We are a family farm in southern Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Gold Harvest has been in the business of growing and harvesting quality popcorn since 1983. Carl has over 30 years experience developing the techniques to create a higher quality product. We never dry with high heat only forced air. A slow and patient process is necessary to obtain the correct moisture and a premium popcorn, Depending on the weather conditions, we either pick the popcorn on the cob and store in large drying bins or shell out in the field and use small drying bins to hold the popcorn. These special bins allow the popcorn to be dried slowly, preserving color and flavor, giving the best popcorn experience for your tastebuds!
Our registered brand, Theater Popcorn ® is sold here in the Midwest.
About Carl
He was born into a family that arrived in America from Europe in the nineteen fifties. His family came from farming stock and was also strong in design and engineering. Carl graduated from MATC in the Tool and Die apprenticeship program and is a journeyman tool and die maker. He is also a CAD design engineer. Parts needed for the farm are often designed and fabricated in his machine shop. Carl started growing popcorn over thirty years ago, acquiring the equipment needed for this specialized crop which is different from field corn.
About Colleen
She was born in Vermont on a dairy farm. She milked Jersey cows (high butterfat content milk) with Serge milking machines, (lots of lifting involved with these milkers). In the 1980's Colleen moved to Wisconsin and graduated from UW Madison as a Registered Nurse. Colleen also graduated with an MBA in 1996. She was a nurse at St. Mary's Hosipital in Madison for over twenty years but is now retired from Nursing. Along with the farm work outside, Colleen does all the graphics and manages the web site and the farm office.
Gardening and Preserving the Harvest
Our garden is very important to us. We can tomatoes and freeze and dehydrate whatever we can. Fermenting vegetables like cabbage for saurkraut, and green tomatoes for "Southern Italian Green Tomatoes" and kim chee, from radishes and napa cabbage are also things we do to add to our diet. We eat simple but delicious food worth all the work that a garden takes!
Not City Living
It's hard work running a farm with just Mom and Pop! Never boring, the work is varied from day to day. Being close to nature does have its rewards including a great view and fresh air and sunsine. We can be outside most of the time, although in winter everything is harder to accomplish. This life is not for everyone, but as it has been said before, there is no bad weather, only bad clothes! The only people we have to impress are ourselves. Speaking of attire, we always are comfortable in shabby chic!
DUNS Number 132404323
Processing Plant License Number
80-045260
How busy are we? So busy Carl obviously doesn't have time to shave or get a hair cut...Farming, gardening, product packaging, machine maintenance and unexpected repairs keep us hopping! Hair styling is easy for Colleen, she always wears a hat.
More pictures:
Carl and Dara on his father's Case tractor, note Carl's bare feet in the white circle. Around here he's known as the barefoot farmer. But lately he has discovered Crocs.
Carl and Christopher, age 11, on the 1949 Case Tractor in winter.
Dara, at age 4, is standing in an empty drying bin.
Carl and Christopher, age 3. Christopher likes to drive and note: His mouth is full of blueberries!
And Luke, our Huskey-Terrier mix. He resembles a coyote, so we put something bright on his collar. He's our watch dog!
And Peeka is supervising, she barks if she sees something amiss!
Family would not be complete without our cats! We all have our jobs...
Poking a little fun at ourselves, this is Colleen's version of American Gothic! (Carl's a squirrel, Colleen's a rabbit)...