If you deal the cards, they will come

If you deal the cards, they will come

If you deal the cards, they will come.  Fishermen fresh off the nearby lake, retired CEOs of large corporations, farmers enjoying a break on a Tuesday afternoon, musicians, judges, police officers, shift workers, social workers, teachers…if you deal the cards, they will come. They’ll bring with them the memories of their fathers, who taught them [...]

A fish tale

A fish tale

Lee Bergsbaken spent Tuesday morning ice fishing on Shawano Lake and then made his way to his regular weekly sheepshead game at Take a Chance in Advance. "I've got a nice bunch of blue gills if you want them," he told my husband as they made their way in to play a few hands. It [...]

The sunflower whisperer

The sunflower whisperer

It's hard enough to plant a crop, tend it through fickle weather and harvest at just the right time to maximize the produce. Accomplishing all of that on the exact weekend you've invited more than 50,000 people from across the country to come to a festival you're hosting is nearly impossible. But, the Bergsbakens have [...]

Days of wine and sunflowers

Days of wine and sunflowers

Thanks to the owner/developer of one iconic Up North destination, we discovered another. Lee Bergsbaken, who rotated his crops six years ago and grew Wisconsin's prettiest Sunflower Festival, spent a little time chatting with us Saturday afternoon and urged us to check out the Hammen Family Orchard, Cider Mill and Winery. So, after a quick [...]