Book 2 - Nathan, Amy, Madison and Ethan Berga

syrup. Will’s father, Peter, began the “Sugar Bush” in
the Maple woods on the homestead before the turn
of the century. Will and Ted continued to use it over
a span of nearly 90 years. The Sugar Bush is where
maple syrup was made. A fire was built in the middle
of a circle of large rocks, with a large pan placed
over the rocks. In the spring when the days warmed
and nights where cool, the sap ran in the Maple trees.
Small holes were made in the tree trunk for a small
spout to be inserted. The pail was hung on the spouts
and the sap dripped slowly and steadily into the pails.
The pails were checked frequently on warmer days.
When the sap was full in the pails, it was poured into
the large pans on the fire and boiled until most of the
water in the sap was gone. After it was cooked down
it was poured into cream cans, carried across the pasture
by wagon or tractor, and cooked on the kitchen
stove, then bottled. This process went on for several
weeks each spring. It took a lot of sap to make a small
amount of syrup.
Outside the side door was a beautiful flower garden
that Lena had designed and built. It was a special
project for her that carried over for many years, and
drew many visitors from all around. William and Ted
helped her find the stones for
the flower beds, and William
built various kinds of birdhouses
for a variety of birds, mainly the large Martin
and the small Wren. There was a large Elm tree that
shaded the garden from the hot south sun, and the
house shaded it from the west. In the morning the
birds sang, dew sparked on the flowers and the garden
was in splendor. In the evening when the temperature
dropped the perfume from the flowers filled the air.
Under the tree was a bench that William had made
for Lena. She would sit on her bench with her granddaughter,
silently watching the birds and smelling
the sweet aroma of the morning mixed with Lena’s
perfume. There was a sweet solace. Across from the
bench, on the other side of the garden, was a large rain
barrel that collected rain water from the down spout
for use in the garden, but was also good for washing
hair. William had built a fence around the garden
with gates on the side leading to the front Grove, near
the rain barrel, as well as leading to the back yard.
William had designed the garden to be gently slanting
down and away from the house. The birdhouses were
on poles along the back fence with roses and other
flowering bushes under them. One rose bush was
brought from Kentucky to Wisconsin with William’s
mother, Jennie. Under the plants and bushes was a
“My sister, Mildred Virginia Vanasse, was a lovely
person. She was Valedictorian when she graduated
from High School. She was offered a job in a
bank and in 3 years got T.B. She quit and was at
home a lot and in Sanitariums, dying at home at
24 years, when I was 10. She was talented, played
concert music and taught piano. She made beautiful
lace, drew and painted pictures, made great
fudge, and her own dresses. The whole town loved
her. When she died at home, we were all there
that day. She was a very refined person, brown
auburn hair, done up, never cut, brown eyes. She
had mother’s eyes. She was 14 years older than me.”
Helen Barnstable
School Play 1910
Mildred Vanasse stands in center, cousin Luella Nelson is to the left.
49