Inspired by Oprah, and her annual list of Favorite Things, I too have put together a list of my favorite Something Special from Wisconsin ‘things’ this year. The Something Special from Wisconsin program highlights high quality products grown and produced right here in our state. Businesses who take part in the program guarantee at least half of the ingredients, production or processing activities come from Wisconsin. Shop for the products on my list below, as well as hundreds more at somethingspecialwi.com. Snack All Season Long with Palo Popcorn When family and friends show up last minute this holiday season, set out a bowl of Palo Popcorn. Though caution, their popcorn is addicting! The creamy cheddar flavor is hard to resist, and I always find myself going back for another scoop. Palo Popcorn is a family-owned, small batch manufacturer based in Sheboygan Falls. Their recipe starts with real cheddar cheese, producing a gourmet cheddar popcorn experience like no other. Stock up on varieties like jalapeno cheddar, white cheddar maple bacon, or Mexican street corn to impress your next guests. (Or keep them all to yourself, because they are that good!) Smell Wonderful with soaps and lotions from Maple Hill Farm Gift boxes from Maple Hill Farm also make a perfect gift this holiday season! The main stars of their gift boxes? Sheep’s milk soap and lotion! You read that right – the milk for the soap and lotion comes from sheep that are milked right on the Michielson's family farm. Their farm, Maple Hill Farm, began with two lambs, and has since grown to a large flock of milking ewes. Their ewes are milked seasonally, twice a day. The farm holds some of their milk back from the milk truck to make artisan sheep milk soaps and lotions. Milk is frozen during milking season, to allow for production to continue year-round. Their soaps and lotions are handcrafted in small batches in over 10 different scents. Pick up a lavender, almond, or spearmint eucalyptus gift box for every stocking on your list. Shop for the Foodie with Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Marinated fresh mozzarella balls from Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese are a perfect gift any foodie on your list. Their fresh mozzarella balls, marinated in olive oil, canola oil, and Italian seasonings are savory and delectable. Each time I bring them out of the fridge, they quickly disappear. All of the cheese from Crave Brothers, including the marinated mozzarella balls, is handcrafted right on their family farm using only the freshest, high quality milk from their cows. Their cheeses are produced with great care and have earned over 100 national and international awards. Satisfy a Sweet Tooth with Suzy’s Cream Cheesecakes Skip the dessert prep this season, and have Suzy and her team do the baking. Suzy Strothmann, president and founder of Suzy’s Cream Cheesecakes has been baking from scratch for as long as she can remember. Like many of us, baking reminds her of time spent in the kitchen with her mother. She began making and selling cheesecakes 36 years ago, and they quickly began flying off the shelves. Today, the number of cheesecakes baked in a day has grown, but the business’s core mission has never changed- to bake the finest cheesecake money can buy. Pick up a cheesecake from Suzy’s for your next holiday party! Showcase your Wisconsin Pride Support all of the Something Special from Wisconsin companies when you purchase program branded apparel. The new line of branded apparel and products is perfect for holiday gifting and everyday living. Choose from T-shirts and sweatshirts or mugs and traveler’s bags. Items are all branded with the familiar red, yellow and white Something Special from Wisconsin logo and can be bought and ordered online.

Original spice blends from Spark Spices can spark up any entrée, side dish, or appetizer this holiday season. Their spice-maker has 30 years of dried spice experience and works to create unique spice blends ensuring that your taste buds will spark! As a true family business, all aspects of preparing their product for sale is done by family members. Visit their website for great recipe ideas full of unique flavor experiences. I recently made their zesty snap cranberry dip, and it is now on my list to bring to every potluck! The short list of ingredients and simple directions make the dish easy to prepare last minute. When you shop, look for Wisconsin cream cheese, sour cream, and dried cranberries to truly showcase the flavors of our state. After all the ingredients are mixed together, the result is a perfect mixture of sweet and zesty. Check out the recipe below. Zesty Snap Cranberry Dip Ingredients 8 oz. cream cheese ½ cup sour cream ¼ cup dried Wisconsin cranberries 1½ TBS Spark Spices Zesty Snap seasoning Directions Blend cream cheese, sour cream and Zesty Snap seasoning together. Mix in dried cranberries. Order this Something Special from Wisconsin™ product online at sparkspices.com. The Something Special from Wisconsin program requires at least half of the ingredients, production, or processing come from Wisconsin. You can often find products by searching for the red Something Special from Wisconsin logo with yellow letters while shopping.

I am often asked, what makes Wisconsin agriculture so special? That answer is easy – the people who work in agriculture, and the diversity of agriculture industries in our state. From cranberries to cows and mint to maple syrup, the long list of food, fuel and fiber products grown and raised in our state is a true blessing. The meat industry is certainly one to be proud of in Wisconsin. Meat packing companies have a rich history in our state, including one very important team sponsorship by the Indian Packing Company that funded the start of our beloved Green Bay Packers. Today, a variety of meat processing companies can be found across the state. Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats and the Nueske family have been crafting smoked meats in Wisconsin since 1933. Still to this day, they use many original recipes. This third-generation family company has a great selection of sausages, beef, poultry, and bacon products. Adding flavor and variety to Wisconsin agriculture are companies like Polar Bear Kitchen. They handcraft seasonings and sauces to spice-up your holiday get-togethers. Their collection of sauces are great for barbecue or pretzel dip, and their dry rubs are perfect for baby back ribs. Gabe, the creative behind Polar Bear Kitchen’s flavors makes all of the products from scratch. Their flavors are top-notch, and several have won awards at an international level. This holiday season, take your cooking to the next level with the flavors from Polar Bear Kitchen. Of course, I must remember to mention cheese when writing about Wisconsin agriculture! With over 600 styles, types, and varieties of cheese made in our state, the diversity of cheeses alone is amazing. For example, only one state, and one cheese plant in the nation produces limburger cheese – Chalet Cheese Cooperative in Monroe. Best known for its infamous stinky aroma, Limburger cheese has German roots. It is a soft, ripened cheese with a creamy texture and a buttery, mild flavor. The best way to enjoy this cheese is the traditional way, sandwiched between dark rye bread with thickly-sliced, raw onion and pub mustard. Hidden below the surface of Wisconsin soil, you will find more agriculture diversity. Found mostly in the central part of the state, American ginseng roots have been cultivated in Wisconsin for more than 100 years. Today, 95 percent of our nation’s cultivated ginseng is grown in Wisconsin, on farms like Heil Ginseng Enterprises. Joe Heil and his team care for their ginseng roots from initial planting all the way to to final product. Their roots, capsules, and tea bags are high quality, and are in demand around the world. Diversity comes in the form of flavored condiments, too. Condiments from Madame Chu add a note of Southeast Asian flavor to traditional holiday dishes. Their products represent authentic flavors and techniques passed from generation to generation. Traditional Southeast Asian cooking can take many hours to arrive at just the right flavor, but the end result is uniquely delicious. Behind the Madame Chu brand name is Josey Chu, a Singapore native with a passion for cooking. Her collection showcases the diversity of cultures represented in Wisconsin food. All of these companies, though diverse, have one thing in common. They are all members of the Something Special from Wisconsin™ program. Participating members in the program guarantee at least half of the ingredients, production, or processing come from right here within our state. Browse and learn more about the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture companies at somethingspecialwi.com.

CTL Foods, Inc., a company from Colfax, provides the perfect ingredient for any dessert. They have been blending and packaging Soda Fountain® Malted Milk Powder for over 40 years. Thanks to real dairy ingredients in every batch, their malt has a premium, fresh malty taste. It is an award-winning product that took first place at the 2016 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest in the Innovative Products category. Add two heaping tablespoons of the malted milk powder to your favorite ice cream shake to make a malt, or bake with the rich flavor to make pumpkin malt bars, peanut butter malt bars, and more! Their recipe for Malty Puppy Chow is delicious, and *caution* it can be addicting! Substitute half of the powdered sugar in a traditional puppy chow recipe for a unique taste on a classic. Check out the recipe below. Malty Puppy Chow Ingredients 3/4 cup peanut butter 1 cup chocolate chips 1/4 cup Wisconsin butter 8 cups Crispix cereal 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup Soda Fountain® Malted Milk Powder *Add dried Wisconsin cranberries for an added Wisconsin flavor Directions Melt the peanut butter, chocolate chips, and butter together. Pour over the cereal in a large kettle or bowl and stir well. Pour the powdered sugar and malted milk powder into a large brown bag or plastic zip lock bag and add the cereal. Fold the bag to seal and shake well to coat evenly. Add dried cranberries if you choose. Keep in a cool, airtight container. Order this Something Special from Wisconsin™ product online at ctlfoods.com. The Something Special from Wisconsin program requires at least half of the ingredients, production, or processing come from Wisconsin. You can often find products by searching for the red Something Special from Wisconsin logo with yellow letters while shopping.

Kick off your holiday shopping this Thanksgiving weekend at the second annual Something Special from Wisconsin Holiday Market. The event, extended to two days this year, will run November 30 through December 1 in Johnson Creek. Mark the dates on your calendars to shop for unique, local Wisconsin-made gifts for everyone on your list. The holiday market, located at the Johnson Creek High School, is hosted by Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters and Café, and will feature some of Wisconsin’s finest products and services. Berres Brothers is a veteran-owned business, deeply rooted in their Watertown community. They are most known for their signature coffees, which are roasted and distributed right from Watertown. Popular varieties include Tres Rios, Highlander Grogg, and Packer Perc. Stop by their booth at the market to check off your coffee-loving friend from your holiday gift list. All participating business, including Berres Brothers, at the market must be members of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s program: Something Special from Wisconsin™. This program highlights products grown, raised, and produced in our state. To qualify, at least half of the value of the product must be attributable to Wisconsin ingredients, production or processing activities. Founded in 1983, the Something Special from Wisconsin program and logo bring recognition and credibility to Wisconsin products, building upon our reputation for providing the finest goods and services available. Program members benefit from having a "Wisconsin" brand identity that consumers recognize as top quality and high value. Participating products can easily be identified by the red, oval logo with white and yellow lettering. The Something Special from Wisconsin program truly has gifts for everyone. If you are shopping for friends or family with a sweet-tooth, be sure to visit Sweet P’s Pantry. They create award-winning toffee and chocolates, all made with Wisconsin butter. Based in Oconomowoc, Sweet P’s Pantry makes all of their artisan confections by hand. In 2016, their Rosemary Salt and Pepper Pecans won a blue ribbon at the Wisconsin State Fair. Sharon and Pat Pavich (the sweet ‘P’s in the pantry) invite you to visit their booth, and fill the stockings of everyone on your list. Additional businesses participating in the Holiday Market are quite diverse. Check off the foodie on your list with cheese from Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery or a gingersnap cookie from Beans n Cream Bakehouse. Shop for stylish friends with custom-made clothing and one-of-a-kind jewelry. Several Wisconsin wineries also will be at the market, representing the diversity of wines made in our state. While you shop, satisfy your own sweet tooth with caramels from Cream City Caramels & Confections. The second-annual Something Special from Wisconsin Holiday Market will showcase some of Wisconsin’s finest products and services, all under one roof. Mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss this event! Holiday Market Details Dates: Nov. 30 – Dec. 1 Time: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Location: Johnson Creek High School Gym, 455 Aztalan St., Johnson Creek, WI Admission: $2 entry fee, children 18 and under are free. Entry fee benefits the Johnson Creek Lions Club

This season, sweeten your holiday with local Wisconsin gifts. Support one of Wisconsin’s many beekeepers with the gift of locally sourced honey. In 2017, beekeepers in Wisconsin harvested 2.9 million pounds of honey. Honey is a completely natural sweetener; if the label on the bottle says “Pure Honey” you can be guaranteed that the only ingredient is what the bees have provided straight from the honeycomb. Interestingly, the color and flavor of honey differs depending on the bees’ nectar source (the blossoms) and can vary with the season. The most common flavors of honey in Wisconsin are buckwheat, clover, basswood, and wildflower. Pick up your next jar of wildflower honey from Dancing Bear Apiary Honey. Their hives are located in woodland areas, so the bees collect nectar from naturally growing wildflowers. Their beekeeper, Kent Pegorsch, began caring for bees and collecting honey in 1976. Since then, they have been harvesting and bottling raw honey. At Dancing Bear Apiary, they handle their honey from hive to bottle, keeping a rich, fulfilling taste. Find the perfect jar at dancingbearhoney.com. Handmade confections are sure to put a smile on faces of friends and family this holiday season. Shop for toffees, candies, fudge, and more at local sweet shops across our state. When you support local businesses, your dollars stay in our state and return to our communities. Gifts from Cream City Caramels & Confections are perfect for friends and family with a sweet tooth. Their caramels are produced in small batches using plenty of local Wisconsin dairy products. Both sweet and salty, their caramels are available in a variety of flavors; and with a soft and creamy texture, they are sure to melt in your mouth! Look for unique varieties flavored with Berres Brothers Highlander Grogg coffee or Oasis Bee Company honey. Select a few bags of different varieties, or order a holiday box of salted vanilla caramels at creamcitycaramels.com. Homemade cookies and brownies from Beans n Cream Bakehouse are sure to sweeten your holiday. Located in Sun Prairie, their bakery crafts all of their sweet treats from scratch. Plenty of Wisconsin butter and dairy are used in the process, supporting local farmers and processors here in our state. Stop by one of their stores to pick up a gingersnap, scone, muffin, or chocolate brownie for everyone on your list. And for the coffee-lover? Grab a bag of their locally-roasted coffee, available in holiday flavors like White Christmas and Silent Night. Find more local sweets and treats produced by Wisconsin businesses at somethingspecialwi.com.

For decades, cheesemakers across Wisconsin have been crafting and perfecting cheese recipes. Whether the recipe has been passed down from generation to generation, or is an innovative original, the story of these cheeses are truly woven in to the fabric of our history. Certified Master Cheesemaker Sid Cook knows this well, as he has spent a lifetime in the cheese business. Sid is the fourth generation in his family to make cheese. Combined, there is over 1,000 years of cheesemaking experience in the Cook family. Sid fondly recalls growing up in a cheese plant, learning the family business. At the young age of 16, Sid received his cheesemaking license, and has since spent a lifetime crafting high-quality Wisconsin cheese. Today, Sid Cook owns and operates Carr Valley Cheese. As a company, Carr Valley Cheese began in 1902, and today is best known for producing high-quality, artisanal aged Cheddars. Carr Valley operates four cheese plants, all in southwestern Wisconsin. Between the plants, they produce over 100 different dairy products. Their line-up includes classics like pepper jack, medium cheddar, and brick, but also a long list of original cheeses. Today, Carr Valley produces more than 50 original varieties of artisan and specialty cheeses. These varieties are made with cow, goat, and even sheep milk. Several varieties combine two or all three of the milks to create unique flavors. Cheese at Carr Valley is made the old-fashioned way, by hand, with a goal of producing high-quality cheese with outstanding flavor. These techniques, combined with a lifetime of experience have garnered more than 800 national and international awards for Sid’s Carr Valley cheeses. To date, Sid Cook has won more top national and international awards than any other cheesemaker in North America. He is proud of these accolades, but is humble sharing, “It takes a lifetime.” Shop their award-winning cheeses, and learn more about Carr Valley Cheese at: carrvalleycheese.com. *Photo of Sid Cook courtesy of Carr Valley Cheese Facebook page.

Ghostly greetings, and happy Halloween! Today is one of my favorite days of the year! I love crafting costumes and enjoying Halloween candy each year. Often, the day is filled with ghoulish feasts and spooky sweets (which I thoroughly enjoy). This, however, can make it hard to find a treat that is also part of a healthy diet. How can you give your friends and a family a nutrition boost this Halloween? Enjoy a refreshing glass of chocolate milk! As the Official Beverage of Halloween, fuel up with a glass of chocolate milk today. Bring a gallon to your neighborhood party or enjoy as a post-trick-or-treating refreshment. Chocolate milk is the perfect beverage for Halloween because it is nutrition in disguise! With the same nine essential nutrients as white milk, you can feel good about drinking a glass. Each serving of chocolate milk includes calcium for strong bones, protein for muscle growth, potassium for a healthy heart, and more! Experts agree that low-fat chocolate milk is a tasty way to build strong bones that no one will find frightening. According to the American Dairy Association, research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association confirms that chocolate milk is a healthy beverage for both kids and adults. They found kids who drink chocolate milk tend to drink fewer sweetened soft drinks and fruit drinks, which are the number one source of calories and added sugars in their diet. They also found children who drink flavored milk or chocolate milk have higher calcium intakes and actually ingest less fat and sugar in their overall diet. This holiday, keep skeletons growing with a glass of chocolate milk. Celebrate the official drink of Halloween, and feel good about your choice! You can even dress up your chocolate milk for more spooky fun! Check out this quick and easy mummy milk craft for inspiration below. MUMMY MILK Materials: Bubble chewing gum tape or adhesive gauze tape Self-adhesive craft “googly eyes” Tall clear glass Decorative paper straw Directions: Remove backing from google eyes and adhere them to the side of the glass. Take a long strip of bubble gum or gauze and wrap the glass with the bandage. Make sure the eyes peek out from behind the “dressing”. Pour chocolate milk in the glass and add a decorative straw.

Orange, white, green, and every color in between, pumpkins are the quintessential symbol of Wisconsin fall. Whether you prefer to carve a jack-o-lantern, eat a pumpkin pie, or decorate your front porch with colorful gourds, there is a Wisconsin pumpkin variety for you. There are over 20 different varieties of pumpkins grown throughout the state, differentiated by shape, size, color, and flesh quality. Personally, my favorite variety of pumpkins are the knucklehead pumpkins, which are covered in warts! These pumpkins are perfectly unique, and are a great decoration for my front porch. Earlier this season, I visited Wallendal Farms to learn more about growing and harvesting pumpkins in Wisconsin. The Wallendal family began farming in 1956, and has since been committed to cultivating a safe, wholesome food supply for their customers. Today, the third generation of the family is involved in the operation, helping to grow everything from carrots and cabbage to soybeans and squash. Five years ago, they added pumpkins to their mixture of produce. This year, the Wallendals will harvest 200 acres of pumpkins, with the majority designated for wholesale. Pumpkins begin their lives as a seed, and are planted in rows across the field in the spring. The seeds are spaced far enough apart to allow for four to six pumpkins to grow per plant. To help prevent disease, the Wallendal family rotates their pumpkin fields, meaning that they will not grow pumpkins in the same field back to back years. Ideally, their goal is to have a five year rotation before they return to a field with pumpkin plants again. This is a natural, and sustainable practice to help prevent disease in the plants. Early pumpkin varieties are ready for harvest between late summer and the first days of fall. To accommodate early customer orders, Wallendal Farms will begin harvesting their pumpkins as early as Labor Day. When it is time for harvest, a pumpkin’s skin should be hard enough that a fingernail cannot poke a hole in the skin. Pumpkins at Wallendal Farms are all harvested by hand. First, employees will walk through the field and cut the pumpkins from the vine. They aim for a two inch stem, one that is not too short, but still allows for easy packing for transport. After they are cut, employees will again walk through the field and load pumpkins on to wagons or into old school busses to be transported back to the packing shed. There, pumpkins will be washed, sorted, and packed into bins for transport. While in the field, employees must pay special attention to the white-skinned pumpkins, as these varieties are sensitive to the sun, and can easily become sunburned. They will also evaluate scarring on the pumpkins. If a pumpkin has too much visual scarring, it cannot be sold to a retailer. However, I was excited to learn that these pumpkins do not go to waste. These ‘less-desirable’ pumpkins are instead sold to a dehydration plant and are often included in pet foods. Each year, when October rolls around, I am grateful for our Wisconsin pumpkin growers. The fruits of their labor are intertwined so closely with traditions of carving jack-o-lanterns, decorating for fall, and eating pumpkin pie with my family. No matter your family traditions, or which pumpkin variety you are looking for this season, be sure to choose a Wisconsin pumpkin in support of our local family farms.

Though Wisconsin’s cucumber harvest season is over for 2019, pickle season is here! At least, it is for the Martin family. Earlier this year, my mom and I made and canned pickles from fresh Wisconsin cucumbers, thanks to a neighbor’s plentiful garden. After the pickles were canned, the pickling process required that they sit for four to six weeks before eating. Now, six weeks later, our pickles are ready to eat! I first began making pickles with the help from 4-H leaders and my mom as a project for the Rock County 4-H Fair several years ago. The initial decision to make pickles was actually not mine, but stemmed from a family request. (Growing up, I was NOT a pickle fan.) Mom, dad, and my brothers (all pickle fans) made the suggestion for a pickle entry, and I am sure glad they did. Fast forward to today, and though I still do not consider myself a pickle lover, I am fond of the bread and butter pickles I make. My homemade pickles were a big hit with family and friends after they received a blue ribbon that first year at the fair. I continued to make pickles the rest of my 4-H career, and my mom and I have since carried on the annual tradition years after I graduated from exhibiting at the fair. Each time, we start our pickles with locally-grown cucumbers. Cucumbers are a member of the gourd family, originating in South Asia. Today, cucumbers can be found in many Wisconsin gardens. There are three main varieties of cucumber: slicing, pickling, and seedless. The pickling cucumbers, as their name implies, are best for pickling. Wisconsin may not be known as the ‘cucumber state’, but we do rank among the top ten states for production. In 2017, we ranked eighth, with a harvest on 5,500 acres. Cucumbers are great to eat fresh in the summer, and are popular as a crisp addition to a salad or sandwich. Though cucumbers contain mostly water, they do have a small amount of lutein which is essential in eye health.* After we have selected our pickling cucumbers, we slice them up, add onions and salt, and cover the mixture with crushed ice cubes. This mixture will sit in the fridge for three to four hours before we add the pickling solution. Our recipe makes bread and butter pickles, so the pickling solution is nice and sweet! Once chilled, the cucumbers and onions are drained, placed on the stove, and the pickling solution is added. They are boiled, and placed into jars. The final step is to process the jars in boiling water, so they will be sealed until ready to eat. Pickling cucumbers has now become quite a tradition at the Martin household. Next cucumber season, I encourage you to try your hand at making pickles! Start with Wisconsin cucumbers, grab a few family members or friends, and end up with delicious pickles and cherished memories. *According to the Wisconsin Farmers Market Association: http://www.wifarmersmarkets.org/foodfacts-cucumbers.aspx

Each year, autumn brings a cool breeze, color-changing leaves, and for many, a much-anticipated apple harvest. Due to an ideal growing climate, unique varieties and high quality standards, Wisconsin apples are second to none. This week, I stopped by Helene’s Hilltop Orchard, LLC in Merrill to learn about caring for apple trees, harvesting apples, and making farm-fresh apple cider. Following in the footsteps of her parents, Olivia, along with her husband Mark, own and operate Helene’s Hilltop Orchard. Their orchard is home to 33 varieties of apple trees, as well as a pumpkin patch, an adventure barnyard, and a farm store filled with the scent of countless apple bakery items. Around every corner, Olivia and Mark’s passion for Wisconsin agriculture shines bright. Out in the orchard, Olivia shared how they care for their trees all year-round. Recently, their farm has embraced a new method for planting and growing apple trees. The new method utilizes a trellis, similar to a grape vine, to stabilize the baby trees after transplant. They planted several new, smaller varieties on the trellises, allowing the trees to be spaced closer together. Additionally, they have cut back on mowing the natural grass between the rows of their trees. Leaving the grass long prevents detrimental insects from laying their eggs, as they prefer short, manicured grass to reproduce in. This natural barrier reduces insect damage on the trees. Harvesting their apples begins in late August, and typically runs through October. Of all their trees, about 60% are dedicated for visiting apple pickers. The remaining 40% are hand-picked by farm employees, and are sold in the store in various forms. Their farm store offers four varieties of fresh pre-picked apples: Red Cortland, Red McIntosh, Honeycrisp, and RiverBelle. The RiverBelle apple is a relatively new variety, developed in Holmen, Wisconsin. This apple is similar to Honeycrisp, but has a more intense flavor. Of all four apples above, I enjoyed the RiverBelle the best! The farm bakery at Helene’s Hilltop Orchard began with only apple pies. Today, they make three versions of apple pie, applesauce, apple cinnamon bread, apple cider doughnuts, and many more apple treats. But what intrigued me most was their fresh, homemade apple cider. Each Tuesday, fresh apple cider is made for the farm store. To make their apple cider, they first chop up the apples. Chopping the apples releases tannins from the fruit, adding more flavor to the final product. An average of five varieties of apples are chopped and used to make one batch of cider. This mixture of apple varieties differentiates a cider from an apple juice. Often, apple juice is made using just one variety of apple. Once chopped, the apples will be squeezed in a press, creating the cider. You can stop by their store for just a cup of cider, or for a half-gallon or gallon to take home and share. My advice? Pour a glass of cider in a mug, heat it up in the microwave for two minutes, and enjoy. Mmmmm! The next time you are in Merrill, or passing by on your way up north, stop by and visit Mark and Olivia. Their orchard truly highlights the best of Wisconsin agriculture and the Wisconsin apple community.

All across the sandy soils of our state, potato growers are headed to their fields to harvest the vegetables of their labor. What does it take to get a potato from field to fork? I made a visit to Alsum Farms & Produce, inc. to learn more. Alsum Farms & Produce is a family-grown company, located near the lower Wisconsin River Valley. They recently celebrated 45 years in business, and have been a family company since the beginning. As an elite grower, packer, and shipper of fresh produce, they supply local, regional, and national communities with over 300 different fruits and vegetables for their table. The backbone of their business though? Wisconsin-grown potatoes! This year, the Alsum team will harvest more than 2,700 acres of russet, red, gold, and fingerling potatoes. I started my tour with a trip to the field, to experience the potato harvest first-hand. To harvest potatoes, growers must first kill the above-ground vine. Killing the vine causes the potatoes’ skins to harden in preparation for harvest. If a potato were harvested while the vines were still green, the potato’s skin would rub off as the spud was dug from the ground. 17-28 days after the vines are killed, the potatoes are ready. On the Alsum’s farm, a mechanical harvester is used to dig the potatoes up from the ground. A blade runs underground and pulls up all of the dirt and potatoes in its path. The spuds then travel across a series of conveyor belts which allow the dirt to fall through. Once the potatoes are separated out, they are gently placed into a truck driving next door. Gently is a key word, as potatoes bruise easily when they fall from a tall heights. Sides of the neighboring trucks drop down to allow the arm of the harvester as close to the bottom of the truck as possible. The farm’s goal is to only drop the spuds 5-6 inches. Once they are loaded in to the truck, they will leave the field and head to the farm for initial sorting. Part two of my spud tour took me to the Alsum packing facility near Friesland. Here, the potatoes are washed, washed again, and washed once more. Once they are squeaky clean, they are sorted electronically by weight. The potatoes travel in a single file line on a conveyor belt that kicks them off one by one into the correct group for their size. Next, potatoes are packed into bags of various sizes. Here, temperatures are kept cool, between 45-54 degrees Fahrenheit, and lights are kept low to keep the potatoes fresh. Packaging ranges from 20 pound bags to individually wrapped potatoes. These potatoes will be packed and shipped within two days, again ensuring freshness. The consumer is consistently top of mind throughout the growing, harvesting, and packing process at Alsum Farms & Produce. With integrity from field to fork, the Alsum family and staff are consistently looking for ways their process can deliver fresher produce, with higher traceability, using more sustainable practices. A true Wisconsin family company, they are proud to be a part of Wisconsin’s robust agriculture community.