A Driftless Treasure
I was recently privileged to join local author Helga Moser and her family in their rural Hillsboro home. The Sunday afternoon visit reaffirmed my optimism about the strength of family, the power of reading to impart life lessons, and the values of service for both the server and the served. May you, dear readers of Driftless Now, enjoy a similar spiritual uplift from this account of my visit with the Moser family.
Family-Size Table
My first impression, as Helga welcomed me into the dining room, was of the beautiful table, hand crafted by her father, to accommodate all eleven members of her family. That’s right; Helga and her husband, Melvin, have nine children, ranging from six to twenty years of age. All nine of them joined Helga, Melvin, and me at the table, a refreshing sign of respect for their guest. That table represents the values of a close-knit family in this age of fragmented family activities. I wanted to know more.
Helga was born in Manitoba. She was nine years old when her family Immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Hillsboro, Wisconsin with the Old Order Amish community. Helga attended a one-room Amish school for several years but never actually joined the church. She grew up on Pleasant Valley Farm, the inspiration for the series of children’s books by that name. Melvin and Helga met at the Old German Baptist Brethren Church outside of Hillsboro, where they both attended at the time.
Melvin is in the construction business, operating as Square and Level Construction. In keeping with the closeness of the Moser family, several of his offspring work with him as their school schedules permit.
Speaking of schooling, all nine of the children have been homeschooled. Helga works directly with the younger ones, while the older students study online.
I asked Helga how she homeschools her children, manages an eleven-person household, and writes books. She has a system, of course. Before each school year, she creates a schedule of all the things that have to happen to keep the household humming and assigns tasks to each of her children. Each youngster receives a card with his or her assigned duties.
The kids have plenty of time to play as well, with acres of woodlands to roam and ample opportunity to exercise their imaginations. Caleb, 10, confided that he and his brothers have more than one “secret fort” in those woods. His creativity also takes the form of crafts like wood burning (see example).
Eleven-year-old Krista, the lone daughter, reports that she gets along fine with her eight brothers. In a few years, her potential suitors will have to pass muster with those brothers!
Life Lessons from the Farm
Helga Moser draws from her memories of growing up on Pleasant Valley Farm, her strong moral compass, and creative talent to write charming children’s books with a message. Published by Christian Light Publications as the Pleasant Valley Farm series, beautifully illustrated by Nadia Gura, each book personifies a domestic animal that could be found around any barnyard.
For example, Danny the Workhorse (2011) learned the value of hard work (with a little extrinsic motivation—oatmeal cookies).
Chester the Rooster (2012) thought he was pretty tough; he puffed up his beautiful feathers and strutted his stuff, lording it over the other fowl and feeling like the boss of the barnyard—until he challenged the wrong occupant! Chester (and readers of his book) learn a lesson: “Pride goeth before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
Snoopy the Sheep (2013) addresses a question common to young people everywhere: “Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence?” Snoopy ventures forth from the safety of her fenced-in pasture and learns that “There’s no place like home.”
Shadow the Barn Cat (2014) teaches the value of persistence. She overcame obstacles, just as a child does, and perseveres.
Additional works by Helga Moser include Just Like Daddy (2013), illustrated by Michelle Beidler; You Too (2020), about inclusion; Pleasant Valley Farm Coloring Book; and Dolly the Milk Cow (2021), illustrated by David W. Miller, a paean to faithfulness as demonstrated by Dolly and her owner.
Interestingly, the Pleasant Valley Farm series grew out of Moser’s writing assignments for a correspondence course she was taking. Her instructor recognized her talent and suggested that she submit her stories for publication.
The lesson of Shadow the Barn Cat is not lost on Helga Moser, who must persevere as her family has grown and children’s nap times no longer provide snatches of time for writing. She is currently working on Tubby the Stock Dog while managing a household, homeschooling her children, and running a new service project for the Hillsboro community.
Shared Blessings Community Meal
Helga conceived the idea of a free community meal in 2021. Her father, Donald Holgerson, was living at Hills Manor apartments at the time, so it made sense to host the community meal there. The project, “Shared Blessings Community Meal,” continued after Mr. Holgerson’s death in November of 2021.
The isolation of an ongoing coronavirus pandemic fueled the need for social interaction, so games, such as checkers and chess, as well as puzzles and coloring books for children, are part of the monthly event.
Helga and Melvin, with help from their children, set up the community room at Hills Manor, 118 Madison Street, Hillsboro, and prepare delicious, free meals for residents of the senior housing complex and all community members who attend. Donations, accepted but not required, go to the Good Samaritan Food Pantry in Hillsboro.
Shared Blessings Community Meal has grown each month, with attendance now over 40 and support from local merchants.
Having attended the Shared Blessings Community Meal with my wife on more than one occasion, I can testify to the wholesome quality and taste of the meals and the welcoming atmosphere at these events.
A Driftless Treasure
The Moser family represents the best qualities of folks in the Driftless Area: solid family values, creativity, and service to the community. Readers who would like to know more about Helga Moser’s children’s books may visit Pleasant Valley Farms Series by Helga Moser on Facebook.
