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Chris Hardie For Agri-View
Aug 29, 2026
5 hrs ago

1 of 5

This vacuum pump is being used in the dairy barn in 1970 when Chris Hardie moves to the family farm.

Chris Hardie/For Agri-View

A newer vacuum pump powers the pipeline system in 1986 when it’s installed in Chris Hardie’s barn; it was used to milk cows.

Chris Hardie/For Agri-View

A glass receiving jar pumps milk into a bulk tank in Chris Hardie’s youth.

Chris Hardie/For Agri-View

A switch turns the old vacuum pump on and off.

Chris Hardie/For Agri-View

Anna Baldwin’s 1879 patented Hygienic Glove Milker has a hand pump and cover that fit over a cow’s entire udder.

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Chris Hardie For Agri-View

The sea of fog and mist spread out before me, enveloping the farm valley and extending into the hills across the creek. Foggy mornings in August are commonplace in the Driftless Area, as cooler overnight temperatures match the dew point, creating liquid water droplets suspended in the air.

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Chris Hardie and his wife, Sherry, live on his great-grandparents’ Jackson County farm. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2001, he is a former member of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council and past president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. His book “Back Home: Country Tales by the Seasons” is available through Amazon.