Chris Hardie

Taking a break from life’s wild ride

One sign that spring has arrived is when I realize that no matter how many hours I try to squeeze into the day it just isn’t long enough to finish my work.

Take the sting out of spring nettles

Nettles, one of the first green plants in the spring, are a welcome sight after a long, harsh winter. Just be careful to avoid their sting.

Winter leftovers lead to spring cleaning

A few weeks a year, we’re trapped in the no man’s land between winter and spring. On the farm, it’s time to clean the barns and the winter feeding areas.

The never-ending honey-do list

It’s likely the first honey-do list in history preceded the written language. Now we have apps that can remind us what needs to be done.

Old feed mill beckons

With broken windows and open doorways, the elements are taking their toll on this old feed mill. Without some work and funds, it will soon be beyond repair.

Dairy memories reflect heartache

Wisconsin’s agricultural legacy of family dairy farms is dying. Years of depressed milk prices are taking their toll, forcing those farms to close.

The land called, and we answered

There’s a rhythm to life that settles deep inside the bones of anyone connected to the land. We see it and feel it in our daily routine with crops and animals.

Wisconsin Newspaper Association