The Favre Barn - The Backside Story
I'm here to show and tell the rest of the story behind
"Mr Rodgers Neighborhood!"
Are you looking forward to the 2012-13 Green
Bay
Packer Season? Me too! So is Ms Patti Schroeder of Larsen WI, who has
been
supporting the Packers in a "big" way for many years, dating as far back
as Brett Favre's career with the team. The sign on the side of the
historical barn has matured from supporting Brett Favre, to morning his
loss, and cheering on his replacement Aaron Rodgers. The signs are
constructed from re-purposed
corrugated plastic which is old signage from Patti's "Clintonville
Shell" gas station in downtown Clintonville. And interestingly
enough....this signage is just the beginning of the story.
 |
| #12 from the back! |
On the backside of the
"Farve Barn"now known as Mr "Rodgers" Neighborhood...is the
PS Schroeder
Estate....a pristine property with a lot of
history, dating back to before Wisconsin was a state! Lovingly named by Patti's sister, the "PS Schroeder Estate" is located
on
"Manu" Road (named such by the Town of Winchester neighbors
popular
vote, in honor
of Patti's -now deceased- pet duck) in the small community of Larsen,
WI. And if you haven't
noticed yet, take a good look, this particular barn has two cupolas
with two different dates on them and for good reason. The first part of
the barn was raised in 1895. The second half was added in 1906. And if
just those few facts are not interesting enough, Patti Schroeder of
Larsen, WI has plenty more stories to tell. Patti is one of the nicest
people you'll ever meet, she is well loved and respected in the Town of
Winchester (hence the proof in her neighbors naming the road after her
beloved duck) and shared almost 2 hours of her time off this Sunday, to
show me around her lovely restored home and farm.
Patti
has preserved the entire farm exactly as it is: including the house,
the summer kitchen, the old cold smoke house, the pump house, and the
117 year old barn. Each one of the outbuildings on the farm has its own
unique history and usage. (Several buildings were not accessible at
this time because of the storms from last year, in which I believe Patti
said, she lost 13 full grown trees.) Patti has also lovingly planted
an orchard, new and old trees both grace the property, some with there
own stories, several planted in the memory of personal friends of
Patti's. Patti also landscaped the entire area surrounding the buildings
and although some of the properties grounds have fallen victim to over
growth, she still showed me her enchanted woods marked by a sign: Enter these enchanted woods, you who dare! A favorite poem of Patti's by George Meredith....I'll include it here at the end of the Blog.
I took close to 250 photos at this location alone. A lot of them will
not make the cut, but many will be added to a "Collection" and available
for purchase in the next month or so. 20 will be posted on this weeks
"Capture Wisconsin's" Photo Contest this Thursday.
 |
| Colors reflected from sign |
I
want to thank Patti for her time and effort, for the tour, for the
contributions she has made to the community, to Packer Country, to the
preservation of a beautiful historic country farm estate here in
Wisconsin. And I want to wish her well. Her work on the estate will
hopefully continue until she passes the torch on to another.
"Enter these enchanted woods,
You who dare.
Nothing harms beneath the leaves
More than waves a swimmer cleaves.
Toss your heart up with the lark,
Foot at peace with mouse and worm,
Fair you fare.
Only at a dread of dark
Quaver, and they quit their form:
Thousand eyeballs under hoods
Have you by the hair.
Enter these enchanted woods,
You who dare."
http://www.collectionsbycarol.com
http://www.capturewisconsin.com/users/caroltoepke
https://www.facebook.com/caroltoepke
Green Bay Botanical Gardens
