Ann’s Editor in the Country Scrapbook
Ann has accepted hundreds of invitations from readers to “come work a day with me” over the years. Hard-working country hostesses have helped her learn a lot.
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| Sitting not-so-pretty, Ann snapped off asparagus while riding in a low-slung picking cart at Teresa K.’s Hart, Michigan farm. |
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| Here’s Ann in ’78, detasseling in Janice S.’s seed corn field in Galesburg, Illinois. Souvenirs were “corn rash” on her arms, a spider up her sleeve and great memories. |
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| Bogged down? She pulled on hip boots to corral cranberries in 1982 at Louise and Curt O.’s Warrens, Wisconsin marsh. Earlier, she drove their harvester with rotating reel to beat off the fruit. |
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| Ann saw “We Three Kings” in a whole new light while leading “Tom” in a Nativity that Maxine H. of Cape Girardeau, Missouri staged. |
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| This hardworking canine team and Nancy D. (in sled) made a musher out of Ann at the Anaconda, Montana sled dog adventure business. |
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Ann helped flower this fragrant colorful float after working at the California greenhouses of rose grower Lucy O. (center at left) and mum grower June V., who furnished some of the millions of blooms for the 1987 Rose Parade. |
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| Outfitted for the jobs (from top), Ann cooked on a wagon train chuck wagon, filleted aloe vera, scrubbed sows and smoked bees. |
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| Proposing a salute in November 1973 to farm and ranch women as “Partners in Agriculture,” Farm Wife News asked Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz to sign an official proclamation, witnessed by his wife, Mary, and Ann. The magazine sponsored National Farm Wife Forums in the 1970s that drew thousands of rural women. On the November 1980 cover, food editor Nettie Gohlke (right), managing editor Ruth Benedict (left) and Ann cheered the special scoreboard message at Milwaukee County Stadium. |
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| “Udderly” inexperienced, Ann attempted to attach the milker without riling a patient Holstein. Carol S. put Ann through the paces at the Sparta, Wisconsin farm just before Ann served as the state’s June Dairy Month Chairman for 1981. |
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| Building houses with “Gingerbread Lady” Peggy A. in Louisiana was sweet, festive fun. Ann has also cut Christmas trees, harvested holly, made candy canes and done other hands-on holiday stories. |
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| Tending huge banana squash growing hydroponically in “The Land” pavilion at Disney World (1983) gave readers a glimpse of farming in the future. |
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| Aching muscles…then sweet satisfaction! Ann could hardly wait for a taste of the juicy cantaloupe after a tough day picking with Barb E. and crew in Vincennes, Indiana (1979). |
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| Ann’s workdays have been peppered with learning experiences—like how to string a bright chili ristra. After harvesting loads of peppers with Evelyn H. in Roswell, New Mexico (1984), one of the employees schooled Ann in the decorative technique. |