AND STADEMS' SAGA,

RURAL BRYANT, SD, PRESENTS:

It is hard to believe we are the descendants of pioneers to let so many opportunities pass by for so long!

As Aunt Bernice said in her wonderful poem, "Home At Plain View," "the foundation has never crumbled because it was built strong and firm on a basis of selfless devotion to God's love, and love to others," but have we built on it?

It still remains to be done, in part and whole.

In time we will lose even the glorious foundation, if we do not build anew on it to keep it a living thing. Winter after winter after winter, and still no spring? The deepest rooted tree, with its roots full of life-giving sap, can't survive that!

Twelve years have somehow slipped by--but the surrounding, unsaved, increasingly anti-Christian world certainly has not. It has moved that much closer to destruction, by jets and rockets too, without Christ.

Has Plain View Farm moved to change that? Have we engaged the mainstream pagan/hedonistic/self-worshipping culture, or have we compromised and joined it? Have we? A fact of life is that if life does not progress, it is dying. An organism that does not progress is not just sliding backwards, it is expiring. We still have an opportunity for real change, not the kind offered by the presidential hopeful at Denver.

In these projects, and others not listed here, there is progress, launching out in faith, challenge, excitement, new beginning, empowerment, and best of all, there is finally the means to share the golden heritage of our forebears with others, as well give the world a view of our greater legacy as heirs of Christ.

Seeing what we have, maybe then others will want to join and take the free Gift of Grace in Christ too! That is the whole point, isn't it, of Plain View Farm, our reunions and fond remembrances, good food, and fellowship and games, memorials to loved ones, and music programs?

After twelve years, then, it was heartening and an answer of many prayers, to see our Cousin Stephen Stadem step forward with a project of his own to help raise funds for the building of a barnlike structure for meeting and sharing our Stadem heritage with ourselves and others.

His motto is: "That His Light (Jesus) Shine Through Our Heritage--To God be the Glory!"

To bring in funds, he has done a beautiful watercolor picture that is for sale, with or without his framing. 150 watercolor prints were made, and they are $25 a print without framing.

He suggests a donation above that cost to the Barn Center fund. You can't keep the Stadem pioneer spirit and the Spirit of Christ down forever!

God bless Stephen for his stepping out in behalf of constructive, imaginative, loving, Christlike change! His sale of prints a and pictures went well at the reunion in June 2008. It must continue, however. We need to raise the needed money before Christmas this year. Dedication of the Heritage Center is this coming June 2009! Order your pictures now by contacting him.

Contact information is given on the Home Page for this site.--Love and cheers, Ronald Ginther, Gr Gr Grandson of Sjur and Oline Stadheim, Gr Grandson of Peder Stadem, Grandson of Alfred and Bergit Stadem

2. Find an obsolete, abandoned country or town chapel and move it to the farm, or build a small chapel for use on the farm.

3. Remake the garage into an authentic one-room school house of the type that the Stadems were schooled in.

4. Acquire more artifacts for the farm's collection. But, just as important, build a facility to hold and preserve them. Pearl Stadem-Ginther has items to donate, such as laces, pictures, a wool carder, crocks, and other things. The little "Heritage House" shed that presently houses artifacts of the farmstead has just been given a concrete floor by Leroy, Steve, Peter, and some of Steve and Peter's children! The shed had to be moved off its wood flooring for this to be done. This structure is an artifact in itself, since all seven of the first Stadem family of Alfred and Bergit lived in it until the house was built in 1919. My own mother, now age 99, has memories of their living there!

5. Eventually, build some Norwegian cabin-style cottages, which could be located in the shelter belt area, giving them a beautiful setting with trees and lilacs.

6. Build a gifthouse. People may come in sufficient numbers to warrant one. It could sell attractive Stadem-theme cups and mugs, sweatshirts, calendars, writings and published accounts of the Stadems, and other memorabilia.

7. Paths need to be put in that can spare the beautiful grass from increasing foot traffic.

8. A windmill like the one that used to stand on the farm needs to be constructed. It would increase the photogenic quality of the farm, and return it to the look it once had.

9. Acquire the field just beyond the slough that contains the Buffalo Mound. Once that is acquired, a path can be made to connect it to the house and yard.

10. Acquire the farm itself for a Stadem heritage preservation foundation, a non-profit organization for preserving Stadem heritage and family values and to provide a permanent venue for Stadem Family reunions and gatherings. The farm presently is owned by Ruth Stadem-Harrington, and she cannot be expected to carry the burden of it herself indefinitely. There is considerable upkeep and a yearly property tax.

11. Other project ideas are welcome to be added to this page. Please notify the editor at the email address below.

Ideas can come from anyone who loves this heritage and wants to see it preserved in every way possible. Bequests or grants of financial aid are especially welcome, however small. They can be offered, and the editors will get the donor in touch with the prsent "steering committee" and treasurer of the Stadem reunions.