Cooksville Celebrates Arbor Day

More than 36 Cooksville area residents gathered together on April 30 at the Cooksville Community Center to celebratte the addition of three new trees on the Commons, to view eductional posters on arbor culture, and to discuss the plans the Cooksville Commons Conservation Committee has for this treasured space in 2017 and the future.

In his opening remarks for Cooksville's second Arbor Day celebration, Karl Wolter of Cooksville said it best:  "Today is the kind of day a tree loves -- cold, wet and cloudy."

Fosdal's Bakery created an oak leaf cake.

Village residents Meri Lau and Mark Verstegan created commemorative plaques for attendees to finish individually featuring a scene of the Cooksville Community Center (formerly schoolhouse) and the burr oaks.  White pine saplings were available to take home and plant, in keeping with the vision of Arbor Day founder J. Sterling Morton.

Emma Mallon and Meri Lau enjoying the festivities.

The Cooksville Commons Conservation Committee was formed in 2016 as we began plans for celebrating 175 years as a community.  The group has received a matched funds grant through the Wisconsin DNR Urban Forestry Program to help with a tree inventory and management plan for the wood lot on the Commons, as well as tree planting.  For questions about the committee, additional activities planned for the year, joining the group, volunteer opportunities and donations, contact Karl Wolter (873-6998, Mary Kohlman (882-5559) or Meri Lau, email  Meri_Lau@yahoo.com

News from Tree Restoration Committee of Cooksville

The Tree Restoration Committee received a DNR Grant for Cooksville Urban Forestry and Commons. The grant will be matched with volunteer hours, in-kind services and fund-raising which will help fund or support these components:

• Tree inventory
• Professional Tree Management Plan
• Arbor Day Celebration and Tree Planting
• Community and Educational Outreach Programming

Future Dates:

Arbor Day Celebration - April 30, Sunday   2-4 pm   Refreshments to follow at the Cooksville Community Center after the proclamation and tree planting on the Commons.

The committee is having a tree inventory work date in late May if anyone is interested in learning how to identify trees, leaves and bark.

June 10 - Art Activity- Tree Art  for all ages on the Commons before and after the Jerry Apps lecture -   Community and Educational Outreach

2017 Cooksville Community Events

Clean Up Day

 Saturday, April 29: Community Center Clean-Up Day (10:00am-1:00pm,Schoolhouse) By the end of April it’s a pretty safe bet that no shoveling will be required to get into the schoolhouse, but there is always a need for a good Spring cleaning to get the center ready for another season of activity. Bring your favorite feather duster.

Sunday, April 30: Tree Planting on the Commons (2:00pm-4:00pm, Commons) The Cooksville Tree Restoration Committee will present their annual State of the Oaks address, and tell us about environmental stewardship in our beautiful village.  Reception at the schoolhouse to follow.

Chris & Emily, 2016

Saturday, May 13: Community Sing (6:30pm-8:30pm, Schoolhouse) Join us for a family-friendly community sing-along and hootenanny at the schoolhouse led by local folk musicians Emily and Chris Beebe. Songbooks will be provided, but please feel free to come with your favorite songs to share.  Musical instruments, sheet music, lyrics, and snacks are welcome.

Stoughton Singers

Wednesday, June 7: Stoughton Chamber Singers Concert(7:00pm-9:30pm, Congregational Church) John Beutel and the Singers return to the beautiful brown church for a concert of American music,in honor of Cooksville’s dodransbicentennial year.  Tickets are available from McGlynn’s Pharmacy in Stoughton, from the Singers, or at the door. $5.00 admission benefits the singers and the CCC. A reception will follow at the schoolhouse.

 

Jerry Apps

Larry Reed

Saturday, June 10: Celebrating Cooksville’s History with Jerry Apps and Larry Reed (11:00am-4:00pm, Schoolhouse) This special event features a presentation about one-room schoolhouses and barns by well-known Wisconsin historian and author Jerry Apps, whose work is featured on Wisconsin Public Television. Larry Reed, historian and Chair of the Historic Cooksville Trust, will then share highlights of 175 years Cooksville history, drawing from a rich collection of documents, photos, and anecdotes. Larry will also conduct a walking tour of Cooksville after the presentation. A sack lunch is included in the ticket price. Tickets for this very special event will be on sale this Spring. $12.00. Limited seating.

Tuesday, July 4: Independence Day Picnic (12:30pm-2:30pm, Commons) Like sea turtles returning to the beach where they once hatched,generations of Cooksvillians have gathered every July 4^thunder the Oaks with picnic baskets for a community meal, and perhaps some softball.  Rain location is the schoolhouse.

Picnic on the Commons

Saturday, July 22: Art in the Park(10:00am-4:00pm, Commons) A day of fun is in store, with many attractions around the commons and schoolhouse, including art and crafts vendors, a classic car show, Play Day activities like horseshoes and sack races, food carts, and more! There will be celebratory fun for the whole family.

Saturday, July 22: Tours of the Cooksville Masonic Lodge (Cooksville Store) The Cooksville Masonic Lodge, located upstairs of the village Store, will be holding tours of its meeting hall. Lodge members will be discussing the importance of the Free Masons in Wisconsin society over the last century and a half.

Saturday, August 12: Christmas in Summer Program (1:30pm-3:00pm, Schoolhouse) Now in its fifth year, this favorite event is never without surprises for everyone, including those putting on the show! Jeanne Julseth will be rustling up some good old-fashioned schoolhouse fun with a cast of unlikely characters. Stay tuned for details. Free admission.

Sunday, September (date TBA): Cooksville Lutheran Church Fall Festival (11:00am-3:00pm, Lutheran Church) The Annual Fall Festival heralds the colorful harvest season in the village. The festival starts after Sunday services and features a quilt raffle, silent auction, great food, a farmer’s market, lively musical entertainment, and more. Everyone is welcome! Handicap accessible.

Monday, September 18: CCC Annual Meeting (6:30pm-8:30pm, Schoolhouse) Once a year, the membership of the CCC are invited to gather at the schoolhouse and talk about the year gone by, and the year to come at the Community Center. In this very special 175^th year of the village, all are encouraged to come out and enjoy hearing the news, meeting with neighbors, and eating ice cream.

Saturday, October 21: Cooksville Halloween Party (6:30pm-9:00pm, Schoolhouse) The Cooksville event

calendar ends with a Boo! at this annual costume party. You never know what to expect after dark, but for sure there will be fall fun for the whole family. Bring a snack, beverage, dessert, and a ghost story to share.

 

The Cooksville Community 2017 Events Calendar

 The Cooksville Community Center (CCC) is excited to be part of the commemoration of the175th year anniversary of the village of Cooksville. The community has planned some special events for 2017, including a historic presentation day with Jerry Apps and Larry Reed in June, and an Art Show on the Commons in July.  The CCC is the former one-room schoolhouse on the corner of State Rd. 59 and Church St.  Although it is not heated, the schoolhouse has air-conditioning, a kitchen with hot and cold water, and bathrooms (cold water only).  The Community Center is available for rentals and is a popular spot for family reunions, weddings, and picnics.The CCC is not handicap-accessible.

We are always looking for new ideas and help with programming and maintenance of the CCC. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact any board member.  The 2016-2017 Board of Directors:  Kathleen Hipke (president) 577-9921, khipke@gmail.com;Mark Verstegen (vice president) 446-0541, mark_verstegen@yahoo.com; Martha Degner (secretary) 335-8375, marthadegner@gmail.com; Mark Ballweg (treasurer) 334-9653, mballweg1@gmail.com; Emily Beebe (programming) 712-2976, etbeebe13@gmail.com; Bill Zimmerman (rentals) 628-8566, bzimmerman1947@gmail.com; and Dave Imhoff (building preservation) 206-7000 chiknman@litewire.net.

If you have an updated email address, phone number, or mailing address, please contact Martha Degner at 335-8375 or marthadegner@gmail.com.

You can also check the Cooksville Country Store for fliers or updates, or ‘Like’ the Cooksville Community Center on Facebook for notifications of upcoming events.  Many activities are free and all are open to the public.  Thank you for your support!

Event Locations:

·        Schoolhouse and Commons: Located on the Northeast corner of Hwy 59 and Church St.

·        Cooksville Lutheran Church:  11927 W. Church St.  (handicap-accessible)

·        Congregational Church: Southwest corner of State Rd. 59 and State Hwy. 138.

·        Cooksville Country Store: 11313 N. State Hwy. 138.

Mallon Tree Service planting 'arboriculture' seeds in area, by Steve Ehle

Kyle and Emma Mallon, husband and wife duo of Mallon Tree Service
 www.mallontreeservice.com

 Family-owned business has roots in 
Stoughton/Evansville/Cooksville communities

South central Wisconsin, with its array of tree and other plant species -- and obvious seasonal changes -- can be an arborist’s playground or a major challenge. For Kyle and Emma Mallon it’s both. But that’s what makes it fun. The Mallons, owners of Mallon Tree Service, LLC, of Cooksville, WI, recently relocated to northwestern Rock County, after plying their trades in the Milwaukee area.

Mallon Tree Service is a Wisconsin born and bred, small, family-owned business. Kyle Mallon has been an arborist in the public and private tree industry in Southern Wisconsin for over 10 years. 

Emma has roots in Evansville, Stoughton and Cooksville. “Kyle’s experience with, and passion for, trees is the backbone and drive of our honest and hardworking company,” Emma Wilde Mallon says. “With us, ‘What you see is what you get.’” Kyle “calls the shots” and “will be on location all the time, every time, you call MTS. He gives the free estimates, plans the work and executes it until the last leaf is raked,” Emma says.

Emma’s father, Jonathan (a well-known wildlife artist) grew up in nearby Evansville and her grandfather, internationally known artist John Wilde, lived near Cooksville. Emma and Kyle now reside in Emma’s grandfathers and step-grandmother’s (Shirley Wilde) house just east of Cooksville, about seven miles south of Stoughton and 25 miles southeast of Madison. Kyle, a Milwaukee native, is a certified arborist. Emma is a UW-Wisconsin Madison graduate with a degree in Journalism.

The young couple brings nearly a decade of experience in arboreal management to the area. After just a few months establishing themselves and their business in the Cooksville/Evansville/Stoughton/Edgerton area, Mallon Tree Service has already landed a number of jobs. Mallon Tree Service has 24/7 emergency services and offers the following services:

* Tree and shrub pruning and removals

* Tree preservation and plant health care

* Emerald Ash Borer treatment and prevention

* Tree planting, future plant management

* Tree cabling and bracing

* Firewood splitting and stacking

So, what is an “arborist”?

Kyle: “An arborist is an individual trained in the art and science of planting, caring for, and maintaining individual trees. Arborists are knowledgeable about the needs of trees and are trained and equipped to provide proper care.”

Cooksville Plants Seeds for Future Oak Trees

     

On hand May 1 for an Arbor Day celebration at the Cooksville Commons were, left to right, Porter Town Board Chairman David Viney, and Burr Oak Restoration Committee members, Mary Kohlman, Karl Wolter, Meri Lau, Abi Degner, Kyle Mallon and Emma Mallon.  The Mallons, who operate Mallon Tree Service near Cooksville, will assist with the planting and Burr oak restoration project at the Commons.

        Cooksville Wisconsin, “The Town That Time Forgot," has not forgotten its treasured oak trees. This winter, a group of concerned citizens began a group to look at ways to save Cooksville’s oak opening as well as the woods that is a significant part of the community Commons.

      On Sunday, May 1, Cooksville held an Arbor Day celebration to recognize the importance of its trees and to encourage others in the community to plant trees on their properties. 

Cooksville artist Meri Lau created this art piece, commemorating the planting of a Burr Oak seedling at the Cooksville Commons.  A group of Cooksville area residents hope this will spur others to continue a tradition to plant more trees in the Commons, which dates to the mid-1800s.

        Co-founders of the group, Meri Lau and Mary Kohlman, both of Cooksville, read a short history of Arbor Day and a Proclamation of the importance of planting new trees to 15 witnesses. David Viney, Town of Porter Chairman, signed the Proclamation.

        The group then unveiled a Burr oak sapling grown from a local acorn. Lau made a plaque to identify the tree and record the day for future generations. Refreshments were served at the Community Center and an opportunity to introduce our group to the community, sign on Tree Guardians for the Oak sapling for the Summer 2016 and invite new members to join the group.

        One goal of the group is to plant over the years 25 more tress in the Commons and oak opening.

     “Our group has much exciting work ahead of us, said Kohlman, “including making the Arbor Day celebration an annual event, educating our community on proper tree planting and stewardship, cleaning up our Cooksville Woods, applying for grants for financial assistance for our group, incorporating our group's work into our community's planning for our 175th anniversary celebration in 2017, just to name a few of the ideas in the early stages of planning. 

        “We invite others in community to contact us and welcome help in whatever way people feel they can offer.”

        Families and individuals are encouraged to plant trees in the Commons as part of Cooksville’s 175^th platting anniversary celebration in 2017.