PICKING PROMISES

HOW CAN YOU COMBAT INFLATION, FOOD INSECURITY, AND THE DECLINE IN WISCONSIN FAMILY FARMS ALL AT ONCE? Make it family friendly, and you land yourself at Picking Promises: the one-stopshop for doing good.

Currently, there is a very deep disconnect between people and the food they eat. Asking questions like, “Where does this come from?” and “How does this grow?” bring us to a better recognition of the agricultural scene. Too often, we forget the people behind the growing of our favorite foods, and that disconnect is hurting everyone.

Enter Norm Joseph, a local man with a huge dream and an idea to connect it all. Getting his kids (Amy, Brian, and Jennifer) and grandkids involved, Norm went to work creating a program that encouraged individuals and families to go to farms nearby, pick and purchase the freshest, juiciest seasonal produce, and then donate it to charities that need more fresh food to give to those who don’t have enough to eat. Soon, Picking Promises was born.

“I’ve always wanted to help the less fortunate, it’s been kind of a family mark,” Norm emphasized. Norm grew up with generosity to everyone as a cornerstone value, often providing meals for strangers who couldn’t afford to eat anywhere else. “We like to give back to the community and feel grateful for what we have, too,” he said.

Picking Promises debuted in connection with 4H through his family’s involvement. A group set out to explore Little Berry Farm to pick berries with kids as young as 6. There, the group met with the owner of the farm, got a tour of the land, learned a little history and a few agricultural practices, and got to work picking berries – sometimes helping the farmers weed as well. After picking, they set up a time to donate the food to Feed My People Food Bank, the Community Table, or other local charities.

And the best part about it: it’s just so simple. “It was so easy, and it was so fun, and it was five minutes away,” Jennifer said. “We had plenty to donate with stomachs full of blueberries.”

After their second trip – this one to Connell’s Family Orchard – the group noted the challenges each farmer faces every growing season: varying from weather to pests and water to labor shortages, it’s harder and harder to produce great food, get it out to the public, and profit.

Picking Promises calls for the community to go to local farms; ask about their sustainability practices and their struggles; pick and buy their own produce; communicate with charities to get the best, freshest food to the less fortunate; and reconnect with the earth and the community. Just make sure to call ahead and confirm the farm and the charity’s hours for easy picking and donations.

“The more people involved in this process the better… the more we can help people,” Norm emphasized.

Picking Promises will have excursions out to different farms throughout each growing season, so get ready for fall squash, apples, corn, and more. Their next trip is this upcoming Wednesday, Aug. 10, at Foster Blueberry Farms from 5:30-7:30pm, picking up the rest and the best of the blueberry season. And on Saturday, Aug. 13, they’ll be at Blueberry Ridge Orchard in Eleva at 10am.

Visit pickingpromises.com for more information on the cause and current events.

TALK ABOUT A SPOT THAT’S PICTURE-PERFECT. JAQUISH FARMS, OWNED BY DON AND JASON JAQUISH, IS KNOWN FOR THEIR VAST SUNFLOWER fields and its mazes. This year, the maze will open on Aug. 27-28 and Sept. 3-4 with all profits going to Joshua’s Camp, a local nonprofit.

They chose to donate to Joshua’s Camp because they offer a camp for families who have children impacted by cancer. This is important to them because Don Jaquish’s late wife, Babbette, died of multiple myeloma in 2014. Jaquish had planted the field of sunflowers annually to honor Babbette because they were her favorite flowers.

Along with the maze, there will be wagon rides, a picking patch, a gold mine for kids, barrel train rides, wood-fired pizza, and other snacks to purchase. There will also be antique tractors within the maze that people can explore.

Admission is $5 per person or $20 per carload. Don and Jason have enjoyed watching just how happy their sunflowers make the children that come to visit.

“About three years ago I had some heart issues and I didn’t think I could do this anymore,” Don said. “On the last Sunday night of the year, this little girl came up to me and she was just adorable and she said, ‘Mister, I just want you to know, this is the best day of my life,’ which was adorable, but definitely didn’t help my decision to quit.”

Jaquish Farms is about six miles south of Eau Claire at W5725 Highway 85. Find out more by searching for Jaquish Farms on Facebook.