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FALL 2017

Saving, then serving How one local nonprofit tackles food waste and access SENIOR LIVING:

Geriatric specialists in short supply

Day Trip:

HISTORIC PRAIRIE DU CHIEN

As Dane County’s only non-proﬁt, member-owned health care cooperative, supporting local business is second nature.

From the farmers’ market to the Mom-and-Pops, we take pride in all things Madison. And that includes health care.

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DURING OUR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES of combined service, Scott and I have been fortunate to help our clients begin a new chapter of their lives.

Visit ghcscw.com.

Now, we are beginning our new chapter. As leaders in the Verona Area School District Housing Market, we are proud to join the leading company in Dane County.

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F O R A L L LO C A L L I S T I N G S FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 3

CONTENTS

Pick up your FREE copy today at these locations!

August 24, 2017

Senior Centers: Fitchburg, Oregon, Stoughton & Verona Public Libraries: Fitchburg, Oregon, Stoughton & Verona

is published by UNIFIED NEWSPAPER GROUP 133 Enterprise Dr. PO Box 930427 Verona WI 53593 (608) 845 9559

Chamber of Commerces: Fitchburg, Oregon, Stoughton & Verona UW Health: UW Hospital, The American Center, East Towne, West Towne, West, Odana Atrium, UW Health Orthopedics, 1 S. Park and 20 S. Park, Broadway, University Station, Middleton, Oregon, Stoughton & Verona Dean Clinics: Fish Hatchery, East, Oregon, West Harbor Wellness, Dean Foundation, Dean St. Mary’s Outpatient, Evansville

Mercy: Janesville Health Mall, Hospital, Clinic East, Emergency North, Evansville

EDITOR Jim Ferolie

Walgreen’s: Oregon, Stoughton, Verona YMCA: East, West

Stoughton Doctor’s Park Dental Anytime Fitness McGlynn Pharmacy Silverado Point Viking Lanes Verona Miller & Sons Supermarket Verona Hometown Pharmacy Tuvalu Coffee & Tea The Sow’s Ear

Oregon Firefly Coffeehouse Oregon Pharmacy Oregon Pool Zone Fitness ProModern Salon Chad Mueller DDS

Photo by Samantha Christian

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ellen Koeller

Evansville Allen Realty Luchsinger Realty Remax Symdon Motors

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Madison Kayser Ford Service Department Great Clips - Hilldale Princeton Club East Zimbrick Body Shop YMCA East & West Branch Access Community Health

YOUR FAMILY STAFF Diane Beaman, Samantha Christian, Scott De Laruelle, Scott Girard, Anthony Iozzo, Donna Larson, Amber Levenhagen, Bill Livick, Monica Morgan, Kate Newton, Angie Roberts, Carolyn Schultz, Catherine Stang, Helu Wang and Dawn Zapp

Family Health

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5 Things Fall farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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To Your Health Finding a balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Living Shortage of care providers a problem . . 34

Family Fun

Day Trip Historical Prairie du Chien. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Bike bridge key to Lower Yahara River Trail . . . . . . . . . . 24 Comic Con returns to Madison in September . . . . . . . . 29 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Family Food Recipes: Soft Corn Tortillas with Rajas and Queso, Hot Dogs Stuffed with the Works, Sunday Picnic Deviled Eggs, Knuckle Sandwich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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4 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

Southridge Village residents Marsha Gerke, left, and Lula Jones browse a selection of food donations from Healthy Food for All on July 27, including containers of soup from Epic Systems. The local food recovery nonprofit collects and redistributes donations of prepared food and surplus produce to various locations in Dane County for people in need – redirecting 144,196 pounds of prepared food and 39,863 pounds of produce that otherwise would likely end up in the Dane County Landfill.

SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER Kathy Neumeister

Stoughton Hospital: Oregon and Stoughton

Fitchburg Fitchburg City Hall Starbucks Coffee Ten Pin Alley Little Gym Swim West

A TASTE FOR WASTE

GENERAL MANAGER Lee Borkowski

St. Mary’s: Hospital, Madison Urgent Care, Janesville, St Mary’s Care Center

Fall 2017

ON THE COVER

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UnityPoint - Meriter: Meriter Hospital, Stoughton, Fitchburg, Monona

YOUR FAMILY

My Blood Type is Coffee Unpredictable Wisconsin weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publishers of the Oregon Observer Stoughton Courier Hub Verona Press Great Dane Shopping News Fitchburg Star

Business Spotlight Cooksville Country Store. . . . 34

FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 5

FAMILYLIFE

FAMILYHEALTH

If you can’t go homemade, go halfway

My own brave venture into avoiding waste TO YOUR HEALTH

INSIDE YOUR FAMILY

BY KARA HOERR

his month’s Your Family cover story was a fascinating look at an important effort to gather food that would otherwise be wasted to address hunger. My husband and I are in the midst of our own project to reduce food waste at home. We both enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. But we have a tendency to overplant and over-buy. As a result, we have a fair amount of waste. To help combat this issue I’m embarking on building a chicken coop. My intention is to have a few laying hens and to supplement their diet with our table scraps.

The first step has been the actual construction of the chicken coop. I acquired a huge shipping crate from our printing press and that will be the basis of the coop. My goal is to build the entire structure from reclaimed/repurposed materials. So far, I’ve acquired two windows, some insulation and sheet metal for the roof and siding. You’d think building the coop would be the hard part. And, for most it may well be. But, for me the hardest part is going to be overcoming my deep-rooted fear of chickens. When I was somewhere between 8 and

Stoughton Hospital - For a Healthier You Mediterranean Pita Pizza Ingredients: 4 small whole-grain pitas 1 cup tomato sauce ½ cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese Directions: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the pita rounds on a baking sheet (use two sheets if necessary). 2. Using the back of a spoon, spread about ¼ cup of tomato sauce evenly on top of each pita. 3. Top each pizza with some grated cheese. Arrange your choice of vegetables on top, then drizzle with olive oil. 4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned. Note: You can use a toaster oven to make one or two pizzas at a time if you don’t have a full oven. Prep time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings Nutrition: Calories: 310; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Sodium: 230mg; Carbohydrates: 40g; Fiber: 8g; Protein: 16g

Go to stoughtonhospital.com and click on the Wellness Tab for other ideas to improve your health.

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stoughtonhospital.com 6 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

10, my Mom and I went to a nearby farm to look at a horse she was hoping to buy. The man that owned the farm opened the gate and told us to follow him through the pasture. I stepped in, and here came a big rooster. The man said “Don’t mess with that rooster.” I had no intention of messing with him. I was here to buy a horse! As we walked through the field, I fell a bit behind. The rooster, however, was doing a great job of keeping up with me. He was right on my heels. I turned around and attempted to shoo him away. The farmer turned back, saw that I was talking to the rooster and said again, “Don’t mess with that rooster.” I remember thinking to myself, “I’m not messing with the rooster, He’s messing with me!” We continued on and the rooster stayed right on my heels. I decided enough was enough. I turned around hauled back and took a big kick at him. And that’s when the real trouble started. He flapped his wings, dug his claws into my knee and began pecking away. Hearing the commotion, the farmer turned around and said: “I warned you!” And, that’s when it became crystal clear what he had meant when he said, “Don’t mess with that rooster!” So, here I am nearly 50 years later, still scared to death of chickens but ready to spread my own wings. Wish me luck! l Lee Borkowski is the general manager of Unified Newspaper Group, which publishes Your Family magazine.

he go-to lunchbox favorites I grew up with like Kool-Aid, Lunchables and pudding cups seem to have lost their popularity to whole grain bunnies, homemade fruit leathers and kale chips. With the push to have “whole foods,” “no artificial flavors or colors” and “preservative free,” it’s easy to feel like every other person is sending his or her child off to school this fall with a nourishing, homemade lunch (that the child will willingly eat, naturally). When days are filled to the brim – if not overflowing – it might seem next to impossible to find a balance between processed foods, convenience and the health of your family. In short, it’s about making progress rather than finding perfection when it comes to feeding your family. While at times it might seem everyone else has it together, you’re not alone. Even as a dietitian, I’m learning to find a balance. I love to cook and bake. It’s partly because I care about what my family eats and my desire to nourish our bodies well, but I also get a sense of satisfaction from turning humble, individual ingredients into a meal that we can enjoy together at the table. But to make everything from scratch? That’s just not possible right now. It’s true, we should all be striving for whole, natural foods more often, and less often use processed foods with ingredients we can’t pronounce. We should try to get a balance of all the food groups in our day, too. The pressure to make things “from scratch” or eat only “clean ingredients” is high. But that doesn’t mean there’s no more room for an occasional frozen meal on the busiest of nights or a boxed muffin mix to celebrate a special occasion. For me, finding a balance looks like homemade granola bars for a snack one day, yet having a bag of pretzels in the pantry for another snack. Or eating homemade banana “ice cream” as a dessert one evening, but then having

store-bought ice cream the next night. I typically make my own homemade pizza dough, yet top it with store-bought pizza sauce. It’s all about finding a middle ground and acknowledging what works best for your family.

Aim for a balance of fitting whole foods in more often, limiting the processed foods like boxed meals or bags of chips, and making room for flexibility. For example, perhaps the few extra minutes it takes to make your own macaroni and cheese rather than from a box is one commitment you’re ready to make for your family. Or maybe it’s finding a cereal or granola bar that doesn’t have any preservatives or artificial colors in it. Maybe you’re ready to grind your own nut butter to reduce the ingredient list to just one or two ingredients (peanuts and salt). Other times, the change is as simple as forgoing the chips or crackers and opting for a piece of fruit or veggies and dip to snack on.

Not all processed foods are the enemy, either. Anything that isn’t in its original state is technically “processed.” Think whole grain pasta, canned fruit in its own juice, or even canned beans. These are budget-friendly foods and add healthy convenience to any busy week night for your family. Buying packaged foods doesn’t mean you have admitted to failure or have a lack of concern for your health. Making small changes and reading the food labels to find the best frozen French fries means you’re committed to your health, just as someone who makes homemade pesto and hummus is. Rather than stressing about what you’re not doing, think about the positive changes you’ve already made and work from there. Aim for a balance of fitting whole foods in more often, limiting the processed foods like boxed meals or bags of chips, and making room for flexibility. With that in mind, you’ll be ready to take on the new school year and all the meals and snacks that go with it. l Kara Hoerr, MS, RD, CD, is the registered dietitian at the Fitchburg Hy-Vee. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

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BY LEE BORKOWSKI

FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 7

FAMILYFUN

Five fall farms Story and photos by Amber Levenhagen

Eplegaarden, Fitchburg

2227 Fitchburg Road, Fitchburg (608) 845-5966 Eplegaarden.com

Located south of Madison, Eplegaarden, 2227 Fitchburg Road, is an old-fashioned style orchard owned by Vern and Betty Forest. The orchard features “selv plukk” (pick-your-own) apples, raspberries and pumpkins. Apples will be available to pick July through November, raspberries July through September and pumpkins and squash September through October. The farm frequently holds events, such as ice cream socials and live music, in addition to the regular hayrides and children activities. Eplegaarden opened for the season in August. It will be open September and October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday- Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, and closed Monday and Tuesday.

8 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

Appleberry Farms, Cross Plains

Eugster’s Farm Market and Petting Farm, Stoughton

A rainy spring and summer took a toll on berry season for Appleberry Farms, but bountiful apple, pumpkin and other vegetables crops will have plenty of treats for the rest of the season. The farm, located at 8079 Maurer Road in Cross Plains, was established in 1975. Visitors are able to explore the oak savanna, relax by the duck pond or enjoy a hayride. Appleberry Farms offers fresh pressed apple cider, cider brats and pies throughout the fall. The farm store also sells a selection of candles, soaps, kitchen items and other local foods. Farm tours are also available. Depending on the age group and size, kids are able to explore the orchard and learn about nature hands on. To schedule a tour, call at least three weeks in advance because they advise the fall schedule fills fast. Hours vary by day, so be sure to call ahead or visit their Facebook page before making the trip.

Located between Oregon and Stoughton, Eugster’s Farm Market and Petting Farm has been a fall destination for over 25 years. The farm features pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, a petting farm, corn mazes and weekend fall festivals. The farm no longer offers wagon rides to the apple orchard. Visitors can get spooked on the weekends with the haunted house, but those not looking for a fright can also enjoy the magic and puppet shows. Weekday admission includes access to the petting farm, apple orchard and corn mazes. Group and bus tours are offered Tuesday through Thursday by reservation only. For a complete list of hours and admission costs, visit eugsters.com

8079 Maurer Road, Cross Plains (608) 798-2780 Theappleberryfarm.com

3865 Hwy. 138, Stoughton (608) 873-3822 Eugsters.com

Sutter’s Ridge Family Farm, Mount Horeb 2074 Sutter Drive, Mount Horeb 608-832-6445 Suttersridge.com

Schuster’s Farm, Deerfield

Sutter’s Ridge Farm, located in Mount Horeb, is a familyowned farm that has dozens of activities suitable for people of all ages. Starting Labor Day weekend, the farm is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. A highlight of the farm is the four-acre corn maze, but they also have more kid-friendly activities such as a giant, climbable hay bale pile, pedal tractors, mini corn mazes and hayrides. The farm also features pick-your-own apples, with dozens of varieties that are suitable for baking, snacking or sauce-making. Depending on when in the season you visit, different varieties will be available, including Crimson Crisp, Smokehouse, Autumn Rose Fuji and Honeycrisp. Visit their website for a complete list of available varieties and when in the season they are expected to be available. The farm market is a rustic cabin that offers hand-spun caramel apple pie, homemade pumpkin bars, preserves and apple cider that can be enjoyed next to the woodstove on cool autumn days. Weekday field trips are also available upon reservation. More information on available trips, reservations and cost can be found online at suttersridge.com.

1326 US Highway 12 and 18, Deerfield 764-8488 Schustersfarm.com

With corn mazes, pumpkin patches, pig races and more, Schuster’s Farm in Deerfield has plenty to fill an afternoon with the family. The farm is open September through October, with their dark and spooky nights weekends through October. The haunted forest has bonfires that can be reserved for parties and flashlight corn mazes. During the day, the farm hosts hay rides, mini golf, pumpkin cannons, gemstone mining and other activities. The hayride through the farm allows visitors the opportunity to harvest their own pumpkins. Visitors are also able to visit with the furry and hooved friends on the farm, including chickens, donkeys, goats, sheep, llamas, pigs, rabbits, turkeys, calves and kittens. For a complete list of hours and admission costs, visit schustersfarm.com. l

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Apple orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, warm cider and family and friends. As parents pack their kids up for school, the familiar feeling of fall settles in around rural Wisconsin. A particularly rainy summer might have affected the crops this year, but these five farms are offering so much more – a fun, family-friendly afternoon with our favorite fall activities.

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FAMILYFUN

Headwaters of history

Fort Crawford Museum (the site of the second Fort Crawford) has many historical items from the pioneer era, including a section (at right) of the actual metal bars from the jail cell that held Black Hawk.

Mississippi River heritage runs deep in Prairie du Chien Wyalusing State Park, one of the most popular parks in the state, offers plenty of camping opportunities, as well as great views of the Mississippi River around Prairie du Chien. (Photo submitted)

Story and Photos by Scott De Laruelle

t’s always a scenic drive to the western part of the state, whether the leaves are changing or are long gone, but there’s no better time to visit the Prairie du Chien area than in autumn. And even as the days are getting shorter, there’s plenty of time to make a fun day trip out of it and still get home in time to get a good fall night’s slumber. While it won’t take long to get there from Madison (it’s about 100 miles west on Hwy. 18), for those interested in taking in some sights, take Hwy. 14 to Spring Green, then Hwy. 60 west into the Wisconsin River, all the way to Prairie du Chien. The pleasant rolling hills and valleys that surround the Wisconsin River as it pours into Mississippi River make for one of the more scenic areas in the state. Once you get there, with spacious sites like Wyalusing State Park, and across the river at Pikes Peak State Park, there are plenty of places to

10 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

stretch out with a hike, paddle or bike ride. Or you can take a river cruise and let someone else do the steering. For history fans, the area has a rich and interesting story, dating back to how it got its name. Prairie du Chien is taken from the French term for the local Fox chieftain at the time, named “Chien,” or “Dog.” The area is historically significant because of its key location at the confluence of the Wisconsin and mighty Mississippi rivers. When river commerce – particularly fur and lumber trade – was king, control of the area meant control of enormous wealth. In time, families like the Astors and Dousmans would make millions, some of which remains on display today at Villa Louis. No matter your taste, Prairie du Chien has plenty to to choose from, and just a few hours’ drive along some of the most scenic roadways Wisconsin has to offer, it’s the perfect way to spend a fall day.

Natural beauty

At Wyalusing State Park, camp 500 feet above the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. One of Wisconsin’s oldest state parks, Wyalusing features family and group camps, hiking trails, a canoe trail, Native American burial mounds, bird watching, fishing, boating, bicycling and picnicking near several scenic overlooks of the river valleys below.

Across the ‘Big Muddy’

Right across the Mississippi River from Prairie du Chien is the Iowa town of McGregor, which also has several interesting attractions for those who want to explore a bit further west. For those looking for a little spelunking, “Spook Cave” is a campground that offers boat tours through a cave. You can get an eagle’s-eye view of the confluence of the Wisconsin River and the mighty Mississippi from the

500-foot bluffs atop Pikes Peak State Park. It’s part of the “Paleozoic Plateau” missed by the glaciers. Here, Woodland Culture Native Americans (800-1200 A.D.) sculpted earthen “effigy” mounds on ridge tops, some of which remain today. For more of a close-up view of the second-longest river in North America, a variety of boat tours is offered by Maiden Voyage Tours in McGregor, Iowa. For information, visit maidenvoyagetours.com

Fort Crawford heritage

By the early 1800s, the area was still years away from becoming part of the state of Wisconsin, and it was very much the “Wild West.” Large forts were built along the banks to control any movement along the prized, strategic ground, which once was the scene of a battle in the War of 1812, as well as the prison for Black Hawk, a Sauk warrior who surrendered with his band in 1832. Future U.S. President Zachary Taylor

commanded Fort Crawford then, and his aide Jefferson Davis – eventually President of the Confederate States of America – was the officer who brought Black Hawk in. The bars of his prison cell remain on display outside the building. Fort Crawford stood guard over Prairie du Chien from 1816-56; that area now is incorporated into the Fort Crawford Museum, a three-building complex that includes military hospital Continued on page 12

The “Battle of Prairie du Chien”

On July 17, 1814, modern-day Prairie du Chien was invaded by British troops in an unusual engagement. It thankfully left no casualties but eventually led to the destruction of the first U.S. fort established there. Due to its strategic location at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers, the area was the scene of many a power play since it was “discovered” by Europeans in 1671. Then, it was controlled by the Fox tribe, who later worked with the French fur traders and trappers who moved in. It remained that way for nearly 100 years until 1763, though, when the French were essentially kicked out of North America by the British following the French and Indian War. A generation later, it was the British who were removed, this time by terms of the Revolutionary War. A historical re-enactor When hostilities broke out between the two sides during dressed as a French voya- the War of 1812, the area was still a thinly populated geur tells the history of the territory. When the British learned the Americans had begun Prairie du Chien area at Fort Crawford Museum. construction of a fort to guard the river confluence, they gathered a force and attacked with a group of more than 500 soldiers, Native American allies and even some French voyageurs. The 60-man garrison refused demands to surrender, starting an artillery duel that lasted several days before “Fort Shelby” surrendered. The British moved in – though they may have wished they never came in the first place. After suffering through a harsh winter, they had to give the fort up the following April when the two sides signed a peace treaty. The British burned the fort to the ground and left. In its place, two years later, was built the original Fort Crawford.

(Source - Wisconsin State Historical Society)

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. . . p i y Tr

FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 11

Area attractions Prairie du Chien Chamber of Commerce prairieduchien.org

Fort Crawford Museum fortcrawfordmuseum.com

Wyalusing State Park

dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/wyalusing/

Villa Louis

villalouis.wisconsinhistory.org

Spook Cave

spookcave.com

Prairie Fun Land prairiefunland.com

Maiden Voyage Tours maidenvoyagetours.com/

Mississippi River Facts National Parks Service nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm

The Planted Tree

facebook.com/theplantedtreegallery

Valley Fish and Cheese

facebook.com/ValleyFishCheese.

Filling up

No matter what side of the Mississippi you’re on, there are plenty of interesting eateries to choose from. Here are a few mentioned favorably on Yelp.com:

Fort Mulligan’s Grill Pub

124 W. Blackhawk Ave., Prairie du Chien (608) 326-0639 fortmulligans.com

FAMILYFUN

HEADWATERS OF HISTORY Continued from page 10 dating to 1831. That hospital is the only remaining structure from the second Fort Crawford. If you can stomach it, the hospital was the site of one of the more interesting medical tales of the time. During the 1830s, post surgeon Dr. William Beaumont became a pioneer in researching understanding human digestion after operating dozens of times on a man with a hole in his stomach. The building, a registered National Historic Landmark, also includes 1830s-replica ward room explaining Beaumont’s experiments and a Civil War hospital that recently won an award from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Next door, The Museum of Prairie du Chien features exhibits on the area’s historic development, a prehistoric fossil collection and a variety of Native American artifacts. Just down the road from Fort Crawford Museum is Villa Louis, an 1870 Victorian mansion built by the family of fur trading magnate Hercules Dousman. A Wisconsin Historical Site and probably the area’s most popular attraction, Villa Louis has been restored to its “British Arts-and-Crafts-style” elegance during its heyday in the 1890s.

Food and fun

Looking for something a bit more active for the kids (or kids at heart)?

Fort Crawford Museum

521 N Villa Louis Rd., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821, 608-326-2721 Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. MondayThursday, Sept. 11 to Nov. 12; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 13-31; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, June 1-Sept. 10. Prairie Fun Land offers go-karts, bumper boats, miniature golf, a driving range, arcade and bounce house. Located at 515 E. Paquette Street. For more information, visit prairiefunland.com Feeling a bit more artsy? Check out The Planted Tree, a local artisan gallery featuring a variety of handcrafted items. Located at 200 W. Blackhawk Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/ theplantedtreegallery. And if you’re interested in a little outof the-ordinary grocery shopping, Valley Fish and Cheese offers everything from alligator jerky to turtle meat. 304 S. Prairie St., Prairie du Chien, 608-326-4719 For information, visit facebook.com/ ValleyFishCheese. l

37640 Hwy. 18, Prairie du Chien (608) 326-2222 facebook.com, search Jones Black Angus

Simply Coffeehouse and Eatery

Pete’s Hamburgers

118 W. Blackhawk Ave., Prairie du Chien peteshamburgers.com

Fort Crawford’s former hospital - the only building from the fort complex still standing features an actual iron lung.

Much of the Fort Crawford Military Hospital is set up to show how it looked and operated in the early 1800s.

A 19th-century pharmacy and dentist office are part of the museum complex.

Fort Crawford Museum is located at the site of the second Fort Crawford, built in 1816 to replace the fort destroyed by British soldiers a few years earlier during the War of 1812.

Marquette Cafe

87 E. First St., Marquette, Iowa (563) 873-9663 facebook.com, search Marquette Cafe Iowa

By the Spoonful

21 Main St., McGregor, Iowa (563) 873-2900 itsbythespoonful.com 12 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

Searching for answers

Villa Louis

Jones’ Black Angus Steakhouse

204 W. Blackhawk Ave., Prairie du Chien (608) 326-7467 simply-cafe.com

FAMILYLIFE

Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from May 1 through Oct. 31. Located at 717 S. Beaumont Rd., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821, For information, call 326-6960, email ftcrawmu@mhtc.net or visit fortcrawfordmuseum.com.

Ghost Travelers brings father, son together to investigate paranormal

J Kilgore has no interest in seeing any of the “Paranormal Activity” movies. He’s seen the reality firsthand. Kilgore founded his own group to investigate the paranormal nine years ago in Virginia with his father, Patrick, and the two have continued it since moving to Wisconsin in 2015. Over the years, “Ghost Travelers,” as the group is now known, has investigated buildings in states including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana. At none of them have they found proof of a “ghost.” Really, that’s not what they’re looking for at all. Through the tools they bring with them to an investigation -- ranging from a handheld video camera to an electromagnetic field meter – they find out if the “creak” someone hears all the time or a chill they feel in a certain area can be explained by anything that’s not paranormal. “A good portion of the things that we come across can be disproved, and that’s what you want to do,” Patrick explained. “You bring comfort to the individual who realizes that it’s either power lines going over copper piping, things like that, or insulation and electricity.” And if they can’t disprove it? “Having the mystery unfold in front of you,” Patrick said. “We’re not saying it was somebody who passed, we’re not saying it was an evil spirit, we’re not saying anything. All we can tell you is we can eliminate it to the best of our ability scientifically with our equipment.” The group, which includes PJ, Patrick and three “investigators in training,”

Story by Scott Girard Submitted photos

Patrick, left, and PJ Kilgore are the two official members of the Ghost Hunters. PJ started the group after taking on an interest in the paranormal, and Patrick joined his son as a way for the two to spend time together.

began as a hobby of PJ’s, picked up through a love of history in Northern Virginia and a dream visitation from his dead grandfather. Patrick followed his son into the topic for a simple reason: “Family’s the most important thing.” He explained that each of his three sons – PJ is the oldest – has a specific activity that he has taken up with them. “Each one has an interest that I try taking time doing that outside of work,” Patrick said. “It’s turned into more of an adventure.” Patrick himself had experienced

what he called a “haunted apartment” growing up in Wisconsin, but had never mentioned it to PJ before his son took an interest. That shared time is especially nice now that both are working fulltime jobs, PJ at the VA hospital and Patrick as the state director for the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service division. “It started out (as) quality time as father-son” Patrick explained. “Over everything else through the years, that’s Continued on page 14 FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 13

FAMILYLIFE

Back-to-School Time

Continued from page 13 us. Just a sense that they appreciated the answers … that’s a meaningful relationship.”

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What’s a haunting?

Often that peace of mind comes from proving someone’s fears wrong – showing them the physical reason for whatever raised their suspicion of the paranormal. But sometimes they can’t find that evidence, leaving the team to reflect on what it could be instead. That’s what happened the time PJ and a partner saw a shadow figure above a chalkboard in a room. They spent hours trying to recreate what they had seen, and PJ spent even more poring over the sound recording, but they can’t, he said. “I still try and rip that piece of evidence apart,” he added. That leads them to consider what the “paranormal” really is, and they have developed a theory, similar to one from a radio personality who discusses the paranormal, that it’s something from another dimension – the past, oftentimes – “overlapping our dimension,” PJ said. “It’s just time overlapping itself,” he

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PJ Kilgore uses a camcorder and other Ghost Hunters equipment to search for physical explanations for the paranormal.

added. Put another way, it’s the experience of feeling a certain kind of “energy,” Patrick said, which could even come from returning to a place you hadn’t been for a long period of time. “You could actually be haunting yourself,” he said.

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Most important, though, is what got Patrick involved in the first place: family. Each of PJ’s brothers has come along on an investigation, and they recently got his mother along for one, too, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Science Hall. There, the person whom Patrick called “biggest skeptic” in the family came across something “paranormal.” In one location in the building, none of the equipment was going off, but there was a noticeable chill that also caused her hair to stand up. As soon as she removed her hand from that spot, it went away, Patrick said. “She was like, ‘I don’t know what that is; that is so cool,’” he recalled. Seeing that and watching his son “come out of his shell” through Ghost Travelers has made the sometimes long trips worth every second, Patrick said. “The best thing out of all of this is the quality time with him,” he said. “Through every investigation, talking and laughing leading up to it before we get somewhere and when we’re going away the excitement for the hours and days after that.” l

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Living in Northern Virginia at the time, a visit to Gettysburg piqued PJ’s interest in the world of the paranormal. So it was a big deal to him to receive permission to do investigations on the site of the battlefield itself – something most paranormal investigators are prohibited from doing. “TV personalities can’t get on the battlefield,” PJ said. For other investigations without the fanfare of a place like Gettysburg, the group often finds personal connections interested in their services or will have a private homeowner contact them through their website. “It’s a lot of fun,” PJ said. “(We) meet a lot of interesting people.” An average investigation, which they provide for free, will take four to five hours, though sometimes the group will stay until dawn if that’s what a situation requires to give people peace of mind. “The best feeling for me is when you help a resident when they contact you,” Patrick said. “They stay in contact with

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A TASTE FOR

ON THE WEB

For information on Healthy Food For All, visit: hffadane.org or on Facebook @ HealthyFoodForAllDaneCounty

WASTE

Healthy Food For All tackles food waste and access in Dane County Story by Kate Newton Photos by Samantha Christian

Cafe Costa Rica food cart owner Thony “Mango Man” Clarke, center, chats with Healthy Food For All coordinator Christopher Brockel, left, and volunteer Demontay Tibbs, right, while they prepare and repackage food at FEED Kitchens on July 6.

Healthy Food For All volunteer Danielle Lynch, right, collects food donations from vendors at the Dane County Farmers’ Market on July 1, including mustard greens and lettuce from Everett Vang’s stand. Through her work with the American Society of Agronomy, the 26-year-old Madison resident said she deals with “food-related issues everyday” and “thinks about it a lot,” so when she was looking for a volunteer opportunity, HFFA “seemed like a natural fit.” She started volunteering a year ago, and so far has helped with communication efforts and packaging food at FEED Kitchens. 18 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

hen life gives you eggs, make a pound cake. That’s the task on Lula Jones’ mind as she sifts through the items local food recovery nonprofit Healthy Food For All has dropped off for fellow Southridge Village residents. Beginning in May, Jones and a few dozen of her neighbors on Madison’s southside have signed up for the firstcome, first-served deliveries, chatting and checking up on each other as they peruse crates of milk, soup, prepared meat, pasta dishes and plenty of fresh local produce – perfect for a zucchini squash saute to go with that dessert. “I think it’s nice because a lot of people can’t go out to get necessary items,” added Marsha Gerke, who has lived at the affordable housing complex for 16 years. This delivery stop at the Post Road apartments is one of several planned for HFFA’s volunteer driver, who departs with a van full of food each week from the Food Enterprise and Economic Development (FEED) Kitchens on the northeast side of Madison. The aptly

named facility acts as a home base for dozens of food cart operators, small business owners and food industry workers – many working independently – who can rent time in its five commercial kitchen spaces. FEED operations manager Christopher Brockel also runs Healthy Food For All, which he co-founded two years ago, out of the 5,400-squarefoot facility operated by the Northside Planning Council. Just as food pours through the doors of FEED Kitchens, Healthy Food For All works to ensure a sizable portion comes right back out to feed area residents in need. In addition to collecting and redistributing prepared food donated by major area employers like health care software vendor Epic Systems and American Family Insurance, the organization also receives frequent donations of surplus produce brought in from nearby farms. As of early August, HFFA has redirected 144,196 pounds of prepared food and 39,863 pounds of produce that otherwise would have been

destined for the Dane County Landfill. It now goes to area food pantries, lowincome neighborhoods and community centers, including the Kennedy Heights Community Center, East Madison Community Center, The River Food Pantry, First United Methodist Church and Middleton Outreach Ministry. Presenting that food “with dignity,” a term both Brockel and HFFA co-founder Joe Mingle use frequently when discussing their work, means they ensure every food item they process is well cleaned and packaged and, most importantly, meets a standard of fresh, good quality. Brockel said that’s essential to empowering the county’s most at-risk and impoverished residents to make healthy dietary choices. “You market it in a way that people make the choice you want them to make, and what we’re finding is that is indeed what happens,” Brockel told Your Family. “Low-income folks want to eat healthy food and local produce just as much as you and I, or people making way more money. It’s just that they don’t Continued on page 20 FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 19

A TASTE FOR WASTE

FAMILYLIFE

Continued from page 19 have access to be able to make those choices.” HFFA has worked with and alongside dozens of other organizations and community partners aiming to minimize food insecurity and waste in the area. Together they have helped uncover the same issue within Dane County’s food system confronting communities across the nation: a constant struggle to provide access to healthy and affordable food. According to a 2016 report by Public Health Madison and Dane County, roughly 11.6 percent of Wisconsin households from 2011 to 2014 suffered from food insecurity, which “occurs when food access is insufficient or uncertain for at least one person in the household at some point in the year.” Healthy Food For All drew its name from the United Way of Dane County’s Healthy Food for All Children Community Plan, which in 2013 made a goal to reduce the number of foodinsecure children in the county – estimated to be nearly 19,000 – by 50 percent within a decade. At the same time, its goal is also to reduce wasted food, which, according to research by the EPA, is 30 to 40 percent of the food the United States produces. That means more than 130 billion pounds of food worth roughly $218 billion every year are eventually decomposing in landfills and annually emitting millions of metric tons of methane, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere at much higher rates than carbon dioxide. “There may have been a time in the past where people felt this sort of waste was not significant. As a kid, I remember my mom would say, ‘Eat what’s left on your plate; there’s kids starving in China!’ or something like that. But it wasn’t, ‘Oh, we can’t throw this away, it’s a great, valuable, resource-intensive project,’” Mingle said. “I think people are more conscious of resource depletion issues and how we shouldn’t be wasting stuff without thinking carefully about it.”

Private partnerships

On a recent morning at FEED Kitchens, HFFA crew leader Mark Thomas opened up the lid of a 5-gallon bucket from Epic labeled “buffalo cauliflower” before portioning it into quart-sized containers. “Now that is an unusual soup,” he commented. 20 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

up soup and leftover gourmet meals – prepped and packaged up by a team of Epic culinary employees. It then shares the bounty with HFFA. After the food is delivered, volunteers portion and repackage them into smaller containers, label them, freeze them if necessary and distribute them the next day, Brockel explained. Epic sends HFFA recipes the day before, so the group’s volunteers can make labels for the containers before dropping them off at a food pantry, where it can be served well within its shelf life. Meals are also clearly labeled with their ingredients, such as dairy, pork and gluten, so recipients are aware in case they have dietary restrictions. Epic station chef Nathan Schultz, who acts as the liaison between the company and the grouaps it donates to, said “it’s great to be partnered with a really good organization that is combating food waste and nutrition depravity amongst groups in our community.” “Obviously we want to be a good neighbor and give back where we can, and this is one of the ways we do it,” he added.

Working ‘twice as fast’

With a steady addition of new volunteers, Healthy Food For All has gone from processing prepared food once a week to twice weekly, “adding sessions any given week as needed,” Brockel said. It also has been able to

gradually increase the pace of the work after coming in contact with a wide variety of foods. “When we first started (working with) Epic, it would take us all morning to process 700 pounds of food, because we would have to stop and think with each thing, ‘What do we do with this?’” Brockel said. “Now … we have the packaging available and experienced volunteers, and we just know what we’re doing, so we can do it pretty much twice as fast as we were when we first started.” While efficiency has boosted Healthy Food For All’s numbers, a growing influx of donations from vendors working at FEED Kitchens has also made an impact. Many hand over excess food directly to the organization to cut down on waste within the high-traffic facility, and when local farms deliver produce to FEED for vendors, they can drop off some extras for HFFA, as well. “We’re hoping we can reach out to more of the farmers in the county and

ON THE WEB Madison’s food policy council meets the first Wednesday of every month, while the county’s typically meets the fourth Wednesday. For information and meeting locations, visit cityofmadison.com/mayor and click on the Priorities tab, then Food. For online resources related to food systems, visit the UW-Extension’s website at fyi.uwex.edu/danefoodsystem.

CUTTING DOWN ON WASTE AT HOME

Gayle McCredie, left, and Nancy Morgan, right, pick out produce that Healthy Food For All donated to Dryden Terrace apartments on July 27. McCredie said she moved to the affordable housing community a year ago after she lost her home and spouse. She said the food donations are appreciated.

HFFA’s partnership with Epic is one of several with public or private organizations – teamwork that’s helping Healthy Food For All plan to double one of its key benchmarks. After distributing roughly 67,000 pounds of prepared food in 2016, Brockel said the group hopes to reach 135,000 pounds this year. In mid-July, it was already nearing last year’s total

with help from a new donor partnership with American Family Insurance, as well as the ability to transport a much higher quantity of food with a van donated by Dane County last fall. HFFA’s corporate partnership with Epic started in 2015. The Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Inc. visits the company’s Verona headquarters each week, picking

let them know, if they have some stuff they would like to see distributed to people who need it, don’t put it in the compost, don’t till it back in,” said Mingle, who now serves as HFFA’s volunteer coordinator. “We’ll figure out how to get it from them and get it to people who can use it.” In addition to the joint effort with Epic, CAC enlists Healthy Food For All to help distribute fruits and vegetables it gathers at the Dane County Farmers’ Market on the Capitol Square in Madison. Each Saturday volunteers split into pairs and approach vendors to ask if they have anything – including produce, meat, cheese, bakery items and even flowers – they’re willing to donate. Gretchen Kruse, of Hickory Hill Farm in Loganville, donated herbs and produce from her stand at the July 1 market. “At one point in my life I had to use a food bank, too, so this is my way of giving back,” she said. Continued on page 22

Americans are among the worst offenders in the world when it comes to wasting food, with a huge portion of that waste occurring in the home. In 2014, U.S. food producers and consumers threw away more than 38 million tons of food waste, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s website. Dane County is ramping up its own efforts to combat waste. In March, County Executive Joe Parisi signed a resolution declaring 2017 “the year of Food Waste Prevention and Recovery” and committed the county to meeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture and EPA’s goal to cut food loss and waste in half by 2030. “We’re all used to really throwing out a lot of food, and if we can just become conscious of that everytime that happens, and know … there’s an end game for the food we’re buying, not only are we helping save the planet, we’re helping our own pocketbook,” Parisi told Your Family. The EPA publishes online a series of recommendations on what you can do at home to limit food waste, including: • Stick to detailed grocery lists to avoid overbuying

• Take regular inventory to avoid re-purchasing food already stocked in your kitchen • Research food storage methods so your fruits and vegetables stay fresh longer • Freeze, preserve or can seasonal or surplus produce to make them last • Separate fruits and vegetables into different storage areas to avoid decomposition • Store excess bread or meat in the freezer, along with cooked perishable items, like soups • Make casseroles, stir fry, sauces and smoothies to convert past-its-prime produce into a filling meal • Set aside at least one night each week to eat leftovers, and search online for resources on using leftover ingredients in new dishes • Know the difference between “sell-by,” “use-by” or “best-by” expiration dates so you don’t throw out food prematurely For more information on how to avoid food waste at home, visit epa.gov/recycle and click Reducing Wasted Food. FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 21

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Continued from page 21

Finding new solutions

For years, attending even the most routine events and meetings would have a distressing side effect for Dane County UW-Extension director Carrie Edgar: watching helplessly as tray upon tray of perfectly good food was tossed in the trash. More recently, though, she’s observed what could be described as a sea change in the efforts area companies and organizations are taking to combat food waste. “They’re ordering less and making sure there’s not way more food than people can eat, but secondly, they have containers there and can make sure at the end of the meal, food is getting packaged and put into refrigeration, and then either donated … or distributed to the people in the meeting when they leave,” Edgar told Your Family. “In the past, I never saw that happen.” As a member of the City of Madison Food Policy Council and staffer for the county’s separate Dane County Food Council, Edgar’s work as a community food systems educator has undeniably played a role in this change in approach. The councils work in tandem with food recovery organizations such as the Madison-based nonprofit Healthy Food For All (its co-founder and project coordinator, Christopher Brockel, also serves on the city’s food council). “It’s going to take all of us,” she said. “I don’t think city or county government is going to solve it on our own, I don’t think nonprofits can solve it on their own, or just consumers and farmers: It’s all of us working together and finding ways to make a difference.”

County leadership

The eight-member county food council was established in 2005, the first of its kind in the state. It focuses on several broad categories, including equity in access in regards to the food system, improving land access for “new and beginning farmers,” and running a food waste joint task force with the City of Madison. 22 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

That county group is developing a “Food Recovery Guide,” which Edgar explained could educate people on how and where to donate excess food “and more general information on liability protection and incentives for donating.” It has offered several opportunities to educate the public on food security issues. Last winter it partnered with the City of Madison to host a food waste convocation with area officials, food pantry directors and other stakeholders. The councils also sponsored their own food summit centered on waste last fall.

Madison initiatives

Madison, meanwhile, has a growing slate of initiatives aimed at tackling food insecurity within its city limits. George Reistad, who serves as the director of food policy for Mayor Paul Soglin’s office, said the most prominent programs include its SEED Grants disbursed to local food access groups (Healthy Food For All has been a recipient); its Double Dollars Program, a joint effort with the county for selected farmers markets and Willy Street Co-op locations; and, more recently, a fruit and vegetable “prescription program” for eligible patients at the UW Health Northeast Family Medical Center. The city also runs a Healthy Retail Access Program that “provides about $300,000 a year in grants for capital improvements to businesses and identified districts” throughout Madison. Funded through the city’s capital budget, it aims to help smaller retailers “in targeted food deserts and low income neighborhoods … retool their stores and front ends to offer healthier choices,” Brockel said. The program helped bring a new Willy Street Co-op location to the city’s northeast side last year and offers “some traditional, conventional grocery lines so people in the low-income neighborhoods can have a wider variety of choices,” Brockel added.

In Dane County, 34 percent of all students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. In the Madison Metropolitan School District this number jumps to 55 percent.

‘WORKING TOGETHER’ TO SOLVE FOOD INSECURITY

DID YOU KNOW?

R 0 LL OU 1 CA A T -60 R 20 FO -6

The effort involves Brockel and Mingle’s connections from the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Department of Corrections, as well as homeless individuals and even some of their long-term volunteers who are interested in making products for local small food businesses and producers. Brockel said he and Mingle were inspired to organize the project a few months ago after several of their colleagues shared their concerns about their need for contracted processing, especially the “one-person operations” that are “scrambling all the time” for help. One of those is Thony “Mango Man” Clarke, who owns the food cart Cafe Costa Rica. Clarke, who also served as the chef for Healthy Food For All’s

FEED, as volunteer Demontay Tibbs, who started working with Healthy Food for All in June for community service, diligently repackaged rice-stuffed tomatoes donated from Epic. As one might expect, there’s rarely a dull moment in the bustling kitchen, and Tibbs said he enjoys “doing something different every week.” “He came because he had to. Now he comes because he likes to,” Brockel added. Both men laughed, then promptly went back to work. l Samantha Christian contributed to this story.

More food means more opportunities to distribute it. Healthy Food For All has begun delivering meals to low-income housing complexes like Southridge Village and Dryden Terrace and also hands out food at “Let’s Eat Out!”, which brings a rotating lineup of food carts to parks and neighborhoods in the Madison metro area. It’s all part of a focus on “looking at more (non)traditional, unique ways of getting food to people in a more immediate way than having to go visit a food pantry,” Brockel explained. When Healthy Food For All launched in spring 2015, Mingle said it was a grassroots, “social justice-type project” focused almost exclusively on combating hunger through improved access to food.

Now, the vision has “evolved significantly,” especially since the organization transitioned from being an independent nonprofit to a project of the Northside Planning Council last spring. Having an administrative framework around the project – and a reliable home in the form of FEED Kitchens – has freed up time for both men to develop new initiatives that, if all goes to plan, could soon stand on their own. They include finding uses for damaged produce and a project that aims to provide job opportunities. The latter, called the Four Lakes Processing Collective, would hone in on what Mingle calls “the real solution to hunger and chronic poverty”: increasing employment.

“recovery dinner” fundraiser in May, would use the Four Lakes crew’s help to make customers’ repeated requests for bottling and selling his popular red and green salsas a reality. Otherwise, Mingle said, Clarke “really doesn’t have time to build the business and produce it, and if it ever became really widely popular, there’s no local packing organization that can produce this product for him at the scale he might need it.” Unlike the mostly volunteer efforts of Healthy Food For All, the initiative would be a separate entity with paid employees and would hopefully help those small producers expand their own businesses. In turn, they would create additional jobs themselves. Four Lakes’ pilot crew began training earlier this summer, and a small team is working toward having it incorporated. Mingle said he encourages people interested in starting a food business or expanding their existing one to reach out to them directly if they need help. “That’s the beauty of a local food system: it provides resilience to the community, it provides food access to those who are struggling, and it provides jobs and business opportunities for anybody,” he said. “Since we know the solution to poverty and hunger is good jobs, we can hand out all the food we want, but if we don’t try to do this piece also, it’s kind of a never-ending task. “It’s kind of like, ‘Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish, he eats every day.’”

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Carrie Edgar, the director for Dane County UW-Extension, serves on the Madison Food Policy Council alongside Brockel and said HFFA “is doing a great job” stocking food pantries with highquality food. “It’s just amazing they took this idea they had, and they didn’t give up,” she said. “A lot of people would have.” As Healthy Food For All works to provide both immediate and lasting resources for Dane County’s food insecure population, its volunteers can leave at the end of their shift knowing their work will have a “direct impact on someone who’s struggling,” Mingle said. Brockel, meanwhile, said watching the “creation of community and support” among the organization’s many volunteers makes their time together seem almost like a “group therapy session” – no matter how rigorous or urgent the task before them is. That rapport was on display July 6 at

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FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 23

Cycl ing FAMILYFUN

over water

Bicycle bridge is key to Lower Yahara River Trail

Story by Bill Livick Photos submitted by Dane County parallel to railroad tracks and were cost $8 million to build, according to It’s been almost a decade in the designed to blend into the railroad planning and over a year in construction, Dane County Parks planner Chris James. corridor, James said. It links the Village of McFarland, on the but one of the most unusual segments northeast shore of Lake Waubesa, with of bicycle trail in the state is nearing Lake Farm County Park on the lake’s completion. 22-year-old idea western shore. Featuring more than a mile of bridges The idea for the project goes back To accomplish the connection, the and boardwalk, the first phase of the to around 1995, when the county was Wisconsin Department of Transportation Lower Yahara River Trail is expected to updating its parks and open space plan built a complicated and expensive open Sept. 1 after nearly 16 months of and getting input from across the county. system of bridges and a half-mile construction. “This idea was originally floated boardwalk across the lake and over the Dane County Executive Joe Parisi by the Village of McFarland,” Parisi Yahara River channel, which flows from described the complicated process of recalled. “The Capital City Trail was lakes Mendota and Monona south past funding and building the bike bridge under construction, and they were the City of McFarland and through the and trail across the northern-most part looking for a way to eventually connect City of Stoughton. of Lake Waubesa as “the art of the to that.” Planners envision a second phase of possible.” About 10 years ago, the county the project extending from McDaniels The combination pedestrian and started to take “a serious look” at the Park in McFarland to Fish Camp bicycle trail is nearly 2.5 miles long and logistics and feasibility studies for County Park on the north shore of Lake the project. During a 2008 kick-off Lower Yahara Multi-Use Trail: Master Plan Kegonsa, work that is likely to take meeting among Dane County, the City place in two or three years. From there, of Madison, Village of McFarland, the " ) " ) the trail eventually will extend past Lake state Department of Natural Resources Kegonsa State Park to Viking County and state Department of Transportation £ ¤ Park on Stoughton’s east side. and various cycling organizations, “we But for now, county officials are started looking at ways that this could happy to see the first phase being be brought together,” Parisi explained. wrapped up. " ) “From then on, it was logistics and § ¦ ¨ “It’s really rewarding to bring a putting funding together, and now it’s " ) project like this to fruition because we about to become a reality,” he added. know the public’s going to use it and The trail was planned and will be enjoy it immensely,” Parisi said. “People owned and maintained by Dane County. £ ¤ love these trails, and they use them.” “The DOT is overseeing the The trail’s first phase features two construction,” Dane County planner " ) " ) bridges, each more than 1,000 feet long Chris James acknowledged. “They hired and 12 feet wide, connected by 2,500 a construction contractor to build it, but feet of boardwalk. The western bridge ultimately it’s a Dane County project.” structure includes two ADA-compliant " ) Parisi said the project demonstrates accessible viewing platforms, and there’s “that we take seriously how the public £ ¤ À also a handicapped-accessible fishing wants us to be running the parks pier near a railroad trestle on Lake department.” Waubesa close to Lake Farm Park. “This idea was born out of a publicN The bridges and boardwalk run input process,” he added, “and we see N

Upper Mud Lake

Cap ita

i ty

Tr ai

Lussier Family Heritage Center

j k

Capital Springs State Park

Yahara Golf Course

Lake Farm County Park

Future Interstate Bicycle/Pedestrian Overpass

Siggelkow Road

Village of McFarland McDaniel Park

Village of McFarland

Lake Waubesa

Lower Mud Lake

Kegonsa State Park

Fish Camp County Park

Lake Kegonsa

LaFollette County Park

Viking County Park

Stoughton

City of Stoughton

Date: June 10, 2010 Revised: July 29, 2015

Legend

Lower Yahara Trail Capital City Trail

Primary Parcels for Acquisition

Secondary Parcels for Acquistion

Dane County Parks

Lakes and Ponds

County Owned Land

Wetlands

State Land

McFarland Parks

0.5

Miles 1

H:\Parks\Mapping\TrailsLand\Lower Yahara River Trail\LowerYaharaRiverTrail_RegionalMap_7_30_15.mxd

24 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

FAMILYFUN

The bicycle bridge has been designed to have a similar appearance to the railroad trestle that runs adjacent to it.

today, as we continue to do the same process periodically, that bike trails have become the No. 1 request of the public when we’re updating our parks and open space plan.”

Next phase

The county will begin design this winter on future, “equally scenic” phases of the project, Parisi said. The 2017 county budget includes $305,000 to develop construction drawings and cost estimates for a onemile segment of trail between Fish Camp County Park and Lake Kegonsa State Park. This second phase will include a combination of paved surface, bridges, and boardwalk, similar to the first phase. The second phase is “probably a few years away from completion,” James said. “This winter we’ll start looking at the engineering piece and then begin putting that together over the next few years,” Parisi added. Parisi said one of the challenges the county faces in extending existing trails and building new ones is getting easements and piecing together the various portions from “what is usually multiple property owners.” But, he added, there are few recreation trails that were as complicated to achieve as the Lake Waubesa segment of the Lower Yahara River Trail. “It’s the art of the possible, especially when you’re anywhere near a railroad,” Parisi said. “That certainly complicates issues. But our staff has done an incredible job in bringing a project like this to completion with the numerous challenges that it faced. What we have completed is a very unique piece of this trail.”

Cycling enthusiasts excited

Bicyclists from the McFarland Stoughton area are thrilled to see the

Lower Yahara River Trail taking shape, said bike shop owners Phil Caravello and Scott Williams. Caravello, owner of Stoton Cycle, said he’s seeing ever more bicyclists in Stoughton, and the cycling community is happy the bike bridge is about to open. “I’ve noticed more and more sports riders – folks in lycra on road bikes – and there’s more people coming down from Madison,” he reported. “I’ve had a lot of people asking about it,” Caravello added. “They’ll be even happier when the trail connects to the state park (Lake Kegonsa) and then later to Stoughton.” He said recent improvements to Williams Drive – wide paved shoulders on both sides – have made it easier to cycle to the state park. That makes the connection from McFarland to Fish Camp, on Lake Kegonsa’s north shore, a key for Stoughton cyclists being able to easily get to Madison. Williams, who owns Oregon Bike and Skate in the Village of Oregon, said the bike bridge won’t be as helpful to cyclists in the Oregon area because they’re looking for convenient routes into Madison. For that, they look west to the Badger State Trail, which connects to Seminole Highway in Fitchburg. Still, avid cyclists welcome the development of any trails in the county, Williams added. Parisi said it’s a message he’s heard repeatedly from all sorts of bicyclists. “Every year I hold a meeting with all the biking organizations to update them on where we’re at bike path wise – what we completed in the previous year and what we’re looking at for the upcoming year and in the future,” he said. He thinks having their input on plans is a way to make sure trails are getting the most use. “This is very important to us and to the communities,” Parisi said. “So we’re certainly going to continue to move forward with our trails.” l

Project under budget

County officials estimated a cost of $9 million for Phase 1 of the Lower Yahara River Trail, and they’re pleased the project came in at closer to $8 million. “We feel pretty lucky that we got this project done and under budget,” Dane County planner Chris James told Your Family. James noted that more than half of the construction cost – $4.7 million – came from a federal Department of Transportation grant administered by the Wisconsin DOT, with the county funding the balance. Last year, the DOT awarded the construction contract to Janke General Contractors, of Athens, for just over $5.9 million. The Army Corps of Engineers assisted in designing the bridge and boardwalk segment.

FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 25

FAMILYLIFE

Soft Corn Tortillas with Rajas and Queso

Hot Dogs Stuffed with the Works

Sunday Picnic Deviled Eggs

Knuckle Sandwich

The good ol’ summertime is here … sort of MY BLOOD TYPE IS COFFEE BY RHONDA MOSSNER

t’s a beautiful day in Verona. Birds are happily munching on their sunflower seed at our feeders, neighborhood children are playing in the yard next door and I am sipping coffee while listening to gentle classical music that has escaped through an open window a few condos away. Yes, these are the days we long for while our teeth are chattering in the dead of winter. I remember thinking back in January, if only it were summer. I would be outside painting the deck, planting flowers and visiting every

Summertime Fruit Salad

Serves 4 ½ cup of orange juice ¼ cup of honey 2 cups of strawberries 2 cups of raspberries 2 cups of blueberries 1 cup of cantaloupe, cut into bite size chunks *mint leaves for garnish if desired In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice and honey. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently. Chill for at least one hour for flavors to set. Garnish, if desired, with mint leaves.

farmers market in the area. I did follow through on a couple of those ideas. Well, OK, we hired a guy to paint the deck. I watched him from inside the house with the air conditioning running on the hottest day in June, but we got it done and it still counts. That was a good goal to accomplish, even though someone else did the work. The flower planting was also a big success. I did that back on Mother’s Day, just like we did last year. I filled my deck planters and pots full of yellow and orange marigolds that we bought from the FFA kids at the high school. They did great. They were beautiful. I showed everyone who came to my house and our guests were astonished by the beauty before them. And then, it rained. And it rained again. And then it stormed and the winds blew. And then, just when we thought it was safe to assume the worst was over… The big storm came through. If you live in Verona, you know the one. The sky was blue, then everything went black, then the tornado sirens rang out and we all ran for our lives to our little basements and waited for The End. And nothing happened. So, we went back upstairs and just as we sat down and got the four controllers all turned on again to watch TV, the winds started up.

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And down we ran once again to the basement. This time, we ran to the storm spot, and if it has to be said, we were more concerned that the tornado sirens didn’t go off. I have to say that in my experience this is the time to be the most concerned. The winds roared, the condo even shook a little. Then, we heard a “thump” outside the window. We couldn’t see anything, of course, because it was so dark outside, but oddly enough only about 7:30 p.m. Whatever it was, at least it didn’t hit the condo and the roof was still intact, which at one point of the Big Storm was a toss-up whether it would be there by the time it all rolled through the city. We had to wait until morning to investigate the damage. The thump was a tree about 15 feet from the house. Like many in town, it was split right down the middle and strategically fell right onto the yard. Another five feet and the neighbor would have needed a new car. The deck survived the impact structurally, but alas, my beautiful flowers had taken a hit. Poor things. They were up to their pretty blossoms in water and their roots were floating just under the surface. The wind had blown their dirt cover off and left them completely exposed to the elements. Thus commenced the fourth dumping of the water from the planters. I had nothing but sopping mud for flowers now for rest of the growing season. I could plant again, but it wouldn’t be the same. My beautiful marigolds have given up the ghost. But, this is Wisconsin. We have to just go with the seasons and whatever transpires. There’s always next year! l In addition to her blog, TheDanglingThread.blogspot.com, Rhonda Mossner is a professional speaker, quilter and chef. She is known as The Quilter Cook and travels throughout the area sharing her quilts, stories and recipes.

FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 27

Hot Dogs Stuffed with the Works Makes 6 servings

2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 cup refrigerated sauerkraut, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped 4 large hot dogs, such as knockwurst 1/2 ounce cheddar cheese, cut into 4 small sticks 4 slices bacon Oil for coating grill screen 4 long hot dog buns or small sub rolls, split The Grill Gas: Direct heat, medium high (425o to 450o); Clean, oiled grate Charcoal: Direct heat, light ash; 12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals); Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting Wood: Direct heat, light ash; 12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep; Clean, oiled grate set 2 inches above the fire Heat the grill as directed. Mix the mustard, ketchup and sauerkraut in a small bowl. Slit the hot dogs lengthwise, forming a deep pocket end to end in each one. Fill the pockets halfway with the sauerkraut mixture. Put a stick of cheese in the center of each and top with the remaining sauerkraut mixture. Wrap a bacon slice around each hot dog to hold it together, and secure the ends of each bacon strip with wooden toothpicks. Put the grill screen on the grill and coat it with oil. Wait a minute or two, until the surface is hot. Grill the hot dogs until the bacon is cooked through and the hot dogs are browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. To toast the buns, put them cut-sides down directly over the fire for the last minute of cooking. Serve the hot dogs on the buns.

Send your favorite recipe(s) to aroberts@wcinet.com

Knuckle Sandwich Yields 12 bites

1/2 cup whole hazelnuts, ideally blanched (skinned) 2 tablespoons butter 2 pears, skin on, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then cored 1 store-bought pound cake 6 tablespoons Nutella Preheat oven to 350°. Put hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, or until they begin to brown. If hazelnuts are still in their skins, bake until skins begin to darken, or for blanched nuts, until they turn golden. Remove from oven and let cool. If hazelnuts are still in their skins, place nuts in the center of a clean dish towel, fold the towel around the nuts, and rub vigorously between both hands for 15 seconds to release the skins. Discard skins and reserve the nuts. In a sauté pan over medium heat (err on the low side of medium), melt butter and sauté pear slices for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until they begin to brown. Reserve. Cut 6 slices of pound cake, 1/4-inch thick. Toast the pound cake in a toaster oven, or on a baking sheet in a 300° oven. (It will fall apart in an upright toaster.) Smear 3 cake slices with Nutella or chocolate-hazelnut spread. Cover entire Nutella/spread surface with hazelnuts, then press them into the Nutella/spread. Top with a layer of pear slices and cover with second slice of pound cake. Secure each knuckle sandwich with 4 toothpicks, then cut into 4 pieces.

Send your favorite recipe(s) to aroberts@wcinet.com 28 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

Soft Corn Tortillas with Rajas and Queso

FAMILYFUN

Makes 8 tacos

Rajas 4 fresh poblano chiles Olive oil, for brushing 2 large yellow onions, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for topping) Soft Corn Tortillas 1 cup instant corn masa flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup warm water

Weird and wild for a weekend Wizard World Comic Con returning to Madison

Prepare a hot fire in your grill. Brush the poblanos with olive oil and grill, turning often, until the skins blister and burn. Transfer to a sealable plastic bag and let them steam and soften. Brush the onions with olive oil and grill until you have good grill marks on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove the stems, skin and seeds from the poblanos, and then slice into thin strips. Cut the onion slices in half and break apart with a fork into strands. Combine the poblanos and onions and season to taste. Keep the rajas warm until serving. To make the tortillas, place the masa flour and salt in a bowl. Stir in the water to make soft dough, adding a little more water if necessary. Divide the dough into 8 portions, forming each portion into a ball. Cover with a damp cloth to keep the dough moist. Place each ball of dough between two unopened plastic sandwich bags, then press to a 5- to 6-inch round in a tortilla press. Preheat an ungreased skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla for 1 minute on each side until golden in spots. Cover with a damp tea towel until ready to serve. To serve, divide the rajas evenly between the 8 tortillas and sprinkle 1Ú4 cup of cheese on each taco.

Story by Anthony Iozzo Photos submitted by Wizard World Comic Con

If you go

What: Wizard World Comic Con When: Sept. 22 (5-10 p.m.), Sept. 23 (10 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Sept. 24 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) Where: Alliant Energy Center Cost: T hree-day admission ($75 advance, $85 on site), Friday ($35, $45), Saturday ($45, $55), Sunday ($40, $50), Up to two children 10-and-under (free) Website: wizardworld.com

Send your favorite recipe(s) to aroberts@wcinet.com

Sunday Picnic Deviled Eggs Serves 4 to 6

8 extra-large eggs 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Creole mustard 1/4 teaspoon Cholula Hot Sauce 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper 2 teaspoons finely chopped pickled jalapeño slices 1 teaspoon pickled jalapeño juice 1/2 Hass avocado, peeled and pitted Pinch of smoked paprika 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 2 ounces dried Spanish chorizo Place the eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and remove from the heat. Keep covered for 11 minutes, then remove the eggs from the water and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Preheat a sauté pan. Cut the chorizo into very small dice and sauté until crispy. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, cumin, salt, pepper, jalapeño, and jalapeño juice. When the eggs have cooled, carefully crack the shells and peel under cold running water. Slice the eggs lengthwise and remove the yolks, being careful to leave the whites intact. Combine the avocado and egg yolks in a small bowl, and mash together with a fork until smooth. Add the avocado mixture to the mayonnaise mixture and blend thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into each half of egg white. Dust with the paprika, sprinkle with the cilantro and chorizo, and serve. Send your favorite recipe(s) to aroberts@wcinet.com

magine walking into a big room and seeing all your favorite sciencefiction, fantasy and pop culture characters mingling. There is the Doctor talking with Spider Man, who is holding hands with Wonder Woman. And to your left is Darth Vader laughing with Mario and Luigi. For the third year, anyone can experience this bizarre collection of characters in Madison, as Wizard World Comic Con draws thousands of people to the Alliant Energy Center Sept. 22-24. For three days, fans will browse booths with art, jewelry and mystery boxes, meet some celebrity and special guests from their favorite science-fiction and fantasy shows and dress up in costumes. Public relations manager Jerry Milani said the Wizard World Comic Con has been in Chicago for 20 years, and after getting fan feedback, they looked to expand the event from what was four shows at the time. Now they do 16, and Madison was an obvious choice. “When we visited, we were embraced by the city and the fans,” Milani said. “Fans told us how great it was going to

be, and they were right.” There will be photos and autographs, available for purchase, with guests such as Sean Maher (Firefly), Lou Ferrigno (Incredible Hulk television series), Lennie James (the Walking Dead), Monica Rial (Dragon Ball Z Super, Fullmetal Alchemist) and Ray Park (Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, X-Men). Several other celebrity guests are expected to sign up as the show gets closer, including some new faces for anyone who has been to Comic Con in the last few years. Other artists, voice actors and creators from various shows will also be there, and vehicles from “Jurassic Park” and “Thor” will be on display. “It is a celebration of pop culture, and it is just people really enjoying themselves,” Milani said. In addition to art and jewelry for sale, there will also be costumes, comic books and graphic novels, toys such as action figures and collectibles, gadgets, games and Doctor Who memorabilia available to browse with many booths offering free interactive experiences and

demonstrations. Question-and-answer panels, workshops, video game booths, cosplay demonstrations and a costume contest for adults and children also highlight the weekend. The new entertainment stage will be one of the first things people see when they walk into the convention hall. It will include live music, magicians, dancers and other entertainers. For families with younger children, the Wizard World Kids Zone will have puppet shows, sing-alongs and face painting. And there will be kid-friendly programming all day Saturday and Sunday, including special panels and story time with celebrities like Ferrigno. And even when the floor closes each day, groups will get together for other fun events and entertainment. In past events, Milani said, there has been an after-party with some of the special guests, a drink-and-draw program, in which amateur and professional artists draw pictures and hang out, and other activities like watching movies. For information, visit wizardworld. com. l

FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 29

FAMILYHEALTH

FAMILYLIFE

Shortage of care providers is a growing problem SENIOR LIVING BY STEPHEN RUDOLPH

n the American health care system, we are facing a dilemma that can greatly affect the health and wellbeing of our aging parents and eventually, you and me. We have a lack of specifically trained geriatric physicians (and other long-term care providers) to care for our aging population. Geriatricians specialize in the care of older adults. They are trained in family practice or internal medicine but have additional training in the care of older patients. They are experts in illnesses associated with elders and can manage the complexities of older patients with multiple care needs and comorbidities. Medical schools can afford to be selective, but the number of physicians they’re turning out might not be enough to care for the tidal wave of seniors that were born in the post World War II baby boom from 1946-1964. Of the 5,500 college graduates who applied to the University of Wisconsin Medical School (UWMS) for 2017, just over 3 percent, 176, were admitted.

Medical schools would have to train at least 6,250 additional geriatricians between now and 2030, or about 450 more a year than the current rate. The assistant dean of admissions at the UW Medical School, Kurt Hansen, said this is an increase from 150 in recent years. But as a practicing geriatrician, he sees the problem growing much more quickly than that. About 8,000 people are turning age 65 every day, creating a surge in our older population. By 2030, one out of every five Americans – about 70 million total – will be older than age 65, according to the American Geriatric Society (AGS). But the supply of geriatric specialists is not keeping up.

The AGS recommends one geriatrician for every 700 patients. But by 2030, it projects there will only be one geriatrician for every 4,484 people over 75. In 2045, this drops to one geriatrician for every 10,000 patients. As people are now living longer, this gap in specialized care can greatly jeopardize the health of older Americans. Providing quality medical care for these seniors will require about 25,000 geriatric care physicians, based on these numbers. But, the AGS says

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there are only about 7,000 geriatricians in the United States. To meet the demand, it says, medical schools would have to train at least 6,250 additional geriatricians between now and 2030, or about 450 more a year than the current rate. In Wisconsin, the Department of Medical Licensing does not retain the numbers of licensed geriatricians, so we are unable to even determine the elder to geriatric physician ratio. Geriatric physicians and gerontologists are hoping this “silver tsunami” will help change the way that medicine is studied, practiced and delivered to an aging national population, so that more Americans can live longer, healthier lives, according to Cathy Alessi MD, President of the AGS. Asked by a UCLA magazine to identify the most significant issue facing geriatric medicine, Alessi, a UCLA faculty member, said that’s the “inadequate supply” of care providers. “We don’t train nearly enough geriatricians to care for this growing aging population,” she said. Hansen, meanwhile, told me that primary care physicians such as general internists and family practitioners often become geriatricians as a function of their practice. “There is a natural evolution for internists and family practice docs who have been serving their clientele for 20 years for them to become quite adept at geriatric issues because their practice matures as their client matures,” he said. “Thus these physicians care for a large number of elders.” Although geriatrics is a subspecialty of internal medicine and family practice, a physician can also become a geriatrician by completing their internal medicine or family practice residency, then taking a geriatric fellowship for another year. Alessi told U Magazine this highlights one potential solution to the problem – cross-training for aging and geriatric care in other fields – “surgeons, psychiatrists, social workers.” She said a change in this field to correspondent to the changing demographics will require better understanding among the general public and a demand for this expertise. “This problem is fixable. But we are at a critical point,” she told U. “We know a lot about how to help older people age well, have a good quality of life and maximize their independence. But we need to do more to make sure the information gets out there. We all will be facing a long period of our lives during which we will be older, so it’s in all of

our interests that we do this right and we do this well.” Alessi was suggesting aging patients should require more expertise from physicians which will result in a demand for more geriatric physicians. Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, which funds programs to improve the care of older adults told the New York Times this is a natural result of doubling our life expectancy over the last century or so. “Now we need to make sure we have all the supports in place to assure not just

a long life but a high quality of that long life,” he said. And as Hansen added, “There is a need for lots more MDs and other providers who care for the elderly, but we are not keeping up with those needs.” l Stephen P. Rudolph is a consultant for Comfort Keepers of South Central Wisconsin, a home care agency that provides skilled nursing and personal care services for aging adults, those with disabilities and others needing assistance.

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FAMILYFUN

FALL 2017 CALENDAR

Aug. 26-Nov. 11 Dane County Farmers Market, Capitol Square, Madison: Purchase locally grown foods and enjoy entertainment around Madison’s downtown, dcfm.org Aug. 31-Oct. 28 GLEAM, Madison: Light installations bring the outdoor garden at Olbrich Gardens to life each Thursday, Friday and Saturday, olbrich.org Sept. 1-2 State Cow Chip Throw, Prairie du Sac: 40th annual festival has flying cow pies, music, parade, craft fair, wiscowchip.com Sept. 1-3 Brooklyn Labor Day truck and tractor pull, Brooklyn: Three days of festivities at Legion Park, oregonwi.com Wilhelm Tell Festival New Glarus: Celebrating Swiss independence story with theater, art fair, lantern parade, camping, entertainment, swisstown.com Sept. 1-4 Rock River Thresheree, Edgerton: Parade of Power, rides on the Cannonball Train, steam engines, flea market, food and refreshments, thresheree.com Sept. 2 BookBike, Eau Claire: Check out books and sign up for a library card at the Farmers Market, web.eauclairechamber.org Sept. 2-3 Taste of Madison, Capitol Square: More than 80 local restaurants will sell food priced between $1 and $4, plus 16 beverage stands and four entertainment stages, tasteofmadison.com Sept. 2-4 Labor Fest, Janesville: Teen mud volleyball, rock climbing walls, petting zoo, puppet show, co-ed volleyball, live music, beer garden, craft fair and bike show, laborfest.org Sept. 3 Mount Horeb Fire Department Jamboree: “Kid Zone,” pancake breakfast, local talent show, live music, food, trollway.com Rock Aqua Jays waterski show, Janesville, janesvillecvb.com Sept. 7-9 Quilt Expo, Alliant Energy Center, Madison: Pro and amateur quilters can learn and draw inspiration from quilting masters, wiquiltexpo.com Sept. 8-9 Volksfest German Ethnic Festival, Waupun: Traditional German food and beverages, live music and dancing, waupunvolksfest.com Sept. 8-10 Festival on the Rock, Beloit: Rides, live music, arts and crafts, kids entertainment, horseshoe tournament, food vendors, bingo, games, raffles, facebook.com/festivalontherock Sheep and Wool Festival, Jefferson: Fiber arts classes, sheep and dog demonstrations and workshops, lambing barn, wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival.com Sustainability Festival, Dodgeville: Focus on environmental practices, including food preservation, classic hand tools, music and dance workshops, folklorevillage.org Sept. 9 Thirsty Troll Brew Fest, Mount Horeb: Unlimited sampling of more than 100 microbrews, live music, food: thirstytrollbrewfest.com Yahara Riverfest, DeForest: 5K Trail Tromp, rubber duck race, pumpkin painting, wine and beer tasting, bonfire, yaharariverfest.com Fall Festival, Oconomowoc: Music, games, food and festivities, downtownoconomowoc.org IronKids Triathlon, Madison: Interactive weekend focuses on ages 6-15, fitness, fun, safety, ironkids.com Pepper Festival, Beaver Dam: Eating contests, kids activities, music, food, bdpepperfestival.com Wiener and Kraut Day, Waterloo: Food, music, games, waterloowichamber.com Sept. 9-10 Sacred Hearts Fall Festival, Sun Prairie: Food and musical entertainment, sacred-heart-online.org Green County “Pickers” Flea and Antique Market, Monroe: Nearly 150 vendors at fairgrounds, greencounty.org

32 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

Sept. 10 Heritage Sunday, Beloit: Historical demonstrations, car show, horse drawn wagon rides, kids activities, visitbeloit.com Heritage Fest, Celebrate the rural harvest history - demonstration of antique machinery, crafts. Schumacher Farms, Waunakee, schumacherfarmpark.org Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon, downtown Madison and surrounding areas: Cheer on more than 2,000 athletes as they swim, bike and run, ironmanwisconsin.com Family Fest, New Glarus: Car show, petting zoo, kids games, live music, rides, newglarusfamilyfest.com Sept. 14-Oct. 29 “Elvis Lives,” Fireside Dinner Theatre, Fort Atkinson: Champions and finalists from Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, live band, dancers, firesidetheatre.com Sept. 15 Live on King Street, Madison: Free music just off Capitol Square, liveonkingstreet.com Sept. 15-16 Folk ’n’ blues festival, Beloit College, visitbeloit.com Madison World Music Festival, Madison: Music from around the globe, union.wisc.edu Sept. 15-17 Wo Zha Wa Days Fall Fest, Wisconsin Dells, wisdells.com Wauktoberfest, Waunakee: Live music, inflatables, pumpkin decorating, storytellers, beer tasting, frau carry, dachshund dash, limburger cheese-eating contest, free movies and games, wauktoberfest.com Oregon Soccer Fall Fury Tournament, Oregon, oregonsc.com McFarland Family Festival, McFarland: Mini triathlon for adults and kids, parade, carnival, mcfarlandfamilyfestival.org Gemuetlichkeit Days, Jefferson: Food, fellowship, parade and music, gdays.org. Sept. 16 Isthmus OktoBEERfest, Madison: 45 Wisconsin-focused brewers at a German-style fest, isthmus.com Monroe Street Festival, Madison: Annual street sale with family-friendly entertainment, monroestreetfestival.com Taste of Cross Plains and Hill Valley car show: Samples of food plus kids’ boat regatta, fly fishing, guided hike, bike tour, crossplainschamber.net Sept. 16-17 Willy Street Fair, Madison: Six music stages, street performances, foods and drinks from across the globe, arts and crafts, parade, raffle, kids’ stage, cwd.org St. Ann Fall Festival, St. Ann Church, Stoughton: Crafts, games, auction, rides, food and beverages and 5K run/walk, stannparish.4lpi.com Sept. 17 Beloit Autorama Car Show and Swap Meet, Beloit: More than 1,200 cars on display, beloitautorama.com Walk for Wishes, Fitchburg: 5K walk, music, prizes, photos, food, walkforwishes.com Rugged Rockman, Watertown: Adventure mud run, watertownchallenge.org

Sept. 21 Fall Fest at Farmers Market, Fitchburg: Carriage rides, live music, fitchburgchamber.com Sept. 21-23 Chevrolet Camaro 50th birthday bash, Mount Horeb: backroadkruizers.com Sept. 22 Wizard World Comic Con, Alliant Energy Center, Madison: Celebrating a range of pop culture, wizardworld.com/comiccon/madison Sept. 22-24 Oktoberfest, New Glarus: Music, games, rides, food, tractor-drawn wagon rides, historical displays and events, swisstown.com Cranberry Festival, Warrens: About 10,000 take part in world’s largest, with food, shopping, education, tours, parade, cranfest.com Wind Power Championships, Fon du Lac: A regatta with attendance from all over the Midwest, fdl.com Madison Classic’s Fall Car Show and Swap Meet, Jefferson: One of the largest car shows in the Midwest, madisonclassics.com Sept. 23 Oktoberfest, Madison: Food and drinks, live music and free activities and games for kids, essen-haus.com Fall National Tractor Pull, Monroe: Tractor and truck pull, food stands, live music at fairgrounds, greencountyfallnationals.com Walk for Wishes, Fitchburg: 5K, 2-mile walk, wheelchair race, kids dash, family fun day for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, wisconsin.wish.org Brew-B-Que, Lodi: Music, cookoffs, contests, raffles, activities, lodilakewisconsin.org Sept. 23-Oct. 29 (weekends) Autumn Adventures, Fort Atkinson: Animals, antique tractors, puppet show, slides, swings, corn maze and pumpkins, busybarnsfarm.com Sept. 24 Henry Vilas “Zoo Run Run,” Madison: 11th annual run features a 5K and 10K run, with proceeds going to cover zoo costs, vilaszoo.org Sept. 29 Live on King Street, Madison: Free music just off Capitol Square, liveonkingstreet.com Sept. 29-30 Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival, Fort Atkinson: Workshops, speakers, open poetry readings, round tables, landmark tours, lorineniedecker.org Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Cornish Festival, Mineral Point: Music, dance, pub night, kids’ activities, cornishfest.com Sept. 30 Paint the Town Yellow, Janesville: 5K run/walk for suicide awareness and prevention, kids activities, raffles, janesvillecvb.com Run From the Cops, Watertown: Donuts and 10K, 5K and kids 1K run supports victims of domestic violence, watertownrunfromthecops.com Snowmobile Show, Jefferson: Indoor vintage/antique show, outdoor swap and vintage grass drags, jcsawi.com Fall Festival, Albany: Food booths, games, vendors, arts and crafts, albany-chamber.org Smoke in the Valley, Spring Green: Ribs, chicken, appetizer contests, samples, plus beer and wine samples, music, prizes, springgreen.com Brew-B-Que, Lodi: Block party with barbecue, chili and salsa contests, music, beanbag tournament, raffles, kids activities, lodilakewisconsin.org Oct 1 Fall festival, Janesville: fundraiser by Friends of Carver’s Rock park, includes food, music, bake sale, children’s games and crafts, petting zoo, horse-drawn wagon rides, raffles, janesvillecvb.com Fall Festival of Color, Lake Mills: Outdoor fall festival with arts and crafts, produce, kid events and food vendors, lakemills.org Oct. 2 Oregon Rotary Fall Fest, Oregon: Face painting, kids games, food, family fun, oregonwichamber.com Oct. 3-7 World Dairy Expo, Madison, worlddairyexpo.com

Oct. 6 Gallery Night, Madison: Receptions, tours and demonstrations at museums, galleries and businesses throughout the city, mmoca.org Oct. 6-8 Mid-Continent Railway Autumn Color, North Freedom: Train tours, midcontinent.org Oct. 7 Wisconsin Car Show, Janesville: features over 400 vehicles from around the Midwest, janesvillecvb.com S`mores Fun Trail Run, Baraboo: The first trail run through Mirror Lake State Park, friendsofmirrorlake.org Fall Fair on the Square, Baraboo: Arts and crafts, farmers market, food court, kids’ entertainment, music, downtownbaraboo.com Oak Bank’s Great Pumpkin Give-Away, Fitchburg: Free pumpkins, music, prizes, kids activities, horse and carriage rides, benefit for local charity, oakbankonline.com Autumnfest, Brodhead: Chili contest, hay rides, food, vendors, brodheadchamber.org Oct. 8 Car, truck and bike show, Janesville: Show cars, tuners, custom trucks, classics and hot rods, janesvillecvb.com Oct. 13-14 Autumn Harvest Festival, Wisconsin Dells: Hayrides, music, entertainment, pumpkin decoration, dells.com Oct. 14 Durward’s Glen Fall Festival, Baraboo: Guided tractor tours, flea market, vendors, food and refreshments, durwardsglen.org Civil War and Governor Hoard Day, Fort Atkinson: Reenatctors, panel discussions, hoardmuseum.org Oct. 14-15 Mid-Continent Railway Pumpkin Special, Freedom: Train tours, midcontinent.org Oct. 14-29 Haunted train rides (weekends), Edgerton, thresheree.com Oct. 15-21 UW-Madison homecoming weekend, Madison: Barge races, trivia night, parades, uwalumni.com Oct. 20-22 Harry Potter Festival, Edgerton: Quidditch tournament, free movies, demonstrations, pub crawl, harrypotterfestivalusa.com Oct. 21 Quilt show, Edgerton: Quilt displays judged by viewer’s choice, edgertonchamber.com Oct. 21-22 Trick or Treat With the Big Cats, Rock Springs: 29 lions, tigers and leopards featured, along with trick-or-treating, Halloween decorations and spooky music, wisconsinbigcats.org Oct. 27-29 Norwegian Destination Weekend, Stoughton: Norwegian brunch, Grieg Chorus concert, Norwegian Dancer performance, mini-workshops, classes, rosemaling show, stoughtonwi.com Oct. 28 Good Neighbor Day at International Crane Foundation, Baraboo: Benefits Baraboo Food Pantry, savingcranes.org Art Day at the Aldo Leopold Center, Baraboo: Demonstrations, presentations and interactions with regional “land ethic” artists, aldoleopold.org Malt and Hops Fest, Milton, visitmilton.com Pumpkin Palooza, Watertown: Zombie fun run, petting zoo, movie, crafts, pumpkin and scarecrow contests, storytime, trick-or-treat, watertownchamber.com Oct. 29 Halloween at the Zoo, Madison: Free trick-or-treating and an activity tent, vilaszoo.org Nov. 2-5 Wisconsin Science Festival, Madison: Interactive exhibits, workshops and lectures appealing to curious scientists of any age, wisconsinsciencefest.org Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison: Readings, lectures, book discussions, writing workshops, live interviews, children’s events, wisconsinbookfestival.org

Nov. 2-Dec. 23 “Miracle on 34th street,” Fireside Dinner Theatre, Fort Atkinson, firesidetheatre.com Nov. 4 Oregon Firefighter/EMS Craft Fair, Oregon Middle School, oregonareafireems.org Quilt show, Edgerton: Quilt displays judged by viewer’s choice, edgertonchamber.com Tyranena Beer Run, Lake Mills: Charity run featuring routes near Rock Lake, live music, tyranena.com Nov. 5 Wisconsin Dog Fair, Alliant Energy Center, Madison: Learn about and see a number of dog breeds, badgerkennelclub.com Nov. 11 Horse parade, Oregon: Annual event showcases regional equine, oregonwi.com Holiday Parade, Fort Atkinson: Lighted parade, chili sampling and Santa, fortchamber.com Janesville Fall Festival, Pontiac Convention Center: Shopping, janesvillecvb.com Nov. 11-12 Winter Art Fair Off the Square, Monona Terrace: Hundreds of art exhibitors from the state, silent auction, music, artcraftwis.org Nov. 12 Madison Marathon, Madison: A full and half-marathon, madisonmarathon.org Nov. 16 -Jan. 7 Nutcracker in the Castle, Oshkosh: Evening candlelight tours of decorated rooms, live music, snacks, thepaine.org Nov. 17 Holiday Light Parade and tree lighting, Sauk City: Homemade and professional floats, choir, bands, dancers, saukprairie.com Nov. 18 Christmas Light Parade, Baraboo: downtownbaraboo.com Nov. 18-19 Art and Gift Fair, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison: Arts and crafts from around the country, local treats and performances, mmoca.org Madison Women’s Expo. Alliant Energy Center, Madison: Shop, taste, play and mingle, madisonwomensexpo.com Madison Gem and Mineral Show and Sale, Alliant Energy Center, Madison: More than a dozen vendors present a variety of gems and minerals, madisonrockclub.org Nov. 21 Kids music and drama festival, Janesville: Showcases talents of kids, including theater and music, janesvillecvb.com Nov. 23 Berbee Derby Thanksgiving Day run, Fitchburg: 5K and 10K run/walk, berbeederby.com Nov. 23 Run Turkey Run, Watertown: Charity 5K and 1K race near Riverside Park, therunturkeyrun.com

If you would like to submit an event to the next calendar, email yourfamily@wcinet.com

Nov. 24 Holiday Parade, downtown Columbus: All participants decked out with lights, hot cocoa stand, tree lighting, columbuswichamber.com Nov. 24-25 Hmong New Year Celebration, Alliant Energy Center, Madison: hmongmadison.com Nov. 24-26 German Christmas Market, Oconomowoc: Outdoor vendors, live bands, authentic German cuisine, beer garden and kids activities, germanchristmasmarket.org Nov. 25 Holiday Tree Lighting and Fire Truck Parade, Main Street, Sun Prairie, downtownsunprairie.com Holiday Parade of Lights, Watertown: Parade, Santa, watertownchamber.com Nov. 25-26 Santa Express, North Freedom: Santa will pay a visit during a train ride, Midcontinent.org Dec. 1 Christmas Parade of Lights, Whitewater: Lighted holiday parade, cookie decorating, whitewaterchamber.com Taste of Chocolate, Janesville: Evening of chocolate decadence, crowned by holiday light show at Rotary Botanical Gardens, janesvillecvb.com Dec. 1-2 Fire and Ice Festival, Brodhead Square: Lighted parade, ice sculptures, photos with Santa, car giveaway, cityofbrodheadwi.us Dec. 1-3 Classic Christmas, Lake Mills: Explore local businesses, tree lighting, tour of homes, legendarylakemills.com Victorian Holiday Weekend, Stoughton: Holiday concerts, carriage rides, parades, shopping, events for the kids, performance of the Nutcracker Suite, arts and crafts fair, stoughtonwi.com/victorian Madison Symphony Christmas, Overture Center: Classic holiday music performances, madisonsymphony.org Janesville’s Jolly Jingle, downtown Janesville: tree lighting, theater, holiday market, ice show, reindeer: janesvillejollyjingle.com Caroling in the Cave, Cave of the Mounds, Blue Mounds, caveofthemounds.com Dec. 2 Holiday Wine Walk, Waunakee: Horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, photo booth, food carts and more than a dozen stops, waunakeechamber.com Parade of Lights, Jefferson: Holiday floats, marching bands, caroling and refreshments, jeffersonchamberwi.com Dec. 2-31 Holiday Express, Madison: Model train sets zip through miniature landscapes lined with hundreds of poinsettias at Olbrich Gardens, olbrich.org Dec. 7 Get Festive with the Agora, Fitchburg: Free carriage rides, music, appetizers, s’mores, ugly sweater contest, Yahara Bay Distillery tasting, agorafitchburg.com Lighted Christmas Parade, Monroe: Arrival of Santa, mainstreetmonroe.org Taste of Chocolate, Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville: Features holiday light show, janesvillecvb.com Dec. 8-9 Very Merry Holiday Fair, Baraboo: Crafts, books, food, theverymerryholidayfair.com Dec. 8-10 Madrigal dinner, Stoughton: Stoughton High School Madrigal Singers provide entertainment during a multi-course dinner in a medieval atmosphere, stoughton.k12.wi.us Dec. 28-Jan. 1 Festival of Christmas and Midwinter Traditions, Folklore Village, Dodgeville: Learn international dances, singing, take part in games, crafts, blacksmithing Dec. 31 U.S. Bank Eve, around Madison: Ring in the New Year with celebrations around Madison, including at Olbrich Gardens and the Monona Terrace

FALL 2017 YOUR FAMILY 31

FAMILYLIFE

B usiness S potlight

Good, natural local food

For the Classroom: ❏ Pencils ❏ Pens ❏ Erasers ❏ Markers ❏ Notebooks ❏ Paper ❏ Folders

Story and photos by Helu Wang

Name: Cooksville Country Store Owner: Sue Ebbert Address: 11313 Wisconsin-138, Evansville Website: cooksvillecountrystore.com Contact: 882-0232 or (920) 563-4469

ozens of ice cream bowls nest on shelves and stoves sit in the corner as the wood floor and yellow light in Cooksville Country Store bring the feel of a store from a century ago. Occasionally, some patrons will stop by and look for the old “50-cent hamburgers,” to no avail. Built in 1847, the building of Cooksville Country Store is one of 30 buildings included in the Cooksville Historic District. Owner Sue Ebbert said the store is considered the oldest general store in Wisconsin. She has met people who traveled all the way from Texas who just want to see it. She has also heard one patron say that he had been in the store when he was 5 years old.

“It brings back a lot of memories for them,” Ebbert said. Ebbert took over the store three years ago as an addition to the other store she manages, Simple Life Country Store, near Fort Atkinson. She remodeled the floor, added new coolers and restocked it with baking items, spices, locally grown produce and other speciality items. She said she tried to connect with the history of the store and create a homey and comfortable place for both local residents and travelers. She’s hoping the store will not only be a community gathering spot, but a place that helps get people to do more home cooking. “We try to get involved with what the community is doing, whether it’s donations, fundraisers or festivals,” Ebbert said. l

Q&A with Sue Ebbert YF: Why did you open this business? Ebbert: It’s an extension of Simple Life Country Store, but with a different purpose. The homestore has 30 different types of flours, much larger selection of spices and much larger space than Cooksville. Cooksville stuff is more for travelers with a parlor serving local ice cream. We do have a small line of stuff for local people, such as flour, oatmeal, candy, sausage and cheese. YF: What’s your specialty? Ebbert: We offer different things people normally can’t find in a grocery store, like hand-rolled butter, a large variety of candy and homemade food.We make every effort to find something the customers are looking 34 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2017

for. If not, we direct them to other local businesses. YF: What challenges or concerns do you have in running the business? Ebbert: The biggest challenge is that I have two stores, I can’t be there making food at once. Attracting more people to stop by is another challenge. I never have and don’t intend to compete with big-box stores, I just want to provide good, natural local food, which is challenging itself. YF: How long do you plan on doing this? Ebbert: I hope it’s as long as God allows me to.

YF: What’s your future plan? Ebbert: I’d like to have a small area outside where people can go out dining and meeting friends. I would like to have local boys come here and play cards in afternoons. I would like the store to get people back to home cooking, to be able to sit down with their families, have a conversation, without the cellphone and find out what’s going on in their lives. We lost that. I know our lifestyle has changed, everything is about convenience. But if you ever had a grandmother that cooked, you remember what the food used to taste like.

For Lunches: ❏ Fresh Baked Bread ❏ Deli Meats & Cheeses ❏ Fresh Fruits & Vegetables ❏ Dairy Items ❏ Snack Bags & Chips ❏ Water Bottles Find what you need in one place.

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Historic store provides homey spot

210 S. Main St. • Verona, WI • (608) 845-6478 Open Daily 6:30 am - 9:30 pm

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