Milwaukee is a city of proud tradition and we have a healthy respect for the history of our people, places and institutions.
That's why it's so wonderful to see last weekend's opening of the venerable Kellner Greenhouses, 3258 N. Humboldt Ave., in Riverwest.
It was 100 years ago when the Kellner family bought the land and began to create what they called The Kellner Estate. A part of the estate was a greenhouse that nurtured the products that would be the core of the elaborate landscaping plans for the estate.
Well, the estate is gone, but the greenhouse lives on.
KC Dembowiak operates it now. The intricate history of ownership, co-ownership, families and friends is way to complicated to understand, much less explain in print. But suffice it to say that there is a long line of family blood that courses through the operation of the place.
"We are an integral part of the Riverwest community," Dembowiak said as he handed out brochures at Alterra coffee on Humboldt on opening day. "We've been around a long time and now we've got an incredible array of organic plants and vegetables. We're also handling these wonderful organic eggs."
Kellner's is a place where you can get the stuff you need for your garden and you can have a real conversation with someone who cares about your garden almost as much as you do.
This year Kellner's is organizing a great idea this year for something they call the Victory Garden Blitz.
On Saturday, May 28, the Victory Garden Initiative will be held, designed to install small gardens throughout the city and for people who aren't able to afford the price of a garden themselves. Teams will divide up the travel throughout Milwaukee to install these Victory Gardens.
"We hope people really hook on to this idea," Dembowiak said. "We'd like to install dozens and dozens of these gardens in the city."
You can have a garden installed in your own yard, in another area of the city or in the home area of those less fortunate. The slogan for the event is "Real Change, One Garden at a Time."
This is a great idea and is an event that would be especially fun for a family with small children.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
