Passing the Torch: Jessica's Farm Pics

Silver Dollar Pool Room, Silo, & Barn

Dear George,

This is a big year for our family because members of the older generation (Vicki, Margie, Gayle, and I) are transferring the joint ownership of our family property in Menominee County (“Farm”) to Vic and Doris’ nine adult grandkids. As I’ve mentioned previously, our parents bought their property as a land investment in the 1960’s, then decided to restore the old and deteriorated compound of farm buildings to create a leisure retreat. Before they knew it, they’d become passionately committed to the project and, with all of their children having left home, they wound up selling our family house on the river to move permanently to Farm. Our family began having annual reunions there in the early 1970’s, and the grandchildren began attending as tiny children. I would have to say these were among the most joyful events of my life. With the accumulation of years of good memories, the grandkids developed a strong emotional attachment to Farm. Though our parents still lived there in the 1980s, they transferred ownership of the property to a corporate “Tree Farm” entity made up of their four children as joint partners. Steve was the original manager of the property, and Peter and Vicki later did subsequent turns in this task. During the past year we partners decided it was time to transfer ownership and management of Farm to the younger generation, and this group enthusiastically accepted the responsibility. My niece Jessica (Peter and Faith’s daughter) and her husband Sean drove up to Farm in early July and spent the week doing cleaning, organizing, and restoration projects. This week Greg and Jennifer (Steve and Margie’s son and daughter), Abra (Vicki and George’s daughter), and J (our son) have gathered for a “work vacation” at Farm with an extensive agenda of replacing the roof on the house, rebuilding the bridge over Birch Creek, and completing numerous other improvement projects. It’s a very exciting time to have a new, energized group launching Farm’s long-term future for the family. Vic and Doris would be thrilled out of their minds. Jessica took a batch of photos of Farm during their July visit and placed them on her Flickr site. Here’s how our sweet family property is looking these days.

Love,

Dave

House from the Driveway

Front Porch

Front Door

Kitchen

Living Room

Vic's Bedroom

Doris' Bedroom

The Medicine Wheel

The Chicken Coop (guest house)

The Barn

Work Space in the Barn

Vic’s Office

Art Studio

Barn Bedroom

Chair in Barn Bedroom

Second Barn Bedroom

Lamp in Barn Bedroom

West Wall of Barn with Stained Glass Windows

Silo

Gazebo and Pond

House from the Gazebo

[Image source: All photos by Jessica L. McCarthy, Flickr]

G-Mail Comments

-Jennifer M (8-9): These are great, as are the pictures and story you posted on your blog. It's fun for me to see the farm. I look forward to hearing from you what J** has to say about the progress they made.

-Kiera O (8-7): O those pictures Jessica took are just magnificent. Vic and Doris would be so richly happy at these new developments at Farm. So, I"m assuming no one is renting there anymore, correct?

-Phyllis S-S (8-7): Dave, How beautiful it is on the farm. Not like the house you had on the river as you've said but the farm is charming, I think. How wonderful you and your sister are passing it on and the children want to have the responsibility. Phyllis