Daily Activities for the week of July 1

Monday, July 1
10-11 am: Cream Separating Demonstration ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Tuesday July 2
10-11 pm: Design a Chicken ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4 pm: Storytime (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Wednesday July 3
10-11 pm: Play Animal Tic Tac Toe ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Thursday July 4
Farm Closed- Happy 4th of July!!

Friday July 5
No Dollar Drop In Activity Today
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

First Farmer's Market of the Season

Despite last Saturday's rain the farmers market started on a successful note.  1100 visitors came out to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and baked goods.  Join us every Saturday between 8:00 and 12:00!

Go Blackhawks!!

A Summer Treat

The cherries are always one of the first fruits to ripen at Wagner Farm.  Claire and Kris spent the day picking  cherries on Tuesday, and Nancy and Claire used them to make a delicious pie on Wednesday.  Next up, strawberry rhubarb!

Saving Sparrows

We had a couple of heroines at Wagner Farm today!  Christine and Roxanne found a birds nest lying on the ground.  When they went to investigate there were 3 little baby sparrows sitting inside.  Roxanne and Christine realized that the nest had fallen out of a nearby tree, so they placed it back on a branch, and the mom happily reunited with her babies.  Way to go ladies!

Step Back in Time

Did you know you can visit the Wagner Farmhouse everyday this summer?  Between 10:00 and 3:00 we have period interpreters will be cooking, doing laundry, and giving tours.  Learn all about the history of Wagner Farm and see how people lived during the 1920's. Who knows, we may even need your help in the kitchen!

Find Fun Everyday this Summer!

Every Monday-Friday we are featuring a special dollar drop in activity from 10-11.  So far we've groomed horses, made ice cream, and decorated cows! Check the blog each Sunday to find out what the week's activities will take place!

Daily Activities for the week of June 24

Monday, June 24
10-11 am: Meet a Chicken ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Tuesday June 25
10-11 pm: Make a Chick Cookie ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4 pm: Storytime (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Wednesday June 26
10-11 pm: Cream Separating Demonstration ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Thursday June 27
10-11 pm: Meet a Chicken - Holstein vs. Jersey Cows
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4 pm: Storytime (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Friday June 28
10-11 pm: Wheat Grinding Demonstration
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Farmer's Market This Weekend

Saturday June 22 is our opening day for the Glenview Farmers Market.  Come on out between 8:00 and 1:00 to buy your fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, and baked goods.  All vendors are local and ready for your business.  We look forward to seeing you!

A Field of Mooo-velous Cows

Here are some more cows from this year's Dairy Breakfast for you to enjoy!

Daily Activities for the week of June 17

Monday, June 17
10-11 am: Make a Muddy Pig ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)

Tuesday June 18
10-11 pm: Buttermaking Demonstration ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4 pm: Storytime (free)

Wednesday June 19
10-11 pm: Farm Animal Bingo ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)
Thursday June 20
10-11 pm: Ice Cream Making Demonstration
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4 pm: Storytime (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Friday June 21
10-11 pm: Meet the Team: grooming and care ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

And the Winner Is.....

Despite the rain we had a GREAT turnout for our 11th annual Dairy Breakfast.  This year we had 69 people who particated in our Pic-Cow-So contest.  Each person purcahsed a cow that was decorated and displayed at the event.  Visitors voted for their favories cows.  Below are adult and youth first place winners.
Congratulations to all of our particpants.  We hope it was Mooo-ving experice for you al!

 Adult Winner:  Richard and his Blackhawks Cow (Richard not pictured)

 Youth Winner Tie:  Libby and her Moo-nopoly Cow (on the left)

Youth Winner Tie:  Taylor and her sister, Paige with their bedazled cow

4-H Lambs Get a Haircut

Posted by Allyson

The 4-Hers were busy on Monday and Tuesday shearing their lambs. With the warmer weather we've been having, it was time to give them a haircut. Shearing the lambs will help them to stay cool as we get ready to move into the heat of summer. The wool is typically not kept for spinning into yarn since the 4-H lambs are a market breed and are not raised for their wool. The 4-Hers will shear their lambs one more time right before the Lake County Fair at the end of July to get them ready for the show ring. Now that the 4-Hers (and the lambs) have had some training and experience, the second time should be a little easier. It can be tricky getting the lambs to hold still but that's part of the learning process for everyone!

Storytime is back!!

Posted by Sarah

This summer we are very excited to have two new story tellers: Miss Nancy and Miss Stephanie.  Come out and join them every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00 pm for stories, songs, and silliness!

Bring Your Family & Have Breakfast with Ours

Posted by Allyson

This year's Dairy Breakfast poster is a bit unique from those in years past. It's a photo, but it's not just any photo. If you look closely, you'll see that the people in the photo are the staff of Wagner Farm. The photo is done in the old wet plate style that was common in the mid-nineteenth century. Back then, it was a big deal for people to have their portraits taken so when a photographer came to town, families dressed up and sometimes brought a personal item from the house or barn to be photographed with them. Following this tradition, Todd asked us to bring a prop to pose with that speaks to what we do at the farm or holds personal meaning to us.

Below is the original color photograph and then the tintype photograph that was produced digitally by our photographer Julie with a little Photoshop editing. You'll notice that the original photograph and tintype are reverse mirror images. This is because a tintype was actually the negative. Since a negative shows lights as darks and darks as lights, a black backing was then put behind the image to correct the contrast. The negative's mirror image, however, could not be reversed.

Bring your family & have breakfast with ours 

this Saturday, June 15 at our

Annual Dairy Breakfast and Farm Day! 

Daily Activites for the Week of June 10

Monday, June 10
10-11 am: Meet the Team - Come for a Ride ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)

Tuesday June 11
10-11 pm: Meet a Cow - The Basics ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4 pm: Storytime (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Wednesday June 12
10-11 pm: Design a Cow ($1 per person)
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)

Thursday June 13
10-11 pm: Meet a Chicken - The Basics
10 am-3 pm: Farmhouse Tours (free)
4 pm: Storytime (free)
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Friday June 14
4:30 pm: Public Milking Demonstration (free)

Join us Saturday, June 15 for our Dairy Breakfast!

Family Ties

Posted by Allyson

This wedding announcement and photo from 1956 of Dan and Claudette Miller came to our attention recently when one of our volunteers discovered that she had a friend who was related to the Wagner Family.  As it turns out, her friend's uncle, Dan Miller, married Claudette Wagner, daughter of Martin and Doris Wagner.  As you may recall, Martin was the youngest son of Thomas and Julia Wagner, the couple who purchased the land where Historic Wagner Farm is presently located and for whom the farm is the named.  Beth, our resident historian, has not been able to uncover a lot of information about Claudette (Wagner) Miller, but she did find the above wedding announcement a few years ago.  Below are a few more facts about Claudette's father, Martin, courtesy of Beth:

• Martin lived in Glen Oak Acres with his wife and two daughters, Darlene and Claudette.
• Martin and his brother Frank owned a building materials business in Northfield called Wagner Brothers.
• Martin also worked for a time as a bus driver for OLPH School.
• Martin passed away in 1984 at the age of 74.

Splish, Splash, MUD!

Posted by Allyson

 

The pigs have been loving all the mud that's resulted from the heavy rains we've been getting!  Pigs don't have sweat glands so the mud keeps them cool as temperatures heat up.  It also keeps them from getting sunburned as their skin is very sensitive to the sun's rays.  When we had the drought last summer, the pigs had to make do with man-made mud puddles and trips to the creek. Thankfully, rain hasn't been an issue yet this year!

Congrats to The Grove Heritage Association!

Posted by Allyson

Congratulations to The Grove Heritage Association (GHA) for celebrating 40 years of dedicated service, partnership and stewardship to The Grove!  The Glenview Park District helped GHA kick off it's 40th anniversary at their annual meeting Tuesday night by unveiling a permanent exhibit showcasing the accomplishments of GHA.

GHA began 40 years ago when a small group of citizens known as the Frog & Fern Ladies launched an effort to preserve The Grove from development.  The group evolved into what is GHA today and has continued to play an integral part in the preservation and development of The Grove by volunteering thousands of hours and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support The Grove's mission.  We wish them another 40 years of continued success and involvement!

Drop In for Fun & Volunteer!

Posted by Allyson

School's nearly out, summer is almost here and that means it's time for our daily drop-in activities to begin!  Join us for our weekly activities starting next week or consider volunteering and lending a hand! Ongoing and one-time opportunities are available for adolescents, adults and families.  Volunteer as a Dollar Drop-In program assistant, docent in the Wagner farmhouse, wagon ride assistant, gardener in the Be@the Farm garden plot, and more!

To get involved or for more information, contact Allyson at: 

847-657-1506 or allyson.dawson@glenviewparks.org.   

11th Annual Dairy Breakfast

Posted by Allyson

June is National Dairy Month! Come celebrate with us at our 11th Annual Dairy Breakfast on Saturday, June 15 from 8:00 am-1:00 pm.  Enjoy a delicious farm-style breakfast sponsored by Egg Harbor Cafe of Glenview, dairy demonstrations, wagon rides, and lots of hands-on activities throughout the morning, including the judging our first-ever Pic-COW-so Contest! Special thanks in advance to the Rotary Club of Glenview Sunrise for volunteering their time and service at the event alongside the volunteers of Wagner Farm!

Tickets available for purchase the day of the event. 

$10 for adults & kids over 10|$5 for kids 2-10|kids under 2 free

"Chirp, Chirp"

Posted by Allyson

The chicken coop has been bustling lately with a new flock of chickens.  Last week, our farmers returned the Barred Rock hens that had been in the coop to the local farm family from where they came and transferred our new flock of chickens outside to the coop.  The chickens were being kept inside this spring until the weather got warmer and they got a bit bigger.  The new chickens are Partridge Rocks, an historic breed that was developed in New England in the early 1900s. They are characterized as being intelligent, cold-hardy, dual-purpose birds.  All of the chickens are female with the exception of one rooster and should begin laying this fall when they are 5-6 months old.  Below are a couple photos of when the chicks first arrived at the farm.  It's amazing how quickly they grow!

Special Delivery!

Posted by Allyson

The 4-H dairy cattle are here for the summer!  The cattle arrived yesterday from Golden Oaks Farm in Wauconda.  As you can see from the photos below, the other heifers and cows here at the farm were very anxious to meet their new friends.  The cattle will remain in the barn through the weekend so that they can adjust to their new surroundings and our farmers can monitor their health closely.  We will keep the barn closed during this time as they acclimate to the farm.  In all, there are four heifers and one cow, all Holsteins.  The cow, Ada, will take over for Ray Ann in milking demonstrations and programs since Ray Ann was nearing the end of her milking cycle.  We'll begin letting the cows out to pasture next week so stop by then and say "moo" to the new girls!