Artic Springs was the site of the WTA District 5 Summer Redevous on June 26, 2010. The morning brought a large numer of trappers, both from the local area a well as from MN, Bangor and Hagar City.  Larry Jungwirth and Jim Blakely were showing and discussing the new coon trap, the Coon Digger, that Larry will be selling @ our Showroom and @ the NTA Convention in Marshfield in Aug.

A turtle trapping demo was put on by Bud Pierson and Jim Helgeson.  Tom Olson did a beaver and muskrat demo. Fish poles were provided for the kids to catch fish in the pond. Caleb Ellis kept us informed of his catch-bluegills and crappies.

The wonderdul people of District 5 provided a lunch of BBQ’s, chips, home-made pickles and bars.

The afternoon business meeting was conducted by Jim Gordon and Jr. Prudlick.

 Click on this to open for information on our Open Farm Afternoon on Aug. 21st from 1-4 PM near Arcadia, WI    Doc Tom and Sue Roskos offering a free afternoon

A few weeks ago we were out with a conservation acquantence in the backwaters. We canoed and tied up the Michicraft along shore. Then we walked and talked and saw a glamorous stand of ferns. A whitetail deer fawn lept up after Tom was three feet away in the grass. I photo’ed Big Bend from the other side of the river and relished the sunshine.

Thanks to Patzie, a great neighbor Bernie and good weather-we made the highest quality first crop hay, we’ve ever made. It’s neatly stacked and under cover of tarps.  Tom would add that he had one of his biggest belly busters again. Day two of hay making and I was giddy with another day of raking hay. I gleefully hopped on the Field Boss Tractor with the Tonutti Rake pulling behind. Tom gave me a refresher course as Hawken added his own version of instructions. I waved them away and half way through the round, I heard a squeak. Oops-I loosened the tightly pulled parking brake.  A short version is Tom later went to beg Bernie to come to the field I raked. Tom had to give up using our baler. Bernie came and later told Tom he’d have to charge us mileage. Made a lot of rounds and few bales. “I think a cyclone went through the field after Sue raked it!” Let’s just say the tonutti rake was for sale before this story and now it will be on an auction for sure by next year. I did make it to Broiler/Dairy Days Kiddie Parade with Hawken though. He asked me where the kitty cats were though @ the kiddie parade!

Making and raking hay,

Sue Roskos

Many thanks to the superb instructors who put together a great Trapper’s Education weekend. Junior Prudlick and his crew, spent their weekend teaching 25 students about trapping. The students ranged in age from 11 up to age 60. The certificate that the students receive upon their testing out of the class, is necessary to have to trap off of their land. Game Warden Bob Jumbeck deserves a thanks also for coming out to Welcome Home Farm on a Sunday. He put together a fabulous power point presentation and shared his knowledge with the class.

What a delightful way to share our farm, the Trap Shack Company and stories with old and new friends. The visitors arrived early and stayed late and strolled the farm and shopped the Shack.

Thanks for all the people who traveled an hour or two to attend class and those who live down the road a short ways.

Sue, Tom and Hawken

Mid May and it was us you saw road-trippin’ Chevy Chase style down to Baraboo, WI. Loaded up my folks Gerry and Sharon Salwey, and Tom, Hawken and I. Tom packed the van so well, Grandma didn’t have to be strapped to the roof top in this goofy movie.

If you are looking for a delightful place to rent a place down in Baraboo region, we’d recommend Prairie Hill Farm. The owners are special people with an eye towards things we cherish. The farmhouse has paths mown around the land, a beckoning swing that called me every late evening, and solitude. We were able to be outdoors from daylight til dark as at home, and roamed freely on the lovely property.

The sweet melodies of the whispering pine trees featured in Aldo Leopold’s books, spoke deeply  in a rich whispy voice to me. Amidst the eager chatter of touring people, I was sunk so lovely and peacefully in the midst of nature’s nest. I could easily see and hear the voices of the past and present all connected.  I know the green fire in the wolves eyes that changed Aldo’s life.

Flow like water and shine like the rising sun,

Sue Roskos

My eldest sibling Tim Salwey and my sis-in-law JoJo White, hosted a luncar structure trout habitat installation on the Yaeger Valley Creek. They sent out the call and the C-FC High Schoool FFA class signed up. Also friends, neighbors, the Waumaundee Rod and Gun Club and family showed up to lend a hand, chat or offer support. The whole process was interesting to watch as the skidloader, excavator and the huge crew assembled along the creek.

We assembled in Tim and JoJo’s yard and sang Happy Birthday to salute Grandma Melvina Salwey who turned 97 years young on that May 15th day. What better way to honor the woman who with her late husband Willard-is the reason we all cherish trout. She did get to visit her 100 yer old friend Clarwin Klein who promptly told her she best listen to his story-cause he’s older than her!!

Not just wishin’ we were fishin’!!

Sue Roskos

May 11th, 2010 was a blustery, windy driving rain that pounded into the gushy surface of the newly plowed path along First Pond on our property. The Leopard frogs were muted as they wished for warmer weather. The carp were motionless in the morning newness. I lifted my eyes to the heavenly skies and off the Big Bend roost an immature Bald Eagle flew on renewed wings. I lifted my fingertips up-ward and sang the ancient song and asked God, Creator, Spirit for a strong sign to stir up my soul with renewed peace and love. I sank deeper into the mud and the cattle have been locked off First Pond Pasture after the cleaning of the path of fallen logs. I made it half way through the clay, mud mixture and the rain was pelting me. I actually stopped and knew I’d see something in the pause. A yellow and red honeysuckle dodged the raindrops merrily. Then I plodded on with saturated hair, soaked snowpants, boots mudded up to their tops and a serenity that surpasses all human understanding. I was pausing again and the squack bird flew from a resting spot in the reeds 3 feet away from me. A leggy bird with orange feet and a brown/gray feathered body and a sharp, long beak for spearing. I blessed and released the days and sloshed my way back from chores and into a warm shower.

The evening venture to Big Bend and along First Pond were the big sign I asked for. There so deep in the mud were wolf tracks, next to coyote tracks, my tracks, Sandhill Crane and deer tracks.

Feel the connection to yourself and the river that runs through you,

Sue Roskos

The WI trout fishing opener proved to be another hallowed holiday within the Salwey Family. The short version of the story will warm your heart more than a winter fire crackling in Santa’s fireplace.

Three elves picked up Uncle Kenny Salwey from his home and loaded up the rehabilitating Kenny in his blue sedan. Kenny was 2 weeks post-op from a hip replacement. We roadtripped with him to a fishing region that was easily accessible for him and for our 3.5 yr old son Hawken.

Uncle Tim Salwey and Aunt JoJo White presented Hawken with his own fish pole. Tim then escorted Hawken to the creek holes as friends and family gathered along the creek banks. The anticipated arrival of Hawken and Kenny prompted a bantering and chatting that is conducive to eloquent fish tales being told.

I retreated to fish 15 minutes and returned to find Hawken with 2 brook trout. The rest of the 10 adults all smelled like skunk after we fished for 2 hours.

Uncle Kenny chuckled all the way back to his place commenting that together we all probably have caught 5,000 fish over the years and today we’ve all been outfished by a little boy. We all basked in the beauty of passing along the tradition of fishing opener to the youngest member of the Salwey family.

Flow like water and shine like the rising sun,

Sue Roskos

The backwaters are bursting with activity and celebrates Spring in it’s unique way. Lily pads are popping under the pressure of the rolling carp. The water is churning and appears to be boiling with the thrashing and motion of the carp doing their Spring thing.

My wish was to make an easier path for little legs, strollers and people with impaired mobility to have easier access to the backwaters when touring. With our friends that run a nice bulldozer and excavator, my wish was granted. A special thanks to Timmer and Jeffrey Reglin from Reglin and Hesch Construction from Waumandee for being accommodating and made it all seem so easy. The Sandhill Cranes, deer and coon have left their tracks etched in the bulldozed soil along First Pond along with my size 8.5  black tingley boots. I noticed a two foot long scratch in the soil with three claws on it’s tip. I’m dreamily gazing @ the nesting geese and ducks are floating. Then I notice a shimmering, slick dark animal inch-worming it’s way down the path towards me. It appears as an otter all curious and I stop to enjoy my first experience of seeing an otter on shore in our backwaters. He was out for a morning walk with me and eventually plopped back into the water and turned his head to watch me as I passed by him to check the beef cattle herd.

What have you been seeing out in nature?

Flow Like water and Shine like the Rising Sun,

Sue Roskos

Spring arrived in WI early, but always on time. The clouds and winds have whipped in and whirled the rains our direction. The Canadian Honkers have become quiet and less visible as I walk past their nesting spots. The deer blocks I put out have remained un-touched. Our 3 year old son has mentioned to me, “I’m a little deer.” He crouches alongside the deer block and hasn’t yet taken a lick. The blocks are up on Thunder Lane and it’s a vista for Big Bend and the backwaters. It’s a contemplative, reflective spot where time stands still as Hawken lies on my legs. We watch the sky for gnats, butterflies, airplanes and birds. Where looking for coyote scat and deer trails is cherished. 

Tom and I had been preparing for his departure and teaching  days spent in Viroqua for Organic Valley’s annual class that Doc Paul Dettloff leads.  The glorious weather prompted extra activity this year on our farm. By the middle part of the day prior to Tom departing for 3 days and 2 nights, the universe slapped us up as the treadmill sped up again. A call from the stockyards wondering if we wanted a load of black feeder lambs. We decided to take them. Then we needed to vaccinate, castrate and immunize our lambs prior to turning them out on pasture with their Moms. Hawken was smitten with the lambs and carried them around while Tom held the lambs and I did the tagging and vaccinating. 

Our dear Patzie, Ed that is-helped us that day with fencing and getting Tom ready to rollout of town. The vet phone was adjusted to allow ample time to get calls completed, we thought. Tom was in cattle pasture and discovered a dead cow with a calf trying to suck on her udder. He returned to find Hawken and I and then proceeded to intercept Patzie to help. They hopped on the gator and Patzie was insistant on wanting to tie the beef calfs legs together when they caught it to haul it home. Tom pounced on the agile calf and hung onto the balling calf with one hand and eventually they hog tied the kicking calf with a rope. Tom mentioned he was desperately trying to help hold that calf so Patzie didn’t get whacked on the back of the head. Then they smartly decided to conatin the calf with a sturdy pen in t he barn on our lower farm. Then Tom popped in during Hawken’s bath and appeared concerned all over again. Rosie, a pet cow had milkfever. He was able to easily catch the cow and ran an IV of calcium to her out on pasture. We found frozen colostrum milk in freezer and I thawed it out for the orphaned calf. With Hawken tucked in bed, I started the process of warming cow’s milk. I poured the milk into a calf bottle. I flipped the barn light switch on and the resting calf was all tucked in a corner. I sweetly murmered words and then the calf stood up and charged me. A 90 lb. black angus  heifer calf is quickly shoved into a corner with a plastic bottle filled with warm milk shoved in it’s mouth while I’m smiling.  1/2 hour later-I’m still smiling and have gotten but a few drops in the calf that perpetually charges me. I grab it by it’s ears and hold her. Tom walks in and attempts to get the calf to suck and I head up to the drug room to get the tube feeder. I called friends of ours the next day and asked them to come pick up the  spirited calf as a gift….please..just take the calf as a favor to me. I haven’t spoken with them since to see how the calf is doing.

Feel the Spirit of giving while you are living,

Sue Roskos