We celebrated the Labor Day weekend with a brand new tradition, The Van Heel Family Fish Fry! The Mother and I headed up to the family farm for an afternoon of fun and merriment.
I heard that the fish was fantastic but I was there for the other Van Heel tradition – the sweets.
It was a beautiful day to be out on the farm.
The Van Heels came from Holland and settled in Minnesota in the 1870s, this farm has been in the family since 1935.
I grew up hearing stories from my dad about his childhood days visiting the farm. He loved talking about the family gathering to play bluegrass music but I think his favorite memory was daring his brother to pee on the electric fence. He would laugh so hard telling that story, tears would come to his eyes.
By the time I was visiting, there was no more music making and I didn’t dare my brother to pee on the electric fence, but I have plenty of my own great memories too. Most of them involve the animals.
And I hope there will be a lot more memory making to come.
[…] it felt unique in a state known for its Swedish and Norwegian heritage. (Lutefisk, anyone?) When I recently learned that the Van Heels came to Minnesota from Holland in the 1870s, I started wondering why. What would […]