Boarding House

Built in 1926 for the many workers of the farm, the open dining room can

accommodate a large crowd. While the dining room is very simple, the bathrooms

have unique tile work, using red, green, gray and white to create snowflake

patterns on the floors. Each floor has a couple of bedrooms for visitors and the

second floor had a large dormitory for the male borders. The first Fromm fur

auction took place in this second story space.

Fromm Boarding House Operation Written by Bob Grilling

The following information about the Boarding House was obtained in

conversations with Hattie Griding Riemer and her daughter, Lorraine

Riemer Kleinschmidt in July 2004.

Late in the 1920's Hattie began her first job working in the Boarding House.

At that time, the boarding house was much smaller than the present

structure and, of course, the kitchen was very small, too. No indoor toilet

facilities were available. There was, however, a small sink in the dining area

where employees could wash their hands before sitting down to eat. The

dining area was furnished with 2 long tables and approximately 40

employees dined there during working days. (It was here that Hattie met

her future husband, Ray Riemer - 1928).

Fritz Geiser, known as "Greasy Fritz," was the cook. Hattie was the cook's

helper and her job was to wash the dishes, set the tables, peel potatoes and

prepare some of the other food items. Even at this early time, there was a

"potato peeler" machine that was sometimes used. But, nevertheless, the

potatoes still needed to be checked and pared. The dishes used at the table

were the original enamelware - white with black trim. Fritz was also in

charge of scrubbing the floors which were usually done over the weekend.

In the late 1920's, three meals a day were served and the menu was as

follows:

Breakfast:

Every breakfast there was always cold cereal, homemade bread with butter,

jam or jelly; fried sausages and fried potatoes, "boughten" cookies, and

leftover cake from supper. Sometimes toast was served which was made on

a wire rack on top of the stove. Occasionally Fritz also made pancakes. Every

Friday hot boiled or fried eggs were served. Coffee and milk were always

available.

Noon Meal:

Every day there were baked beans and homemade bread with butter, jam or jelly.

The main course was either roast pork or roast beef with potatoes and gravy.

Sometimes there was another vegetable besides potatoes. They usually had pie

for dessert. Because they had an apple orchard, when apples were in season, they

had apple pie. In fall they often had pumpkin pie. Other pies were cherry or

custard. If they didn't have pie for dessert, they might have white, chocolate or

spice cake, bread pudding, or Jello heaped with whipped cream.

However, on Friday, in addition to the above, they had herring and an assortment

of cheese.

Supper:

Leftovers from the noon meal were served. Lots of potatoes were prepared each day

so that there would be leftovers to fry for supper as well as for breakfast the next

morning.

In addition to any meat that might have been left over from lunch, liver sausage,

baloney, or Polish sausages plus headcheese might be served. Sometimes baked

cinnamon rolls or buns were included. Dessert consisted of canned fruit and

"boughten" cookies.

Again, on Friday, in addition to any leftover meats, herring and an assortment of

cheese made up the main course.

Over the years, Hattie alternated working in other jobs at Fromm Brothers

but she again returned to the Boarding House in the early 30's. Clara Hahn

Woller (and in later years, Alice Borchardt) was the head cook and Hattie's

role was that of "kitchen helper." In this position she also was responsible for

some of the baking. During this time the menu changed somewhat and was as

follows:

Breakfast:

Cold cereal was always on the table. Sometimes cooked cereal was added to the

menu. Oftentimes scrambled eggs, or bacon and eggs were offered. (Especially

on Friday) Fried potatoes and sausage was an alternate. Left over cake from

supper was on the table.

Noon Meal:

Roast beef or pork with potatoes and gravy, vegetables, homemade bread with

butter, jam and jelly was standard. Occasionally, salmon loaf and chicken were

offered. Sometimes vegetable soup and chili were on the menu. Almost every

kind of pie was served. When Alice Borchardt was cook, she sometimes made a

raisin sour creme pie and her famous graham cracker pie with heaps of

whipped cream. Having cows on the premises meant that there not only was

milk for drinking but much cream for whipped toppings and cooking. When

there was a lot of bread left over, it was converted to bread pudding with lots of

raisins and topped with whipped cream.

Supper:

It was standard procedure to fry leftover potatoes or make potato salad. This

was often accompanied by hot dogs, or baloney and cheese. Dessert consisted

of a wide selection of fresh cakes including sour cream cakes, Tootie Fruitie

cakes, etc. If cookies were on the menu they were either homemade or

"boughten." Sometimes doughnuts and Long Johns were made. Canned fruit or

jello were also on the menu at various times.

bed room

down the stairs

for the men

protected from lightening

by the “Lightening Rods”