Estate Sale on the Farm

A couple of years ago we moved to the small rural community of Waterford Wisconsin. One of the unexpected pleasures of living here has been our proximity to the "country". Although we are in a subdivision, within a five minute drive are rustic roads, creeks and acres of farm land. After thirty years of suburban living, I'd forgotten how the country feeds my soul.

In the summertime this area is loaded with great country auctions and estate sales. With my trusty GPS to guide me, I love heading out early to see what I can find. Along the way the curvy roads reveal treasures of their own - quaint farms, woodlands, creeks and wildlife. I've seen hawks, deer, foxes, and mama geese taking their babies for a swim.



Recently I headed out for a sale in Genoa City, a small town near our border with Illinois. The farm was several miles outside of town. Arriving early, I was number seven on the list to get into the house. The sale started at 9:00 but they opened the barn & outbuildings early. Some old furniture items had been pulled out into the center of the barn but other nooks had been left untouched.



Our old farm families didn't get rid of much. Broken or unwanted items were often just tossed into a pile in a corner of the barn. This was the case here. Decades of "junk" were piled in a heap. I managed to unearth an egg basket, some iron shelf brackets and a few other small primitives. Out front were milk cans and garden implements. I purchased an old school bell, violating my own rule that I don't buy what I can't lift, and one of the staff loaded it up for me.



A shed revealed my favorite find of the day. A weathered wood sign that said "changing area" was securely nailed to the wall. One of the young men working the sale managed to remove it for me. (I'm working on a little project that involves this sign and will post a photo later.)

When we were admitted to the house, it was a little disappointing. It seemed that many of the things you'd expect in an old farmhouse were gone. I did manage to come home with some feed sacks, a Hagen Renaker pig family, and some great dress-up clothes for my granddaughters. While it wasn't my most successful hunt ever, it was an enjoyable day in the country.

Have you been to a country sale lately? Please share - we'd love to hear about it!