Francis "Bug" Mauer of Nashville, Michigan died last year after spending two decades building a miniature version of the large working farm on which he grew up near Roscommon, Michigan. Now his son and grandson transport the farm to county fairs on the back of a flatbed truck.





"My wife said I had to get a hobby. So I had a dream to build an old-fashioned farm. I started working on this in 1987.

In building this, I build and take apart until it looks right to me. All the shingles are made from a cedar board and tapered by hand and nailed on. I've been to Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota to pick up livestock and machinery.

When I came back and told my wife how much it cost, she said 'Don't have a dream like that again.'

I know things are cramped, but I only had so much space! It was designed for a 200-acre farm. There's a lot of work to be done yet."
----Francis (Bug) Maurer









"I still think he should take up whittling!"
----Mrs. Francis Maurer



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