Winter Homestead Session
Shawano, Wisconsin
March 10th, 2018
Let’s take a walk…a walk through time, through the legacy of a Wisconsin dairy farming family. A walk, that after three generations of back breaking work, passion, and perseverance has come to an end…
Here we are, just days before the auction. When I saw the flyer for Mark and Kathy’s farm sale I felt compelled to reach out to them. Small family farms, such as theirs, hold so much history. History that can only be preserved through memories, stories and photographs. Although I do not come from a farming family, I come from a community that values agriculture, and that has instilled an immense respect in me for the families that work countless hours, 7 days a week to support, feed and fuel our country. My hope was that by documenting the farm while it was still in operation would make this transition a little easier, knowing they have something they can physically look back on, cherish and share with future generations.
Friday was the last day…The last day he will rise before sun up to walk through that old milk house door, into the 110 year old barn that was home to a herd of 80. The auction has now come and gone. The equipment will run again in new fields. The herd has found new homes. And the legacy of the Kroenke family will forever have a lasting impact on the agricultural community and we thank them greatly for that.
It has been said “all good things must come to an end.” I don’t know that a farmer is ever really ready for that time. It’s in his blood. It’s what he knows. It’s what he enjoys. But if there were ever a time to retire, it was now. I wish Mark and Kathy the best in this next chapter of their life. May they continue to be blessed with good health and new adventures be on their horizon. God Bless!
Timeless Touch Photography 