On a very hot June afternoon, Wellman Garden Club traveled to Lou Miller’s farm, 15 miles northeast of Wellman.  When we were unable to make our planned visit to a Riverside garden, Shirley Bohr rallied to arrange our visit to the wonderful Miller farm. 

Lou and her husband, Jerry, are the fifth generation on the farm.  It has been in Lou’s family since 1870. The barn and house were built by her grandfather in 1916.

We began with an excursion through the upper level of the barn.  Its spacious interior is decorated with a variety of antiques, tables, chairs, market lights, and even a bathroom. 

A peek into the lower level revealed a waste removal system that was a large cart suspended from rails so that it could be fairly easily moved from inside the barn to the outside. 

Walking from the barn to the house we passed flower and vegetable gardens and numerous flower beds. 

When the Millers moved to the farm five years ago, a new basement foundation was constructed, and the old farmhouse moved onto it. They lived in that lower level for two years while remodeling the house above.  It is now a beautifully decorated home, full of antiques and repurposed furniture, preserving many pieces of family history.

A planned ice cream outing after our tour was fraught with problems.  After several disappointing closures and even ice cream equipment malfunctions, the group settled for frozen ice cream treats from Casey’s.  But it was a good day and a fascinating tour, with heat relief provided by clouds and breezes.  After our summer break, Garden Club will resume this Fall on Thursday, Sept. 15.