What is new for Northwoods Drifter in 2026
When a small farming community starts losing population, most folks figure the best days are behind them. Not the Skaar family.
Tom and Leah Skaar just opened a new Farmer’s Market & Coffee House in Gleason that’s four times bigger than their original store — and they’re betting it’ll become the kind of gathering spot that brings neighbors together and maybe even helps turn things around for this Lincoln County town.
The new location at N5375 State Road 17 opened its doors in early March, transforming a former restaurant called Ma’s Place into a buzzing hub where you can grab fresh-roasted coffee, pick up locally raised ribeye steaks, and actually sit down for a spell.
The Skaars didn’t plan to outgrow their first store quite this fast. They opened a modest 300-square-foot shop in spring 2024 after spending the previous summer selling farm-raised meats right out of their garage.
“We just didn’t have that venue especially with our older store,” Tom Skaar said about their long-time dream of adding a coffee shop.
Turns out folks around here were hungry for local beef, pork, chicken, and lamb raised on their 300-acre spread. The ribeyes and tenderloins flew off the shelves so fast they had to expand hours from just Saturdays to Fridays too.
The new 1,600-square-foot space changes the whole experience. There’s a proper coffee bar serving Redwood Street Roasters — the Skaars even got training on equipment and brewing from the roaster to make sure they’re doing it right.
What you’ll find inside:
That last part matters more than you might think. “It’s nice to be able to provide a platform for them to be able to sell their products through us,” Tom said about stocking goods from area producers.
In a town where State Road 17 traffic might be the busiest thing happening on a Tuesday, creating a reason for people to stop, shop, and stick around isn’t just good business. It’s community building.
Tom represents the fourth generation of Skaars working this land. His family’s agricultural roots run deep in the Northwoods — relatives helped found the Wisconsin Tobacco Growers Association back when tobacco was still a major crop around here.
The farm itself has evolved plenty over the decades. When Leah joined Tom in 2010, they shifted focus from hay production to full livestock operations. Today they’re raising animals humanely on pasture while still producing premium hay and alfalfa that ships to horse farms statewide.
The corn they grow? That stays right here, feeding their own livestock through Wisconsin winters.
“Just to be able to work with your family day in and day out and we’ve been able to do that on a farm and now we’re able to do that on a larger scale here.” — Tom Skaar
Their daughter works alongside them now, making it a true multi-generational operation. Not many families get to build something together like this anymore.
Let’s be honest — small Northwoods towns are struggling. Lincoln County’s population has been sliding for years, and places like Gleason feel it most.
But the Skaars see opportunity where others see decline. By creating a destination that serves both locals and Highway 17 travelers passing between Merrill and Rhinelander, they’re putting Gleason back on the map.
The store addresses real needs too. Access to locally raised meat means families aren’t driving 30 minutes for quality protein. The coffee house gives people an actual place to meet up — something rural communities often lack.
Supporting other local vendors creates a network effect. One successful small business makes room for others.
This expansion represents something bigger than one farm getting a nicer storefront. It’s about local food systems that keep money circulating in the region instead of flowing to distant corporate chains.
It’s about sustainable agriculture practiced by people who’ll be working this same land for generations. The Skaars use conservation-focused methods and humane livestock practices because they’re in it for the long haul.
And maybe most importantly, it’s about community resilience. When young families stay because there’s something to build, when neighbors gather over coffee instead of just waving from their trucks, when local products find local buyers — that’s how small towns survive.
The new Skaar Family Farm Farmer’s Market & Coffee House sits right there on Highway 17, surrounded by hayfields and pastures, looking like plenty of rural Wisconsin buildings. But step inside and you’ll find something that’s becoming rare: a gathering place built by people who believe their community’s best days might still be ahead.
Next time you’re rolling through Gleason, maybe pull off and grab a coffee. The ribeyes are worth checking out too, ya know.
Written by
Mike has been coming up or living in the Northwoods since his childhood. He is also an avid outdoorsman, writer and supper club aficionado.
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