We’re still at the Hunstad/Meyer farm, but now we are going to another on-sight building that houses artifacts from days gone by…….This family has made it their journey to save their community’s past and their way of life, that was not so far in the past. One thing, is for sure, one had to be very resilient to survive here. The farm is on the edge of the island and you can look out over the water to their neighbors…….until recently the only way to get to the other side, was by boat. I wondered if you could ski or walk across it in the winter? If you missed my previous post about this farm, be sure to check it out, so you can get a feel for the rural life here…………… This building is mach larger than the previous one and has multiple floors and rooms. I wondered if this building wasn’t built upon the original farmhouse. Well, if you are tall take a duck through the door………..and come on in!

First, I took photos of the “trimmings outside.” When  I looked around the farm grounds and nearby, I didn’t notice that many trees or rocks either. I imagine that everything had to be hauled here from somewhere else. So EVERYTHING is SAVED! Even the sticks!

Save the wire from the old fencing too………….and the old fence posts.

The first room was another work room…..The cabinet is full of tools and I did know what the shoe lasts were for.

Yep, you had to make your own shoes and repair them too. Just couldn’t go off to the store!

I call this room, “the radio room.” I could just picture sitting around the radio trying to get any news of the outside world.  During WWII did they get invaded this far north? This room reveals a lot……..someone here must have served in the military, I recognize the plaques…..and medals……..and they definitely liked their beer steins! And, there is also the little stands used in the bathrooms, or rooms they used for their toiletries. The well was outside, water had to be carried in. This room offered many interesting items!

This room revealed plows, rakes, sieves, and planters. In my mind, the garden rooms were at one time attached with the main house. Everything was close at hand and in winter you didn’t have to walk outside to work.

This is definitely the main house or the women’s area……..let’s go inside……..

Lots of trunks to hold your few clothes and very nice weavings were to be found.

I’d say this furniture set is from the forties…….but that lamp is older…..wow, what an unusual glass globe!

Neat and absolutely spotless…………

Here is a hand made dress with beautiful embroidery…..

The dish cabinet………and the entertainment……

I call this the ancestry wall……….

and this was the modern kitchen at one time……….

I like the canning jar light…………don’t throw anything away!

I’m an antique kitchen cupboard aficionado. This one has been well used. I’m glad they saved the tins and the king and queen commemorative plates………..

There was also a reading room with some additional old phones……….

and the churn, rolling pins, and butter stamper………….

Everything was done by hand……Here are the spinning wheels in front of the children’s bed. Someone owned a manual sewing machine too. I think items were shared from farm to farm. If you didn’t have something you could borrow from a neighbor.

Now, on to the sleigh room…….wow, isn’t this something? The fancy sled………

and the everyday sleds in various sizes………..some sleds were made to haul things.

for summer there was a buggy……..

Let’s not forget the kids……boys will be boys………

Legos and skates…….and quite a few cars……the more recent toys……

Girls like dolls, telephones, stuffed animals and doll houses. I see a Barbie there!

The last room is the boat room…….You had to have a boat to get off the island! And, to fish from if you wanted to eat!

I am so glad to have met the Meyer family and appreciate the way they have turned their farm into a museum…….it is so good to know how they lived!

We have another stop today, so we must say goodbye….On winter nights I’ll think about these folks and how they are getting along!