An unexpected barn find

It’s been a few days since my last post. Writing every day is hard. Also some days provide less to write about, so I decided to take a break.

After leaving Acres of Joy, the little farm in Wisconsin, we made our way to another Harvest Hosts farm in Dakota Minnesota. Apart from our drive through Green Bay and the last hour before arriving at Frickson’s Family Farms, we drove on less busy highways. Driving through farming country was beautiful and relaxing. At times it seemed we were the only ones on the road.

We crossed the Mississippi River and state line into Minnesota around noon and decided to stop for a bite of lunch. I decided to check my phone and noticed a message on my phone from Barb Little (nee Jones) a long time family friend. She asked me where we were in Minnesota, as she lives in Minneapolis. I should have known this but didn’t. I told Barb we were following the I90, so were south of her and on our way to Sioux Falls. Perhaps we will look you up next time Barb!

Mid afternoon we arrived at Frickson’s Farm and found two other RVs already set up. We were able to secure a spot that had both electrical and water, which is a rarity at Harvest Hosts. Later, we were glad we arrived when we did, as two more guests showed up for the one last electrical spot beside us.

We chatted briefly with the one guest who missed out on the spot with power and waved at the other guest who was parked in the spot beside us. He was a young guy from Florida and appeared to be on his own apart from two pit bull dogs. I’m now kicking myself that I didn’t take my own advice and chat with him.

Unfortunately, we didn’t meet our hosts either. The told us they would be out working on the farm and to check ourselves in. After setting up we walked to the farm store, which was self serve and on the honour system. We stocked up on farm raised beef and pork and inserted our payment for the meat and the power into a lock box. It was refreshing to see this kind of honour system still works in some places.

All of the RVs were parked in the midst of corn field and it reminded me of the movie Field of Dreams.

The wind was blowing quite briskly when we arrived and it increased in intensity in the night. Connie slept very little and me only a little more. The wind rocked the trailer and it whistled as it passed through the slide out and slide out covers.

After breakfast, we packed up and were on the road toward Sioux Falls South Dakota around 9am. The entire day was spent on the I90, so less enjoyable than our previous days. However, we did drive through a couple of thunderstorms.

At 3pm we arrived at the KOA in Sioux Falls. Right next door was a Camping World. How convenient! After checking in and setting up, we drove to camping world and picked up a few things and then drove into town to get some groceries at Target. Our plan was to stop at Down Home DeBoers on the way to Target. Our daughter in law Carissa suggested that Connie check it out while I went for a coffee. I plugged in the coordinates Connie provided me (at least I thought I did) but it took us to an apartment building across from Costco.

Fortunately, Target was close by so all was not lost but we didn’t get to visit the DeBoers store as it was closing shortly and another 20 minutes away from us. Sorry Carissa!

Connie did several loads of laundry which was conveniently located right next to our camp spot. When darkness fell we were treated to a fireworks display across the I90. The KOA is just off I90 West, so a bit too noisy for our liking. That said we both slept well – so well in fact, that we slept till 8am.

We didn’t get on the road until 945am but I wasn’t concerned as we had planned a shorter drive, with a stop at the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of The Little House on the Prairie books. Connie grew up watching the TV series and had read a few of Laura’s books. I’ve never read any of the books and I don’t recall watching a full episode of the TV show.

Once again I plugged in the coordinates into the GPS, thinking it was a bit odd that we were heading back east again for 90 minutes of driving. After about 20 minutes, I commented to Connie that I thought De Smet was in the other direction. Ooops! I had put in the address for another Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Minnesota.

We quickly plugged in the correct coordinates and headed back west. Fortunately, there was still time (just enough) to make it before the 12 noon tour Connie had arranged. All was not lost as we saw some beautiful country and were able to stay off the interstate highway.

I put the pedal to the metal. While I didn’t mention it to Connie, I had serious doubts we would make it on time for the tour. I generally drive below the speed limit while towing the trailer and the GPS estimates based on maximum speed. Fortunately for me, we made it to De Smet with 10 minutes to spare.

The tour was very interesting and while I don’t know much about Little House on the Prairie, I am a history buff. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. We met another nice couple (Paul and Mary) who were from Wisconsin. They had been to the birthplace of Laura in Peppin Wisconsin and wanted to check out the Ingalls Home in De Smet. The tour required driving to second property within the town and Paul and Mary offered to drive us so we didn’t have to move our truck and trailer. After the tour we spent an hour or so visiting the museum and Connie bought a few things from the gift shop.

After a late lunch, we made our way toward the outskirts of Huron where we are spending the night at another Harvest Host. We arrived at Berry Good Aronia about 330pm and were met by our host Sandy. Her husband Garry was in town picking up his mower which was in for repairs. While chatting with Sandy, she asked us to come to their house for a visit after we’d settled into our spot.

Sandy and Garry grow Aronia berries on their property. The berries are reported to be very high in antioxidents, far more than elderberries and blueberries. We picked and ate a few off the bushes and to me they tasted similar to Saskatoon berries. They are about the size of a blueberry.

Sandy and Garry have 40 acres of property. When they moved here 10 years ago, they planted 12,000 bushes. The first year the deer ate (pulled the young bushes out by the roots) many of the plants and during the next two years, extra wet summers created bog like conditions which caused a lot of the plants to die. Today, only 4,000 plants remain. I asked if they were going to replant and Sandy said no. She and Garry are 70 now and she thinks their days of Aronia berry farming are numbered.

When Garry returned home, we went to visit our hosts. We visited for about an hour and tasted some juice, jams and jelly. As we were chatting, Garry told me about his love for John Deere equipment and brought up his favourite tractor. I told him I had an old Ford pickup and he said to me, “well, you are going to like what I have down in the shed.”

On our way down to the “sheds”, I went over to take a photo of his old grader. These were used to grade the gravel roads back in the day.

When we entered the first shed, I was surprised to see a 1980 Corvette sitting among several John Deer tractors. Apart from a little dust, the car looked to be in amazing shape. We then walked to shed number 2. When Garry opened the door, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Inside were 50 or more tractors of all sizes (lawn mowers to farm tractors).

Tucked in the back was an 1950 Chevy 5 window pickup. Original paint and I couldn’t find a dent anywhere on the body. Garry said he wouldn’t sell it because it belonged to his father.

However, he said he wasn’t much of a Ford guy, so he’d consider selling the truck behind it. Without hesitation, Connie said “we are not buying another old truck!”

It was a beauty. A 1953 Ford F350 duel wheeled truck with a hoist. I think it would be kind of fun and it only seems appropriate to add this to my collection. Don’t you agree?

As I walked around the other side of the shed, I noticed another gem. A 1948 Ford N8 tractor. Garry said if we bought the property, he’d give us the truck as part of the deal. Just not the truck and tractor.

We visited a third shed containing many more tractors and farm implements. It was a bit overwhelming to see Garry’s collection. He also had an antique Schwinn bicycle (his childhood bike) with original gold paint. I’m not an expert but I’ve watched enough American Pickers to know that an old Schwinn in that condition is worth a small fortune.

Everyone has a story.

Had Connie and I not accepted Sandy and Garry’s invitation to visit, we would have never heard their story.

I’m so glad we did.

Until next time, thanks for reading.