KOHLER, Wis. — Training and caring for horses is deeply rooted in the Bulitz family. The knowledge has been passed down four generations now.
“My grandfather in Germany raised horses and broke horses and traded horses, and that passed along to my dad,” explained Paul Bulitz, operator of his family’s farm, known for its pumpkin patch and horse-drawn carriage rides.
“It kind of slows you down in the fast world.”
The rides have become a community favorite over the years.
“You get to see everybody’s smile when you get them on the wagons,” Paul’s son Andrew remarked.
The two men tag-team the farm operations these days, but the Kohler business was founded by Paul’s father Siegmund “Siggy” Bulitz.
Siggy and his wife Regina, along with their (then) two children, immigrated to the States from a small village in Germany in 1960, escaping communist rule.
They were forced to leave their 40-acre farm and all of their belongings behind, aside from a few suitcases.
“They left the year the Berlin Wall was finished,” Paul told me.
With only $2 between the young Bulitz couple, they arrived in New York and eventually found their way to Sheboygan.
“Here he had his freedom,” Paul said. “He always said this is still a place where you can do what you want, be in charge of your own destiny.”
Siggy bought the farm in 1965.
Watch: Keeping the legacy alive: Kohler Bulitz Farm patriarch dies at 91
“There wasn’t too much that slowed him down,” Andrew added. “He got up every day and pushed through everything.”
Starting from humble beginnings, the family now runs a miniature empire with no plans to stop.
They have seven teams of driving horses.
Siggy drove the carriages for nearly half a century, Paul said it was like pulling teeth to get him to pass the baton on the farm.
“My grandpa taught me a lot…so did my dad,” Andrew choked out, sniffling back tears.
Sadly, on February 10, Siggy passed away at the age of 91.
Last week, they gave him a proper send-off — the Bulitz way: a hearse carriage driven through Kohler before arriving at his final resting spot.
“He was one you’d dig your heels in and get after it,” noted Paul.
It’s a lesson Andrew takes to heart as he prepares to take the reigns one day.
“He accomplished more than the people who’ve been here for five, six generations. He did it one,” Andrew said. “I’ve got a lot of great memories, doing things with him. Hopefully, I can keep carrying it on.”
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
