Jerry Apps: A Farm Story

Product Description

Rural historian and writer Jerry Apps evokes memories of a time when almost as many Americans lived on farms as in cities, fieldwork was done with horses, cows were milked by hands, lanterns were the source of light, and community was essential for survival. Jerry invites viewers to his small piece of land in central Wisconsin, where they’ll hear of his family’s efforts to restore an old granary, develop a productive vegetable garden in sandy and rocky soils, manage the woodlots, reestablish a prairie, and enjoy nature’s sounds and silences.  Produced and originally broadcast by our partners at Wisconsin Public Television.

About the Actor

Jerry Apps has worked as a rural historian and environmental writer for forty eight years. For ten years he wrote a weekly column on nature appreciation for several central Wisconsin newspapers. He has written many books on nature and environmental topics, including Old Farm: A History, The Quiet Season: Remembering Country Winters, and Garden Wisdom: Lessons Learned from 60 Years of Gardening. In 2012, Wisconsin Public Television produced the hour-long documentary A Farm Story with Jerry Apps. He and his wife, Ruth, divide their time between their home in Madison and their farm, Roshara, near Wild Rose.

About the Director

Wisconsin Public Television celebrates its long history as an innovator in public television every day. One of the earliest educational public television stations in the United States, WPT’s roots date back to the inception of Madison-based WHA-TV in 1954. Since then, it has grown into a statewide network of six stations devoted to sharing the stories of the people of Wisconsin through television broadcasts, community events and engagement. Many of these programs, including the celebrated Wisconsin Hometown Stories project, the Wisconsin War Stories series and two recent Jerry Apps farm history programs, have evolved from a strong partnership between WPT and the Wisconsin Historical Society.