TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Jack and Sherry Kleinschmidt are well-known in the Merrill community as former Main Street business owners, and with the sale of their businesses, many thought they would go gently into retirement, spending more time with family and enjoying life. And they did. Sort of.
Somehow they took that time with family and enjoying life gardening and started a new business. Barnes Creek Daylilies is a bit of a Merrill secret, as they don’t advertise it a lot, and yet, word is spreading that Jack and Sherry and their grandchildren are selling hybrid daylilies.
“During our years serving the public in retail sales, we were blessed to have our son and daughter working side by side with us,” Sherry said. “As the grandchildren came along, they were ‘raised in the business.’ They learned firsthand about work ethic and stellar customer service.”
“When we retired and began to dabble in hybridizing our own daylilies, we found the perfect opportunity to involve our whole family again. Barnes Creek Daylilies was born,” she said.
“Now in our third year, we all work together to offer nearly 600 daylilies each year in our sales field (the majority being our own creations),” Sherry said.
“Our grandchildren love to show and sell their own original hybrids to our customers while at the same time earning money for college, and we get to watch our grandchildren grow right along with their daylilies. We think it’s a win-win situation.”
Jack and Sherry’s grandchildren – Jalie Severt, age 16; Jazlin Severt, age 14; Jillian Severt, age 11; and Braylon Kleinschmidt, age 13 – are an integral part of the “crew” at Barnes Creek Daylilies. Their parents, the “middle generation” as they describe themselves – Karli and Jess Severt and Kory and Ahn Na Kleinschmidt – are the “support staff.”
Customers can come out to the field at N2611 Norwegian Rd. in Merrill to shop their “2022 Dig Days!” Customers identify the daylilies they wish to purchase, and the crew will dig and prepare the plant for the trip home with the client to be planted in its new home. Dig Days continue this weekend, July 23 and 24. The field will be ready for customers on Saturday, July 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday, July 24, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
