History Center of Olmsted County

The History Center of Olmsted County in Rochester, Minnesota, is an impressive building, especially with a tractor parked in front of it. But that isn't all that charmed me about the place.

I'm really partial to being greeted by someone with an energetic, genuine smile, and Janet Timmerman, who arranged my visit, was at the door to do just that as we entered the building. Janet showed us around the historic center and introduced us to a few of the hard-working staff members.

The audience for my Farm Heritage Program was small,  but it included one of the sweetest four-year-old girls on the planet, and I could see she enjoyed my story, If I Were a Farmer: Nancy's Adventure.

And her mother bought a couple of books, too.

Also in the audience were staff members who will be reading my books to children in the upcoming weeks. Since my goal is to get my books out to adults and children, I was really gratified to have the History Center purchase my books for this purpose.

I thank Janet Timmerman for inviting me to perform at the History Center of Olmsted County and for arranging my visit. I hope she invites us back soon.

The History Center has many great displays inside the building, and to tour the outdoor displays, customers can ride on the wagon pulled by the tractor parked out front. Visit the History Center with the whole family.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson.

Risen Savior Seniors

Risen Savior Seniors is a small group that meets at the Risen Savior Church off Dakota County Road 42, which is only a few miles from my place. When Geneva (Speiker) Meives, a long-time friend from the Farm Country Neighborhood where I grew up, asked me to do my Farm Heritage Show for the group, I was delighted to comply. They provided a nice big room, a big pull-down screen, a friendly audience, and a pot-luck lunch. It can't get any better than that!

After mass, a short  business meeting, and lunch, Geneva gave me a better introduction than I deserved before I started my 35-minute show.

Before and after the show, group members checked out the farm photos we had on display and my books, which we had for sale at a reduced "Event" price. 

The photos are farm photos from the early to the middle of the last century which have been submitted by farmers and former farm-kids from throughout the Midwest in response to our request for harvest photos and other farm photos to put in our upcoming books.

Geneva and her husband Everett pose for a picture with me after the show.

I want to thank the Risen Savior Seniors for inviting me to speak, especially Geneva, who arranged the event, and Connie, who helped organize my setup. We also thank all of those people who bought books, shared their stories with me, or had kind words for me after the program. Nancy and I had a fun time and we hope you did too.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson

As 2011 closes..

As December 31st comes around, most of us do some looking back as we review the year, count our blessings, and consider ways to improve personally and professionally.

As you may know, my wife and I offer free Farm Heritage shows about my Collector series of Farm Heritage books to preschools, elementary schools, other schools, museums, libraries, historical societies, clubs and banquets of all types, nursing homes, senior centers and assisted living facilities. The shows are intended to be entertaining and educational for all ages of children and all ages of adults.
If you know of a place we should visit, give us a call.

My records show that in 2011 Nancy and I visited and performed for over 6,000 children and adults, visiting over 80 different facilities, including over 40 schools and nearly 40 museums, libraries, historical societies, senior care facilities, and other facilities.
 Since we were on vacation for 10 days in January and 16 days in September, and since we were at the fair for 7 days and at Farmfest for 4 days, you can see the schedule was pretty steady, especially if you factor out holidays and other days we vended at other sites. 
But our goal is to do more shows in 2012.
Can you help us? if you know of a place we should visit, give them a call and recommend that they call us. My stories aim to entertain and educate, and I enjoy making people of all ages smile.

We also published two new books, If I Were a Farmer: Tommy's Adventure and A Farm Country Picnic, which brings our book total to seven titles. You can view sample pages and order on line at www.gordonfredrickson.com or just email me at twogfsc@integra.net.


First, we are thankful to be so busy. We thank all of those teachers and principals in schools and all those activity directors and club leaders for taking a chance on us by letting us try to entertain and educate your group. I know it's a risk to invite an unknown to your school or group. I hope we didn't disappoint.
If we succeeded, please pass the word. Please invite us back. We can only continue if leaders continue to invite us to perform at their facility.


Second, our goal is to entertain and teach about farm heritage in a way that provides fun stories that are accurate according to what farming was really like for kids in 1950. It is my goal to write 16 titles of the Farm Country Tales series that cover the whole year of January through December of 1950 so that in 100 years or more there will be an entire body of work that displays what it was like on a farm in 1950.
I write my stories to preserve our farm heritage and as response to two things in our society:
(1) many children's books make farming look like a petting zoo. It wasn't then and it isn't now. I try to show things that farmers really do in my stories, like chores, haying, threshing, feeding calves, and milking cows.
(2) popular media either seems to get stories about farming wrong or ignore stories about farm people entirely, as if no stories can take place in a farm setting.


Third, since traveling and producing books are expensive endeavors, our goal is also to sell books. If we don't sell books, we cannot continue to do free shows, and I think free shows are essential because many groups have little or no money available.
At this point I wish to point out the many, many schools and other facilities who stretch their budgets to give us a travel donation for our efforts. Regardless of the size of the donation, we greatly appreciate it. Recently, teachers in a school actually donated their own money to us for travel expenses (thank you, Amy). I was moved by their generosity during Christmas Season when money for every family is at  a premium. Also, lots of schools purchase a complete set of my books for their libraries. The books are a perfect and unique addition to any library collection, in both rural and metropolitan libraries.

In 2012, Nancy and I are working on  A Farm Country Harvest, which will be longer than the other books and include illustrations of my story and real photographs of harvest in the middle of the last century. It should be done in 2013.
We plan on publishing a fun book called What I Saw on the Farm Caused Me Great Alarm, which is not a series title. The story is illustrated by twelve-year-old Bradley Simon, who goes to New Prague School.
And I hope to progress on my teen novel, Garden Ghost, which takes place on the Carlson farm in February, 1955, when Jimmy is 14, Maggie is 13, and Joey is 10. The story is based on an event when my sisters and I saw a ghost in our garden when I was about 9.

Thanks to all who invited me to visit a facility in 2011.
Thanks to all who managed to give a donation for expenses,
Thanks to all who purchased my books. I know you appreciate that they are keepsake books, meant to be passed on from generation to generation to preserve farm heritage. I hope you enjoy them often.
Thanks to blog readers everywhere.
Happy New Year!

Santa Day at Gaylord Public Library

Gaylord Public Library (above) and

the Santa Day sign (below).

Saturday was Santa Day at Gaylord Public Library and the staff had fun activities planned for all ages.
I was scheduled to do two shows, one at 9:30 AM and one at 10:30 AM, but other activities included petting animals from the farm, visiting Santa, and decorating cookies.
The library at Gaylord is a really nice facility with several meeting rooms and a large entryway. There was plenty room for the good turnout of adults and kids who took part in the various activities.

Across the hall from my show were several farm animals that children and adults could view and pet. 

All the activities were well attended, including my first session (above) and

my second session (below), both of which included my book A Farm Country Christmas Eve.

Audience members of all ages take part in my demonstration 

of teaching a newborn calf to drink from a pail (above) 

and laugh at the results (below).

I signed many books, but Nancy was so busy visiting with people

she didn't get much time to take pictures.

Nancy and I enjoyed talking to the many audience members 

who stopped to visit after the show and share their stories of the farm.

Nancy and I are very grateful to Librarian Wanda Messner for inviting us to do two shows at Santa Day, and we wish to commend her and others for organizing such a wonderful event. Wanda, Laurie Waltz, and Kayla Downer all worked hard to make it happen smoothly, and each of them took time from their busy schedule to greet Nancy and me and to offer assistance. Many volunteers were available all morning to help with the event's activities.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson

All Saints Catholic School, Lakeville, MN, second day

Our second day at All Saints included doing shows for students in grades 2 and 3. We were greeted with a smile at the door by Debbie Donnelly, who signed us in and gave us visitor badges.

Third grade students in the first group were eager to begin the show (above) and
listen to my explanation of 'chores" on the farm (below).

The first group of third grade students volunteer to answer the question, 

"From what six places do the cats come when Joey calls them?"

Second group of third graders listening as I begin the Prologue (above) and

raising their hands to answer questions (below).

The same group lines up to take turns sticking their hands in the can of oats.

Two classes of second graders made the last group large,

 but they were fun and eager to listen (above),

and they watched closely as the children in the story

 go to the barn to help with chores on Christmas Eve (below).

The same group raises hands to answer questions.

I had a lot of fun doing the shows at All Saints, and I was sad when my stay their ended. Nancy and I wish to again thank Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Lloyd for arranging the visit. The students and staff I met seemed enthusiastic about their tasks and that always makes my job a pleasure.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson

Goldfinch Estates

On November 22, 2011, at Goldfinch Estates, I did a Farm Heritage Program, 

which included my story A Farm Country Thanksgiving.

Goldfinch Estates is a Senior Living Community located in Fairmont, MN, and Nancy and I love to be invited there to visit and do a Farm Heritage Program. This is our our fourth time at the facility and each time we have been greeted by Marilyn Oelke, the energetic and fun Community Life Director, who always has a farm story to tell.

Marilyn Oelke, Community Life Director at Goldfinch Estates, poses for a photo with me.

Marilyn also took a shot at appealing to the group to look for pictures of threshing for our newest book called  A Farm Country Harvest, which we hope to have out in 2013.

Residents at Goldfinch are always eager audience members and story tellers. They make a very responsive audience and Nancy and I love listening to their stories after the show. Several Residents stopped to chat and purchase books after the program.

We thank Executive Director, Erin Maidl, for having us at Goldfinch Estates again, and we thank Community Life Director, Marilyn Oelke for arranging our visit. We also thank all the residents who attend my programs year after year. We love your smiles and your stories.

We look forward to returning soon.