Schmerse Farm Auction

Friday and Saturday were spent in blustery Janesville, Wisconsin on the Schmerse Farm. Mark’s grandparents have lived on this farm for 51 years: raised their family and made their living there. Basically, everything that’s defined them for the last 50 years has been there, at that farm. But now, at 85 and 81 respectively, Grandpa and Grandma Schmerse felt it was time to transition. They are both in great health, but haven’t farmed for years, and the stress of keeping up all that land and a big farm house was getting to be too much.

This farm has held it’s many memories for the Schmerse family, few of which I’ve gotten to experience, which makes me a little sad. There were countless Fourth of July Celebrations, Thanksgiving feasts, and childhood memories that will remain in peoples’ hearts; they will even still be celebrated with the same people, yet it will all be just a little different. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to be a part of a Schmerse Family Thanksgiving on the Farm, and look forward to helping build the new traditions that rooted in the traditions of Mark’s childhood.

Grandma and Grandpa’s big moving day was last Wednesday. They had spent the weeks prior sorting through 50 years worth of stuff to decide what would go with them to their new little apartment in town. The rest of the week was spent getting ready for the big farm auction where the rest of the stuff they had there would be sold to the highest bidder. We awoke Saturday morning at 6:30am to begin the tedious process of hauling stuff outside box-by-box. The auction lasted from 10am-2:30pm; four and a half hours of stuff sold – old tools, old toys, books, kitchen gadgets, and even an old car door - often whole boxes would go for just one dollar! I guess one mans trash really is another man’s treasure.

It was a little sad, but overall, a really cool experience if you can handle the man talking a mile a minute for hours on end, “onedollaronedollargimmetwodollartwodollar...come on…I would if I were you!” On Monday, they close on the property, and the farm is officially sold. It was a great time to connect with family, and to support Grandma and Grandpa in a time that was a little overwhelming for them. AND, if you’ve never been to a [farm] auction before, I suggest you try it. It’s a cultural experience [and a social event], even if you don’t buy anything - and one, I suspect, that will die out in the years to come as rural farming continues becoming less a way of life and more of a hobby.

I'll have to add pictures later, since blogger isn't cooperating.