This is one of 20 headstones marking the graves of some of the people who died at Green Acres when it was still a poorfarm. (MPR Photo/Chris Julin)

Chisago County had two poorfarms. The Sunrise poorfarm opened in 1871 and operated until 1904, when the county sold the land to a farmer. Some of that land is now part of Orrin Asklund's farm.

The county opened a new poorfarm in the town of North Branch. It operated as the county poorfarm until the 1950s. Today, it's Green Acres, the Chisago County nursing home.

A dirt path winds through the woods behind the nursing home. In a clearing, 20 mossy headstones mark the graves of some of the people who died at Green Acres when it was still a poorfarm. Earl Leaf believes another 25 people who died at Green Acres lie nearby in unmarked graves.