Our Story
We tossed around a few uninspired names. It wasn't until we were enjoying a dinner and a cocktail at Chef Shack Bay City after a day of hiking that the inspiration hit. Dan jokingly said we could call the farm Late Bloomers since we were more mature when we moved to the farm. I quipped that we have an abundance of Goldenrod, and Goldenrod blooms late in the summer. It also has a beautiful botanical name, Solidago, which means "to make whole." That wholeness is how we tend to our land - working with nature to support its biodiversity. That wholeness is what we bring to all of our products from the farm.
We knew as soon as we pulled up in the driveway that we were home. Dan and I purchased our fifteen acres of heaven in the fall of 2012. For the first three years we spent the weekends exploring the land and getting to know the birds, bees, flowers and trees that are a part of our farm. When we moved to our farm in 2016, we decided to name the place we now call home.
Our Crew
Meet Katherine Krumwiede
Katherine is an acupuncturist, herbalist and plant lover. Solidago Farm allows Katherine to make her own herbal medicine, and herbs are the inspiration for our tonics, tea and salves.
Katherine found her way to beeswax candle making via the beekeeping world. Dan and I kept bees for the first five years on our farm. We were thrilled with our first year's honey harvest, and our honey was the best we had ever tasted due to the diversity of plants on our farm. I find contentment and joy in working with the other valuable product from the hive: beeswax.
Meet Dan Prill
Dan has had decades of experience in the IT realm, most notably as a Server and Systems Architect at UWRF. Now retired, he tends to our eleven hens and nourishes the soil in our vegetable garden, and transforms the garden produce into delicious meals. Dan's abundant kale crop always brings a smile to his wife's face!
Meet Otto
The master of entertainment and affection in our household. Fondly known as The Galloping Goofball.
Meet the Hens
The hens joined our family in the spring of 2017. First came the Barred Plymouth Rocks (far left). They are very interactive hens as well as great foragers and egg layers. The Buff Orpingtons (far right) arrived in 2019, and they are very photogenic. In 2020 the Silver Laced Wyandottes (below center) joined the crew. They are a very curious bird, not into close personal contact, and are a bit spazzy. They were our first hens to climb a tree! Spring of 2022 brought the two latest Barred Plymouth Rock hens into the fold. Willard and Agnes (as they are known) preferred to spend nights atop a ladder throughout the spring, summer and fall. Fortunately they integrated with the rest of the hens a bit better once they were all moved to their winter hen house.
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Collectively they are called The Bards, The Buffs and The Dots. The hens are also entertaining and gift us with the most amazing eggs.
