10/13/2026
A farm is more than a place to grow things. It is a home shaped by generations, and a life built one season at a time.
Today is National Farmer’s Day, a day to honor the people who grow our food and care for the land. For our family, October 12 carries an especially deep meaning. On this exact day in 1871, Darrell’s second great-grandfather purchased the Columbia County land we still farm. After 155 years, it remains our home, our work, and our family’s legacy.
Tomorrow, I will go to the Capitol to fight for this same land. Both proposed routes for the BECI 765-kV line cross our farm. If built along either route, the line could destroy our home and the livelihood our family has worked generations to build.
I’ll join friends and neighbors affected by this project and meet with our Senator and Representative. I’ll share what the line could mean for our family and bring our specific requests for changes to legislation.
Farming is hard work in and of itself. Trying to protect our home and livelihood while keeping the farm running is harder still. We have weathered many storms, and this fight has brought us to our knees. But you know - that is a reminder to send up a prayer to our Good Lord Above for continued faith and tenacity. He gives us the strength to stand back up and keep going.
We are deeply grateful to the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association and the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association for standing with our farm and writing letters of support that I will carry to our legislators tomorrow (swipe to read the letters). We’re also grateful to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Its Board of Directors voted to oppose construction of the proposed 765-kV line, recognizing the unanswered questions and concerns about its impact on agricultural land and farm operations. Thank you for speaking up for Wisconsin’s farm families.
Thank you, too, for every card, email, and message with words of encouragement. We’ve always said we have the BEST people come out to our farm - and you prove it again and again.
We have to give a special thank you to our friends Cindy and Paul Crary! Thank you for giving so much of your time and care to the Farmacy. Cindy will help Darrell with the school groups and get the concession stand ready for a full weekend of serving Farmtastic Food. Paul will spend more than half a day on the mower (as he has every week) making sure the Farmacy looks picture-perfect. If you’ve visited us on a fall weekend over the past decade or so, you’ve probably seen him driving a hayride wagon. The generosity of these two amazing people gives me the chance to go to Madison and speak up for our farm. We’re grateful to have them beside us, and their help means more than we can say!
Want to understand the project or find a way to help? These community groups are good places to start:
• No 765 Line shares project updates and ways to contact lawmakers, attend events, and show your support: https://no765line.org/take-action/
• Wisconsin Alliance for Responsible Development - WARD offers BECI information, local meeting details, and guidance for getting involved: https://www.responsiblewi.org/beci
• Lake Wisconsin, Land, and Community Alliance (LWLCA) brings local residents and landowners together, shares information about BECI, and supports community advocacy: https://lwlca.org/
Please share our story, learn what’s being proposed, and find a way to stand with the families in its path. This land has held our family for 155 years. With faith and your support, we will keep fighting for its future.
