More Wet Paint

Posted by Allyson

A few volunteers have been busy the past few weeks repainting the old Fordson tractor that sits outside the Heritage Center.  Just like the buildings around the farm, the paint on the tractor was beginning to fade and chip, but we didn't realize just how badly it had faded until they begain repainting it.  The only difference betweent the repainting of the tractor and the buildings is that the farm buildings had not been painted for a good 5+ years.  The Fordson had just been repainted last year!  A big thank you to Joyce, Don, and Linda for sanding, cleaning, and repainting the tractor.  It really shines with the fresh new coat of paint!

Fresh Ingredients

posted by Andres
So, last week here at Wagner we had a middle school program going on all week long for the entire 7th grade. At one of the stations the group learned about how horses were used on the farm and then the transition into steel horses, a.k.a. tractors. That station also showed off the big, horse drawn, corn grinder that was installed on the property over the summer. It was the first time this grinder has been used here on the farm, and we found that it grinds the shelled corn into a rather fine corn meal. Having seen how fine the corn meal came out I was inspired to make some down home corn bread. I went on the internet and found a super simple recipe. The recipe, however, also called for eggs, milk, all purpose flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and oil. So what did I do? I went into the chicken coop, gathered my eggs. Then I took a measuring cup down to the barn, where one of our programmers was showing the middle school group how to hand milk, and that is where I acquired the necessary milk. Then I went into the farmhouse kitchen where another station for the middle school program was to bake biscuits in the wood burning oven. There I found, already out on the table, the remainder of my ingredients. I mixed it all up, poured it into a baking pan and stuck it in the wood burning oven. Once it was golden brown, I pulled it out, cut it up and distributed it to every staff member that I could find. Everyone enjoyed it, and I tell you what, it tasted pretty good to boot. I say, being able to gather the fresh ingredients by just walking around the farm really gives one a sense of how things were done in a simpler time. I also had fun doing it. So, until next time, and may inspiration find you…

Piggy Play Date

Posted By Sarah

Every now and then our animals like a little change of scenery.  Christine and Mary Beth decided to take their namesake pigs (Christine and Mary Beth) on a walk through the cow pasture the other day.  They enjoyed running through the grass, rolling around in the muddy stream, and eating lots of grubs!  Needless to say, they were both ready for a nap in the mud when they got back "home."

Moving through the Prairie

posted by Todd
This week Bob and Sue got to see some new territory when they went to Lake Forest to help Elawa Farm with an event.  The path took the team through the restored prairie and up to the festival grounds.  With the tall grasses it was really neat to see the team suddenly emerge.

Smore's, Hot Dogs, and Bonfires

Posted by Sarah

The weather cooperated and brought us a perfect fall evening to host our Harvest Bonfire event.  1650 people came out to roast marshmallows, listen to stories, and stay warm by the fires.  In fact, we have hosted 4 events this year and 3 have been our highest attended since the farm opened.  Thanks to everyone who continues to come out and support Wagner Farm, we love having you as our guests!

Scarecrow Soiree

Posted By Sarah

The Build Your Own Scarecrow Event is by far one of my more favorite programs we host at the farm.  There is nothing funnier than seeing headless bodies holding a pumpking head and sitting at a picnic table waiting for their new owner to take them home.  Kids and their parents, grandpaernts, even young couples come by and work together making baby scarecrows, large linebacker scarecorws, or even scarecrow familes.  I think the kids have more fun playing in the straw!  Enjoy some of the fun from this event.

Painting at Wagner Continues

posted by Todd
The painting crew is down to their final building, the Heritage Center.  Some of us were laughing that before they started we thought the Heritage Center didn't especially need painting attention right now. However, now that they have, the unpainted sections almost look pink compared to the fresh barn red.  If the weather holds they should be done by the first of next week.

Nine Wagons and Counting

Posted by Jen

Three different days, three different wagons full of donated vegetables from the 92 community gardeners. This wagon is by the front gate to the community garden at all times except during the Farmer's Market, when it is parked by the Green Table. Gardeners have been donating their excess almost every day for several weeks now -- 9 full wagons of veg have made their way to the families of the Northfield Food Pantry. A tremendous way to celebrate an abundant harvest in the midst of a drought!

Eagle Scout Project at the Farm

posted by Todd

Over the course of the last eleven years there have been countless Wagner Farm projects taken on by young men with the hopes of attaining the Eagle Scout badge and the honors that go with it.  This past weekend Luke and his troop took on painting the farmyard shed.  Just short of 20 gallons of paint went on to the building in about 36 hours.  While it was hard work, from what I saw it looked like they were having a good time too.  A huge thank you to Luke and the Boy Scouts.

Shermerfest 2012

posted by Todd

One of the requirements for membership in the Glenview Clovers 4-H club is to do community service projects.  This weekend the club participated in Northbrook's Shermerfest (the town used to be called Shermerville) To help raise money for the Northfield Township Food Pantry the kids did a "make your own scarecrow".  While we made some money the real hit of the event was the chickens and Buttercup the cow.

Double Header this Saturday

Barn red

posted by Todd

This week our painters have started the task of getting all of the farm buildings a new coat of paint.  First up is the barn.  It has been 9 years since we painted it last.  If you were around back then you might remember that there was a lot of discussion in the community about what color the barn should get painted.  We ended up going with a color called Country Redwood and it really is the perfect, "barn red". 

Check it out! A few more silo exhibit photos...

Open and Ready for Business

Posted by Sarah

For those of you that frequent our blog , you have probably read about and seen pictures of the silo exhibit in our Heritage Center.  Staff has been working diligently to get the exhibit up and running, and I'm happy to say as of this past Saturday the fence came down and the visitors came running!  You could hear one little boy exclaim "I'm so excited, I've been wanting to go up there so bad!"  Come on out and see what the excitement is all about-and learn a little something too.

More Barndance Fun!

Posted by Sarah

Ice Cream and Square Dancing

Posted By Sarah

One of the first fall events of the season is our Barndance and Ice Cream Social.  Families and friends bring picnic dinners, eat ice cream, and dance Virginia Reels into the night!  I'm always amazed at how well our Glenview community square dances!  Saturday was a beautiful evening and everyone enjoyed spending time at the farm, and with each other.  A big THANK YOU to our friends, the Common Taters, for providing the music, and Homer's Ice Cream in Wilmette for donating their delicious vanilla ice cream!