After several days of snow and clouds, the sun broke through and the bright, blue sky revealed itself and changed our already awesome winter scenes into breathtaking sights.
One of my new favorite photos of the Valley Grove churches in winter.
We grabbed our snowshoes and drove out to Valley Grove to tromp around the beautiful landscape. We enjoy Valley Grove in every season. We especially like to hike and picnic there in the summer and fall. I also enjoy seeing these two charming, and picturesque historic churches. This is the peaceful place where Gary and I have bought a cemetery plot.
Blue sky, white snow.
The temperature this winter day was mild because the winds were calm. The landscape was pristine and untouched, except for one short path to a gravestone. I imagined that somebody may have lost their loved one close to this time of year to make the special effort to visit. The footprints in the snow sunk at least 20-24 inches, so it must have been a very difficult walk. Our snowshoes sunk about 6-8 inches, which is expected, and makes walking much easier.
A gnarly, oak tree in front – the prairie beyond.
We enjoyed snowshoeing the perimeter of the cemetery, making fresh tracks wherever we went. We made an effort not to disturb the smooth, undisturbed snow in the center of the churches and cemetery.
We didn’t make tracks in the cemetery.Gary took this photo from the prairie.
We continued to snowshoe on the prairie a bit too, to marvel at the vastness of white snow covering the ground, and every stubble of grass.
Every twig and blade of prairie grass was ladened with snow.
We missed the beloved Christmas eve service at the historic Valley Grove church this year because it was canceled due to subzero temperatures. But it’s warmed up, and it was fun to visit Valley Grove on this beautiful day in January.
This photo was taken in Nerstrand, on the way to Boots & Lu’s.
We stopped for a bowl of soup and a cup of hot chocolate at Boots & Lu’s, a coffee shop in Nerstrand, before heading home.
A writing assignment was to complete this thought: I have a feeling about my tree…
I like trees. I think most everyone does, but maybe most people don’t think about them much. Even though I really like trees, I can’t identify many of them. Of course, the oaks and maples are easy, but then I struggle.
We planted 17 trees in our yard in Northfield. Many of them almost 28 years ago. Some are getting really big, or scraggly, or both. They do provide a lot of shade. I used to have sun gardens, but now I often need to consider shade plants.
The honey locust tree in our front yard, October 2022.
One tree that we planted 28 years ago, in the front yard, was a honey locust tree. It was maybe 1-2 inches around in diameter…It grew tall, and beautiful, and full, and it became my favorite tree. I can see it outside the window above my kitchen sink.
But I have a feeling about my tree…it’s dying. Last year we had a tree service company come and trim it back. This spring it leafed out and seemed to be doing well during the summer. Now, this fall we noticed more large, dead branches and I have a feeling it won’t live much longer. I won’t give up on it yet. But I will miss it when it’s gone. It is a light and airy tree, with branches that sway in the wind and offers dappled sun light through its small leaves.
The majestic oak tree at Valley Grove Cemetery. I took this photo on September 14, 2018. A tornado felled this tree on September 20…6 days later. Little did I know.
Another tree I loved was the old, oak tree that grew in the Valley Grove cemetery. If it was planted when the first church was built in 1862… it could have been well over 150 years old…some estimate it to be 200+ years old.
Photo of a photo in a pamphlet about the Valley Grove Preservation Society.
It stood tall and mighty, with long, branches spread wide and offering protection over the gravesites. It was special. It was majestic. It fell when the 2018 tornado came through. It was a huge loss.
I went out to see the downed tree on September 25, 2018. Many people mourned this sad event.
While attending the Valley Grove Country Social this fall, I learned someone made crosses from oak branches that are trimmed off other oak trees on the cemetery property. These oak trees are believed to be descendants from the majestic, old, oak tree. The woodworker was an acquaintance of mine, so I decided to contact him.
The 10″ cross made from the old, oak tree.
When I asked him if it was possible to get a cross made from the old oak tree, he told me he and several others checked out the wood from the fallen tree and found the wood to be twisted and not so good, and that there was very little salvaged from it. I said OK, please make me a cross from the other oak wood.
Valley Grove Churches, without the majestic oak tree. Photo taken August 2022.
When he called to let me know the cross was ready to be picked up, he told me he was able to make a cross from the old, oak tree…that he had found enough good scrap wood to make a cross. I was blessed!
It was a nice afternoon for the Valley Grove Country Social. It was cloudy, but no rain. A blue-sky backdrop would have been nice, but looking out from on top of the hill to the surrounding prairie and farmland is a beautiful sight no matter what the weather.
I never tire of this scene approaching these two historic churches.
The fall Country Social, which I incorrectly called Valley Grove’s fall festival, began its annual affair with a two-day event in 1995. Back then it was a local artist’s exhibit in the two churches. Various fall events took place during the ensuing years, all with different names.
This photo was taken in fall of 2020, when the sky was blue. We visit Valley Grove many times throughout the year. It’s one of my favorite places.
It wasn’t until 2002 that it officially became titled the annual “Valley Grove Country Social”, held the third weekend in September. It Is a fundraiser, and chance for folks to enjoy the area, and to learn about this very special place…two churches, a cemetery, and 52 acres of restored prairie.
A beautiful view, no matter what the weather.
This year there were a few artist’s works displayed, but it mostly was a time for joining in on two walks; a cemetery story tour led by Jeff Sauve a local historian and author, and/or a prairie walk.
Plus, both churches were open to explore. They are both on the National Register of Historic Places. Refreshments were for sale in the 1862 stone church with photo books on display, and a few artist gifts available to buy. There was four exquisite tapestries (see below) hanging on the walls.
The bell tower on the 1894 wooden church. The bell weighing 1,433 pounds was moved from the stone church to the wood church when it was built in 1894. Using a pulley system with rope and horse power, the bell never touched the ground as it was transferred from one church to the other.
There was outdoor background music by two different Nordic groups, recitals in the 1894 church, displays and hands-on activities for everyone, and the members of the Valley Grove Preservation Society were in attendance to answer any questions you had about these two historic and beautiful churches. The group works hard to maintain these remarkable churches built by Norwegian immigrants in the 1800’s.
There were several highlights for me this Sunday afternoon…
One was leisurely meandering the grounds, and running into people we recognized, stopping to chat…soaking in the energy of folks excited to be here in this wonderful space.
One visitor brought his pet goats.
Another highlight was the cemetery story tour with Jeff Sauve. It was interesting. He’s a great storyteller!
A view looking towards the prairie from the churches…in the corner is where the beloved, old oak tree used to stand.
Riding in a horse-drawn wagon through the surrounding prairie, which the preservation society also maintains, was fun.
Two beautiful horses…Percherons.
The horse-drawn wagon ride was popular with folks.
And, I really enjoyed seeing four beautiful tapestries on display in the old stone church.
This tapestry depicts the 1894 white wooden church, birds in the area, the Minnesota state flower and also the dwarf trout lily (found in Rice County, one of three places in the world).
Funded by a grant, a Minneapolis textile artist, Robbie LeFleur, was hired to depict the Valley Grove churches and life in Valley Grove, back in the day.
The tapestry for the 1862 Stone Church. It was common at that time for women in the area to raise chickens and sell their eggs.
LeFleur designed and created the tapestries (20”X26”) using a traditional Norwegian type of handiwork.
Nils. A. Quamman was the longest serving pastor for the congregation. According to church lore, he sometimes skied from Farmington to Valley Grove, staying overnight with parishioners.
The tapestries were made to hang beneath four light sconces in the stone church. Each tapestry had a write-up explaining the various scenes on each one.
This tapestry depicts the beautiful old oak tree that grew tall and wide in the corner of the cemetery, and was felled by a storm in 2018. It is surrounded by animals of the area.
What a lovely display to peruse on a delightful afternoon at Valley Grove, one of my favorite places!
Walking through the prairie, on a cool November morning, was glorious.
The sky was interesting… blue patches in one direction, dark clouds in the other direction, with the sun trying to peek beyond the clouds.
We walked through the quaint cemetery at Valley Grove that leads to the prairie trails. We hiked the mown trails through tall grasses, stunningly gold in color, and as tall as us, in most areas.
We took the trail that leads down to the border of Big Woods State Park. As we walked along the edge of the park, it started to drizzle and I could hear the droplets landing on the dried leaves of the forest floor. It was a lovely sound.
Then the raindrops became heavier and we found ourselves walking in the rain…but only for a little while (and it was quite pleasant walking in the rain). The rain quickly stopped and soon the sun was breaking through in full force, and by afternoon the sky was cloudless.
We were in awe of the beauty of the golden grass on the prairie, with a slight wave in the wind, against different backdrops: two historic churches, the cospe of white birch trees, the state park and surrounding horizon.
We found our way to Hidden Falls 2 (for lack of a better name). The creek bed was dry and the water over the falls had frozen in place, into an immobile cascade. It seemed like time was standing still – until next spring, I guess. But, it too, had it’s own beauty.
Frozen!
We had the area to ourselves…no evidence of people or animals…and we continued to hike this on this splendid property maintained by The Valley Grove Preservation Society. I’m grateful for their work on behalf of this magnificent section of a Minnesota prairie.
A mown path through tall prairie grass, that doesn’t look so tall in the photo.
This is the corner of the Valley Grove cemetery where the beloved Old Oak Tree stood for 200 years, and was blown over during the 2018 tornado.
We were happy to get some fresh air and exercise before heading to downtown Northfield to support “Small Business Saturday”, where we did finish our Christmas shopping that afternoon…in the sunshine.
Valley Grove is a special place…two historic churches on top of a hill, surrounded by a cemetery and some lovely pine trees and oak trees…
The two historic churches at Valley Grove.
There was an old, old oak tree that stood in one corner of the cemetery, providing shelter and shade for many gravesites, but it blew down in a 2018 tornado. That was a sad day.
This stately, old oak tree stood tall in the corner of Valley Grove Cemetery. This photo was taken months before it was felled by a tornado.
Valley Grove remains a place of beauty…in any season. And one I like to visit often.
Winter’s beauty.
A sweeping prairie view.
I was recently snowshoeing there on a bright, sunshiny day, after a morning of hoar frost that shed its shards onto the freshly fallen snow causing them to sparkle in the sunshine, making us feel like we were walking through diamonds. It was stunning.
A bit of hoar frost left on this twig.
We walked for a couple of hours in the glistening and untouched snow, creating paths through the prairie land and into the woods.
Into the woods.
We noticed several varieties of animal tracks crating their own paths and sometimes leaving us to wonder what the animals were doing…dancing I’m sure, in the wide open spaces while no one was watching.
The first stone church built in 1862. One of two historic churches at Valley Grove.
On the National Weather Service website it states there were 10 tornado tracks in SE Minnesota last week…apparently they use the term track before a tornado touchdown is confirmed. The havoc from these storms is all around us and we continue to hear stories of damage, and miracles of how the fallen trees and debris have not taken any lives. For that we are thankful.
The majestic oak tree in Valley Grove Cemetery. I took this photo just a few weeks ago.
But I did lose something dear…an old, oak tree at Valley Grove. I think this oak tree was beloved by many people.
The fallen oak tree at Valley Grove.
The old, oak tree that once stood tall, behind the two historic churches at Valley Grove.
Although the tree was not in my path daily I became very fond of the huge tree from many visits to the Valley Grove churches and cemetery. The towering, magnificent oak was a stable presence and protection over the cemetery where we plan to be buried someday.
The tree is at least 100 years old but the actual age is unknown. The Valley Grove community was started in 1860.
We knew the 100 year old (plus) tree would not last forever but the thought of it being there was comforting. Now it’s gone. Taken down by the storm…in minutes…toppling over tombstones and laid to rest.
The tree toppled onto tombstones, breaking a few.
The oak tree on its side…you can see the chain that helped stabilize the massive tree.
We recently took a hike through the prairie lands behind the cemetery and took a few photos of the massive oak tree, held together in some parts by chains. We’ve had picnics at Valley Grove and attend the Christmas Eve service in the historic church every year.
The fallen tree in the background where it once stood tall.
This is a special place, and will continue to be, although it will never be the same. The majestic oak tree will be missed by many.
Walking through the vibrant prairie at Valley Grove.
A second church was built in 1894 across from the first church because they outgrew the first one.
