When I was just a teenager, I wanted to turn an old shed behind my parent's garage into a shop. One where I could sell antiques and my art. I have had that dream forever....
When we bought our farm in 1994, I turned an old outbuilding into a shop. It was that way until a tornado on July 16, 1997 blew it over. Al built me another.
In 1995, I had my first sale here. I went to a George Woodrich auction on the Art in the Park weekend in Wausau. There weren't many people there, so I bought loads of stuff. I wish now, I could have some of that back. Anyway, I picked the 2nd Saturday in October to have the sale. I invited my sister Lynn and friend Lisa to join me. It was the next year, 1996, that I officially opened up my barn, garage and yard to vendors. We had about 10 that first year. Now we have about 110 and counting....
We joined 4-H in 1997 and it was then that I learned that the weekend I had my farm sale happened to fall during "National 4-H Awareness Week."
Our 4-H club started out selling just rummage items. Each year we added something to sell: pumpkins, cornstalks, crafts and such. The event grew and we had requests for food, so, our club started selling food. That is how it all started.
After 9 years hosting the sale at our farm, we outgrew it. My insurance agent was also concerned when I told him about 1,000 people come...."what, you can't do that..." So, the Town of Ringle invited us to move the event to occupy the 3 or so roads we have...Ringle is small - but on this day - everyone comes out to visit and buy.
Favorite story: Midnight my old barn cat...she is now 17...hid inside a vendor's car and spent the night in "town" at a hotel. She did poop in their car...lol. The next year, they were sure to check their vehicle.
So it's with that little story, I tell you - it's been 20 years! I can't believe it! I hope I've created some wonderful memories for my children, my 4-H kids and our community. I will forever see the "Christiansen boys" pulling wagons of pumpkins to cars, Anna and Justine setting up our petting zoo and games and all the wonderful vendors I have met over the years. Many of my vendor friends have passed on. I will forever see them as they were selling in my yard. I can still see my parents, driving up the driveway with a car full of my mom's baked goods. People would be waiting in line for her pies. Dan (who has passed on too) would be first in line....
This is a crazy, busy time for me - but, I will forever be grateful for those people who have crossed my path in some way due to this event. Thanks for the memories!
Ringle, WI is exit 181 off Hwy 29. Take Cty Hwy Q north. We close the roads at 2nd Ave on Hemlock, Maple and Birch and at 1st and Cty Hwy Q. This whole area all the way to the Mountain Bay Trail is vendor selling booths. There is a walking path over the Mountain Bay Trail that leads to a gravel parking lot and surrounding grassy field - this area has vendor booths and the petting zoo. Across the street or in the Ringle Town Hall on the blacktop parking lot there are also vendor booths to include the Popplewood 4-H area. Shoppers may park on any of the other side roads, in the parking lots of the church and On Q Collision Center. Thank you.
If you happen to live close, come on out, I'm in booth #38 & 39. Stop and say "hi."
Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.
When we bought our farm in 1994, I turned an old outbuilding into a shop. It was that way until a tornado on July 16, 1997 blew it over. Al built me another.
In 1995, I had my first sale here. I went to a George Woodrich auction on the Art in the Park weekend in Wausau. There weren't many people there, so I bought loads of stuff. I wish now, I could have some of that back. Anyway, I picked the 2nd Saturday in October to have the sale. I invited my sister Lynn and friend Lisa to join me. It was the next year, 1996, that I officially opened up my barn, garage and yard to vendors. We had about 10 that first year. Now we have about 110 and counting....
We joined 4-H in 1997 and it was then that I learned that the weekend I had my farm sale happened to fall during "National 4-H Awareness Week."
Our 4-H club started out selling just rummage items. Each year we added something to sell: pumpkins, cornstalks, crafts and such. The event grew and we had requests for food, so, our club started selling food. That is how it all started.
After 9 years hosting the sale at our farm, we outgrew it. My insurance agent was also concerned when I told him about 1,000 people come...."what, you can't do that..." So, the Town of Ringle invited us to move the event to occupy the 3 or so roads we have...Ringle is small - but on this day - everyone comes out to visit and buy.
Favorite story: Midnight my old barn cat...she is now 17...hid inside a vendor's car and spent the night in "town" at a hotel. She did poop in their car...lol. The next year, they were sure to check their vehicle.
So it's with that little story, I tell you - it's been 20 years! I can't believe it! I hope I've created some wonderful memories for my children, my 4-H kids and our community. I will forever see the "Christiansen boys" pulling wagons of pumpkins to cars, Anna and Justine setting up our petting zoo and games and all the wonderful vendors I have met over the years. Many of my vendor friends have passed on. I will forever see them as they were selling in my yard. I can still see my parents, driving up the driveway with a car full of my mom's baked goods. People would be waiting in line for her pies. Dan (who has passed on too) would be first in line....
This is a crazy, busy time for me - but, I will forever be grateful for those people who have crossed my path in some way due to this event. Thanks for the memories!
Ringle, WI is exit 181 off Hwy 29. Take Cty Hwy Q north. We close the roads at 2nd Ave on Hemlock, Maple and Birch and at 1st and Cty Hwy Q. This whole area all the way to the Mountain Bay Trail is vendor selling booths. There is a walking path over the Mountain Bay Trail that leads to a gravel parking lot and surrounding grassy field - this area has vendor booths and the petting zoo. Across the street or in the Ringle Town Hall on the blacktop parking lot there are also vendor booths to include the Popplewood 4-H area. Shoppers may park on any of the other side roads, in the parking lots of the church and On Q Collision Center. Thank you.
If you happen to live close, come on out, I'm in booth #38 & 39. Stop and say "hi."
Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.
how very cool! you've made a lasting impression in your community.
ReplyDeleteWonderful Event...Outstanding Job..Yet Again...Thank You for All You Do For Your Community...And All The Great Finds We Get At The Flea Market..hikchik
ReplyDelete