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My Adventure in Agriculture - One of the lucky ones I’m one of those lucky kids who got to grow up on a family farm in Wisconsin. I learned how to work and how to love and appreciate agriculture. I also learned how to add a little extra spunk into everyday life alongside the cows at Jazzy Jerseys, my home farm in Lodi, WI. I did regular farm kid things like 4-H, FFA and showing cows at the fair. At the Lodi Agricultural Fair, I realized in high school that my favorite part of the fair wasn’t showing, it was talking to people about my cows and watching someone’s eyes light up as they pet my cow or watched how I milked her. I soon realized heading to college to study Dairy Science and Communications would be a perfect fit, so I attended UW-Madison for the next four years. Living in a barn For three years in college, I lived in our campus dairy barn. Coming from living my whole life in the country on a farm, I was excited to live in a city as big as Madison, but was definitely happy to return home to cows every day. While studying Dairy Science, I learned more about the science of a cow than most people will ever need to know. But, with my Life Sciences Communication classes, I learned how to make that information, like the biochemistry of a cow stomach, interesting to other people. Madison was a great place where I was surrounded with people from different backgrounds, and the more I talked about cows with them, the more we talked about food and agriculture. Loving all of agriculture While cows are where my background is, as I’ve learned more and more about Wisconsin agriculture, it’s pretty hard not to be proud of our outstanding industry. For four years during college, I co-hosted a radio show, ‘Ag Chat,’ where we talked about current events in Wisconsin agriculture for an hour each week. It’s truly fascinating. Additionally, through various agriculture organizations, I visited agricultural businesses all over the U.S. and saw our food, fuel and fiber system in action. Through multiple jobs and internships, I gained an in-depth perspective from businesses that keep the agriculture industry strong. And above all, I’ve met some amazing people along the way. I’m Sydney Endres. I love agriculture. I love cross-country skiing, rock music and smiles. And I am so incredibly excited to start my journey as Alice in Dairyland with you all!

Hi, everyone! I am honored to be a candidate for the 71st Alice in Dairyland and am looking forward to learning more about agriculture and adventure in Adams County, host of this year’s finals. For those who don’t know me, I am a Holstein loving, wanna-be cheese expert from Janesville, Wisconsin in Rock County. I grew up on my family’s dairy farm feeding calves with my mom, tagging along with my dad during planting season and harvest, and washing 4-H fair calves with my sisters. My younger sisters and I show registered Holsteins, and I was an active youth member of 4-H, FFA and Junior Holstein programs. I’m a Senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I will graduate in May with a degree in Dairy Science. My agricultural background and excitement for Wisconsin agriculture is driven primarily by three things: Places, passions and people. The Places- My interest in showing dairy cattle and internships I’ve held have taken me throughout the state. Whether it is driving through the rolling hills of southwestern Wisconsin or along Lake Winnebago, agriculture is everywhere. Let your sense of adventure lead you to explore the world of agriculture in Wisconsin. The Passions- Mine? A quick, easy answer is Holstein cows and Wisconsin cheese. What’s yours? I’m amazed at the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture, and I hope you’ll join me as I learn more! Agriculture easily combines passions with livelihoods, livelihoods whose purpose is to provide safe, healthy food and products for consumers. The People- There is something special about listening to a young 4-H member talk about the first pig she took to the Fair or engaging with a lifelong crop farmer and seeing his life’s work expressed in the smile on his face and calluses on his hands. Wisconsin’s agriculture community has a story to share and, now more than ever, consumers are expressing their curiosity about the food they eat. As Alice in Dairyland, I will share my love for Wisconsin agriculture as I travel throughout the state and write about people in agriculture and their passion for producing food and fiber for consumers of all ages.

It’s more than just a field of corn. It goes beyond the feed fed to our livestock. And it’s providing more than just fuel in our tanks. Ethanol production here in Wisconsin supplies us with a renewable fuel source, reduces emissions in the air, and most importantly, supports the corn growers right here in our state. Wisconsin’s nine ethanol plants produce more than 500 million gallons a year – making Wisconsin the ninth-largest ethanol producing state in the country. These plants use more than 180 million bushels of corn each year – about 37 percent of the state’s corn crop. Ethanol production in Wisconsin generates $4.2 billion in economic activity, impacting 19,000 jobs, with $982 million in wages, and generates $306 million in taxes. Ethanol is now found in all ‘regular’ gasoline in Wisconsin because of its clean air benefit. Wisconsin has more than 140 E85 refueling stations for Flex Fuel Vehicle owners to fill up with fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol. Because of growing consumer demand, some stations are adding blender pumps so drivers can use ethanol-blended fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol. Looking past the pump, ethanol production yields more than just fuel. Through the processing of corn for ethanol, a protein rich livestock feed is also produced. Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) are a valuable byproduct that are compromised of the non-starch portions of the corn kernel. Each bushel of corn (56 pounds) yields 2.8 gallons of ethanol and 17.5 pounds of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). In addition to food and fuel, pure carbon dioxide is also captured from the fermentation process and can be used for various applications, such as freeze drying or bottling beverages. Here in the United States, we produce more than enough corn to supply both food and fuel. In fact, we are actually running a surplus of corn each year. Let’s break it down. In a typical growing season, 5.2 billion bushels of corn are used for livestock feed, 3.5 billion bushels go directly into the production of 13.5 billion gallons of ethanol, 1.3 billion bushels will be exported for feed purposes, and 733 million bushels will be carried over as surplus. These numbers will continue to increase as our corn growers continue to grow more corn using less land, water, and inputs. Today, these farmers are producing 68 percent more bushels per acre than 30 years ago while also reducing energy use by 43 percent, fertilizer use by 50 percent, crop irrigation by 53 percent, and soil loss by 67 percent per bushel. Ethanol is also environmentally friendly as it reduces emissions into the air. The environmental benefits of ethanol can be traced all the way back to the corn field. Think of these fields as giant solar collectors that are transforming sunlight into a valuable product while also producing oxygen and sequestering carbon dioxide from the air. The benefits continue through the production process as today’s ethanol plants are producing more fuel with fewer inputs. For every 1 unit of energy invested into ethanol production, 2.3 units of energy are made available to the consumer. When it finally arrives in a fuel tank, this renewable fuel burns cleaner than gasoline, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40-50 percent. This renewable fuel is grown right here in Wisconsin and supports our local corn growers, decreases our dependency on foreign oil, lowers fuel prices, reduces emissions into the air, and provides feed in addition to fuel. The next time you stop to fuel up, look beyond the pump and thank our local corn growers who provide all of us with these benefits. I truly appreciate these farmers when I stop to fuel up my E-85 Ford Explorer, Maizey, which is graciously donated to the Alice in Dairyland program by the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board. Make sure to keep an eye out for us as we continue to make our travels around America’s Dairyland.

Prepare for this salad to knock your socks off and get you ready for flip-flops. Best. Salad. Ever. 12 ounces salad greens (spring mix) ½ cup dried Wisconsin cranberries ½ cup pecan halves 6 ounces Wisconsin blue cheese 2 whole apples (cored and sliced) ¼ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ¼ cup of Wisconsin maple syrup 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar Salt and black pepper Add the greens, cranberries, pecans, cheese and apples into a large salad bowl Mix the olive oil, Dijon, maple syrup and vinegar in a small jar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. But the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.

This Wisconsin Maple Vinaigrette tastes amazing and is perfect for spring! It’s sweet, tangy, and perfect to go on top of any salad. Plus – it’s easy to make with ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup pure Wisconsin maple syrup 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon of lemon juice 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Whisk all ingredients together until the dressing is well blended. This can be refrigerated for 3 days in an airtight container.

To celebrate the 48th Anniversary at Dupont Cheese Inc., Hugo Mielke had an idea. Invite the neighborhood over, contact local media outlets, and sell their signature colby cheese for 2.48lb. The result? During this three day celebration Dupont Cheese sold approximately 1,800 lbs. of colby cheese and had over 550 customers visit the store. In regards to media coverage, Mike Austin from WFRV, WJMQ Radio, Clintonville Tribune, Marion Advertiser and thousands of social media “impressions,” allowed this event to be an incredible success story. Open for 48 years, the Laack family has owned and operated the Dupont Cheese Factory and store in Marion, Wisconsin. As dozens of locals visited the store, Fred and his wife Ann welcomed many neighbors and friends. Staff called customers out by name, current town stories and current events were shared and of course, excitement about Wisconsin cheese had everyone smiling and laughing. While dairy farmers and the dairy industry struggle with low milk prices and challenging times, events like this one serve as the perfect reminder what makes America’s Dairyland so special. Our love and pride for Wisconsin Cheese is undeniable and farmers, cheesemakers, and cheeselovers all can celebrate over a product that tastes great and creates a major economic impact. This event created excitement and revenue for a local business but also brought together the community to remind everyone why the dairy industry is truly a dairy community. I encourage you to go out to your local grocery store or creamery, purchase an extra pound of cheese, an extra gallon of milk or treat yourself to a scoop of ice cream. Thank you, Dupont Cheese Inc. for this heart-warming reminder of why cheesemaking is the recipe for success in Wisconsin’s $43.4 billion dairy industry. Hugo and I handed out many samples of fried colby cheese and colby grilled cheese drizzled with real Wisconsin maple syrup. Colby Cheese Original to Wisconsin, cheesemakers first produced colby, a close relative of cheddar, in the central Wisconsin town of Colby in 1885. Similar in flavor to cheddar, colby is softer and has a firm, open lacey texture with tiny holes and a higher moisture content. Its mild flavor similar to young cheddar. Cheesemakers spray the curds with cold water and stir them while they are still in the vat to prevent the curds from knitting together. This procedure gives colby a more elastic texture than cheddar. www.dupontcheeseinc.com Fun Fact: Six times a week they process 170,000 lbs. of milk to make 17,000 lbs. of cheese every day!

Throughout my travels I’ve been able to learn about Wisconsin’s sheep and wool industry from the farm to the mill. In order to learn more about the final product I traveled to Columbus, Wis. to visit Susan McFarland at Susan’s Fiber Shop. When you walk through the doors you will find an incredible selection of fiber-related products. From raw Tesswater sheep wool, yarn in every color, tools and equipment to even a cute dog named Max, you will definitely find what you’re looking for and more. Susan McFarland was originally an art teacher, and now loves to help people learn about techniques using fiber. Susan is an expert when it comes to all things fiber-related. She loves to find the perfect equipment to complete various projects. Speaking with Susan you could see her excitement and passion for wool and its future. Susan’s Fiber Shop also offers classes (below). Learning how to use a drop spindle was difficult at first, but with Susan’s expertise and patience I got the hang of it in no time! Thank you Susan for your expertise and for sharing many laughs with me! https://www.susansfiber.com/ Felted Hats: Thursday March 16th, 10am-3pm Felting a hat is an easy project for beginners. It is a quick project with something wonderful at the end of the day. Everyone will complete a hat and enjoy it forever! $85. Beginning Drop-Spinning: Saturday Feb. 24th 2pm Learn how to spin! Spin yarn for your own textile projects. In this class, we will work with a variety of fibers and you will even get the chance to meet the flock of American Teeswater sheep! Who knows if you will want to try "growing your own" fiber! $20. Advanced Spinning I: Sunday, Feb 25th 1pm-4pm In this class we will experiment with different methods of spinning. We will work on Long draw, English Long Draw, Inch Worm, and others, as well as some basic carding techniques. If you want to be challenged in your spinning then this class is for you! Bring your own spinning wheel (if you have one) so that you are the most comfortable in learning. $50 Advanced Spinning II: Sunday, March 4, 1pm-4pm This class is designed to stretch your horizons with your spinning! We will help you spin for socks or a lacy shawl all the way through to a woolen or worsted weight for a sweater or hat. If you want to become the best spinner you can be then this class is for you! $65. Solving the Mystery of Fiber Preparation: Saturday, March 17th 1pm-4pm Learn what to look for when you pick out a fleece, and how to get that fleece ready to spin. This class will cover scouring (washing), picking, and carding (with both hand and drum carders). Learn how to work with batts and roving using a Diz, and how to take a fleece from the sheep to your wheel. $35 Color Blending: Sunday April 15th 1pm-4pm In this class you will have the amazing opportunity to work with a variety of different fibers to blend for color, texture, and softness. Find out the different benefits of working on a drum carder, blending board, or hackle. At the end of the day you will have a sampling of batts to take home and use! Drop in and Dye at Susan's: Saturday June 4th - Class is Yarn or roving buy from Susan's ! A fun dye day at Susan's! Come in for an hour, or come for the day! During this time we will explore the world of dyeing! Bring your own dye-able roving/yarn or purchase some at the shop. There will be demonstrations of vat dyeing all day long. Bring your knitting or spinning wheel along and enjoy the day! If you will be here for lunch then please bring a dish to pass. Explore the world of Spinning Learn from an Expert: Call for an appointment we do one on one classes or groups. See if you wish to learn to spin or get a spinning wheel. Enjoy your time exploring fiber from raw to washed. From carding to spinning to plying. Take the plunge not polar but fiber spinning. Have fun. Learn from the expert herself Susan. She will take you from being nervous about learning to being a pro..... $95. Reserve your spot today! Call: 920-623-4237

Just miles down the road from my family’s farm you’ll find Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill in Valders, WI. Carol Wagner wanted to own a sheep, wash its wool, spin its wool and knit the yarn into a sweater. So in 1985, Carol and her husband, Paul, got Bucky. Fast forward more than 30 years, and today the Wagners have a flock of around 400 sheep. Prior to delving into sheep full-time, Carol was a German teacher at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay. After reading an article in a magazine devoted to wool spinning about the Coopworth breed of sheep, Carol fell in love with the breed. The Coopworth breed was developed in New Zealand in the 1950s-1960s. Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill not only raises sheep to produce meat, but also makes yarn from their Coopworth sheep. Their woolen mill, constructed in 1997, houses the fiber-processing aspect of their business. They specialize in unique and beautifully blended rovings, with many stunning and one-of-a-kind colors. These rovings are perfect for spinning and felting. They also offer custom carding services, quilts and bats, yarns, raw wool, sheepskins, and sheep. At the woolen mill you’ll find the store front on the first floor, with classroom space and additional shop items on the second floor. The shop is an old barn with beautiful barn board. On my tour Carol and Paul walked me through the entire process of processing wool and other fibers. From washing the raw wool, dyeing it, to even carding the wool, they take pride in their mill and helping their nationwide customer base process their wool too. Thank you Carol and Paul for your expertise and for letting me tour your fantastic mill and farm. I encourage you to check out your local woolen mill to learn about this unique industry and perhaps take up a new hobby!

As I travel the state on my Wisconsin Wool campaign, I’ve been so fortunate to visit many incredible places that exemplify Wisconsin’s sheep industry. My first stop was at Huber Sheep Shearing in Wisconsin Dells. Shearing is generally carried out in the spring, so sheep don't become overheated in the summer. A long fleece is likely to become dirty and drag along the ground, increasing the possibility of flies. Shearing sheep is incredibly important as sheep are extremely susceptible to heat stress. If sheep are not sheared, a bulky fleece can even decrease the mobility of sheep. Huber Sheep Shearing is a three-generation family business that travels the state of Wisconsin shearing sheep. The business was started by Jerome Huber, Sr. when his dad, Harold, brought home clippers from the feed mill in 1956. Jerome started by shearing his own flock of sheep and was employed by the neighbors as word spread of his skill. By word of mouth, Jerome’s shearing business flourished. Jerome taught his five sons, Jerry, Jeff, Joe, Jim, and Jake to shear and Joe passed down the tradition to his sons Jeff, Josh, and Jordan. They continue to share their knowledge about shearing each December at the Arlington Beginning Sheep Shearing School. Today, Jerome, Joe, Jim, Jake, Jeff, Josh, and Jordan are continuing the 62-year-old family business. Yearly, the Huber Family travels to over 150 farms and shears 8,000 – 10,000 head of sheep. The Hubers handle 60,000 to 70,000 pounds of wool each year from their shearing customers for Mid-State Wool Growers Cooperative in Columbus, Ohio. Most Saturdays in the winter and spring, you can find the Hubers travelling throughout the state of Wisconsin stopping to shear flocks from 1 to 600 head. They are also expanding into Iowa as Joe’s youngest boy, Jordan, moves to Newhall, IA this upcoming June. Thank you, Huber family, for opening your doors and for being such a fantastic supporter of the 71st Alice in Dairyland Finals!

While many people recognize Alice’s car and mink coat for their connection to Wisconsin and agriculture, several often question the connection of the tiara to the Alice program. In addition to agriculture, Wisconsin has a strong heritage in mining. In fact, Wisconsin’s lead and zinc mines, now largely abandoned, initially spurred much of our state’s settlement. The importance of this industry and our mining heritage is not only acknowledged with a miner on our flag, but also the lead mines of southwest Wisconsin were instrumental in the development of our state’s nickname the Badger State. Mineral collectors have been mining our state's resources since the 1840s when they burrowed into hillsides, like badgers, to make their homes. In addition to the zinc and lead mines, Wisconsin is also home to common minerals like quartz. Quartz is not mined commercially, but many mineral collectors have found exquisite pieces that often end up in custom jewelry. Quartz is one of the most abundant elements on earth and comes in a variety of stunning colors. When it has a rich purple color it is known as amethyst, and when they are a golden yellow color they are called citrine. In 1984, the Wisconsin Jewelers Association discussed the visibility of Alice in Dairyland and recognized her as the most significant voice on behalf of Wisconsin. The Jewelers felt that by partnering with Alice and increase her visibility and impact while telling the story of agriculture and Wisconsin. To show their support of the Alice program, they decided to present Alice with a 14k gold tiara, rather than the rhinestone one the program had used for 36 years. Tony Denardo, of Anderson Denardo Jewelers, Marinette, designed the first tiara created especially for the Alice program. Denardo was chosen to design the tiara while working for Condon Jewelers in Madison because of his experience in jewelry setting and design. The Wisconsin Jewelers Association gave him a price range and the gems they wanted included, the main one to be a big amethyst. The first tiara truly was “something special” for the Alice program. The 14 karat yellow gold tiara featured eight native Wisconsin gems, and the top was set with a natural Wisconsin Mississippi fresh water pearl. The center was a 21 carat amethyst, surrounded by a pair of citrines, amethysts and golden beryl. Years prior, Alice kept her $100 crown, but now with the new tiara, Alice would be presented with the center amethyst as a pendant to commemorate her year. According to Mae Knowles, Alice in Dairyland advisor when the tiara was presented, the new tiara had a lot more authority than the rhinestone tiara. “It doesn’t look like a lot of the crowns others use,” Knowles said. About six years later, the tiara was lost, and this time Karin Burg, from the Corner Studio in Sheboygan Falls, re-created the tiara making only slight changes - removing the pearl and adding diamonds to fully encircle the center scallop. Serving as the only goldsmith on the Wisconsin Jewelers Association board, Burg mentioned she “jumped at the chance” to redesign the tiara. Unfortunately, in 1999 the tiara was stolen, but the jewelers, still committed to the program, used the insurance money, to re-design the tiara. This time Burg modernized the tiara by softening the scallops, reducing the height and again adding more diamonds. The number of scallops and “swinging stones” also were reduced. However, the stones that were selected still represented Wisconsin. The amethyst and citrine included are indigenous to Wisconsin. It took her a couple of weeks to create the tiara making every piece by hand. Burg added more diamonds and set them in platinum. In 2004, the Alice program contacted the Wisconsin Jewelers Association about creating a brooch for Alice to wear on occasions when the tiara wasn’t quite appropriate – when touring farms or processing plants. The brooch is a replica of the tiara and was created by Goodman’s Jewelers of Madison. While the tiara is still an important marketing tool for Alice when telling the story of agriculture, the brooch adds flexibility to the position. The Alice tiara displays Wisconsin and the Alice program in a very special way. It gives the program a little something extra because of the gems and the thought that went into it.

I had the opportunity to meet and greet 24 friendly and curious dairy goats at Dreamfarm located in Cross Plains. With beautiful scenery and great hospitality, I had a great time visiting with Diana Murphy and learning about her farm, farmstead cheese and passion for Wisconsin agriculture. Dreamfarm was established in August 2002. Diana and Jim Murphy dreamt about starting a farm and worked to bring this faded farm back to life. Barns were squared up and reinforced, then given new roofs and siding. Pastures were fenced and filled with animals, fields were planted with alfalfa. Their milking facility was licensed by the state, and the following year the creamery was licensed. Solar panels were added to the barn in 2014. Dreamfarm is certified organic through MOSA (Midwest Organic Services Association), and have been a member of FairShare CSA Coalition since 2004. Dreamfarm milks 24 goats two times a day. The dairy goats are a mixed breed of Alpine and Nubian. Springtime on the farm is exciting and busy. The does (mother goats) have their babies in March. This is when milk production begins which leads to the seasonal production of their cheese. Diana and her daughter Alicia make many artisan cheeses on their farm including varieties of fresh chevre, feta and aged cheeses. You can find their artisan cheese at Willy Street Co-op, Metcalfe's and L’Etoile. http://www.dreamfarm.biz/

In America’s Dairyland, approximately 44,000 dairy goats call Wisconsin home. This ranks our state at the #1 spot for the number of dairy goats and fluid goat milk production. The goat industry is relatively young in Wisconsin and in the United States, but as demand has steadily increased since the mid-1990s, the number of goats in our state has followed suit. Goat farms can offer a variety of products including cheese, fluid milk, ice cream, butter and soaps. Goat milk quality and safety is carefully regulated. Just as with cow’s milk, goat’s milk quality is defined by low bacterial and somatic cell counts, the absence of antibiotics, and it is cooled to at least 50 degrees or less within two hours of milking. Fluid goat milk sold commercially for consumption is also pasteurized, ensuring a safe and wholesome product. Eight major breeds of dairy goats are found in the United States, with a few being more popular for milk production. Depending upon diet and breed, milk production can range from 6 to 12 pounds, or about 1 to 1 ½ gallons, per day. Saanens originated in Switzerland, and are a popular breed due to the doe’s large udder capacity and high quality milk production. Another common breed found on dairy goat farms is the Nubian. Nubians produce somewhat less milk, but it tends to be higher in components such as protein and butter fat which is desirable for making cheese. The other six breeds are Alpine, Toggenburg, Lamancha, Nigerian Dwarf, Sable and Oberhasli. The key to making exceptional cheese is consistent, quality milk. Currently, more than 70 Master Cheesemakers are certified in Wisconsin who truly make dairy processing into a scientific art form. As a result of the diversity of livestock in Wisconsin, cheesemakers can incorporate milk from many species including cow, goat, sheep and even buffalo. The proteins in goat's milk make for slightly softer curds when compared to cow's milk, which can incorporate a rich, creamy texture into many cheeses. The proteins in goats’ milk are smaller so they break down easier, making the cooling and handling of goat milk extremely important. Additionally, goat’s milk quality will decrease after three days making it very perishable. People are often familiar with the fresh, spreadable version of goat cheese, or chèvre. Brie made from goat’s milk offers a unique flavor profile within a traditional classic. Goat’s milk can also be used for bleu and cheddar varieties and can be combined with sheep and cow's milk to make signature artisan cheeses. There are so many delicious ways that you can enjoy locally produced Wisconsin goat cheese. You can find more information on dairy goats from the Wisconsin Dairy Goat Association at www.wdga.org.