Smith Homestead (or something) Traditional Cache
Wis Kid: Sorry, but changing your cache type after publication is not permitted.
Smith Homestead (or something)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This is now a two part cache. This cache is along a great wooded trail with flat pea gravel terrain, suitable for kids and wheel chair. The hike is about a half mile from the trail head. The second part is off the trail a bit, so not accessible to wheel chair. Part two should not take too long to find however.
The Smith family used to farm the area after the woods were logged off it in the 1800s. It was farmed up until the 1940s. The land was at one time owned by Fort Howard Paper and gifted to Brown County in 1973. It might have wound up with the WDNR, but at that time the company faced legal difficulties with the DNR over the recent clean air act so Brown County got the land. It was farmed as either corn or cabbage depending on the water table. Cabbage could handle floating, corn could not. As you hike it you’ll come across shallow trenchs dug to drain the land. These trenches are maybe a foot deep and three feet wide. They allowed for rapid drainage of water to the Bay thus drying the land for planting. The area near the silo was an animal pen. As a result of manure acidifying the soil no trees have grown in this former pen area. The dolomite seen as the house foundation was quarried from one of the many quarries found along Duck Creek in Howard.
The first cache consists of a sandwich sized tupperware with cryptic directions to part two. Part two is a bit larger and at last check contains a log book, and a ton of typical cache plastics.
The trails are used for skiing during the winter and should be easily accessible year round. Enjoy this scenic area, and make sure to stop by the Barkhausen Wildlife Preserve located just north of the trail head.
If searching in the Spring, beware of poison ivy!!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
svefg unys pbeare fgbar
frpbaq unys vf bire lbhe urnq