We had the joy of moving to our little farm in the spring of 2016. Formerly a greenhouse operated by the Benjamin family, the property had been vacant for awhile. Those of you who have lived in the Minocqua area for some time probably remember visiting the greenery when Donald & Dottie Benjamin had the business booming.
The first thing you would have seen when you came up the long driveway was the old stone barn foundation, most likely full of beautiful plants at the time. Mr. Benjamin told me that the barn itself had been sold to a private individual and was removed and reassembled somewhere else in Wisconsin. I hope they are enjoying that wonderful piece of Americana!
Prior to the Benjamins owning this quaint piece of Minocqua history, the property belonged to the Bassett Family. The following is an excerpt from our local newspaper:
Wowza! That’s some history. You can see why we HAD to have this Farm. Must be a true story, as the date is stamped right in the concrete….
Who the hell pours concrete in November in this state?
I digress…..we can discuss this fascinating tale more in my blog. At any rate, I would like to thank Mr. Benjamin a million times over for allowing us to take the reigns on this amazing story, even if he drives by occasionally and chastises me for the weedy garden. (I never claimed to have a green thumb.)
And so the reason for the newest chapter….”Adventures in Lavender.” A crop so lovely, so fragrant, and so…undemanding? Perfect! Having full time jobs, 3 teenage boys to raise, and very little free-time, this has been ideal for us: to carry on the legacy of those great gardeners before us, while keeping at least a bit of our sanity.
Please follow us, as we stumble along on this amazing journey…and watch us grow!!
