WINDMILLS, WINDMILLS, WINDMILLS

As we were heading south through Western Minnesota, we passed through the small town of Jasper.  Unbeknownst to me, Jasper is home to The Windmill Man, Terry Rodman.  On the outskirts I spied some windmills of various types and sizes.  I told Cathie that after setting up camp nearby we just had to go and take a look at them.  The next day, Cathie opted to stay in camp, but our camping buddies, Len and Joe agreed to go and have a look.

The windmills, we later learned there were 44 of them, were all set up in the yard of a lone house in the corn fields.  No fences and with a pathway through them, it was as though we were being invited to go and admire them.  There were tall ones and short ones, there ones from different counties, China, Canada, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, and Argentina.  There ones with huge fans, and small fans.  There were ones with wooden fans and one with two fans.  I was being overtaken with Windmill Envy.

After, we headed back to came driving through the small town.  We came upon, The Windmill Man shop and with the door open, we took that an invitation to stop and take a peek inside.  There was someone inside with his back to us working at a work bench.  “Hello”, I said and didn’t get a response.  I repeated my greeting and still, no response, so we walked in getting closer to the man, and upon my third, “Hello”, he slowly turned around.  I asked if he was the Windmill Man, and he said that he was an employee.  His name was Paul and was definitely past his prime.  He explained that he was the Windmill Man’s only employee and that the boss was out for the day.  At some point in the conversation, he told us that he was 94 years old and had been working a long time in the shop.  He explained that the boss was much younger and in his late 70’s.  Once we got him talking he showed us around the shop and explained how some of the mills worked.  There were two giant wooden wind mill fans that he had help restore and having painted each vane 3 times knew exactly how many vanes there were.  94!

The next day knowing that Cathie would also appreciate seeing the windmills, she and I went back.  As luck would have it, the Windmill Man, Terry, happened to be there.  He told us about his collection and shared with us how some of the worked.  He even demonstrated a tilting windmill for us.  I asked how he got started collecting them.  He said he wife asked for a Dutch Windmill, you know the small ones you see in people’s yards.  He told her that if she wanted a windmill, he would make her one, but it had to be a real windmill.  He explained that his shop roll up door had and opening of 16 feet.  So, he built the windmill in three separate sections, each being 15’ 9” tall, trucked them to the house and put them together with a crane.

Of, course I had to tell him that I once had a windmill, but it stayed at our house when we sold it.  I asked if he had any for sale, and he pointed to the field across the road where he had stored numerous windmill towers and various parts.  He said he could restore on for me for what I considered was a very reasonable price. All I had to do is get it to Arizona.  We shook hands and I said I would consider his offer.  We shall see it there is a new windmill in the cards.