Howdy! In 1978 I was hired by the Kickapoo Valley Association History Project to research and write about the history of agriculture in that beautiful, culturally rich part of Southwest Wisconsin. I soon learned that Wisconsin was losing three to four family farms a day. I joined an advocacy organization and began using my gift of songwriting to try to address the crisis. In 1984 I met Jim Hightower, a former Texas agriculture commissioner and nationally known activist, speaker and author, at a conference in Des Moines. Sometime later Jim was being interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio about his book There’s Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos. I called in, reminded him of our previous meeting, and said, “Jim, I’m a live armadillo.
I’ll go to either side of the road if I think I should.”
He replied, “That’s okay.”
The idea of an armadillo weaving its way up a Texas highway connected in my mind with the two pedals of a bicycle, with my song about a sailboat tacking or zigzagging into the wind, and with my master’s thesis that had gone deep with the concept of what had been said of Oxford philosophical theologian and CS Lewis friend Austin Farrer, that of
“tacking towards the truth.”
On this website and YouTube channel, I want to give thoughtful, goodhearted people from a wide variety of perspectives a chance to speak their peace, ask them tough questions, and either build consensus or, if nothing else, create better-informed, more respectful disagreement. I’ll also share my own thoughts, songs, poems, and favorite resources regarding culture, philosophy, politics, science, faith, and much more!
Welcome aboard, y’all!
Generations of Exceptional
Craftsmanship
Founded in 1921, Sackett Woodworking is a fourth-generation family business dedicated to the art and craft of fine carpentry. From grand homes to one of a kind heirlooms, we approach every project as a unique opportunity to apple classic woodworking techniques to modern aesthetics.
Testimonials
“When we bought our 1890s home, the original front door was beyond repair. Sackett was able to make an exact copy, down to the hand chiseled details. It’s a work of art.”
— Mollie G.
“Sackett designed and built a custom dining set for our vacation home. Without fail, it’s the thing everyone comments on. I couldn’t be happier with the work and the experience of designing it with them.”
— Gabriel H.
“It’s nearly impossible to find people who still apply classic woodworking techniques, but Sackett is keeping those traditions alive. Their work has a beautiful and timeless quality.”
— Griffin H.
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