Counties of Wisconsin; 35; Pepin County

Today's counties of Wisconsin program features one of our smallest counties both in area and population. This county is in the western part of the state and was originally a part of neighboring Dunn County. Pepin County may have been named after an early French explorer and Lake Pepin is shown on early maps of the region. During this half hour area residents and two University of Wisconsin Extension staff members talk about extension programs and their county Pepin. First agricultural agent George Aankhen and John Simpson. And somebody's background if you're familiar with him prep and conquer the market you've got to give me an idea how many people live in our county and something of

Dr ethnic background and how he and the center came to this area. Well at this time there are about 7000 people. My memory would go back into about 25 25 26. And at this time there were about 8000 people. The basically the west end of our county were Scandinavia and. The eastern end were people from Wash Korea. And in the central area. We had a real mixture of polish. French. Irish. And so on and this would this area would consist of Waterville and if you do ran around Cuba doing. This would basically the way they were just riveted at that time

talking with today what do we have we got. Well today as I see it we have people in the Depression. Of course because of that. Great movement of the people. Fires grew bigger the people left. And. From my position here at this time it appears that we do not have the complete separation of the people like we did at that time there are. More mixed. So I. Don't want to get into a woman ethnic and mix them up with youth that haven't although I think the. Changes that we're seeing were not really growing county I guess. Mike we're growing slightly but not like some other areas in the states counties

that are 100 percent rural. Because we don't have a large community. What do you think the future for the next 5 10 15 years are going to be because we do have influence with of all the think Paul Minneapolis area. Well I would feel that actually we are going to grow. Because the cities are getting to lie and to and many people at this time. In other words the quality of life here. To me is really far superior tool Clairmont amany and especially the twin cities Chicago and what. People left this area. It was because of money because jobs and so on. And. I don't see this as a factor anymore. No I don't think we have a thing of the importance of the one.

People are more concerned about other values of than living in an area like that. Right now I graduated from high school 37 and there are three of us left here. Still and the reason we were here is our dad were all property owners. We were able to have a job and so we're still here. Not that I would develop poor area but the possibility for poor them to record more of a recreation in a private. We do have Lake Pepin that you're probably familiar with. Well I see some increase in it because of my operation of this small camp. I do see more and more people coming in for. The reason of simply solitude quiet and so on. Approximately 10 years ago

everybody demanded a speedboat largely. Many many things and people I do seem to be demanding this seclusion this time. Home economist Sharon Davis had three guests. The first was Joyce Stephens. Wanted to deny being a member of the board. Would you expand a little bit on some of the. Current. Thread you have Graham. Our members. Are a member executive board president of cop and executive. At a record period the board and we help set up the. Apple a glory I would be getting the bylaw that up. And then we turned a little over two people our homemaker group but everybody in the homemaker group we feel involved because we are. Making for their gift shop which is the thing they're pushing right now probably really give them a good. And. Solid B.

And. Highwood involved quite a move in the free market which we hand up at school and we contacted people from Interpol A. Whole Claire all kind of county there around them besides their own home. People. Which was really interesting. And I have like the leader training. Here and in the. Add button found things that my members have requested that they wanted more information on and we really appreciate getting it off. One that we really had fun with with. Everybody did their own thing with it. From the Baked Bean who. Who. Who. Next to of Pepin counties senior citizens Mr. and Mrs. Albert Myers what kind of things what kind of program. The county been doing witnessing it.

Well they have. Developed a center here. For every week on Thursday. Regards Heather coffee which is we really enjoy it. I think that had a little money to. Other officers and happening in Arkansas to other. Sections that they have wanted people to record but not murder yet the new prison meal same as if. Mrs. Myers you were telling me that your whole family is going to come in for Easter. Would you tell us a little bit about your family and whether they have you know where they are now having stayed in the county or are they moved away to other places. No they all they all live in different counties except our son. It's about our farm. And they will be somewhere around 25 or 30 other probably. Quite a number. And

I have a number of great grandchildren and I have a mother that lives in Pippen County and it is. Nine years old and lives alone. And does your own work on your own. Get real alert to everything that's going on and. Remember. You both missed. I gather from what you're saying that both you and Mr Myers have grown up most of your. I have spent most of your life here in the area. Yep and now your children have moved away to other counties or live and then you said one was in Idaho. I have a grandson living and I the hole that he had been in the Philippines for 2 years and I've had a I also have a grandson that married a Korean girl which I haven't met yet. And I'm hoping that I will meet her there live in the sense of being in the now and they're coming home this summer.

Well it's just been. For me and everything since you have arrived here are we all of your life from right here in the area and your children grew up here. Can you tell us how what kind of changes have. Have happened over the years from when let's say when you were children up to now. Can you just give a few highlights of what kind of change what you will have will happen. So many changes to try to catch up with some of the dashing a couple of us that are a couple of things that will. When I was a boy we had a good au pair of horses we used if we want to go somewhere we walked. For cover Fortenberry come with practice that was very exact with that we had today. Nobody knows how to handle a horse.

In a field. What do you think of that the contraptions that we use and that in the farm now. You talk about the red you know well it's a wonderful thing. I think the progress made in many years. 50 years. So much I don't know. It's a pretty big book explain it all lighted you have. Been doing lap of different things if you think I'm trying just to let you know and maybe you could relate to the whole making of it as well. Oya been a lot of things like. You two are fun with a washboard and then we think again. One thing and then we think through elected and now I've got an automatic Don't ring bar. I've given a lot a lot of people who bought things from the floor and I know what I feel. Through my work from scratch. The bit that I am going to bring and I enjoy doing

different things. But there's such a thing in the country. Sharon's final guest was K long story. When I talk you were earlier you had said that you moved into the area when you got married when you were like us at all some of the uniqueness that you think maybe Pepin County has. OK I like this county I think I've. I doubt that it is my own. I'm like you I like the hero. You Have To me it's like a little mountain tour. And I came from a county that was basically flattened. It's really quite small and one of the things that. When I moved here really struck me is that its moment. Can you give any advantages or disadvantages that you see from this. My having a population of seven thousand five think one of vantages that you're more into more things in your county you know more people you're more aware of everything that's going on.

I also know that your you and I know even the fourth members that have come out of your family are avid court fans. Can you relate to this at all. Yes. This is something I would like to see growing up in comedy again last year and this year we have been working on a project to have trophies that are. What we call our core show at the fair which is probably really small compared to other counties but I think we have the interest here. That we can develop this more. I see some differences and Pepin counties fare for it you fare as a call compared to other forage fairs and other fairs in counties can't and I'm sure because even in the horse area that you've been to other fans around. Can you talk some of the differences between our fare and out of there. Well I think our fair compares really favorably. You know far as our example. And probably the things that we have. That are in our. Own diary or like you say heart we really don't have the amount

when it comes like our work project we don't have the number of people that really permit us to get into like more. Of a short type. I think that what we have is just basically what would. Be a crumby project what they ask of the havoc of their uniqueness that I think is there because out what makes it go with people like you with 4H leaders and the members because we have very few open class. Exhibits and there's no rhyme or Carnival is something like that so it's completely fair and I think that's a very unique thing and that draws a lot of favorable comments. You were telling me about. The town that you come from what you call Arkansas which when I first got here I thought that they were relating the statement didn't make much sense. But would you talk a little bit about Arkansas which is one of the three areas that have been counting. Yes I always have the same problem when you say Arkansas they get all right I don't think

you're from a long ways away. I was real surprised to look some history on Arkansas and I have seen some pictures and found that at one time it was probably four times as big as it is now which covered a large area I think it was the county seat for a while. And I believe they had a fire there at one time that kind of drove the town. But if it's just interesting to drive through and think of what Way Way Back and how it must have looked at. It. County with many elderly citizens housing is an important concern. Here again George Aankhen. I'm talking with Doris Moran one of our housing authority members and the Pepin County Housing Authority has worked. A. Very hard and very warming to develop crowding units for senior citizens and county. And Doris. Perhaps you could tell us where our housing units are located. We have 24 units in Durham and we have 10 units in happened and we have eight units in Arkansas. Now farther away have units go

what kind of unit are they mightn't we have one and two bedroom apartment. They are very adequate for any of the elderly in fact. Much of our own or they think that they've moved into seventh heaven. And being out. On what kind of a need to fill for elderly people because we do have the jewel of knowledge. But what are some of the things that they really like about them. Oh they don't have any yak to take care of for one thing and they don't have to worry about everyone because it's all paid for and when. I have one family when they pay their rent. And it's really taking a big burden for the elderly people by being able to move into one of these apartments and their families don't worry about them anymore either they don't have to going to a nursing home and I like that because of having to be left alone in a home where they have to get a promise and and all the other. Duties that they had before.

It's a little difficult for some of these older people to do the things. I know I'm good this is one of the things that when the nonprofit corporation developed these units was to meet the needs of the big quiet help and. Perhaps you could explain the range of rent that these people have to pay in order to live in these type of units. You want the amount of yelling Mommy I think I want a bedroom apartment rents for a hundred and twenty at present time and that includes. Carpeting and drape and double refrigerator and lights and water heat. I'm even thinking up the garbage and other things that our elderly people aren't capable of doing a lot of them right now and but still they can live alone in these places and the two bedroom apartments are a hundred forty five. And actually that takes care of everything except their telephone.

I think that all the fine things about these kind of us. Perhaps you can go a little bit into the background when we organize. You know we did have to make a survey and. Could you maybe explain a little bit of opp a survey was conducted. Third you know I wasn't in and I want to have it ok. I think I'm a little bit later on. The only thing well with the survey we have two applicants for each particular unit and what I got here on Israel and I feel and they're OK why not work to live on with the nonprofit corporation. Perhaps you're going to explain how the Board of Directors functions with this problem. How do you know that what they. Do in the Senate to keep the project going. Well. We have. Three from each area that happened Duran and Arkansas. And there are three from each area. Really take care of their own area. We don't have that. After we got this thing running.

We don't have to have the regular meetings that we had before because the individual areas can take care of their own areas. And I have had to ask. A big problem myself although I was kind of hoping that maybe Harden would take that but he did in Nam. And the ranting in them and the advertising which hasn't been too much of a problem. Everybody seemed to be interested. In fact we had a lot of these applicants and. Before we had to get started anyway. Thank you said we had to have two for each unit which went not too had to get everybody seemed to be interested in having this going. OK I think though that some of the also there are some others in the sort of program of the Cuban associated with a little bit. Who would you have perhaps friends with a minute or two talking about the Christian program that's here in the county to do something that I think is somewhat unique in our

area where we have nutrition of feeding for elderly people in all three communities. Yes I am and still on that board for the nutritional program and it's going great. I think we feed. If I remember right now the last report was that we feed right around. 150 people in the county. And they're pretty good. And this is going to keep a lot of these people that are living alone and very adequate. Nutritional food. I don't think of themselves as one the good things about this program. It does take care of some of the people I would say so my invalid because the night of the liver. And we have yet we have three. Vans that we send out and one in each area and deliver food to those people that can't come in and know they can't come and don't have any way of coming in we bring them in.

And and that is one thing that's good and it gets people together and gets them out and makes them feel like they've got something to live for again because they're for a long time it seemed that they were sitting in their own homes and wondering what was going on around the world. And now that they look forward to coming into the center and having a visit with these people every day. I think that you program the housing program in the Christian program the fill the needs I think of people and think related to those relatively well-off Papen county does have a high percentage of elderly people you know and 15 percent of our people are 65 or older and. The county here program in the sense for the needs of the elderly people as in most Wisconsin counties agriculture is an important factor. Today I'm talking with David Annabelle who's one of the farmers in the map and county I'm going to talk a little bit about some of the. Agriculture of our area and some of the unique things that we have in the way of Agricultural. I could believe. And so they would

think a little bit of a history of our happened County area as far as I recall to go and what kind of a concert really we've been involved in for a number of years. OK I think the basic part of our agriculture daring which is probably 70 percent maybe 20 percent beef farming. We have some other types of farming or the canning crop industry locally here she'll be firers maple syrup is produced by a number. Remember to mention just a little about this movie. What kinds of things that these people do in the book for production. Well I think maple syrup over the last few years is really becoming quite a specialized operation. There's been a lot of modern techniques that have come into the operations which really

seem different from years back. Most of it it seems like is gathered and hauled to a central location and evaporated down where years ago it was probably boiled down in a pan or small evaporators on individual firearms and more specialized better quality products and I would say you know I know this is one of the things that we've got perhaps fewer large producers where they. I actually have a large sample evaporator and evaporate thousands of gallons of sap and develop these maple syrup products of course we've got some small producers you have to have. Maybe make 20 to 50 gallons the syrupy year and there are some individual homeowners and then you have five or 10. But one of things I want to mention too we didn't talk about soybean production them are a number of soybean farmers and perhaps we could maybe back a little bit about the great the last few years being I think picked up quite a little

in the county this year I would say it looks to me like to be adapted acreage that due to price and the cost of producing the it has been a pretty good cash crop for I would say the past maybe two or three years. Could you maybe give me an idea also of how many farmers we have in the county. Well actually 700 fires. I think would be pretty close. Okay and about how many dairy farmers know that. 70 percent would be dairy. Want to farm that would suspect the number of very fine me a few years back. More diversified farmer than a few chickens and a little bit of everything but now I seem to be putting their management more to the daring and industry which

I think the person have to do the changes and cost you have to be a pretty good operator to keep going and I think that the important thing with my other friend could you could perhaps describe the way some of our Summer Reading operate the thing you have to fire the feeding situation there's been a big change. In the way we feed our cattle. A good share of Floridians are put up here and some current Sallade laid the ground here and your fellow corn. Due to the weather I think for ages and that better and better quality.

And I think that the things we want to think different. We haven't mentioned that we have a number of people at our melon growers don't melons in the twenty five people who are highly specialized crop growth that we don't. Perhaps they haven't come up with some people who are robber growers and. Have a you pick type operation and sell these. People in the pool and don't somewhat diversify because the family quote we do with him and we don't have one good thing and I knew we were going to the crap and Japanese and. Britain have a highly by one crop and take a lot of crude. Now some final comments from George unction distance summary pepping County is a

relatively rural county it's in the west central area of Wisconsin. And it's considered by the statisticians as a 100 percent rural and we have a very hilly area that is basically the county on the left and part of the Mississippi block. There are seventy three hundred people live in this county. The major industry of course is agriculture. But then there are a number of industries and grand and happen that are related to both cultural natural resource areas large plant and Duran and also the fishing industry and on Lake Pepin and commercial fishers of. Men are involved and also there are some recreation and they happen that are directly related to that particular area. Tourism is not an important. Facet in this particular area because it has not been highly developed although I think there will be a time when like couple of the totally more developed and what it is right now.

People go 70 300 and majority that are farmers. Iron gauge in a daring operation and the businesses in the communities are related to that particular farm area. And we expect to see an influence of people from the 2030 than the Clare because the value of our property have gone up tremendously in the last few years because of all the fighters and then for people from. Other areas purchasing property in the county. And so we're expecting that some changes in the next. Number of years. So far the county has been somewhat isolated because the suburban and urban influence. But the fact that the chain. This program one of the series the counties of Wisconsin was produced a WHCA a

service of the University of Wisconsin Extension.