Family Gatherings
My mother is 100% Norwegian. My father is 100% Swede. Since Scandinavians are the leading coffee drinkers in the world, it is no wonder that "coffee ands" have been a huge part of their lives. Whenever I stop in to visit my mom and dad, my dad will put the coffee pot on while mom digs in to the refrigerator and freezer and treats me with her latest baked goods - none of which is more than a few days old. My dad is 87 and my mom 90. While Mom doesn't back like she used to, she still keeps up her reputation. A table full of goodies placed on the table is automatic, as anyone who visits there knows. It doesn't matter if you insist that you are only staying a few minutes, or if you don't wish to have anything. If you are there, you will have coffee with them and enjoy their infectious charm. It is a quality that is all but lost on the generations that followed and certainly has deep roots in their upbringing and heritage. It seems to be an unwritten Scandinavian rule that visitors must be fed. "Coffee ands" means coffee and cookies, or coffee and cake, or coffee and toast. This tradition in my family most certainly has its roots at The Farm. Anyone who stopped by The Farm was served up "coffee ands".
I recall that under the sink, my grandmother always had a big jar of sugar cookies that were handy for my brother and I, along with our cousins, to constantly invade. This ever-present hospitality has been a constant for over a century at the The Farm and has led to its notariety as a "gathering place" - a place where family and friends can congregate, relax and enjoy one another's company. That tradition is perpetuated, year after year in picnics, leisurely weekends, family reunions, 32 years of FarmFest, dinners with friends, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, hunting preparations, hunting gatherings, safety seminars, bachelor parties, and just simple "get-aways", as shown in the photos below.
Written by Darrold Persson (updated December 2015)
Photo Key: (date means year of death)
Elmer (1964), son of Juel (1936), grandson of Olai (1868); wife, Emma (1966); sons, Ernie (1935); Allen (1996) and Kenny (2010); daughters, Alice (2009) and Myrna;
Myrna (daughter of Elmer and Emma); (husband Don); sons, Denny (2005); Darrold, Dale, and Dave; daughters, Donna (1959) and Debi.
Denny (2005) son of Myrna and Don; daughters, Charity and Nikki;
Darrold, son of Myrna and Don; (wife Laurie); son, Dustin (wife Rachel); daughters, Amber and Shana (husband Ben);
Donna (1959), daughter of Myrna and Don
Debi, daughter of Myrna and Don; son, Matt; daughter, Brooke
Dale, son of Myrna and Don; (wife Sandra); son, Billy (wife Tiffany); daughters, Kacey and Leslie;
Dave, son of Myrna and Don; (wife Denise); son Taylor; daughters, Madison, Isabelle and McGuire
Alice, (2009) daughter of Elmer and Emma, (husband Vince); daughters, Carol (husband John) and Joan (husband Bob); son, Greg (wife Bonnie)
Allen (1996), son of Elmer and Emma, wife, Mabel (2008); son Mike (wife Wendy); daughter, Gwen (husband Kurt)
Kenny (2010), wife, Dottie (2015); step-son, Darrell (wife Mary Jo); step-daughters, Candy and Leanne
Elmer's siblings: Oscar (1948); Josef (1895); Ida (1895); Julia (1990); Joseph (1971); Adolph (1974)
I recall that under the sink, my grandmother always had a big jar of sugar cookies that were handy for my brother and I, along with our cousins, to constantly invade. This ever-present hospitality has been a constant for over a century at the The Farm and has led to its notariety as a "gathering place" - a place where family and friends can congregate, relax and enjoy one another's company. That tradition is perpetuated, year after year in picnics, leisurely weekends, family reunions, 32 years of FarmFest, dinners with friends, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, hunting preparations, hunting gatherings, safety seminars, bachelor parties, and just simple "get-aways", as shown in the photos below.
Written by Darrold Persson (updated December 2015)
Photo Key: (date means year of death)
Elmer (1964), son of Juel (1936), grandson of Olai (1868); wife, Emma (1966); sons, Ernie (1935); Allen (1996) and Kenny (2010); daughters, Alice (2009) and Myrna;
Myrna (daughter of Elmer and Emma); (husband Don); sons, Denny (2005); Darrold, Dale, and Dave; daughters, Donna (1959) and Debi.
Denny (2005) son of Myrna and Don; daughters, Charity and Nikki;
Darrold, son of Myrna and Don; (wife Laurie); son, Dustin (wife Rachel); daughters, Amber and Shana (husband Ben);
Donna (1959), daughter of Myrna and Don
Debi, daughter of Myrna and Don; son, Matt; daughter, Brooke
Dale, son of Myrna and Don; (wife Sandra); son, Billy (wife Tiffany); daughters, Kacey and Leslie;
Dave, son of Myrna and Don; (wife Denise); son Taylor; daughters, Madison, Isabelle and McGuire
Alice, (2009) daughter of Elmer and Emma, (husband Vince); daughters, Carol (husband John) and Joan (husband Bob); son, Greg (wife Bonnie)
Allen (1996), son of Elmer and Emma, wife, Mabel (2008); son Mike (wife Wendy); daughter, Gwen (husband Kurt)
Kenny (2010), wife, Dottie (2015); step-son, Darrell (wife Mary Jo); step-daughters, Candy and Leanne
Elmer's siblings: Oscar (1948); Josef (1895); Ida (1895); Julia (1990); Joseph (1971); Adolph (1974)
