Welcome to New Wisco Weekend. I'm Lisa Hale your host. It's harvest time and from
gardens to apple orchards and farm fields across the state we hope you're
enjoying a bounty this fall. We're also saluting those behind this important
work by acknowledging National Farmers Day on Sunday October 12th and with it
we're diving into a number of topics impacting local farmers for this issue.
Melissa K takes a look at Wisconsin's dominance in the cranberry growing industry.
Our cover story will focus on the way federal changes are impacting food
pantries that rely on local farmers for things like dairy and fresh produce.
Amanda Nimmer has a great list of things that you can do right now to support
your local farmers and all of the activities come with a side of fun.
We also have a story on Fire Prevention Week and how lithium ion batteries
pose a fire threat in your home. Beachwaba has his classic cinema pick of the
week that you'll be singing along with and later our musical segment features a
duo from Sturgeon Bay. But we open with Wisconsin author farm boy Brian
Reisinger sharing an expert from his book Land Rich Cash Poor.
He wrote it after his father decided to sell their cows.
It's something many families in our area can relate to.
We sat there in the porch in the sun and the trees seemed to whisper those things we'd
lost. My father quietly broke into tears like rain that started suddenly
while the sun is still shining. They're earth feeling more than one thing at once.
So too for our family with it all had been taken from us and all we had yet to save.
The wind blew the wild grass and I thought of my father's fields beyond and how hard we'd
fought to keep them. For our family the story of the disappearing American farmer a threat not
only to those living it but also to the life of our nation began here on this land.
This plot turned our family from dirt poor to middle class and one generation during the depths
of the depression carried two more generations forward and gave way to the generation of me and my
sister and her kids until the rest of the world shifted and left us behind. I thought of all
that and everything we'd survived since not only pandemic but also for recessions in my lifetime
alone cows milk and cows through below zero weather my dad in the hospital I was a boy
surely the resilience of the American farmer paired with some new ideas and blessings from
above our luck on the ground could get us through Wisconsin farm boy and author Brian Reisinger
reading from his book Landrich Cash Poor. Now Terry Bar joins us with an issue that often goes
along with the loss of your business or farm depression. Terry I know this is something that people
are finally willing to reveal. Yes Lisa and it's taken some very brave women to realize the need to
support farmers and their mental health. Dorothy Harms and Brenda Stots share their personal stories
and how it led to the creation of the farmer angel network in Wisconsin. We sold our cows in 2017.
My husband and I had raised three kids on our farm he had suffered from depression and things
just with the economy everything going on escalated some so I got it back into counseling
and tried to get him into a better place well he decided after I had my knee replacement two weeks
out he comes in and says the cows are going I can't do this myself anymore even though our kids
were there but depression will do that you cannot see beyond just normal life. He struggled for a
whole year in and out of hospitals and stuff and then he took his life and October 8th will be
seven years ago. We didn't know where to go where to look who to ask for help what to even do
because you're out in the middle of nowhere out here in the rural communities there's not a lot
of mental health support out here he had to go to Madison for treatment and that gets very
challenging especially when you have a farm to run you just can't leave I spent a lot of time
back and forth so we started the farm range of network to offer resources to bring them to the
forefront so when people need something it's there and we speak about it a lot to a lot of
different organizations and we have helped many people that have reached out to us and saying thank
goodness we are here it's helped it made it so much easier for them to find support and to at least
know they're not alone people need to understand you're not alone there is somebody out here
willing to listen and sit with you and we don't know all the answers but we're there and we were
help you as the best we can at that time my husband Don and I again long time dairy farmers done
fourth generation in his family farm we're going through our own transition about ready to sell our
cows and I was very concerned about my husband's mental well-being being a dairy farmer was his
identity who would he be after we sold the dairy cows and so I went to the one of those first
meetings just to get information to see we know where we could get help really felt drawn in that
this is something that I became very passionate about and it is something that needed to be brought
out to the forefront I think one of the unique things about what we do is it's a collaboration of
agencies so you know we're county public health UW Extension healthcare facilities but the main
thing is that farmers are at the forefront of helping give the direction helping to spread the
message and be the voice for the work that we do and I think gives validation to it for other
farmers so that they can believe in what it is that we're doing that it's real one of the focuses
in our efforts is providing events for families to get together to come out off the farm and have
fun together and oh by the way we've got some information for you about mental health we kind of
use that soft approach it's something that brings people out we want to celebrate farming we want
to sell farmers that we appreciate them Dorothy Harms and Brenda Statz co-founders of the Farmer Angel
Network in Wisconsin I've been following the group's efforts ever since my dad sold our family
farm in Chano County it is a life-saving effort if you want to know more information including
resources for immediate connection go to farmerangelnetwork.com and don't forget to thank a farmer
this National Farmers Day absolutely thank you so much Terry the 2025 cranberry harvest in
Wisconsin is projected to dominate production for the 31st year in a row new whisca weekends
Melissa Kay has that story roughly 250 cranberry growers in the badger state are expected to produce
65% of the global supply this year so we're on a cranberry marsh I will say in Wisconsin we call
them marshes not bugs that's Holly Hurline she's the communications manager for the Wisconsin
State Cranberry Growers Association at this time of year cranberry bets are flooded for what's
referred to as a wet harvest despite popular belief cranberries don't grow in water you do see
lots of water here but that's also unique to harvest there not in water all the time they're grown
on like a woody vine in soil only 5% of the annual cranberry crop is sold as fresh berries
that portion is harvested gently to avoid bruising the fruit Hurline said fresh cranberries are only
available in the stores from roughly October to November really can't only buy fresh berries
around that time frame so we recommend people to stock up they freeze really well for a year
even though Wisconsin produces more cranberries than anyone else it's still a relatively small crop
compared to others in the state Hurline says different growers harvest in different ways
an equipment is mostly constructed by the growers themselves they are very innovative bunch
they are not just farmers they are engineers and mechanics and scientists and all the things so
very interesting the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Services projects the Wisconsin
2025 cranberry harvest to reach 5.3 million barrels the cranberry industry is valued at just
under 1 billion dollars and employs nearly 4,000 people in the state Wisconsin agriculture as a whole
contributes over 116 billion annually to the state economy for new whisco weekend I'm Melissa K
our theme this week on new whisco weekend is National Farmers Day so we're celebrating farmers
and talking about the issues that they face and I'll commentator Amanda Nimmer has a suggestion
for how you can support your local farmers now that it's officially fall the idea of supporting
farmers in this season might be a bit baffling to some because you think of the harvest season
has already come in pass so what is there to possibly do to support farmers now but what you might
not know is that you're already doing it how many of you are so super stoked to go and pick your
own pumpkin this time up here so many of you right in fact you can go pick apples you can go to
corn mazes you can visit all of these areas that are yes farms to have the full embodiment of fall
and by going to these establishments which I will list momentarily you are supporting farmers
directly and not only that farmers markets are still going and eventually they'll become
indoor farmers markets for certain areas that is a direct from farm to table transaction
that you are helping with and I know it's hard because you're like what is left that's being
grown and harvested this time of year well besides pumpkins obviously you have pears apples and
guys we live in the great state of Wisconsin which means we have cranberries aplenty plus potatoes
brussels sprouts and other squash varieties basically what's on your Thanksgiving table that's
what's in season right now and farmers are working their butts off to get it to you so your family
day of going to pick a pumpkin take pictures on the hay barrels go through the corn mazes pick your
own apples and enjoy a nice steaming cup of pressed apple cider you're directly helping and supporting
you're being a gosh darn pal to those farmers so here are seven yes seven little patches where you
can pick your own apples or pumpkins or just have a great time with the family all in the name of
supporting your farmers in your northeast Wisconsin area number one the onida nation apple orchard
where they offer 20 varieties of apples available through pick your own as well as pre-picked
there's also pumpkins there this time of year and you can get some really great homemade apple
themed items like apple butter number two rasmussen's apple acres in ash gosh another you pick apple
orchard in fact the trees are low enough that your one year old can pick two their family owned
and operated with lots to show you then you have polys pumpkin patch in chilton open six days a week
closed on Mondays through October and yes they have a haunted corn maze but they don't just have a
corn maze they have pets that you can feed a 40 foot slide wagon rides corn canons and a bunch of
special events moving on to star orchard in cacana family owned for 60 plus years with over 13
varieties of apples that you can pick from and they share their own family recipes for pies, crisps
and caramel apple cheesecake bars next on our list is mulberry lane farm which you can find me at
not this upcoming weekend but next mulberry lane farm is in Hilbert Wisconsin which with every
admission you get a free pumpkin to take home you'll have a chance to milk a cow catch a chicken
kiss a pig cuddle a kitten hand feed some goats enjoy hay rides and so much more moving on to
our list we have blazer acres in swamico but they're only open through October 19th so you can
not only get your pumpkin there but with admission you get to jump in the bounce houses play games a
petting zoo corn box which is just a thing filled with corn for your kids to play with and I don't
know why but like grabbing a handful of it is just so satisfying a playground there's so much more
they got barrel rides hay rides ride combos maple syrup it's great and of course if you are from
the new whisko area you know of the little farmer little farmer is located in fondle at county
they are not only an apple orchard they have tons of pumpkins and apple house with bunch a bunch
of different apple products and varieties and pumpkins and peach pies and absolute deliciousness
and they got a playground the barn is usually full of crafts bunch of cats running around a chicken
truck and petal carts not only for the small kids but the big kids too so those are seven different
apple orchards slash pumpkin patches that you can visit this year that help the farmers directly
supplying your weekends get out there with friends family and enjoy some absolute deliciousness
I know a nice steaming cup of apple cider is calling my name from new whisko weekend I'm Amanda
and there you go when we come back peach wabba's movie pick of the week and we're wrapping up
fire prevention week this weekend and I've got a story for you on lithium ion batteries and the
dangers they present first governor Tony evers declared it was constant agricultural tourism season
through November 11th his recent proclamation notes the ag industry generates millions in tourism
and he thanked the more than 350,000 people working on 58,000 farms of all types across our state
this is new whisko weekend this is new whisko weekend on your local civic media radio stations
WGVW and WISS I'm Lisa Hale your host still ahead a look at fire prevention week and lithium
ion batteries right now peach wabba's classic movie pick of the week new whisko weekend
presents peach wabba's classic movie pick of the week in honor of national farmers day this week's
classic takes us back to the year 1955 and to the state where the wind comes sweeping down the plane
and where there's a bright golden haze on the metal Oklahoma is 70 years old this year the show is
considered one of the greatest musicals of all time with memorable hits like Oklahoma sorry with a
fringe on top Kansas City and oh what a beautiful morning the story is set around the turn of the
century where Oklahoma is on the cusp of becoming a state as great as the music is there is also a plot
which involves two cowboys the upstanding handsome curly played by Gordon McCray and the sinister
Judd played by Rod Steiger both men are competing for the affection of Lori Williams played by Shirley
Jones this was Jones first role on the big screen and many many years before the partridge family
the ensemble includes a fun cast of talented and energetic characters who can sing and dance
the dialogue is a bit corny so let's just focus on some of the amazing singing that takes place
in this film from the lead actor Gordon McCray
as a pop the wheels are yellow the upholsteries brown the dashboards genuine leather and female lead
Shirley Jones
Oklahoma was first seen on stage in 1943, the first big hit for Rodgers and Hammerstein,
and their first musical, Rodgers was the composer and Hammerstein wrote the lyrics.
Oklahoma was considered a groundbreaking production, and that it was a marriage of songs,
dancing, and dialogue that moved the story forward throughout the entire show,
setting a new standard for what was considered a musical play. For Rodgers and Hammerstein,
it was the start of possibly the most successful partnership in the history of musical theater
and Broadway. After the success of Oklahoma, the two collaborated on the show Carousel,
which also starred Gordon McCray and Shirley Jones. South Pacific, State Fair, and the
Sound of Music. Oklahoma opened on Broadway in 1943 and ran for over 2,200 performances,
a record for a musical at the time. The stage version won a Pulitzer Prize, in case you were
wondering, movie budgets could be overblown even in the 1950s. The total cost of the film was $11
million bucks in 1954, which in 2020 is the equivalent of $105 million. The film was shot
primarily in Arizona with some scenes taking place on the back lot at MGM in Los Angeles.
Producers decided not to shoot in the actual state of Oklahoma because they said it was too built
up in 1955. Scattered oil wells would have disrupted the scenery and the aesthetic of the film.
The production hit a home run with cast, particularly with its three leads in McCray,
one of the producers saw James Dean audition and really wanted him, but Rodgers and Hammersteen
outvoted him and went with the more straight-laced McCray. As much as they liked Dean's singing as
well, they felt his voice was just not as strong as Gordon McCray's. Rod Steiger did a screen test
with Dean and remarked that Dean was a brilliant actor but hadn't quite nailed his technique yet,
saying he would be really strong in one scene and then not so much in the next.
Other actors that led for the lead role of Curly were Montgomery Clifft and Paul Newman.
Oklahoma is a throwback to a simpler time in America, but with themes that hold true today.
The story is told with fun dancing, singing, and great energy, and when you check it out,
you will absolutely know why it is a classic. Those of you who might be squeamish though,
take note, as this g-rated classic was given a B rating by the National Legion of Decency,
calling it morally objectionable in part. But I think you'll be okay.
Oklahoma is this week's classic pick and you can stream it on Prime,
Tubi, or the Roku channel for free. Happy National Farmers Day, everyone.
For more movie and entertainment talk, join me weeknight from 6 to 8 pm for Nightlight,
here on the Civic Media Radio Network. For New Wisco Weekend, I'm Peach Wilde.
Fire Prevention Week is October 5th through the 11th, so we're wrapping it up this weekend.
And this week's theme is Lithian Ion Batteries.
Ashkash Fire Chief Tim Hyman has some helpful tips to staying safe and preventing fires
that can come from Lithium Ion Batteries.
One of the things that we use as a pneumonic is charge. So the first is to choose a certified product.
There are several batteries, maybe from other countries that are imported,
that don't meet the rigorous testing that batteries need to meet to make sure they're safe.
So UL, Underwriter's Laboratory is a great organization that tests a lot of things,
so make sure that the battery is UL listed. That'll let you know that both the internal
external components have met the specifications to be deemed more safe. We never say anything is
totally safe, but more safe. The second is H, Handle the Batteries with Care. So follow the
manufacturer's instructions. If you would drop the battery or something, make sure you
inspect it for damage that the outer case is intact, especially with things that maybe get a
little rougher usage. One of the biggest issues they're seeing is with e-bikes,
so the batteries that are used for those always stay alert for warning signs. So look for damage,
swelling, punctures, overheating, causing the plastic to change shape or color, or some of the other
things that we look for. Recycle them properly, so that's another big one. So obviously damage to
the battery is one of the things that can cause trouble. So if you think about putting that in
a trash compact or something like that, that can be problematic as well. And really get out
quickly if there's a fire. If you go online, there's several resources that show lithium ion
battery fires, and it's a very violent reaction. So if you think of people like apartments,
you bring your e-bike to work and you come home, you maybe park your e-bike right next to the
front door, your exit path or egress path. We want to make sure that if you see any smoking,
you smell anything here, any popping, make sure you're getting out right away because we don't
want that to block your e-rest path. Okay. And then just basically last one is educate others
on safe practices. So what you're doing right here, you know, like you said, they're everywhere
and not to say that 99% of them aren't operating properly and safely. We just want to make sure
when there are those warning signs that people aren't aware. That's Ashkash Fire Chief Tim Hyman,
and I'm Lisa Hale for Newisco Weekend. Coming up on Newisco Weekend, our cover story featuring Ryan
Rasmussen and the important connection between farmers and the Ashkash Area Community Pantry,
then our music segment. And it feels just right for this issue, as wagon roots share some tunes.
We'll be right back.
This is Newisco Weekend for WISS and WGBW. I'm Lisa Hale your host. It's time for our cover story
from the Ashkash Area Community Pantry or OACP. We're joined by Executive Director Ryan Rasmussen.
The Ashkash Area Community Pantry has been very vocal late of late on how some of the federal
changes are affecting community pantries and pantries. And one of the things that I wanted to
talk to you about was how the reduction in the cut on some of those federal programs that
farmers participate. How they are affecting you. Yeah, I mean it's it's you know it's been a
interesting couple of months that's for sure. And I think when you say you know we've been a
little bit more vocal and we have and mostly it's just because we want to help spread awareness
about what's actually happening out there. And so you know one of the things that have really
impacted us you know back a couple of years ago between the federal government and the state,
the federal government allotted a certain amount of money to give to the states to give directly
to farmers. And it was part of the LFPA program or the local for local food purchase assistance
program. And through that program it was really designed to make sure that pantries were actually
being able to receive some of the you know vital either local products or dairy products or
produce products. And it's coming directly from the farmers. And so they would allocate a certain
number of funds for the state to give directly to farmers to be able to give that produce to
food banks, food pantries throughout the entire state. And that program was extremely successful
for the two years that it ran. And we were making a lot of really great positive relationships
with some of our local farmers. One in particular that we'll we'll shout out is Olden Organics out of
Ripon. Has been a great phenomenal player you know even during those two years and now especially
after all that's happened which I'm sure we'll talk about. But yeah you know it was a great program.
It allowed our guests to have access to a lot of the great fresh fruits, vegetables,
things that generally you don't see at pantries and are kind of not heard of. And so for us it was
a great opportunity to take advantage of that program and it was great for the farmers because
it was allowing them to be able to put produce in ground to come directly and stay in our communities.
Now you mentioned that it was dairy and produce and stuff and I'm envisioning and please tell me
if I'm wrong. I'm envisioning that this affected milk, this affected eggs, this affected tomatoes,
zucchini, pumpkins, this time of year, I mean all of this. All of the above. I mean all of those
products for sure. And one of the great pieces about this you know in kind of collaboration from
the Wisconsin food hub and some of other the farm bureau and some other folks. I mean non-profits
and food banks could really have a group of folks that they could go to for a variety of different
needs. So even though I shot at our older and organic I mean it could be some dairy farmers or
it could be some specific potato growers associations or it could be some other folks that were
that were taking part of this. I mean one of the big ones were some of the mung farmers that were
around. They're drastically affected by the changes now because there was dollars that were
coming directly to them to be able to provide and donate their produce. So I mean it was really
a whole host of products and and really pantries and food banks could work with a variety of
different different folks. And now? And now unfortunately based of March, April time frame the federal
government decided to just cut that program completely. A lot of times folks will ask, well why?
I wish I wish I had the answer. I don't have the answer on why. But what it did do is take all of
the money that was going to be allocated to those farmers this summer and and it's gone. And so
the timing with which had happened was also unfortunate because a lot of the farmers and producers
that we were talking with they had already planted for the season and so they had already allocated
their crops or their resources to to the pantries or to the food banks that they work with
and then the funding got cut. So when that happened specifically with old and organics,
Tracy and I had chatted and you know she instantly said foods in the ground we're still going to
get it to you. We're just going to take the loss this year. I mean there's just no way that they
were going to be able to make it up. And I at that point we had just started to kind of down this
path of that that's just not okay. I mean we we needed to do everything that we could to try to help
you know not only save what this relationship was going to be like but also try to reimburse her
somehow for for all the produce that she was going to give us. And so that was where we started on
this path of just talking to everybody and anybody that we could about this program and what the
effects were. And I think really about a month and a half ago when we when we had the articles
that were written really saying the impact to us was going to cost about $120,000 with a produce
that we weren't going to see this summer. I think that was the first time that I really hit
home in the community that oh wow this is something that isn't just being talked about in the media
as like this bigger the thing is actually happening right here right now in this community.
And that was the effect for us. Through just talking about it we've been able to not only get
a lot of awareness about it but also I'm happy to say we've been able to raise about $80,000 of
that 120 back that we were able to help pump back into the system. So that is fantastic. Yeah
but I want to hit on something that is is there but hadn't been said yet and that is that this
is just the Ashkash area community pantry that was affected to the tune of $120,000. This is also
affecting other pantries throughout Wisconsin not just Ashkash but others as well. Yeah it's
throughout all of Wisconsin for sure even throughout the entire United States. I mean this was a
federal program so this was going to be happening to every food bank every every food pantry that is
that is in the continental US. So yeah it is not just a localized issue from from different areas.
I mean it was a clean sweep cut throughout the entire country and so some of those effects are
probably yet to really be seen country wide. I don't even know that I could tell you how many
millions of dollars that it was worth but I do know at least in Wisconsin you know we're talking
upwards to you know $120, $130 million worth of worth of support that was supposed to be going
into the state that's just not there. And this is also at a time when the need seems to be growing
and growing. Without a doubt I mean we're seeing just at our pantry alone unprecedented growth
in the last three years I mean we've grown 50% alone in the guests that we serve.
Three years ago we were averaging about 1,300 families a month. As we sit here today we just
cross 2,800 families a month that we're now that we're not helping. And I'm hearing that throughout
you know all of the pantry networks that we work with. I'm hearing those same types of stories.
I mean the need is just growing throughout the entire the entire US. Now I want to talk a little
bit about how the Ashkash area community pantry is different because it is a very different
pantry from what a lot of people are used to. Number one when people come to the OACP
they come to shop. It is like a shopping experience. You go up and down the aisles you collect your
food then you take it through a checkout so to speak. Yeah. Which I think is is phenomenal to
lot better than going up and saying I'm here for my food pantry box and getting a box. 100%
you nailed all of it. I mean the truly that is what makes this special at Ashkash area community
pantry. And I think the other piece about that that makes a special that's a little bit different
than other pantries is how barrier free we really are. We can probably say that we're the only
food pantry in the entire state that is open to all guests from the entire state. Now that doesn't
necessarily mean that folks from Chippewa Falls and Milwaukee and LaCrosse are all coming to
utilize our pantry. But what it does what it did do is it allowed us to be able to make sure that our
rural partners folks from Berlin, Ripon, you know, Eureka some of our surrounding rural areas
had access to be able to come to us. Even stretching to Nina, Manasha, Appleton, Fondelac.
Now again a significant portion of our group is still coming from the Ashkash area or throughout
Winnebago County. But not having those service area boundaries really just makes this more
inclusive all the way around. And as you talked about with the shopping experience we're the only
pantry that is truly a choice based pantry that does not have checkpoints that does not have
volunteers that are walking around with you while you're shopping. We are you are truly able to
shop just like any other grocery store and take the items that you need. We really lean into the
dignity and choice at our store. And that's just a philosophy that we'll never that we'll never
compromise. Like you said, it's respectful. It's it's a dignified way of doing your shopping. You
don't feel less than 100%. And I think one of our taglines that we have is even just the way that we
talk about our guests and we say guests, we don't say client, we don't say any of the other
stereotypical things. Truly because our belief, our guests want to be welcome, clients want to be
served. And so we want to make sure that that experience has felt as soon as you walk in our doors,
you're being welcomed, you're being shown around, you know, have easy access if you have questions
about things. This is truly a gathering place that you can come be with, you know, like-minded
folks and and you can come take care of your shopping needs, you know, and to be able to do that
in a store environment where you can pick what you want, you know, you're not hand tied to a box
that this is the allotment that you're getting just really leans into that entire experience.
Plus not everybody likes, well, you don't want another can of beans. Exactly. That would
exactly my example. I mean, we talk about the poor pinto beans that sometimes sit there for days
and days and days and days, you know, and generally in, you know, the fact that we have this model,
it's also a little selfish, right? Because we want to control that waste. We don't want to give
people that can of pinto beans that don't know what to do with it or they don't know how to prepare
it or they don't have the means to be able to prepare it or they just flat out don't like it.
What happens to that poor can of beans, right? It's given out and then it comes back either in a
donation or it goes to the trash. And so we just want to eliminate that completely. Come pick what
you want. You're not hand tied to having to take the things that you don't like because who wants
to do that? Exactly. Now, we mentioned that there's low barrier to using the Ashkash area community
pantry. And I wanted to go through that real quickly. If somebody is experiencing food insecurity
and needs the help, how do they go about getting it? Yeah, we're really, really simple. So any time
that we are open for guest shopping, which is Mondays from two o'clock until six o'clock and then
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 10 a.m. until two 45 p.m. Stop on in. We're asking folks that if
they have an ID and are willing to provide it to bring that and if they have proof of address
and they're willing to provide it, that's great. That proof of address could be a piece of mail
with their name and address. Anything that just shows that their name and their address.
If anybody doesn't have any of those items or they're unwilling to show those items,
it's still okay. We'll still get you registered. For us, though, along with that and some of the
other demographic questions that we'll ask you, we just use it for grant writing and grant reporting.
And now more than ever, it's so important for us to try to gather as much of that data as
possible because the folks that we do grant right with or the folks that are foundations that are
looking for some of that information really want us to share kind of what are some of the
impacts that we have. And so that's why it is optional for us. I mean, if you don't feel comfortable
doing it, no big deal. We'll still get you registered. We'll still get you shop in same day.
But if you are willing to provide it, it would really help us to make sure that we can keep the
funding coming in to help support the pantry. And if somebody wants to help the pantry, how do they
go about doing that? We always talk about the big three. Can you be a giver of food? Can you be
a giver of money or can you be a giver of time? Obviously, from a food perspective, host to food
drive, talk to some of the maybe the type club groups that you're associated with. You know,
think about donating. We've got a on our website at oacp today.org. We've got a food drive focus
kind of piece of information that has different themes for every month. And you know, all the things
that you need to put on your food drive. So take a look at that toolkit. It's online. It's super
simple. If you're going to be a giver of money, which is always great for us because it allows
us to be able to go purchase any of the items that we generally don't see during donations. So
you know, one of the things that we always talk about is, you know, manwitch for whatever reason
is something that's not often donated. But we'll go out and purchase it because it's an easy
pantry staple that we can go out and get. And then lastly, being a giver of time. And would you
consider being a volunteer? Volunteering for us is also really simple. We've got an online resource
where you can pick your own hours. So whether you volunteer for one hour a week or one hour a month
or 40 hours a week, it does not matter to us. We need all the help we can get. And we're just
somebody go to find that. Yeah, all of that is going to be on our website OACP today.org.
We do have a volunteer section there. Just click the Apply button, fill out the information.
That'll go directly to our volunteer manager and he'll reach out to you after that.
Ryan, it's always a pleasure to have you here. And I'm so thankful that you came down
Newisco weekend to speak with us today. Thank you, Lisa. You've always been great. We appreciate
all the support. Coming up, wagon routes, a musical duo from Door County. This is Newisco weekend.
I'm Lisa Hale. Wagon routes is a duo made up of Mike Black and Jen Polster of Sturgeon Bay.
They recently joined Civic Media's Max Ink radio show Live. There's a bit from their appearance.
Move slow, can't get through when it hangs so low, 10 to 9. Keep that bridge open for me.
I don't know how I can make my true love stay.
Just keep my love on the side of the bed, or 10 to 9. Keep that bridge open for me.
I said the wind will push us in if that black cloud don't strike us first.
The mass will hold us true if the spinning card doesn't burst.
I said the wind will push us in if that black cloud don't strike us first.
I said the wind will push us in if that black cloud don't strike us first.
Wagon routes live from the man city. That was incredible. We got our component fix because now it sounds great.
Tell us about the steel bridge song fest. What is the steel bridge in Sturgeon Bay that brings
people together? Why does that bridge do that? Well, they were going to tear it down. They were
going to tear it down and build four lanes through the center of town right past our middle school
high school. Then it would go back to the highway and be a single lane again. It was a dumb idea
by the DOT and Pat's sister was the one that was fighting against it. For 10 years before Pat
came and said, hey, they built their bully in my sister. I'm going to step in with music and he
saved it. It was the music that saved that bridge. We all feel like we are part of it. It's one of
the last steel bridges in the country like that rolling basculos bridge. All right. Now what's
this song about? Well, it's about procrastinating that this one is about that saying cross that bridge
in the morning.
Well, I'm a weird pill. I'm on a lonely road. I got a destination and a heavy load and darkness falling
still miles to go. And my only friend is Ariel. I'm trying to count the miles counting sheep.
My body's aching. I can't kill for sleep. I want to keep going but I can barely see. There's a long
dog bridge in front of me. Where do you go? And you want to go home and you steal the club that's
gone me? Do you drive on strong like nothing's wrong? Or do you take it as a warning?
Or do you cross that bridge in the morning?
Well, is it tough called to make when you're on a road? You got blurry vision and a weary soul.
And if you decide to take the chance to go, you can slide off that bridge into the waters below where?
Where do you go when you want to go home and you clear blue skies turn stormy?
Do you drive on strong like nothing's wrong? Or do you cross that bridge in the morning?
No, I won't get far in my getaway car. And sleep is gunning for me.
Maradils on in their playing our songs. And they cross that bridge in the morning.
All right, cross that bridge in the morning. Well, let's not procrastinate here. Let's talk
about your duo wagon rules. How did you meet your bandmate and outbreak basis Joe Poster?
I met Jen Poster. After work one night, I went to see a friend of mine play music.
She was there with her family. Seeing the same band. Seeing the same band?
We just started dancing. And yeah, I was kind of love at first sight and hanging ever since.
Oh, so you guys are a couple and I didn't want to share with you.
Yeah, you know. What does wagon, or it's mean? We were kicking around the idea of
a caravan Cadillac. Cadillac? I had a Cadillac caravan. I had a caravan. She's a Cadillac.
And we're, you know, we needed vehicles big enough to put a high base, yeah.
Wow. And then we're like, let's not name it after vehicles that are going to die because my
caravan is definitely I'm up. We bought it for 500 bucks. The Cadillac died.
The Cadillac died immediately. The caravan's what we drove to Madison and it's still nice.
All right. Three years later. But the same wagon roots is kind of that same.
Thank you for being a part of Newisco Weekend. Our National Farmers Day issue.
Newisco Weekend is written by Terry Barr and Lisa Hale, directed and produced by Lisa Hale.
Lead correspondent is Terry Barr with additional features from Melissa K,
Pete Schwabba, and commentator Amanda Nimmer. I'm Civic Media,
Northeast Wisconsin Bureau Chief Lisa Hale for WISS and WGBW News. Be unstoppable.
