and retro freak show.

Above all else, the house is a labor of love, a home, a life. Visitors are just lucky Warfield opens the door. s Raven’s Grin warns its visitors about the possibility of humor, excitement and premature death.

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There are sights to be seen around every corner of Raven’s Grin.

A tunnel from the wine cellar leads visitors through many twists and turns.

A ghostly picture smiles at visitors in the courtyard.

The front door of the historic house.

GET SPOOKED...

Raven’s Grin 411 N. Carroll St., Mount Carroll (815) 244-4746 www.hauntedravensgrin.com or “Raven’s Grin Inn” on Facebook c a r r o l l

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Photographer uses lumber from old barns to tell stories

BY JOHN KERMOTT SPECIAL TO CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

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B

ill Delp is an artist and a storyteller. His friends say that he sees things differently than the rest of us do. His primary avenue for expressing his unique gift is through his photography studio, Bill Delp Photography. But as with any true artist, beauty finds its way out in many forms.

It isn’t that he couldn’t do other things.

“I worked at a factory to pay for my first car, and I worked for the railroad for a while,” Delp said, “but my love was photography.”

He launched his business in 1978, and then took the leap to go full time in 1981.

The studio he built himself is a piece of art in itself. A rustic cabin in the hills just east of Mississippi Palisades State Park, reminiscent of a pioneer cabin in the north woods of Wisconsin, the studio isn’t within the structure; the structure is the studio, inside and out.

“Every 10 feet is another backdrop for pictures,” Delp explained.

Delp’s studio has been lovingly created, board by board, nail by nail, by recycling the character of old barns that were going to be torn down “Those barns have a history,” Delp said. “Every notch in the wood, every scratch has a story” – a story Delp seeks to retell.

Diane Sweeney and her husband have been longtime friends of Delp.

“My folks live on a farm where a storm had come in and it knocked the He feels it in his soul: to take pieces of the past and make something new.

DIANE SWEENEY barn down,” Sweeney said. “They knew Bill might be able to do something with it, so they asked if he wanted it.

“Then he talked to my folks to find out the history of the barn, and he looked at each board and knothole in intimate detail to get a sense of its character. He takes the wood and re-creates a symbol of whatever that building was. He tells its story with the pieces.”

Delp also began making rustic furniture with the old lumber to tell the story.

“I made a shelf unit with old boards, and then took a picture of it, and put the picture in a frame made from the wood, to hang above it,” he said.

In some cases, he was able to take a picture of the barn or granary from which the wood had come, and paired that with the furniture piece to make one piece of art.

Sweeney has seen the process and the results.

“My husband had bought some old steel wheels, so we asked Bill if he could think of a use for them. He put them together with the wood from the barn, and even incorporated an old license plate that has significance,” Sweeney said of the beautiful bench Delp made for them. “It’s a true passion for him. He feels it in his soul: to take pieces of the past and make something new.”

Delp doesn’t work alone. A friend, Rhonda Lampe, is a core ingredient to his artistry, and they’ve developed a unique business together.

Continued on page 17

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/ Carroll County Living

Not one to miss details, Delp uses hardware and other found items to accentuate some of his works.

Large furniture pieces or small items, Delp constructs it all and doesn't waste a thing.

Delp photographed this barn before moving it to his studio and integrating it into the whole structure.

This bathroom vanity is Rhonda's favorite piece, so "Bill is forbidden to sell," she says with a laugh.

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Continued from page 15

“She’s really a big part of my story,” Delp said. “She means everything to what we do here.”

Delp and Lampe are available to use their artistry to tell a client’s story, and they envision more options to further their business.

“At every stage we’ve upped our game,” Delp said. “That’s the reason I’m still around.”

There’s more story to tell. s

This is Bill's first built item.

Bill Delp and Rhonda Lampe have over 60 years of photo and artistic experience. One of their favorite projects is teaming up a photograph with a handmade frame, utilizing objects that relate to the subject.

Many of his items have multi purposes.

Delp makes sure to keep the characteristics of the wood and accentuate them.

Story Time...

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rustic, yet modern living Mount Carroll home surrounded by nature

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

L

ifelong Sterling residents Jan and Doug Banes started out with farmland and an old chicken coop when they bought land outside Mount Carroll in 1996. They spent weekends at the property, working to put the property back to nature, building a Morton building to store farm equipment.

After growing up in Sterling and raising their family there, they decided to move to the property in 2000 because, according to Doug, “I travel for work, and when I came home, we came here.”

The decision to move was only the first of many decisions.

“We had originally decided to build a log home on the property,” Jan said. “But the more time we spent here, it just did not seem right.”

Instead, the Baneses turned their Morton building into their dream home, and built a home-like addition to accommodate their children and grandchildren. The home’s kitchen reflects Jan’s love for texture, with 100-year-old yellow pine beams, a spiral staircase, and custom cabinets to create a rustic, yet modern feel.

The creation of the kitchen “is the genius of a cabinetmaker from Rockford,” she said.

“When I met with him, I had difficulty explaining what I really wanted, but he understood,” she recalled. “He knew that I wanted a collection of cabinets. He also custom made the hood over our stove.

“Originally it was to be made out of the same wood as the cabinets, but he realized that it would not work. Instead, he took extra beams from his shop and created the beautiful hood we use today. We did not even know what it would look like until it was here.”

The kitchen also holds items that have stories of their own. The large butcher block came from a grocery story that closed in Pearl City, and the commercial sink from Rockford. The pantry door with etched glass A waterfall sits off the back deck of the Baneses’ home.

Photos by Philip Marruffo A large walnut table made from a walnut tree on the property is a main feature in the Baneses’ home.

has a story that illustrates how small the world can be.

“I knew that I did not want the normal pantry door,” Jan explained.

“Instead, I went to an antique shop in Polo and found this door.

“Not long after, we were entertaining, and a neighbor from Chadwick noticed the door. She asked where we got it from, saying that it looked familiar, and I explained. She told us that the door had come from a farmhouse they had torn down.”

The kitchen table is also a piece of art created by a local craftsman. The table and matching chairs are made of walnut from the Baneses’ property.

“The chairs took more time to build than the table,” Doug said. “These chairs are not made with screws, but are sturdy and will last forever. The craftsman who built this recently built the furniture for the new Molly’s Restaurant in Mount Carroll.”

The building also includes an all-purpose room that serves as an exercise room, TV room, playhouse, butcher shop and banquet hall. A look-out room, which is part of the new addition, allows the Baneses and their guests to enjoy views of the property. Lake Wilson is a prominent feature, created by the couple and named to honor Jan’s stepfather, who has passed away.

The Baneses’ love for master craftsmanship and nature is also evident outside the home. Doug loves cooking on his wood pellet grill on the screened-in porch.

The property is surrounded by nature, including gardens, timber, and landscaping.

The back home, where a pool used to stand, is now occupied by a twotiered pond with a waterfall.

The uniqueness of their home has also created the opportunity to change things.

“Some of the parts of our home, such as the screened-in porch and garage door, have changed a few times,” Jan said. “As we continue to live here, we are realizing that certain things do not work, and we are constantly moving things.” s

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Getting Back to Nature Mount Carroll man recognized for work with tree farming Photos by Philip Marruffo Doug Banes points out prairie flowers on his property outside Mount Carroll.

BY CASSANDRA ZIMMERMAN SPECIAL TO CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

D

oug Banes and his wife, Jan, love nature, promoting and educating people in the Mount Carroll area about conservation.

The Baneses bought their property outside Mount Carroll, originally farmland, in 1996 and began to put the land back to nature. Doug’s ultimate goal was to create a habitat perfect for animals such as turkey, pheasant, wood ducks, and all native species of plants.

“We originally wanted to create a habitat for animals,” Doug recalled. “But, I have also become a tree farmer, which I really love. The first few years we were planting 500 plants a year and losing a good amount of those each year. Now we are down to about 100 trees, and we lose only a few. We began buying older trees, which has made a big difference.”

Doug has been recognized by local and state organizations for his work with tree farming. He has received a Distinguished Alumni award for the class of 1960 from the Sterling Schools Black eyed susan pop up in the fields of Foundation for his work with conservation prairie flowers at the Baneses’ property. and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.

His love for Native American history influenced the creation of the Native American Outreach Project, which according to the Sterling Schools foundation is “a joint venture with the Tribal Employment Rights Organization to provide training and entry into union membership for Native Americans” (www.sterlingschoolsfoundation.org).

He was also nominated as Tree Farmer of the Year through the Illinois Tree Farm System for 2014.

This organization is dedicated to creating and maintaining renewable forestry resources. Working with a member of the Illinois Forestry, the couple are working to create a sustainable habitat that would have existed a thousand years ago.

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Doug and Jan have planted switch grass for pheasant and turkey pulls to hatch in.

As they grow, according to Doug, “They eat bugs from the wildflower fields, which have numerous flowers, including butterfly weed, to attract monarch butterflies, black eyed susan’s, rattlesnake master, indigo, and compass flowers, which gives them the proper protein that is so important early in their lives.”

Their property allows them, both avid hunters, to combine their love of nature with their love of hunting by creating an environment that promotes animal and plant growth.

Education has also become a significant part of the Baneses’ life.

Doug and Jan taught their grandchildren about plants and animals while they were growing up and continue to educate visitors to their property.

For people unfamiliar with oak trees, Doug explains: “White oaks have leaves that are rounded like a bullet. But, red oaks have leaves that are pointed like an arrowhead.”

Doug and Jan are also active in timber improvement practices promoted by the organizations they are active in. Timber improvement, burning timber and fields to eliminate non native plants, and cutting dead trees is important to creating a naturally sustainable environment.

As Tree Farmers, they know proper spacing for trees to grow is important. The 153.7 acres of land planted by the Baneses holds crabapple trees, white oaks, red oaks, cranberry bushes, white pines, and spruce, to name a few.

Doug is especially proud of the Kentucky coffee trees, Overcup oak and Shumard oak which have difficulty growing this far north.

Each year, the Baneses also have help from wildlife, according to Jan. “We have a lot of planters – they are squirrels,” she said. “The birds have also spread seeds, which has led to naturally growing plants.”

Lake Wilson and the surrounding marshy areas, built by Doug and

The Baneses have planted white pines on the property.

Jan, have also created a natural habitat for wood ducks, blue and green herons, and even a woodpecker.

Doug’s next big project is to burn the 20 acres in front of their home to allow native species to flourish. To preserve their labor of love, the Baneses have created a conservation easement for the property through the U.S. Forestry conservation easement program. The process took a year and required planning for each area of the property to ensure sustainability and help Doug and Jan reach significant goals.

This, according to Doug, “will ensure that whoever owns the land in 100 years will have to continue to plant the land according to our plan. The habitat will be able to survive and remain the same as it was a thousand years ago.” s

Plant a tree Please visit www.illinoistreefarm.org for more information on conversation and tree farming.

For more information on Conservation Easements, visit, http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/pfc/incentives.htm

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TRY IT BEFORE YOU

BUY IT Fairhaven Fruit Farm a hidden treasure

BY MARICELA LOPEZ SPECIAL TO CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

Photos by Alex T. Paschal Carroll County Living

H

idden within Carroll County along Fairhaven and Creamery Road is a special little farm that owners Tom and Genevieve Nedbal like to call “the cream of the crop.”

For the past 13 years Tom, 80, and Genevieve, 79, have developed their own apple farm, Fairhaven Fruit Farm, and they are enjoying every moment of it.

“You have to have a reason to get up in the morning,” Tom says, “I love being around the trees. We meet nice people in

the area. It’s pleasant. It gives a sense of accomplishment.”

Gen feels all the same.

“We just love being here and taking care of them,” she said.

“What are we going to do, sit here and look at each other at 80?” she joked.

They look forward to waking up to tend to the farm every day.

Gen and Tom like to call their farm a “pedestrian orchard,” which suggests a more market setting.

Manager Ben Metz, 29, describes it as “100 percent from the grower to the people.” He, along with Gen and Tom, shares a certain love for apples and “could talk about them all day long.”

The Fairhaven Farm consists of 60 acres, and for now 30 acres are being used for more than 700 apple trees with 30 different kinds of apples. With their style orchard, people come to buy apples as they ripen.

Of course, there are too many to possibly choose from, so they have a “try it before you buy it” policy, as Ben explains it.

Ripening season is a gradual process for each kind of apple, and at Fairhaven the apples can sell out after just a few months.

Customer favorites are Honey Crisp, Ambrosia, Macintosh, and one of the couple’s own creations, Gen’s Best.

To go along with the many apples, they like to sell a caramel sauce and pasteurized cider brought from Wisconsin, local honey and dried cranberries. Their plan for the future is to expand the number of trees and

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maybe try to grow some new things, like blueberries, which Ben is testing now.

Tom and Gen started off their venture without a clue on how to raise apple trees, and with their dwarf trees “It’s a lot of work,” Tom says.

With little knowledge about apple trees, where did this farm idea start? Well, After 45 years of engineering, Tom retired and decided to buy 60 acres of land. He had the soil tested and started planting different fruit trees, starting off with peach, plum and apple trees. What worked best for the soil were his dwarf apple trees.

To become more familiar with their trees, Tom and Gen found guidance by joining the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association and sought help from orchard consultant Bill Meyer. They also attend conventions and read journals to keep up on better ways to improve tree maintenance.

Fairhaven likes to host field trips for elementary students, during which the kids get a chance to pick their own apples – with careful watching, of course. Aside from the days the kids come, the only people allowed to pick apples are the workers. With dwarf trees, the root and trunk are weak and could be easily ripped out of the ground, so careful maintenance is key.

What makes this hidden treasure so special? Tom simply says it’s the apples that are special. “They’re fresh, and you can’t get them like this at the store.”

Gen loves the life on their quiet apple farm.

“I enjoy the fresh air,” she said. “It’s a comfortable home. We just enjoy apples!” s

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