Old Farm at MBA

Ruth and I just returned from the Midwest Booksellers Association show in St. Paul. An event where publishers and authors show their wares to the booksellers.

OLD FARM: A HISTORY, my newest book from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, got considerable attention, and less than modestly I must say lots of praise. Everyone who saw the book was immediately impressed with Steve’s photos (Steve is my son and we did the book together).

Now we begin a heavy schedule of events to tell folks about the book. Come if you can.

One needs only attend an event such as MBA to realize that the book business is very much alive. Or to paraphrase Mark Twain and to change his words a bit: “The death of the book has been greatly exaggerated”.

The Old Timer says: “So many books. So little time to read them.”

Upcoming Events:

October 4, 10-2:00 PM. Dregne’s, Westby. Book signing.

October 5, 1:30 PM Edgerton Library. Presentation and signing. Edgerton Book Festival.

OCTOBER 7, 7:00PM BARNES & NOBLE, WEST MADISON. LAUNCH OF OLD FARM

October 9, 6:30PM Barron Public Library, Barron. Presentation and signing.

October 11, 11-2:00PM, Apple Blossom books, Oshkosh

October 12, 2:00-4:00PM, Old World Wisconsin, Eagle. Book signing. “Autumn on the
Farm Celebration.”

October 14, 6:00PM, Kewaskum Public Library, Presentation and signing.

October 15, 11:45-12:30PM Larry Meiller show, Wisconsin Public Radio,

October 16, 7-8:30PM Wisconsin Book Festival, Overture Center, Madison. Panel
Discussion: "A half-century of change in rural Wisconsin."

October 19, 12:00-1:30. Wisconsin Book Festival, Overture Center, Madison.
Presentation and signing. “For the Love of a Farm.”

October 21, 6:30 PM Prairie du Sac Public Library. Presentation and signing.

October 23, 6-8PM. Conkey’s Bookstore, Appleton. Book Signing.

OCTOBER 25, 1:00 PM. PATTERSON MEMORIAL LIBRARY, WILD ROSE.

CENTRAL WISCONSIN LAUNCH OF OLD FARM. PRESENTATION AND SIGNING.

October 27, 7:00PM. Schwartz Bookstore, Mequon. Presentation and signing.

October 28, 1:30PM Brillion Public Library. Presentation and signing.

October 30, 2:45-4:00PM WEAC Teacher’s Convention, Madison. Presentation and signing.

Schumacher Farm

Yesterday Ruth and I attended Schumacher Farm's Heritage Fest. The farm, a Dane County Park but once an operating farm, is located just east of Waunakee, WI.

I had the difficult task of serving as a judge for their pie contest. Thankfully, I could rely on the other judges--Roberta Bauman, editor of the Waunakee Tribune and Karen Crossley, Dane County Cultural Affairs--who seemed to know what they were doing.

After wading through nine pies, that's right nine of them ranging from green tomato to several apple pies, cranberry, chocolate, rhubarb and still more, we discussed, compared, tasted a little more and declared a cranberry nut pie the winner.

I avoided stepping on the scale this morning.



The Old Timer says: "You can have your pie and eat it, too."

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 4, 10-2:00 Dregne's, Westby, WI Book Signing.

October 5, Book Festival, Edgerton, WI Library Presentation and book signing.

October 7,7:00 PM. Barnes and Noble West, Madison. Launch for OLD FARM.

Old Farm: A History

My newest book, OLD FARM: A HISTORY, is out. Check details on my website. I introduced it last night at a Mineral Point, WI Historical Society meeting. My photographer son, Steve took the pictures--and they are all in color, from a beautiful Karner Blue Butterfly to Big Blue Stem grass. It's the story of my farm, from the time of the glacier to the present time, with lots of central Wisconsin history. The Wisconsin Historical Society Press is the publisher.

Launch party for OLD FARM: Tuesday, October 7, 7:00 PM. Barnes and Noble West, Madison.

The Old Timer Says: "Do the best you can with what you've got."

Upcoming Events:

September 20, 2:00 PM. Cheese Days, Monroe, WI. Presentation and book signing featuring CASPER JAGGI: MASTER CHEESE MAKER biography.

September 21, 1-4:00 PM Schumacher Farm, Wauankee. Heritage Fest. Book Signing, and pie judging.

October 4, 10-2:00 Dregne's, Westby, WI Book Signing.

October 5, Book Festival, Edgerton, WI Presentation and book signing.

October 7,7:00 PM. Barnes and Noble West, Madison. Launch for OLD FARM.

Silence

The barber in my hometown, Wild Rose, WI, was a talker. He went on and on about anything and everything. One day, an infrequent customer sat in his chair.
"And how would you like your hair cut?" the barber asked.
"In silence, please," the customer said.

Silence is difficult to find these days. If it's not a cellphone jingling, a TV ad blasting the airways with political ads, its the never ending sound of traffic, day and night.

My son, Steve and I spent last week in northern Minnesota, canoeing in the Boundary Waters. The only sounds were the gentle lapping of waves against rocks, the occasional call of a loon, and the chatter of a pesky red squirrel intent on stealing our lunch.

Silence! How I enjoy it, but infrequently find it.

The Old Timer Says: "Keep things simple. They'll get complicated enough, soon enough, without you intending that they should."


ANNOUNCEMENT: My new book for this fall is titled OLD FARM: A HISTORY. The Wisconsin Historical Society Press is the publisher and it will be in the stores by the end of September. My photographer son, Steve and I did this one together. Go to www.wisconsinhistory.org/whspress to learn more.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 10, 7:00 PM Presentation and Book Signing, Borders West, Madison. In A Pickle.

September 11, 7:00 PM Presentation and Book Signing. Mineral Point Historical Society, Opera House, Mineral Point, WI. "Stories From the Land."

September 20, Saturday, 2:00 PM Monroe Cheese Days. Presentation and Book Signing.