One of our traditions is that whenever anyone visits the farm, we take a photo of them on one of our benches. We have four of these benches, facing four beautiful views. Mike built the first one in 2001, so we’ve had benches almost as long as we’ve owned the farm. We measure our walks by how many benches we visit – so we can do one, two, three, or four bench walks.
Here are the bench photos we’ve taken over the years – oldest first. I’ve used only first names (mostly). I’ve also cheated a little – sometimes it was too hot to sit right on the bench so we stood in the shade behind it; sometimes we didn’t make it quite all the way up the hill to the bench. And I now count both the EV and the surrey as ‘benches’. So there are a few non-bench photos too.
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
2001 Mike with the first brand new bench on the way up the hill 2001 Mike sitting on his new bench 2002 Pat, Paul, Marcie 2002 Marcie, Nancy, Paul 2002 Marcie, Jackie, Dan 2003 Pat, Paul, Marcie 2003 Phil, Mike, Virginia 2004 Arlene, Connie, Rose 2004 Nancy, Joan, Arlene, Connie, Rose 2005 Linda, Jackie 2008 Finette, Dick 2008 Clarke, Paul, Mike 2008 Karen, Rose, Marcie, Arlene, Martha, Bob, Tim 2008 Bob, Tim, Karen, Mike 2008 David, Jean, Bill, Julie 2009 Jerry, Carol 2009 Phil, Rich 2009 Patty, Jane, Karen, Marcie 2009 Patty, Jane, Karen, Martha 2009 Marcia, Burt 2009 Jan, Mike 2009 MJ 2009 Bill, Lucinda, Leewana, Loretta 2009 Fred, Dee, Dottie, Jane 2009 Carlos, Mike 2010 Joan, Marcie 2010 Marcie, Joan, Robert 2010 Robert, Joan 2010 Robert 2010 Marcie, Jan, Susan Marie, Elizabeth 2010 Susan Marie, Mary, Marcie 2010 Marcie, Martha, Mary, Susan Marie 2010 Marcie, Susan Marie 2010 Mike Reese 2010 Mike, Richard – on a bench in Duluth 2010 Thue, Uttara 2010 Judy, Kathy, Marcie, Elizabeth, Arlene 2010 Carlos, Susana 2010 Susana, Carlos 2011 Glen, Mike 2011 Anne, Dale, Joe, Emily, Marcie 2011 Rick, Marcie 2011 Mike, Paul, Tom, Patty 2011 Shirley, Alex, Zerek 2011 Susana, Brent, Shirley, Alex, Carlos Sr., Margarita, Marcie, Carlos, Zerek, Diane 2011 Larry, Anne, Rick 2011 Emilie, Karen, Marcie, Leah 2011 Marla, Leah, Chris, Karen, Marcie 2011 Michelle, Lia, Mike, Ken 2012 MJ, Marcie 2012 Anne, Emilie, Ihab, Marcie 2012 Mike, Gary, Ruth Ann 2012 Mike, Renee, Adam 2012 Ron, Sue, Marcie, Barbara, Steve 2012 Joan, Marcie 2012 Warren, Joan, Carol, Robert 2012 Mike, Patty, Tom, Kathleen, Jamie 2012 Tom, Kathleen, Mike, Patty, Jamie 2012 Jamie, Devin, Mike, Patty, Kathleen 2012 Carlos, Marcie, Susana 2012 Ellen, Marcie, Ann 2012 Mike 2012 Bench 2013 Catherine, Steve 2013 Mike, Matt 2013 David, Diane 2013 Karen 2013 Renee 2014 Sara 2014 New bench on Indian Grass Point 2014 Mike, Bruce, Sarah 2014 Mathew, Mike, Stevie 2014 Catherine, Mike 2014 Jan, James 2014 Todd 2014 Anne, Emily, Dale 2014 Tracy, Jim 2014 Jonathan, Sylvia, Carolyn 2014 Marcie, Rudie, Susan, Helen 2014 Robert in Hong Kong 2014 Nettie 2014 Buffalo County Prairie Tour 2014 Buffalo County Prairie Tour 2014 Susan, Jon 2015 Kyle 2015 MJ 2015 Bruce, Mike 2015 Botanical Medicine class 2015 Marcie, Tristin 2015 Marcie, Shelley, David, Dick, Ray 2015 Marcie, Shelley, David, Dick, Mike 2015 Chris, Sol, Marla, Ruth 2015 Ruth, Marla 2015 Butterfly Counters – Phil, Joanne, Randy, Mike 2015 Charley, Julia 2015 Ethan, Laen, Marcie, Joe, Liz 2015 Joe, Deirdre 2015 Dasha, Anna, Rebecca, Catherine, Alexei and Mr. Fuffernut 2015 Marcie, Dave 2015 Marla, Marcie, Susan 2015 Duke, Josie, Marcie 2015 Mike, David 2015 Kevin, Kaarin, Kristine, Tim 2015 Margaret, Steve 2016 Arlene, Kevin 2016 Taylor, Ben 2016 Peter 2016 St. Croix Valley Bird Club 2016 Butterfly counters: Stan, Mike, Karen, Susan 2016 Mary, Mike, Mac 2016 Jim, Wendy 2016 Rebecca, Marcie, Andrew, Bob, Merla, Les, MJ, Kyle 2016 Joe, Gary, Marcie, Liz, Bekah 2016 Susan, Mike, Helen 2016 Meadow, Andrew 2016 Richard, Mike 2016 Linda, Maggie 2016 Jim, Leslie 2017 Doug, Mike 2017 Susanne, Marcie 2017 Richard, Mike 2017 Anna, Chuck 2017 Chuck, Anna 2017 Leslie, Jim 2017 Mike, Jim 2017 Michael, Shari 2017 Bill, Leah 2017 Mike, Ann 2017 Mike, Leah, Marcie, Ann, Bill 2017 Butterfly counters – Mike, Ann, Pam 2017 Emily, Peter, Kelly, Dale, Anne 2017 Ann, Marcie, Claudia 2017 Claudia, Mike, Ann 2017 Betty, Elaine 2017 Marcie, Emma, Todd 2017 Kirk, Anita 2017 Larissa, Marcie, Erik 2017 Prairie Potluck – Todd, Emma, Peter, Nettie, Gary, Peg, Jackie 2017 Richard, Sarah 2017 Marcie, Dave 2017 Tina, Lucy, Marcie 2018 Pat, Ann, Maureen, Jan 2018 Mike, David 2018 Marcie, Craig 2018 Ann, Mark, Mike 2018 Kathy, Mike 2018 Claudia, Doug 2018 Rolf, Cindy, Richard, CJ, Sandy, Ron, Carol, Peter 2018 Dale, Emily, Jen, Kelly, Tom, Laurel, Rusty 2018 Shelly, Mac 2018 Craig, Jamie 2018 Jon, Sandy, Sandy, Lynda, Richard, Kate, Ron 2018 Claudia, Doug 2018 Doug, Mike 2018 Richard, Sarah 2018 Dave, Marda 2018 Dennis, Mike 2018 Deer 2018 Robert, Mike 2018 Marcie, Robert 2018 Sarah, Richard, Robert 2019 David, Dash the Dog, Shelley 2019 Doug, David, Dash the Dog, Mike 2019 Doug, David, Shelley, Marcie 2019 Richard, Sarah 2019 Richard, Sarah, Mike 2019 Rich, David, Shelley 2019 Rich, Marcie 2019 Charley, Marcie, Julia 2019 Mike, Charley, Julia 2019 Mike, Adam 2019 Alon, Tod, Joan, Mike 2019 Tom, Darlene, Sam, Gloria 2019 Sam, Mike 2019 Laurel, Mike, Claude 2019 Jan Irene, Mike, Jim 2019 Marcie, Mike 2019 WWNH Artist Group 2019 Richard, Sarah, Mike 2019 Maggie, Linda 2019 Landscape Class CVTC 2019 Laura, Marcie, Angela 2019 Tiffany, Dave, Marda 2020 Richard, Sarah 2020 Kathi 2020 Landscape Class CVTC 2020 Marda, Dave 2020 Marda, Marcie 2021 Marcie, Shelley, David 2021 Sarah, Richard 2021 Karen, Mike 2021 Terry, Renee 2021 Anne 2021 Dave, Marda, Sara 2021 Mike, Doug 2021 Mike, Sandy 2021 George 2021 David, Jan 2021 Mike, Marcie 2021 Mike, Doug 2021 Steve, Dave, Margaret 2021 Dave, Steve, Pauline, Margaret 2021 Bruce, Renee 2021 David, Shelley 2022 Marcie, Katie 2022 Robert, Sarah, Richard 2022 Bev, Anne 2022 Mike, Richard 2022 Alison 2022 Ralph, Sandy 2022 Kevin, Bev 2023 Leslie, Heather 2023 Coulee Region Prairie Enthusiasts 2023 Richard, William, Marcie, Sarah, Robert 2023 William, Marcie 2023 Maggie, Linda, Robert 2023 Doug, Mike 2023 Mac, Pam, Reggie, Marcie 2023 Jay, Mike 2023 MJ’s prairie/bugs group 2023 Rochester birds and prairies group 2023 Robert 2024 Jocelyn, Marcie