The Karlsson Estate.

 

   The Farm is going out of the family. It's been a great place for the family to come together every summer during Fair time. Frances was there like Martha in the Bible making sure everyone was fed and happy. She left us in 2009. Enar continued to live on the farm, but he was in his early nineties then and after a few years the family convinced him to move into an assisted living apartment in Roseau.

   Faith would come up from Tennessee for the month of July and Enar would get to stay at the farm for the month. But as Enar's needs increased, his stays became day trips to the farm. The rest of the family, Cindy from Annapolis, Pete from Moorhead, Julie from Hopkins along with assorted spouses would show up during Fair Week. Becky and Teresa were lucky enough to already live here.

  Covid threw a monkey wrench into the works. Enar started to slow down once he reached 100. On the last day of 2022 Enar passed away. Pope Benedict died the same day and it's interesting to think what they might have said to each other at the pearly gates. The family then began the process of deciding what to do with the farm. It would have been great to keep the place for reunions. Becky's husband Jack has been using the house as a hunting camp every November for years. But keeping the place would mean money spent for maintaining buildings, heat, electricity, insurance, etc. And the property taxes almost doubled because Enar was no longer the owner.

 After several Zoom calls and much discussion it was decided to sell the farm. Pete bought forty acres on the south edge of the farm which included a twenty acre patch of woods. A local farmer made an offer for the tillable land and the buildings that was accepted. The land is currently being rented by another farmer, and Jack and crew want a last year of hunting on the farm so transfer of ownership will take place in November.

  Through 2023 and into this year the six children divided up the items they wanted. Grandchildren were then asked to go through the house and take things they could use. Still, there was a tremendous number of items and furniture remaining. It was time for an estate sale. Several long folding tables were set up in the garage and were loaded with glassware, silverware, cookware, Christmas decorations, Frances's art books, etc., etc., etc. Enar's old tool boxes, well used tools and boxes of screws and nails went on a trailer next to the garage and were covered with tarps.

  When Faith and Cindy were here in July the final push was on. Julie, Pete and Pete's wife Kathy came up to help get things organized. Becky and Teresa were involved too of course. The executive director behind the scenes was Becky's husband Jack. Jack drove many miles and put in many hours getting things ready for the sale. 

  Figuring out what price to put on things is a challenge. Kathy took pictures of any antiques in the mix and showed them to dealers in Fargo to get an idea of their value. Prices for other things were checked on the internet. The night before the sale, the crew worked late putting price stickers on everything.

  Saturday August 10 dawned sunny and mild; a perfect day for rummaging. Indeed, the early birds were lined up on the county road an hour early. But Becky was strict. There was still much to do before zero hour at 9:00 am. 

  There was steady traffic all morning. They came, they looked, they chatted, they bought. There was a lull at lunch then things picked up again in the early afternoon. One woman picked up ten Readers Digest Condensed Books. I didn't think anyone still read those forgotten best sellers that clutter the used book stores of America. She didn't want to read them either. She'll tear out the contents and bind in art paper for resale.  Smart.

  The sale on Sunday was much quieter. Lesson learned: a Friday-Saturday sale is best. We'll make a note of that for our kids for when they sell our treasures one day in the distant future. Or maybe they'll just dial 1-800-FOR-JUNK.

  

No reasonable offer refused