Founding member of Life Writers, Vernon Schmitz, did it! He published his book in December 2026. Well done, Vern.
Many of you will remember Vern’s wonderful stories of growing up on a dairy farm in Minnesota. Tonight, he’ll talk with us about how he did it, read an excerpt of After the Milking and Chores, and answer your questions.
To give you a taste of what’s to come, here’s Vern’s back cover blurb:
Picture a four-year-old steering a tractor between corn rows. Or an eight-year-old driving his grandmother in a pickup truck—toward oncoming traffic down a dusty gravel county road at dusk—while being urged to go even faster. Vern Schmitz entertains and inspires with tales of how his formative years on a 320-acre dairy farm in Stearns County, Minnesota, in the 1950s and ’60s impacted his entire life.
From miraculous near misses—a barn fire, a tornado, and a fall in front of running cows, among others—to the never-ending chores and fun adventures he shared with eleven siblings, Vern’s reflections on his daily experiences and life-shaping values may inspire you to ponder yours.
For anyone with a farm background, these stories will resonate, bringing back many memories. But if you didn’t have the honor of living your childhood on a farm, you can count on Vern Schmitz to enlighten you about growing up on one in After the Milking and
Chores: Life Stories of a Minnesota Farm Kid—a farm kid who did okay.
Use this access info to join the session:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89597955659?pwd=2bDwnUbSYi02gACnhtwuTBOVt5O2EP.1
Meeting ID: 895 9795 5659
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