Wandawega Blog Archive

Going to good homes. 2021 is looking to be a good year! So we want to start celebrating earlier- By giving away our latest little camp swag kit – they will go to our guests (and were also mailing out a dozen to people randomly selected from comments here).The OG farmers almanac calendar, made for Camp Wandawega.Up until a few decades ago, every roadside cabin court, greasy spoon and seed store in the Midwest had one of these hanging behind the front desk. They were the original go-to for advice on everything from how to get a blood stain out to when to plant your beans. With 4,900 bits of information, you can get your conversion tables, breeding charts and first aid counsel all in one place. The Calendar Company has been making these advertising calendars for over 143 years. They started in Greeneville, Tennessee (scroll through to see their old factory & presses).Unchanged all these years later, theyre still a wealth of info from daily fishing guides to planting gardens by the signs, sun rise and sun set times, and weather. Were obsessed with the little unchanged details – from the tin strip at the top to the fact that they havent modernized their fonts. Ours just arrived, and are the un-fancy, utilitarian, old school originals. Just what we hoped for.Its comforting to discover that some places still make things like they used to.Mailing out a dozen this week tucked in a little box of swag- so drop us a line here, well pick randomly from comments below. (Were also putting them on our campstore this morning, too).

November 15, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

The look on her face in the next moment says it all… That time that Charlie got an unexpected sex ed class in the kitchen from the neighbors dog. #wandawegaHillhouse Kitchen office camp-out plans for today. Pics for @lakeandcountrymag Friends, photographers, chefs, models, architect (and one overly excited pup) @cargo_north @allisonschaffer @bobcoscarelli

November 13, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

And all at once summer collapsed into fall -Oscar Wilde And now fall is slowly dissolving Into winter. Were pulling down the tents and pulling out the heavier cold weather blankets, preparing camp for the snow season. Our indoor and outdoor fireplaces are getting stocked up with wood to welcome guests during the upcoming snowy months. Photos @mushroomstew (taken in warmer weather, of the things guests love to do most here in all seasons board games and books. Exploring with the first cup of the day) The first shot is from the treehouse library that we have open all year long for guests – in the winter when the sun is shining it Gets cozy inside like a little greenhouse. We have some new surprises for guests this winter – excited to share in December ;)

November 12, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

Its Veterans Day. So to celebrate those that protect us, we wanted to share one of our favorite Camper self portraits. …In the spirit of freedom and patriotism, @ChristinaGlickman came sporting her OG Girl Scout uniform (circa 1982).To show their appreciation to our military and veterans who serve to protect our freedom, every year on this day, the Girl Scouts participate in local parades and community events.One of our favorite examples of this is the earn your patch program that U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (a Girl Scout alum and army veteran) created – designed to help Girl Scout groups connect with and honor our veterans.To earn their Honor Our Veterans patch they had to complete one of the following:* Complete a service project benefitting veterans.* Visit a veteran* Tell a veterans story.I think we could all take a cue from these girls – and earn our patch, by reaching out to a veteran today to thank them for all theyve done for us.This last photo is of the first veteran I ever met. My Grandpa and my uncle poo as we called him as kids : ) He was one of the teenage sailors who was lucky to survive after jumping into the flaming waters of Pearl Harbor. Hearing this story as a girl made me think of him on this day every year since.There are no words for the debt of gratitude we owe him – and to all veterans…today and everyday.

November 11, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

Taking a great big deep breath.(Along with a hearty dose of aromatherapy).Introducing Camp Scents…the first up in a new small series that we plan on rolling out over time. *launching this morning on our campstore First up: Pinewood ForestSmells like a campfire. Smokey. Mossy. With hints of pine. (Basically, Wandawega in a metal can).The story on the back label: Camp Wandawega is tucked away on 25 wooded acres. Years ago, while cleaning out old buildings, we found a stockpile of axes and two-man crosscut saws. They are artifacts from a century ago, when they where still felling the trees here by hand. As a tribute to the way things used to be done here, every season we now clear a few more of our fallen pines in the back acres to help keep our campfires burning. And so that visitors can leave here carrying the scent of pine with them.I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees. – Henry David ThoreauDETAILS:- 8 oz. Hand-poured soy wax- Made in the U.S.A. (In a one-man shop)- Cotton Wick- Comes with a handy church key opener on a leather tie.- Each candle assembled with hand stamped seal, packaged in a linen bag (and stuffed with camp swag)Take a deep breath with us. Its a beautiful day!

November 10, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

And all a sudden, the air is full of possibilities. And now were finding ourselves dreaming more about what 2021 can bring – and finally laying down the foundational plans for new things to offer our guests.We have always loved partnering with chefs here and sharing this place for dinners inspired by the local seasonal bounty. Were sketching plans and excited to share some news about a new program soon. In the meantime, revisiting some of our past camp culinary adventures for this planning phase.2021 is going to be great.Its in the air.And were here for it.These beautiful pastries by @floriole for a fall spread @sweetpaulmagazine And one of our favorite dinner tables by @johannalowe @fieldandflorist by @nathanmichael for #tastynugget *last shot with @theblacksheepww from @campwed

November 9, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

HERE COMES THE SUNThis is the path around the little lake We share here with some pretty great neighbors. The view feels especially shiny this morning, and we are feeling community, hope and a bright future with our whole hearts. With full hearts and steady hands,With faith in America and in each other, With a love of country and a thirst for justice,Let us be the nation we know we can be.A nation united A nation strengthenedA nation healedThe United States of America.God bless you. (We couldnt agree more)Thanks Neil for sharing your pics

November 8, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

Im not crying, youre crying.(Woke up to this post this morning).Cassie and Erin… the most intimate ceremony weve ever hosted here at camp (just four people).My heart bursts for these two. The sun is shining so bright for them – and for all of us who choose love, mutual trust, and looking for the best in each other.Its a new day. Congratulations to the happy couple @cassierosch @enmurphy13 @benjhaisch black and white wetplate by @margaretmuza

November 7, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

We discovered a little town up In the Northwoods that has 3 fantastic surprises. Welcome to Birnamwood, Wisco, (pop. 802) home to:1. An amazing OLD BAR Chet & Emils2. The worlds largest BADGER (once perched atop a cheese shop, now it guards a club of strippers)3. One of the best SUGAR BUSHES in the Midwest. (Ahem.. meaning a grove of maple trees.)Ive never admitted this to anyone before, but the 1st thing I did when we bought camp was start cruising eBay for antique maple sugaring buckets. I even had the packaging designed in my delusional head, having convinced myself that with 25 acres, we had to have a sugarbush tucked back in here someplace. Then David broke the news: not only does It take 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gal of syrup…but he could count all the maple trees here on 1 hand.I sulked for months. Fast-forward 16 years.The next best thing to making your own, is to convince your expert neighbors to the north to make it for you. Were finally getting to stock our kitchens & store with our own :Pure Syrup, made by Sippls SugarBush of Birnamwood, specially packagedfor Camp Wandawega.Family-owned Sippls in Birnamwood, Wis has been producing puremaple syrupfor generations. They take a certain pride in their history & craft that we admired so much, so we asked if they would partner up with us.In Wisco, maple syrup season started with families tapping their own backyard trees & a small cooking pan. Although the technology has evolved considerably, at Sippls the back-breaking work & care it takes to transform sap to syrup is the same as it is has been for hundreds of years. Its a local tradition that was celebrated by our great & great-grandparents as we do today.We cant wait to reveal the package design, which has been the biggest challenge. As it turns out, making things simpler with old fashioned methods is a lot harder than we could have imagined. (It took talking to manufacturers from MN to Canada).But as they say, nothing worth doing comes easy. Stay tuned.Photos:3,9,10 & excerpt by mnlocavore.com, with B&W shots of local sugaring from WisconsinHistory.org

November 6, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt