Wednesday, March 26, 2008


Another Churchs Ferry landmark gone.


On Friday, March 21st, another Churchs Ferry landmark disappeared from the landscape. The Copeland farmstead - remaining buildings anyway - were burned down. As I understand it the old buildings will be replaced by new grain bins. A sign of the agricultural prosperity of the past year I suppose. I know it is for the best but I can't help but be a little sad. The old barns were very picturesque and made a great photo opportunity in the fall. On the bright side, it will hopefully eliminate the confused tourists we've had in the past who thought the the farmstead was gardendwellers and would eventually use their cell phones to call us and say "where are you?" The Mayor and City Council had warned us the buildings were to be burned and told us that we could salvage what we wanted from the buildings before the fire so we did do a little scavenging. We brought home some sturdy wood pieces that will become raised planters and a bed frame to make a bench. Also in our loot was a few old window frames we will use to make a shade structure for the farm and a cold frame for our own use. All in all I guess progress is good but I still can't help but look for the great old barn when I round the corner onto Walker Ave. (old 281) and head north. I know the care and sweat that went into building that barn and can't help but think about all the eggs from the chickens in the chicken coops and by the way - we also found a tin sign 'A 4-H Leader Lives Here'. Having been involved with 4-H myself and through my son, I know the pride that sign embodied at one time, the volunteer hours and community involvement that it represented. This wasn't just a few old buildings, it was a home. It was a home full of love and caring. Hopefully the replacements, although not as pretty to look at, will some day signify a prosperous agriculture in North Dakota and be as meaningful as what is now gone.

Monday, March 10, 2008

It seems the winds of March are unsure about which way to blow. The snowbanks in the front yard have been rearranged several times like the sands of a desktop play thing. Inside, the seedlings have been started and the first of three temporary greenhouses has been made portable and put up. The seedlings are very happy, Barry is happy because it is not outside so we aren't trying to heat it from 20 to 70 - only from 50 to 70 and I'm happy because they aren't in my bath tub like last year.

The web site now has a new look, in time for the upcoming season. We're hoping to get some feedback from viewers. If you are looking over the site and have any input or find errors, please let us know. The web site is another thing we do by ourselves so almost everything is changeable.

Tomorrow I will speak on a panel discussion at a tourism conference in Devils Lake. It's going to be a lot of fun and as I understand it, they have a pretty good number of people attending. Then this weekend I am speaking in Wahpeton, next week in Bismarck/Mandan, and the following weekend in Beulah. March will fly by and take us to April when it will be time to plant more seedlings and wish spring was much closer. Take care all,
Holly