Three generations tap maple trees during Saint Patrick's season
Clip | 4m 30sVideo has Closed Captions
The O'Brien Maple Grove produces gallons of syrup and generations of memories.
Each Saint Patrick's Day weekend, generations of the O'Brien clan gather in the family's maple grove to tap the sap, cook the syrup and enjoy each other's company. The family's creation of combination sap shed and gathering space ensures their family tradition will go on for many generations.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Wisconsin Life is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Life is provided by the Wooden Nickel Fund, Mary and Lowell Peterson, A.C.V. and Mary Elston Family, Obrodovich Family Foundation, Stanley J. Cottrill Fund, Alliant Energy, UW...
Three generations tap maple trees during Saint Patrick's season
Clip | 4m 30sVideo has Closed Captions
Each Saint Patrick's Day weekend, generations of the O'Brien clan gather in the family's maple grove to tap the sap, cook the syrup and enjoy each other's company. The family's creation of combination sap shed and gathering space ensures their family tradition will go on for many generations.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Wisconsin Life
Wisconsin Life is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[gentle music] [birdsong] - Jennifer Richart: There is nothing like being in the woods this time of year.
Spring is here before it's anywhere else.
Something about it just is grounding.
The sun hits you just right.
And it's warm out here.
You're in the 10 acres that we do maple syruping in.
In order for us to tap trees, a lot of the snow melts.
Moss starts to grow.
- Bridget Wenman: It's just a absolutely beautiful place to be in this time of year, in the spring.
- Dave O'Brien: Well, we're here at the O'Brien Maple Grove.
It's where we grew up.
Our grandparents settled out here.
And most of the families in this area of the county are all settled from Ireland.
[pipe band playing "Amazing Grace"] - Jennifer: The parade in New London is pretty amazing.
- Bridget: Every year at Saint Patrick's weekend, they change New London to the city of New Dublin.
They change all the signs.
My parents were pretty involved in that celebration.
- Reporter: I'm here with Bob O'Brien, the commentator and color host for today's parade.
- Bridget: My dad emceed that parade for years.
- Bob O'Brien: And here comes a bunch of Irish farmers.
Those Irish farmers are very, very good farmers, you know that?
They spread an awful lot of fertilizer, and that's what makes them so good.
[co-emcee laughing] - Dave: My dad tapped about 125 trees.
We would can 100 quarts a year.
And my dad just did it as a hobby.
Now, for us kids, it was a chore.
- I was out here from five, six, seven years old, as were my brothers and sisters.
I didn't like it.
[chuckling] - Charlie O'Brien: When I was four years old, sitting on the tank, and just there while everyone else was doing the hard work, pouring the buckets into the tractor.
[syrup splashing] - Bridget: We have three generations of people that come out and enjoy the property, spend some time collecting syrup.
- Dave: So my dad died in 1988, and at that point, my oldest brothers were getting closer to retirement.
And they really took it from there, and it's expanded substantially.
They said, "We have more of us that can help.
Let's tap 750 taps."
And it really turned it to start where we're at today, which is we built this beautiful, brand-new sap shed, thanks to my brother Gene.
And it went from being a place that we gathered in the spring to 12 months out of the year.
As more of the family members get involved, they invest their time, their kids get involved, and it really brings the family together.
- It was never about making money.
It was about making maple syrup for the family.
- And really working hard and playing hard.
And that's what we do when we're out here.
[lively Irish folk music] - Dave: Saint Paddy's Day, though, it's kind of like a family reunion.
- Jennifer: Saint Paddy's weekend is really about coming home, and it's all family.
And so the conversations are deeper.
You know everybody.
Even if there's 100 people, you still know everybody.
Once we step in to the gathering into the sugar shack, I mean, as soon as we're in there, it's food and companionship.
- Betty: We thank you for the beauty of this surrounding.
The forethought of our ancestors that came to this country.
- Jennifer: Our family has a lot of storytellers, and it took the storytelling and put it up on the walls.
- I picked out this one, and my four stones there are for my daughters.
I have four daughters.
[gentle harp music] - Its whole purpose is to keep us together.
- I'm sure that's why our family has remained as close as we have been.
If we didn't have this, it would be weddings and funerals.
- Bridget: It's all about passing it to the next generation and spending time together.
There's nothing better than that.
[gentle music] [birdsong]
Curating art for all of Milwaukee
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 4s | Phoenix Brown mixes modern art with historic collections in galleries around Milwaukee. (5m 4s)
Fiber artist weaves portraits of global water protectors
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 31s | Mary Burns honors water rights advocates with intricate woven portraits. (4m 31s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 42s | Arne Martinson reveals the exotic and vibrant mushrooms of the Northwoods. (4m 42s)
Special Olympics athlete becomes disability rights champion
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 39s | Given 24 hours to live at birth, Cindy Bentley beat the odds. (4m 39s)
UW-La Crosse entomologist's 'epiphany' reveals our bonds with bugs
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 41s | Lifelong insect enthusiast Barrett Klein explores our human bonds with bug life. (4m 41s)
MicroCar museum showcases 'goofy-looking' vehicles from post-war Europe
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 50s | The Midwest MicroCar Museum houses diminutive vehicles with historic significance. (2m 50s)
Eagle Eye Farm brings alpaca farm magic to River Falls
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 26s | Farmer Kerri Harting wants to spread the joy of animals and farming through her alpacas. (5m 26s)
Milwaukee's 'Comedy Auntie' marks three decades on stage
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 5s | Stand-up comic Chastity Washington gets plenty of material from her day job as a teacher. (4m 5s)
Research reveals Wisconsin loons are disappearing
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 7m 14s | Walter Piper documents declining loon populations in northern Wisconsin. (7m 14s)
Walk in the woods with an old growth guide
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 23s | Guide John Bates explores a remaining old growth forest, the Van Vliet Hemlocks. (4m 23s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 55s | Minerva Montooth, 101, worked alongside Frank Lloyd Wright and wife Olgivanna. (4m 55s)
Teen builds custom guitars from scratch
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 4s | Pulaski teen Ian Vanveen taught himself how to build electric guitars. (4m 4s)
45 years covering Wisconsin's dairy industry for The Milkweed
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 12s | Pete Hardin is one of the last true originals in the world of agricultural journalism. (5m 12s)
Roll Train preserves Black skating culture
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 47s | Milwaukee's Roll Train teaches JB style skating while preserving Black culture. (3m 47s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 21s | Twig's has been a family-owned bottler of Sun Drop and craft sodas for more than 75 years. (4m 21s)
A big scavenger hunt for tiny Wisconsin landmarks
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 22s | Ken Fager hides 3D printed Wisconsin landmarks all across Madison. (5m 22s)
The robots being built on Washington Island
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 44s | Science teacher Miranda Dahlke helps put Washington Island STEM program on the map. (4m 44s)
Marinette draws in the Bigfoot believers
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 37s | Cryptid researchers and believers gather for the annual Bigfoot convention in Marinette. (4m 37s)
Craft distillery elevates cocktail culture in Stevens Point
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 47s | Brian Cummins traded in his job as a chemical engineer to distill Wisconsin spirits. (4m 47s)
How a distillery tour inspired a hit board game
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 16s | UW-Stout professor Dave Beck created "Distilled," a whiskey-themed board game. (5m 16s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 29s | Lake expert John Magnuson explains the phenomenon of "black ice." (3m 29s)
Ashland motorcyclist earns Guinness World Record after global journey
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 44s | Bridget McCutchen becomes youngest person to circumnavigate the world by motorcycle. (4m 44s)
Now PlayingThree generations tap maple trees during Saint Patrick's season
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 30s | The O'Brien Maple Grove produces gallons of syrup and generations of memories. (4m 30s)
Milwaukee nonprofit builds boats and confidence with local youth
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 40s | All Hands Boatworks teaches kids to build wooden boats, fostering hands-on skills. (4m 40s)
Creating work-life balance at Kickback Cafe
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m 34s | An Oregon coffee shop offers an inclusive workplace that prioritizes well-being. (5m 34s)
From backyard garden to high-tech strawberry farm
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 3m 46s | Horticulturist Erin Warner leads a hydroponic strawberry operation at Warm Belly Farm. (3m 46s)
A modern-day barn raising brings music to Driftless Music Gardens
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 27s | A farm-turned-venue fosters a vibrant music scene with the help of its local community. (4m 27s)
Wildlife rehabilitator nurtures injured squirrels and rabbits back to health
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 4m 39s | Holly Hill-Putnam runs a home sanctuary caring for local wildlife in need. (4m 39s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 25s | Zainab Hassen shares Mbakbaka, a one-pot spicy pasta stew highlighting Libyan spices. (2m 25s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 40s | Dongjood Choi shares his family's tradition of making Bossam kimchi. (2m 40s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 19s | Artist Mauricio Ramirez was inspired by healthcare workers to paint a new mural. (1m 19s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 14s | “Jump Around Wisconsin” founders Greg Thomson and Joe Lahti prepare for one final jump. (2m 14s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 18s | Even in a global pandemic, love finds away. Couple has traditional Hindu wedding via Zoom. (2m 18s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 12s | Reedsburg photographer takes photos of families on front porches as food pantry fundraiser (2m 12s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m | Milwaukee rapper Wes Tank puts Dr. Seuss' rhymes over Dr. Dre's beats in a fun way. (2m)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 41s | People walking by see the "X" on the driveway and the request to dance. They do. Watch. (1m 41s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 12s | Two friends hold signs asking drivers to honk for air hugs. They stand 6 feet apart. (1m 12s)
Clip | 1m 39s | Cellist Hans Christian performs an impromptu solo in the rafters of an old building. (1m 39s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 34s | Music teacher at Viking Elementary challenges faculty and students to do online karaoke. (1m 34s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 37s | Neighborhood puts their own twist on a Badger tradition while social distancing. (1m 37s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 39s | Chef Elena Terry (Ho-Chunk Nation) cooks “SassSquash”-dish celebrating indigenous foodways (2m 39s)
Pilot Abdul : Grandmother’s Food
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 42s | Abdul cooks Red Beef Curry with Potatoes: Burmese dish described as "grandmother's food." (1m 42s)
Rebecca Webster and Laura Manthe: Oneida White Corn Soup
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 30s | Two cousins and members of Wisconsin’s Oneida Nation make traditional white corn soup. (1m 30s)
Monica O'Connell: Mother’s “Famous” Rum Cake
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 40s | Monica O’Connell makes her mother’s rum cake to celebrate southern foodways and music. (1m 40s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 48s | Lucy Lor makes a Hmong feast in La Crosse, bridging culture, family and identity. (1m 48s)
Laila Borokhim: Wisconsin-grown Ghormeh Sabzi
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 22s | Laila Borokhim makes Iranian Ghormeh Sabzi and cherishes cooking the food of her family. (1m 22s)
Kennia Coronado: Mexican Cheese from Racine
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 22s | Kennia Coronado explores Panela cheese as a bridge between Mexican heritage and Wisconsin. (1m 22s)
Wisconsin's Great River Road: Night Fishing
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 7s | Jesse Heu and Ko Hung fish at night along the St. Croix river as it joins the Mississippi. (1m 7s)
Wisconsin's Great River Road: Michael Valley
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 43s | Since 1983, commercial fisherman Michael John Valley has kept a shop in Prairie du Chien. (1m 43s)
Wisconsin's Great River Road: Mahjong Club
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 2m 3s | In Trempealeau, a dedicated group of women has met for eight years to play Mahjong. (2m 3s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
Support for PBS provided by:
Wisconsin Life is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Life is provided by the Wooden Nickel Fund, Mary and Lowell Peterson, A.C.V. and Mary Elston Family, Obrodovich Family Foundation, Stanley J. Cottrill Fund, Alliant Energy, UW...