BRODHEAD • JUDA • ALBANY • ORFORDVILLE
19th Edition
2020-21
CONNECTIONS
Published by
Independent • Register The
Rock Valley Publishing LLC
D I R E C T O RY ADVERTISING Independent Register 922 W. Exchange Street Brodhead 897-2193 ANTIQUES Sugar River Mall W1111 State Road 11-81 Brodhead 897-2001 APPRAISERS Timberline Appraisals P.O. Box 27 Brodhead 897-3355 ASPHALT PAVING & MAINTENANCE
Bethlehem Lutheran Church 405 E. 9th Avenue Brodhead 897-2341
Sather’s Service 203 W. Brodhead St. Orfordville 879-2960 BANKS Bank of Brodhead 806 E. Exchange Street Brodhead 897-2121 www.bankofbrodhead.com BAKERY Country Lane Bakery 1602 Scotch Hill Rd. Brodhead 897-3820 BEAUTY SALONS, BARBERS & SPAS
Bartelt Enterprises, Inc. 800 Briggs Drive Albany • 862-3395
Splittin Hairs 919 W. Exchange Street Brodhead 897-3175
AUTO PARTS, REPAIR-PAINTING
CHEESE
Body Crafters Auto Body Repair 2508 1st Center Avenue Brodhead • 897-8447 Brodhead Collision 208 1st Center Avenue Brodhead • 897-8234 AUTO REPAIR & SERVICE Arn’s Auto Service 802 2nd Street Brodhead 897-3330 or 897-8088
Maple Leaf Cheese Store W2616 State Road 11-81 Juda 934-1237 CHIROPRACTORS United Chiropractic Joseph K. Murphy, D.C. 2504 1st Center Avenue Brodhead • 897-2136
Congregational United Church of Christ 204 E. 23rd Street Brodhead 897-2917 Footville Church of Christ 117 Church Street Footville 466-4710 Gospel Hall 908 1st Center Avenue Brodhead Grace Independent Baptist Church W624 Clarence Lane Brodhead 897-8084
CHURCHES Bethany Lutheran Church 16529 W. Church Road Brodhead 897-4158
Hilltop Community Church of Albany 101 S. Jackson Street Albany • 862-3790
Julie Schmitt
355941
Gift Certificates Available 919 W. Exchange Street Brodhead, WI 53520
608-897-3175
Luther Valley Church ELCA 7107 S. Luther Valley Beloit 879-2934 New Horizon Methodist Church 1726 S. Murphy Road Footville 876-6256 Orfordville Lutheran Church 210 N. Main Street Orfordville 879-2575 Pleasant View Mennonite Church N3881 Cty. Road E Brodhead 897-4565 Plymouth United Methodist Church Plymouth Church Road/Cty. Road H Orfordville 879-9443 St. Augustine’s Catholic Church 280 Haberdale Footville 876-6252 St. Patrick’s Catholic Church 410 E. State Street Albany 608-424-3681
CARTER & GRUENEWALD CO., INC
HAIR & NAILS CONNECTIONS 2020-21
Church of the Nazarene 1004 13th Street Brodhead 897-9277
Harvest Community Church of Orfordville 519 E. Beloit Orfordville 879-2640
Splittin Hairs
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Brodhead Baptist Church 507 E. 9th Avenue Brodhead 897-8344
Living Word Church 3825 County Road T Brodhead 897-8246
W2898 Cty. KS • P.O. Box 5 Juda, WI 608-934-5201 355932
D I R E C T O RY
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church 1005 W. 2nd Avenue Brodhead 325-9506 United Methodist Church of Albany 500 Park Street Albany • 862-3206 United Methodist Church of Brodhead 501 1st Center Avenue Brodhead • 897-2515 United Methodist Zion Church N2350 Church Street Juda • 934-5398 CONCRETE & LANDSCAPING DP Concrete & Landscaping 1934 N. State Road #104 Albany 862-3156 CONSTRUCTION EXCAVATING Schlittler Construction Co., Inc. 909 E. 9th Avenue Brodhead 897-4262 CUSTOM CABINETRY Horst Kitchens, LLC 15846 W. Hafeman Road Brodhead 897-4010 DAIRY CATTLE SALES Valspring Holsteins P.O. Box 346 Orfordville 214-6484 EXCAVATING CONTRACTORS Kranig Excavating, Inc. 704 4th Street Albany 862-7867
Schlittler Construction 909 E. 9th Avenue Brodhead 897-4262
Green County Civil Process Courthouse Monroe • 328-9569
DRY CLEANING
Green County - Clerk Courthouse Monroe 328-9430
Monroe One Hour Cleaners 1629 9th Street, Monroe 325-5860 FARM EQUIPMENT Carter & Gruenewald W2898 County KS Juda • 934-5201 FUELS & LUBRICANTS Insight FS West 664 Highway 81 Brodhead 897-8671 FLOORING Hull Hardwood Flooring W1127 Pedee Road Brodhead 897-4960 FUNERAL HOMES D.L. Newcomer Funeral Home 1105 E. 9th Avenue Brodhead 897-2484 FURNITURE – AMISH MADE Detweiler & Kauffman Furniture W282 Atkinson Rd. Albany 897-8787 GOVERNMENT
Green County - Coroner Monroe 328-9400 Green County Crimestoppers 800-422-7463 Green County District Attorney Courthouse Monroe 328-9424 Green County Emergency Management Director Pleasant View Complex Monroe 328-9415 Green County Emergency Medical Services-Non-Emergency 1821 12th Street Monroe 329-4367 Green County Fair Association 2600 10th Street Monroe 325-9159 Green County - Family Court Commissioner Courthouse Monroe 328-9429
Green County - Ag Building Auditorium 2842 6th Street Monroe • 325-1638
Green County - Finance Courthouse Monroe 328-9449
Green County - Child Support Agency Courthouse Monroe • 328-9460
Green County - Health Department Courthouse Monroe • 328-9429
Green County - Circuit Court-Clerk 2841 6th Street Monroe 328-9433
Green County - Highway Shop 2813 6th Street Monroe 328-9411
Green County - Human Services N3152 State Rd 81 Monroe 328-9393 Green County - Jail 2827 8th Avenue Monroe 328-9400 Green County - Judge Courthouse Monroe 328-9420 Green County - Juvenile Intake Worker Courthouse Monroe 328-9572 Green County - Land Conservation Monroe 328-9525 Green County - Pleasant View Nursing Home N3150 State Rd. 81 Monroe 325-2171 Green County - Property Lister Monroe 328-9436 Green County - Register in Probate Monroe 328-9567 Green County - Register of Deeds Courthouse Monroe 328-9439 Green County - Safe Kids N3150 State Rd. 81 Monroe 328-9508 Green County - SheriffNon-Emergency 2827 6th Street Monroe 328-9400 Green County - Tourism Coordinator N3150 Hwy. 81 Monroe • 328-1838
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 1708 W. 6th Avenue Brodhead 897-2092
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D I R E C T O RY BRIAN SCHAVER Serving Green, Rock, Lafayette & Dane Counties FAST Reliable & Personalized Service Single Family Residential • 2-4 Family Units • Farmettes • Agricultural Land Building Sites • Real Estate Appraisals For Divorce Cases • Estate Planning & Selling
608-897-3355
www.timberlineappraisals.com P.O. Box 27 • Brodhead, WI 53520 WI Certified Residential Appraiser #1337-009
356456
DP CONCRETE & LANDSCAPING, Inc. Specializing in Concrete Installation & Repair We do projects of all sizes! • Driveways • All Farm Work • Snow Removal
find us on
dp concrete & landscaping
Green County - University Extension Agent N3150 State Rd 81 #B, Pleasant View Complex Monroe 328-9440 Green County - Veteran’s Service Office N3150 State Rd. 81 #B, Pleasant View Complex Monroe 328-9415 Green County Welcome Center 2108 7th Avenue Monroe 325-4636
355938
• Foundations • Decorative Concrete • Patios/Porches
Green County - Treasurer Courthouse Monroe 328-9435
608-862-3156 - 1934 N. State Rd. 104, Albany, WI - cell 608-558-8700 www.dpconcrete.com - davepluss@tds.net - jdpluss@hotmail.com
Green County Zoning & Land Use 1016 16th Avenue Monroe 328-9423 GROCERS Brodhead Piggly Wiggly 1604 1st Center Avenue Brodhead 897-2105 Countryside Bent & Dent W363 Atkinson Rd. Albany 897-2867 INSURANCE
381912
355945
208 1st Center Ave
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
BRODHEAD WI 53520
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KEVIN ROTHENBUEHLER
Sagan & Associates Insurance 1002 1st Center Avenue Brodhead 897-9100 Spring Grove Mutual Insurance Company 1105 W. 2nd Avenue Brodhead 897-2148 LANDSCAPING SUPPLIES
Quality is No Accident
6 0 8 . 8 9 7. 8 2 3 4
f a x 6 0 8 - 8 9 7 - 3 818 email brodhead.collision@yahoo.com
Footville Rock & Lime Corp. 14249 W. Dorner Road Brodhead 876-6608
LIMESTONE Footville Rock and Lime Corp. 14249 W. Dorner Road Brodhead 876-6608 Ryan Farm Quarries 13566 West Brandherm Road Beloit 879-2623 MONUMENTS DL Newcomer Funeral Home 1105 E. 9th Avenue Brodhead 897-2484 NEWSPAPERS Independent Register 922 W. Exchange Street Brodhead 897-2193 SADDLE & TACK Brodhead Harness 1602 S. Scotch Hill Road Brodhead 897-3820 SAND & GRAVEL Footville Rock and Lime Corp. and Trucking 14249 W. Dorner Road Brodhead 876-6608 SEPTIC CLEANING Southern Wisconsin Septic Service, LLC 704 4th Street Albany 862-7867 SEWER SYSTEMS DESIGNED & INSTALLED Kranig Excavating, Inc. 704 4TH Street Albany 862-7867 TAVERNS Gary’s Center Tavern Bar & Grill 108 N. Water Street Albany 862-3320
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Albany FIRE - EMERGENCY...................................................911 NON-EMERGENCY 205 N Mechanic..................................608-862-3919 POLICE - EMERGENCY..............................................911 NON-EMERGENCY 206 N Water .......................................608-862-3255 AMBULANCE.............................................................911 NON-EMERGENCY....................................608-862-3249
Brodhead FIRE - EMERGENCY...................................................911 NON-EMERGENCY....................................608-897-2112 POLICE - EMERGENCY..............................................911 NON-EMERGENCY ...................................608-897-2112 AMBULANCE.............................................................911
Juda
LIBRARY Albertson Memorial Library 200 N. Water Street, Albany............................ 862-3491 Memorial Public Library 1207 25th Street, Brodhead............................. 897-4070 Orfordville Library 203 W. Beloit Street, Orfordville...................... 879-9229
CITY AND VILLAGE GOVERNMENT Albany Township N6065 County Hwy E, Albany.................... 608-862-3000 Albany Village Hall 206 N. Water Street, Albany...................... 608-862-3240
FIRE - EMERGENCY...................................................911 NON-EMERGENCY........ 608-934-5563 or 608-934-1628 POLICE - EMERGENCY..............................................911 NON-EMERGENCY....................................608-328-9400 AMBULANCE.............................................................911
Brodhead City of-Clerk/Treasurer 1111 W. 2nd Avenue, Brodhead................ 608-897-4018
Orfordville
Brodhead Parks Department Director 1111 W. Second Avenue, Brodhead.......... 608-897-2159
FIRE - EMERGENCY...................................................911 NON-EMERGENCY....................................608-879-2122 POLICE - EMERGENCY..............................................911 NON-EMERGENCY...................................608-879-9212 AMBULANCE............................................................911
SCHOOLS
Brodhead Historical Society 1108 1st Center Avenue, Brodhead........... 608-897-4150
Brodhead Senior Center 1103 W. 2nd Avenue, Brodhead................ 608-897-4796 Brodhead Swimming Pool 1106 4th Street, Brodhead.......................... 608-897-8091 Brodhead Public Works 1700 11th Street, Brodhead....................... 608-897-4384
Albany School District 400 5th St., Albany..................................... 608-862-3135
Brodhead Water & Light Commission 1108 11th Street, Brodhead....................... 608-897-2505
Albrecht Elementary School 1400 21st St., Brodhead............................ 608-897-2146
Brodhead Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 16, Brodhead............................... 608-897-8411
Brodhead High School 2501 W. 5th Ave., Brodhead...................... 608-897-2155
Orfordville Clerk 106 N. Center Street, Orfordville............... 608-879-2004
Brodhead Middle School 2100 W. 9th Ave., Brodhead...................... 608-897-2184
Town of Jefferson (Juda)................... 608-934-5255
Juda School N2385 Spring St., Juda.............................. 608-934-5251 Parkview Elementary School 106 W. Church St., Orfordville................... 608-879-2956 Parkview High School 408 W. Beloit St., Orfordville..................... 608-879-2994
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
AMBULANCE FIRE - POLICE
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Plans for aviation museum are taking off
Plans for aviation museum are taking off
We have one GOAL at
Brodhead, WI Across from Subway
The highest quality repair and complete customer satisfaction!!!
MONROE ONE HOUR CLEANERS
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Ninth Street, Monroe • 608-325-5860
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
FREE LOANER CAR When you need body work call us first.
608-897-8447
bodycraftersautobody@gmail.com
Proudly serving Brodhead and the stateline area since 1986.
381911
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
We have the experience, skill and facilities to return your vehicle back to showroom NEW condition.
Specializing in cleaning clothes of all types, draperies, comforters, pillows, wedding gown preservation, leather & suede jackets and dress shirts folded or on hangers and starched to your specifications.
DID YOU KNOW you can drop off and pick up items to be cleaned each Monday and Thursday at Pinnow Pharmacy in Brodhead?
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AT LEFT: Kelch Aviation Museum Executive Director Pat Weeden, left, and Tom Brown from the William S. Knight Foundation are pictured at the Brodhead museum. The foundation has donated $370,000 to the museum project. OPPOSITE: Ray Pawlisch, representing the William S. Knight Foundation, presents a donation in a symbolic U.S. Air Mail pouch to Ami Eckard-Lee, collections manager at the Kelch Aviation Museum in Brodhead. The foundation has donated $370,000 to the museum project and the check presentation was the final one, as museum officials get ready to start construction on the Phase II building at the facility. The two are pictured near the museum’s 1929 Stearman C3-B.
Organizers eye spring 2021 opening, social and educational events By Katelyn Black CORRESPONDENT
Brodhead’s Kelch Aviation Museum is raising money to construct its Phase II building before officially opening its display to the public in spring 2021. Currently located inside their Phase I hangar, this large collection of historical planes was once owned by Wisconsin airplane fanatic, Alfred Kelch. Kelch lived in Milwaukee before moving his planes to the Brodhead airport in the 1990s. Kelch, who died in 2004, had set up a trust in hopes that his collections would one day become a museum. Now, his wish is about to come true. According to Pat Weeden, Kelch Aviation Museum executive director, museum officials plan to break ground on the Phase II building in November, and the museum itself should be open to the public by spring. The attraction will consist of the Phase I hangar, where the vintage airplanes are stored now, and the Phase II building, which is set to include an archive library and event center. Both buildings are located adjacent to the airport.
“The part that’s remaining to be built is the offices, bathroom, the library. We’ll have a climate-controlled archive space, and we’ve got like ten thousand books we need stored here,” Weeden said. “The big part is that there will be an event space. We’ll have about 4,000 square feet of rentable event space, so if people want to have a meeting, party or class reunion, anything.” Now, with the projected opening of the building just months away, Weeden is staying focused on fundraising for the project. Fundraising started in 2016, bringing in $1.15 million so far. The total fundraising goal for the project is $1.5 million. Before the pandemic hit, Weeden planned to have all of the money raised before breaking ground on the building. However, all of the summer fundraising events had to be canceled. Still, both private and organizational donors have come through for the effort in other ways. According to Weeden, lots of people have still donated through their website. Some private donors have helped by transferring stock, leaving a sum in their will to the museum, or donating old aviation technical journals. Local organizations, such the Brodhead Area Foundation and William S. Knight Foundation, also have taken part. According to a press release from the Kelch Aviation Museum, the Brodhead Area Foundation gave a three-year grant
totaling $135,000, and the William S. Knight Foundation donated $370,000. The Phase I hangar, which sits at the Brodhead airport, will be named the Bill and Sue Knight Memorial Vintage Airplane and Auto Hangar in honor of the William S. Knight Foundation’s donation. Now, with the opening date in sight, Weeden is able to focus on the long term. When Kelch was still alive, he helped create the museum’s mission statement. He had wanted the attraction to be-come a place where people could not only enjoy the planes, but also learn a little something, too. Weeden hopes to implement educational programs in the future. “I don’t want people to think of this as a building full of old stuff that you come and look at once and forget about,” he said. “We want to have regular educational events out here teaching STEM. We want this to be a place people like to come to and like to be at, even if it’s just to hang out or take part in an hour-long class. “We might do stuff for kindergartners on how to make a paper airplane, right up to (activities for) high school kids on aerodynamics and advanced physics of airplane designs and things like that. Our long term goal is absolutely to be an educational facility.” Weeden is offering tours through the Phase I hangar by appointment only. Every one attending the tour must wear a mask. Email Pat Weeden at pweeden@ kelchmuseum.org for questions or to set up an appointment.
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SUBMITTED PHOTOS Connections
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Fresh from the farm
KATELYN BLACK Connections
Maple Leaf Cheese continues a century of service in Green County By Katelyn Black
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
CORRESPONDENT
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With a factory located in Twin Grove and specialty grocery stores in New Glarus and Juda, Maple Leaf Cheese has become a longtime staple throughout Green County. Still, the factory looks a little different today than it did 100 years ago during its opening year, when all of the cheesemaking was done by hand. It even looks different than it did four decades ago when master cheesemaker Paul Reigle began his career with Maple Leaf. When he started, the factory was located in Albany, not Twin Grove. Despite the changes, Maple Leaf cheesemakers such as Reigle know some things should remain untouched, like the quality of ingredients. He believes this is what makes their cheese special. “We try to make a pretty consistent product out of the highest quality milk we can get,” he said. And it’s that unique flavor that keeps customers coming back to buy the product online and in specialty grocery stores, such as the Maple Leaf Cheese Store in Juda.
The store opened along Wisconsin Highway 59 in 1997 and carries a large selection of cheeses directly from the Maple Leaf factory. Among those signature cheeses are a number of products from other area factories that cater to a wider range of customer preferences. In total, the store carries more than 150 types and styles of cheese. With the coronavirus pandemic and health concerns, Maple Leaf Cheese Store closed its doors to the public and only offered pick-up, delivery and shipping options for a while earlier this year. But the store has returned to normal hours and in-store traffic has neared normal levels. That’s good news for cheese-lovers from near and far. Green County Ag Chest President Sue Rieder pointed out the prominence of the industry in our area. “Green County has more master cheesemakers and cheese manufacturing plants than any other county in the state,” Rieder said. “There’s nothing like buying cheese directly from the factory.” FROM TOP: The Maple Leaf Cheese factory is located For online ordering, product in Twin Grove; The Maple Leaf Cheese stores carry descriptions and pricing, go online to more than 150 types and styles of cheeses. There are www.wischeese.com or locations in Juda and New Glarus. www.mapleleafcheese.com. SHAUNA BERGEMANN/MAPLE LEAF CHEESE Connections
Preserving the past with an eye to the future Conservation group eyes opening of Three Waters Reserve in Brodhead By Katelyn Black CORRESPONDENT
The restorations taking place at the reserve aren’t limited to the outdoors. The SWLC also is working on turning the old golf clubhouse into a “conservation and regenerative nature and event center,” according to conservancy officials. Construction for the center is still ongoing, and because of the pandemic, there isn’t a final completion date set. When the center is finished, it will consist of two levels. The bottom level is set to serve as a field station for educational programs run by the watershed association, while the top level will house both public and private events with upgrades in the kitchen, dining room and bathrooms. Food served for events at the new nature and event center will be locally sourced, coming from vendors such as the Riemer Family Farm. The Riemer farm is a longtime local business and reserve partner that specializes in regenerative farming and grass-fed beef. According to farmer owner Bryce Riemer, regenerative farming is a practice that helps to build topsoil. He believes it’s a great way to help save this limited resource and produce healthy food for customers.
The Riemer Family Farm has been in production for 90 years, with Bryce Riemer and his family representing the third generation. Though they haven’t begun farming on the back nine just yet, the Riemers hope to become more involved with the new Three Waters Reserve in order to help members of the public see and understand regenerative farming. “We really are sort of a bridge between ecological care for the land and production farming,” said Jen Riemer, co-owner of Riemer farms. “Our goal is to show that they don’t have to be exclusive from one another, we can both restore the land and produce some really great food.” For those interested in seeing the reserve, Lehnhardt is planning on hosting a small gathering sometime this fall to let people walk the various trails and get an idea of what the clubhouse will look like when finished. The event will be held outside to allow for social distancing. The Three Waters Reserve is located at N3491 Golf Course Road. Go online to facebook.com/threewatersreserve for more information.
FROM TOP: Native wetland plant species such as the spotted joe-pye weed and orange jewelweed shown here can be observed at the Three Waters Preserve; A panoramic view shows the natural beauty of the Three Waters Preserve at N3491 Golf Course Road in Brodhead. Organizers with the Southern Wisconsin Land Conservancy are working on turning the former golf course property into a nature preserve complete with a nature center and event space. SUSAN LEHNHARDT/SOUTHERN WISCONSIN LAND CONSERVANCY Connections
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
The land along Golf Course Road has long played a role in the life of Brodhead nature lovers. Now, nearly a century after the land was first introduced to the public, that heritage continues with the upcoming opening of the Three Waters Reserve. Back in 1905, local lumber baron Henry Putnam purchased the area that would one day become the Three Waters Reserve. After Putnam’s death, his nephew bought the land and eventually sold most of it to create the Decatur Golf Course, which would become a hit with area golfers. Even so, because of declining revenue, the land went up for sale in 2017. The plot didn’t remain unclaimed for very long. In 2018, a group of residents decided to buy the land with plans to turn it into what would eventually become the Three Waters Reserve. Those same residents soon formed the Southern Wisconsin Land Conservancy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of natural areas around southern Wisconsin. Now, over two years later, the group is working on carrying out that mission on their own land, right here in Brodhead. Susan Lehnhardt said she hopes the Three Waters Reserve can bring joy to visitors and help return the land back to its natural state. Lehnhardt is a member of the Southern Wisconsin Land Conservancy and the Lower Sugar River Watershed Association. “We hope to restore nature and provide a healthy environment for people in our community and the area,” Lehnhardt said. “We want to create a space where they can come and enjoy nature and appreciate nature and benefit from that natural beauty.”
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Handmade items lend a helping hand in Haiti Handmade items including jewelry, wall hangings and ceramics from Haiti are for sale at the Brodhead office of One Gift, One Child at 1035 1st Center Ave., Suite 105. Proceeds from the sale of the items go to the charitable effort that is a ministry of former Brodhead residents Natalie and Pierre Charlotin. One Gift, One Child seeks to protect orphaned Haitian children from abuse, poverty, slavery and trafficking. For more information, go online to onegiftonechild.org. SUBMITTED PHOTO Connections
Schlittler Construction Co., Inc.
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BAR & GRILL
108 N. Water Street Downtown Albany 608-862-3320
Bedroom Sets • Dining Sets • Hutches • Glider Rockers Rolltop Desks • Entertainment Centers • Computer Centers Lawn Furniture • AND MORE! ••• Custom work - Kitchens, Baths, Built-Ins •••
608-897-8787
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GARY’S CENTER TAVERN
Handcrafted Amish Furniture from
Open: Mon.-Sat. 9am-5pm We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover.
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CONNECTIONS 2020-21
356453
W282 Atkinson Rd. • Albany, WI
64 35
203 West Brodhead • Orfordville, WI 53576 Kevin Wellnitz • 608-879-2960 sathersservice.com
909 E. 9th Avenue, Brodhead, WI 608-897-4262 Excavating • Grading • Waterways Crossings • Diversions • Ponds Soil Borings • Septic Systems • Waterlines Sand • Gravel • Fill • Top Soil • Ag Lime
PARTY AT GARY’S CENTER! Food • Drinks • Fun
381910
Orfordville’s Food is Fuel is part deli, part grocery store
By Brett Sharp
S
CORRESPONDENT
itting at the corner of Beloit and Brodhead streets in the heart of Orfordville, Food is Fuel is a popular spot for locals and visitors. Once a dilapidated gas station, the building now oozes character, brought on by its beautiful brick facade and shining glass garage doors. But this hidden gem wasn’t always destined to be the local centerpiece it currently is. According to Food is Fuel owner Diana Grenawalt, there were initial talks of knocking the building down by property owner Kevin Wellnitz, a friend of Grenawalt’s, and also
owner of the nearby Sather’s Service. “Kevin purchased this land and the pumps as a kind of a passive source of income so that he didn’t have to work so many hours,” Grenawalt said. “He basically wanted to just knock the building down but the (village) wasn’t too thrilled about that idea, just having an empty lot.” “I told him I had this idea for this facility, basically just fill it in with everything that Orfordville is lacking, especially fresh produce and really anything that is somewhat healthy, which otherwise is not available in town,” she said.
See ORFORDVILLE, Page 13
ABOVE: Food is Fuel is part grocery store and part deli at Beloit and Brodhead streets in Orfordville. The focus is on fresh, local goods. INSET: Diana Grenawalt is the owner of Food is Fuel in Orfordville. The business is a popular stop for coffee, sandwiches and soups as well as fresh produce and other locally produced foods.
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
Small business fills a big need
BRETT SHARP Connections
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One stitch at a time Women’s quilting shop going strong in Orfordville CORRESPONDENT
Three years ago, Tina Wellnitz and Rhonda Streich were urged to share their passion for quilting with a larger crowd. Out of this idea came the Sassy Farm Chicks Quilt Company, located on West Beloit Street in downtown Orfordville. “When this building opened up, there were some people in town who encouraged us to open a shop,” Wellnitz said. “We were doing it at home for friends, so we thought, why not? We’ll try it and see what happens.” The business offers quilt appraisals, consignments, fabrics and long-arm quilt services, which use a computer program and automated machine to create the quilts instead of a typical sewing machine. They also offer quilting classes, clubs and events, such as the mystery quilt scavenger hunt to help area quilters connect. The 2020 scavenger hunt ran for six
months, from January to June, as a way to incorporate other shops. Participants received instructions about which part of the mystery quilt to stitch for that month and which shop to get the fabric from. After the six months were over, participants were left with a surprise quilt they made all on their own. Still, those at Sassy Farm Chicks do more than sell fabric and host scavenger hunts. One customer, Heather TurnerChojnacki, found a way to preserve memories and make new friends, all in one place. “I went there to learn how to make a T-shirt quilt for my son out of my mother’s shirts after (she) passed,” TurnerChojnacki said. “The amazing Rhonda and Tina helped me every step of the way. I had never quilted a day in my life. “The quilt turned out beautiful,” Turner-Chojnacki added. “My son absolutely loves it and has a little piece of his grandmother to cherish forever.” It’s that understanding and extra care 381918
CDetweiler’s ountryside Detweiler’s
Bent Bent & & Dent Dent
• Good selection of pet food • Great buys on name brands - SAVE A LOT! Refrigerated and frozen items W363 Atkinson Rd. • 608-897-2867 Open: Tues.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. • CLOSED Mon.
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
Southern Wisconsin Septic Service, LLC
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FOOTVILLE ROCK & LIME CORP FOOTVILLE TRUCKING CORP Call us for your landscaping needs!
Groceries Groceries
704 4th Street • Albany, WI
608-862-PUMP (7867) www.swss-pump.com Septic Tanks & Holding Tanks Pumped • Filter & Septic Cleaning
Fully Licensed and Insured - DNR License #2248
that makes Sassy Farm Chicks Quilting Company special. “They pay attention to their customers,” Craig O’Leary said. “They know every quilt has a story behind it to share, and they want to have their customers share that story.” And to be able to impact customers such as Turner-Chojnacki and O’Leary is so much more than Wellnitz imagined for the business in the beginning. “We’re further now than we ever thought we would be,” she said. “It really took off, which is great because we didn’t know what it would be like in a small town. “We just want to keep expanding and maybe someday we will have more fabric,” Wellnitz added. “But right now, with just the two of us, we stay really busy.” For more information about classes, products or events, call 608-931-5745 or 608-921-3566 or visit sassyfarmchicks. com.
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WE DELIVER!
Crushed Limestone Products • Mulch 70-79 Zone Ag Lime with Spreading Topsoil • Decorative Landscape Stone Fill: Dirt & Sand • Free Stall Sand Dump Truck Services 381917
14249 West Dorner Road Brodhead, WI 53520 • 608-876-6608
Horst Kitchens llc SPECIALIZING IN CUSTOM KITCHEN & BATH CABINETRY
608-921-4010 Myron Horst Owner
Designing to Installation
VISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM
15846 W. Hafeman Road, Brodhead, WI 53520
381924
By Katelyn Black
(Continued from page 11)
That idea for a facility turned into Food is Fuel, which is part local grocery store and part deli, serving up soup, sandwiches, wraps and more. In addition to the savory food items served up by the kitchen and various coffee drinks, customers can find a variety of locally sourced products. Cheeses from Decatur Dairy and fresh honey from Sugar River Apiaries join products like Deerland Dairy yogurt and Jack & Co. elderberry syrup as some of the homegrown products gracing the shelves. For things that can’t be supplied locally, having a business the size of Food is Fuel can be a struggle logistically. “A lot of places won’t even deliver to a small facility,” Grenawalt said. “Basically it’s a three-pallet minimum or like 150 cases of stuff. We’ll never go through that. I mean, maybe in three weeks.” But she has found some Wisconsin suppliers who are attuned to the needs of small business. For example, Alsum Farms and Produce, a Friesland, Wisconsin, based produce supplier, has been a reliable source of potatoes and salads for Food is Fuel. Working with a supplier that understands the needs of a small town business allows Grenawalt to focus on providing the freshest foods for her customers. “We’re really blessed to have them because they are really understanding of the quantities that we’re ordering,” Grenawalt said. Having local suppliers like Alsum proved to be especially important as the coronavirus pandemic took hold last spring. “When the shutdown occurred we just got crazy busy, which was awesome because we already had a lot of the suppliers for produce and things like that,” Grenawalt said. “So we were basically just able to increase our ordering. I think we doubled during the shutdown.” Local residents increasingly turned to Food is Fuel as other larger retailers struggled to keep shelves full. “We were doing our best and it was evident that everybody in the community just totally appreciated the fact that we were here,” she said. “So that’s what really kept us going.” Even after things began to return to “normal,” business has remained busy, pushing Grenawalt to find more help behind the counter. She was able to find the help she needed, while also helping the community. “It still remained really busy, so we hired some more high school kids and an intern for summer,” Grenawalt said.
“There was a lot of young kids in here with first jobs,” she said. “We were really able to help the community and it was pretty clear that they really appreciated it.” One of those young employees, Blair Lewis, a Parkview High School senior, quickly felt at home at Food is Fuel. “It’s not like a chain,” said Lewis, who has worked there since June. “ I feel like it’s more personal.” One of the more satisfying aspects of the job for Lewis is the creative control she’s allowed to have at Food is Fuel. “We do a lot with our Instagram,” she said. “They gave all of us kind of creative control.” In addition to influencing the business’ social media presence, employees have seen their own ideas come to fruition on the menu board. “One girl just came up with something for the menu too,” Lewis said. “We have a
thing called a coffee freeze, like ice cream and coffee, and she came up with an iced Chai ice cream drink, and they put that on the menu. “It’s really nice working with someone that you know has a mutual respect for you,” Lewis said. As for Grenawalt, she’s thankful for the opportunity to grow a business in her own community. “It’s been a fun ride, like not ever owning a business or anything like that, the learning curves, the sleepless nights and all that stuff,” she said. “Everybody always sees like, ‘Oh, you’re doing awesome.’ Like, yeah, except I didn’t sleep last night because I was worried about this, that or the other thing. “It’s been a real blessing. That’s for sure.” For more information or to visit Food is Fuel, find them at 204 W. Brodhead St. in Orfordville, or on Facebook at Food is Fuel LLC.
FROM TOP: The focus is on locally produced foods at Food is Fuel in Orfordville; A former Orfordville gas station convenience store has a new life as Food is Fuel, a deli and small grocery store. BRETT SHARP Connections
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
• Orfordville
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Follow a paddling path The Sugar River Canoe and Kayak Trail meanders through Green County and into northern Illinois, about 65 miles in all with 12 public landings. The landing at Station 6 of the route is located at Clarence Bridge Park just west of Brodhead and offers ample parking, a restroom, picnic area and camping.
JENNY SHARP Connections
KRANIG EXCAVATING, INC.
381921
Soil Evaluations (Perc Test)
BARTELT
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Enterprises Inc.
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CONNECTIONS 2020-21
800 E. Briggs Dr. • Albany, WI
SERVING SOUTHERN WISCONSIN 381923
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In a year marred by COVID-19 cancellations, some events did go on during the abbreviated version of Covered Bridge Days in August, including baseball and softball games, a horse show and the sports boosters chicken barbecue. Clockwise from top left: Green County Dairy Queen and Princess, Marisa Vosberg and Ellie Eichelcraut, prepare to hand out trophies during the Covered Bridge Days horse show; The team of Dave Olson, Jeff Jarvis, Al Hegi and Dave Covert worked to prepare hundreds of chickens for the Brodhead Sports Booster Club chicken barbecue fundraiser; Children of all ages enjoyed participating in the horse show on Brodhead’s south side; Brandon Riese delivers a pitch during the Covered Bridge Days men’s softball tournament at Legion Park.; Easton Rear arrives at third base ahead of the tag during a U8 baseball game; Dexter Mielke knocks out a hit in one of the U8 baseball games.
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
Covered Bridge Days 2020
BECKY MALKOW PHOTOS Connections
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New, Custom Hardwood Floors Installed, Sanded & Finished Custom Sanding of Old Floors
CONNECTIONS 2020-21
ull Hardwood Flooring
Jud a, W I
We carry over 150 different types of cheese from many of the local, award winning factories!
Hardwood Flooring Specialists for Over 40 Years Family Owned & Operated
• Cheese trays made to order
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL
• Fresh curds every Thursday
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• Local sausage
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• Souvenirs and gifts
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355922
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• Cedar crest ice cream
• Gift boxes for any occasion
(Next to the Juda Oasis)
608-934-1237
355929