The Little Plum Lutheran Cemetery sits behind our property. In accordance with state laws, a cemetery that once was part of a church cannot be owned by a private party. There are easements in place to allow visitors to cross farmer Ericson’s slice of land, use our driveway and then walk to the cemetery. We typically have weekly visitors during the ‘season’ (late March to the first heavy snow in December). The outgoing church board hired Johnson Monument Company in the fall of 2018 to repair and reset a significant portion of the 100 head stones in this little country cemetery. Rather than putting up fences, I planted a living fence of day lilies and irises. As the monument company cleared in ground plants, I re-purposed the lilies and peonies planting over 350 plants at the cemetery’s borders.
During the winter months I have spent time on re-mapping this cemetery. Based on measurements of standing monuments and the original cemetery records from the church, I have been able to identify a further 100 sites. So this sleepy little cemetery has over 200 interned. When we are home, we make it a point to come out and say hello and answer any questions. The Township of Frankfort pays for the care of the cemetery. I help to weed flowers, clean stones and rake as time permits.