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Here’s a juicy bit of information: Wisconsin’s first grape vineyard was planted in 1846, two years before Wisconsin even gained statehood. According to UW-Madison, Agoston Haraszthy—a Hungarian immigrant—planted that vineyard “on the east bank of the Wisconsin River and founded the community that would become Sauk City.” He relocated westward just three years later, settling in Seminole, CA, where he established the famous Buena Vista Vineyard. His vineyard lands in Wisconsin would later on become the site for one of Wisconsin’s oldest wineries. The grape variety traditionally used in winemaking did not grow well in North America, a fact realized only after many failed attempts in the British colonies along the Atlantic coast during the 1600s and 1700s. UW-Madison states, “It was not until the 1740 discovery of the Alexander grape in Philadelphia that North American wine production became feasible.” This viable new option piqued an interest in hybridization, which 100 years later resulted in grapes that are able to thrive in Wisconsin. Starting in 1943, Elmer Swenson began breeding grapes at his 120-acre farm near Osceola. He started crossing French hybrid grapes with selections of the local wild species in the hopes of creating a great tasting grape that could grow in Wisconsin’s climate. He eventually began doing some of his work at the University of Minnesota while working as a gardener there, but the bulk of it remained at his home farm. Throughout his life, he developed numerous cultivars that are still used today, including five patented cultivars that became key contributors to the growth of Midwest winemaking. The first licensed winery in Wisconsin, von Stiehl Winery, opened in 1967 in Algoma. According to their website, there were no wineries in Wisconsin at that time, so a local physician, Dr. Charles Stiehl, “asked the state to create a winery license to legally sell his Door County Cherry Wine.” Five years later, in 1972, Bob Wollersheim purchased the land that had been Agoston Haraszthy’s vineyard—which had been serving as a conventional Wisconsin farm since 1899—and established Wollersheim Wineries on the site. By 2007, Wisconsin was home to 41 wineries utilizing about 480 acres of grapes. As more cold-hardy varieties were developed, the number of wineries grew exponentially, tripling in the 10-year period after 2007. Currently, Wisconsin’s more than 100 wineries utilize 800 acres of vineyards for grapes, plus many additional acres for other fruits used to produce wines including apples, cherries, rhubarb, and more. Whether using grapes or some other fruit, wine is formed when yeast consumes the sugars of fermenting fruit, which produces ethanol, carbon dioxide, and heat. Wineries will press the fruit to extract the juice, then add that juice and their other ingredients into a fermentation tank. These tanks are where the real magic happens! This process can take a handful of days or several months, depending on the fruit and the specific type of wine being made. Sweet wines are typically produced when the fermentation period is stopped before the yeast has consumed all of the sugar, whereas letting all of the sugar be consumed by yeast produces a dry wine. After fermentation, wine is usually filtered, stored, and aged. When ready, wines will be bottled, labeled, and sent to tasting rooms or stores across the country! The other top Alice candidates and I were able to tour Staller Estate in Delavan as part of the 76th Alice in Dairyland Finals back in May. We started our tour where all good wines begin—in the vineyard—learning about the maintenance of the crop. We then went to their processing area to see just what is needed to turn those grapes into wine. Fittingly for Alice in Dairyland, their fermentation tanks are actually repurposed bulk tanks from dairy farms! Everything from harvesting to bottling and labeling is done on-site for Staller Estate Winery, before their products are sold in their store, sampled in their tasting room, or sent to local grocery stores. If all of this reading about vinting has left you thirsting for a new brand of wine to try, visit the Wisconsin Winery Association at wisconsinwineries.org. They have more information about the history of winemaking in Wisconsin, a product locator for different varieties of wine, and a directory to all of the wineries in Wisconsin. As you responsibly enjoy your next bottle, raise a glass to the dedication and commitment of the former and current growers, processors, and groundbreakers of Wisconsin wines.

August sure seemed to fly by with all of the wonderful places and events I was able to visit! For my first August activity, the Glencoe-Silver Lake FFA chapter from Minnesota met me at Sassy Cow. There we talked about Alice in Dairyland program and Wisconsin agriculture. We parted ways as they carried on to the Center for Dairy Research and I went to the Ozaukee County Fair. While there, I shared a few words at the sponsor dinner, watched the truck and tractor pull, and visited with attendees and exhibitors. On August 3, I celebrated the start of the best 11 days of summer, the Wisconsin State Fair! I attended every day of the fair and it was a real special treat. The day started with media interviews and opening ceremonies, followed up by a stop to the Wisconsin Products Pavilion to perfect the art of the grilled cheese pull and to visit with some Something Special from Wisconsin™ (SSfW) members! Throughout all 11 days of the fair, I was able to participate in cow and goat milking demos, interview more SSfW members, enjoy some delectable new fair foods, and meet so many people from all across the state. Everyday brought something special with it but some highlights include the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs Reunion Lunch, the Centennial Farm Breakfast, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction, the Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Contest, and the numerous livestock show contests I was able to see! Mark your calendars for next year’s fair, August 1 – 11, 2024! After the state fair, I quickly jumped on the road to catch up with the International Chef and Food Influencer Tour hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Their statewide journey lasted several more days, but in the three days I spent with the group, we learned so much, tasted some amazing foods, and got to learn about each other’s experiences. Some of the tour stops included Fork Farms where we learned about vertical indoor farming, the Oneida Nation where we heard from members about agriculture practices, growing our own food, the history of Oneida Nation, and the concept of food as medicine, and Carr Valley Cheese where Master Cheesemaker, Sid, talked about his family’s tradition of cheese making. At these stops and many more, the International Chef and Food Influencer Tour has brought so many special moments to connect about food, culture, and life! The people, places, and products are what make Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry unique, and I am so thankful our guests from all over the world have experienced Wisconsin sharing its food story. After departing the tour group, I head over to Hinchley’s Dairy Farm, the hosts of the Wisconsin Farm to Table dinner this year. This event recognizes local farmers and businesses who work hard to put food on our tables. The five-course meal included delicious ingredients from Sprouting Acres, Mapleton Mynd Meat & Produce, LLC, and Jelli's Market, all local businesses in Wisconsin! Continuing on the trend of wonderful Wisconsin foods, I traveled down to Sun Prairie for the 70th annual Sweet Corn Festival. The money raised from Corn Fest benefits five local non-profit organizations in the Sun Prairie area, allowing those dollars to be reinvested in the community. For a corny fun fact, the festival uses over 600 pounds of butter, supporting our state’s dairy farmers! Wisconsin’s county fairs don’t end with the state fair and I was back on the road visiting the fairs around the state as well. Juneau County Fair celebrated its community with the Ag and Dairy Breakfast and then exhibitors brought their animals to the local nursing home for residents, a yearly tradition enjoyed by many! Wisconsin’s Fairest of the Fair and I attended the Kenosha County Fair together, where we joined the Fair Parade, helped decorate cookies at the Cookies and Crowns Event, and attended the Small Animal Auction. In a summer full of firsts, Price County provided my next first, serving as a karaoke judge at their fair and those singers really had some talent! The Central Wisconsin State Fair brought back childhood memories of 4-H judging. A tour of the grounds with the 2023 Central WI State Fair Fairest of the Fair and Ambassador, attending the open sheep and dairy shows, catching up with friends and family, and presenting about the dairy industry gave me plenty of new memories too! It was an honor to attend the Manitowoc Culver's Futurity, held in conjunction with the Manitowoc County Fair. Futurities provide educational opportunities about Wisconsin’s $45.6 billion dairy industry while demonstrating how to prepare animals for the show ring, starting when the calf is born. Visiting Columbus Health and Rehab provided an opportunity to share more about my background, Alice in Dairyland history, and the role of Alice in Dairyland for Wisconsin. After the presentation, we enjoyed a treat of cookies and milk while reminiscing about many of the residents’ involvement in agriculture growing up! Each month leading up to the 2024 Alice in Dairyland Finals, I will be visiting Door County for various activities. This month I had the opportunity to talk with Let’s Go Door County, speak with the Sturgeon Bay Rotary Club about Alice in Dairyland, visit with local businesses and non-profit organizations, and attend “Cheeseheads, The Musical!” at Northern Sky Theater! Thank you to Wood Orchard for sharing more about their apple-growing operation in Sturgeon Bay. Wood Orchard grows apples and other fruits on 200 acres, offering gifts, specialty foods, bakery items, and more through their retail stores. I then met Jacob VandenPlas of DC Farm for Vets to learn more about his rehabilitation farm that provides education and services to Veterans entering into agriculture. The farms offers community gardening programs along with trainings about regenerative agriculture, sustainable produce production, raising livestock, and managing orchards with the goal of working toward a healthier community. My first two months have left me with memories to last a lifetime! I look forward to continuing to share the stories behind Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry.

Whether you’re a fan of ants on a log, a crudité appetizer, or adding a crunch to a salad, celery seems to find a way into our diets, especially in the summer. I don’t think I have ever met anyone who says their favorite food is celery, but most people I know eagerly reach for celery to throw in soups, dip into ranch, or chop into some chicken salad. In fact, in the US, the average person consumes more than four pounds of celery each year! According to National Public Radio (NPR), celery is native to the Mediterranean region of the world, but archaeological evidence suggests its seeds may have been transported as early as 4,000 BCE. It was primarily utilized for medicinal purposes in Italy or France until the 1600s. Charles Davis of Harvard University believes that “. . . during this period, Europeans began selecting for crunchy, succulent stems, while the Chinese cultivated a leafier variety, which today features in soups and sautés as ‘Chinese celery.’” NPR goes on to say that celery first appeared in the United States in Michigan in the 1800s, where the cool climate and mild summers met the growing needs of the crop. Today, 80% of the celery grown commercially in the US is grown in California, but celery can be grown in just about every state! Here in Wisconsin, most celery is started from seeds inside, in late February to early April. Transplanting the seedlings outside typically starts in May, with locally variable dates depending on frost. The Gardening Dad suggests that “In general, when there hasn't been a frost for two weeks, you are SAFE to plant your celery outside.” Celery is often irrigated, as it requires consistent watering. The Farmer’s Almanac says “stalks will be small, stringy, tough, and/or hollow if it goes without water.” They go on to say cool weather and soil high in organic matter are the two other needs for a successful celery crop. Celery is harvested in the late summer and into the fall, until the first hard frost stops growth. If you’re ready to start your own, you can learn the details of celery planting, growing, and harvesting at www.almanac.com/plant/celery. Once you’ve successfully harvested your celery, what do you like to use it in? When I was growing up, celery was one of my main choices off of a veggie tray, and I have learned to incorporate it into more meals lately. This point in the year is the perfect time to discover new recipes incorporating celery, like my new favorite, the Grilled Summer Sausage Salad from Taste of Home. This recipe is a fantastic way to utilize fresh garden veggies, even if they’re bought from a grocery store! The Wisconsin-made summer sausage is brushed with olive oil and grilled alongside zucchini, yellow squash and peppers. After chopping the grilled components up more, they are added to salad greens with cucumber and celery slices sprinkled about. The whole bowl is then tossed with an Italian dressing, creating a tangy, crunchy, savory salad to satisfy all of my taste buds! If you’re wanting to try some fantastic Wisconsin-grown celery but missed the opportunity to plant your own this spring, now is the time to look for it in your local grocery store. You can also visit the Something Special from Wisconsin website at www.somethingspecialwi.com and search “celery” in to find options near you as well!

July was my first month as Alice in Dairyland and I'm already in awe over the diversity of Wisconsin’s agriculture! My first official event was the Stoughton Fair where I enjoyed its livestock shows, community events, delicious food, and so much more! I connected with Mad Dog and Merrill to learn about their tasty BBQ, talk with WJVL radio, see the projects of youth exhibitors, and visit the animal barns as well. I followed that up with Marquette County Fair and Lodi Agricultural Fair. Marquette County Fair has been celebrating agriculture for over 150 years and this year was no different with more than 250 exhibitors. I grew up exhibiting at the Lodi Agricultural Fair so it was a wonderful welcome home while I interacted with some of their 10,000 annual visitors. I was also able to witness their inaugural “A View from the Buddy Seat” activity where kids and their parents could hop in a combine or tractor to see what it’s like driving modern farm equipment. I wrapped up my first weekend as Alice with a stop at the Junior National Hereford Expo, the nation’s largest junior national show for purebred beef cattle. Wisconsin hosted junior exhibitors from 38 states and even Canada! A few days later, I kept it local and visited The River Food Pantry in Madison. This organization has become South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry, serving over 2,500 people each week with the help of over 2,300 volunteers. The River also helps to redistribute 2.9 million pounds of local rescued food while minimizing food waste. I made a quick stop back in Walworth County with my old friends from the 76th Alice in Dairyland Finals Host Committee, where I presented them with a plaque and celebrated National Ice Cream Month together! Speaking of Ice Cream Month, I sure have celebrated! I’ve visited numerous ice cream shops throughout the state and am well on my way to surpassing the nation's average of 139 scoops per person, per year average! I was also able to share some highlights about all of this Wisconsin ice cream with local media channels this month! Back to the county fair circuit, I was honored to serve as one of the Bundt Cake judges in the County Fair Pie Contest and State Bundt Contest in Lafayette County! So many amazing entries, it was hard to pick a winner! At the Sauk County Fair, I presented about the Alice in Dairyland program and visited the truck and tractor pulls. I had a “fair-tastic” time at the Jefferson County fair the following week, attending the Animal Auction and Youth Celebration, eating plenty of delicious food, and taking a ride on the Ferris wheel! In addition to media and county fair stops, I visited Wegmueller Dairy Farm, a small, fourth-generation dairy farm in Monroe, Wisconsin with a beautiful herd of Brown Swiss dairy cattle, horses for trail riding, rolling acres of crop land, and a chance for visitors to stay right on the farm! The Wegmuellers are dedicated to offering interactive experiences on their farm to show exactly where our food comes from! A highlight of the summer for many agriculturalists is the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, and the Alice in Dairyland program was excited to have a booth in the Rural Events Center. While I wasn’t putting tattoos on to kids or playing trivia in our booth, I had appearances on stage with Wisconsin royalty, interacted with attendees, rode on a ten-horse hitch, and met Governor Tony Evers! The Fond du Lac County Holstein futurity brought back many fond memories as I had attended this event while growing up to see family and friends show their prized bovine beauties. Futurity events here and around the state help to promote the dairy community to the public while showcasing the hard work and dedication that go into showing livestock! Waukesha, Dane, Rock, Taylor, and my home fair, Columbia County fairs all rounded out my last fair visits in July. No matter which part of Wisconsin I was in, the fairs were filled with wonderful exhibits, passionate youth, and so much fun! My last full week of July sure was a busy one! My first event was a stop in Waupun for their Art in the Park event, where I read “Right This Very Minute,” which focuses on farm-to-table examples in agriculture and how farmers work hard to produce our food. I also spoke about the Alice in Dairyland program at Waukesha’s Memory Café and celebrated five years of Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center with a “What is Blue Moon?” activity to explore the flavor of blue moon ice cream! July ended with a weekend I won’t soon forget. On Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the Dairy Cares of Wisconsin fundraiser event to benefit Children’s Wisconsin. Since 2010, the organization has surpassed $2 million raised for Children’s Hospitals across the state. This event highlights the agriculture industry's commitment to giving back and caring for people in their communities. On Sunday, I hopped on the ferry to Washington Island and toured a lavender farm! The fields of purple made for an amazing sight, but nothing can top the smell of fresh lavender that blanketed the area! My visit wasn’t limited to just lavender, but I also toured Henriksen Fisheries, a proud wholesaler of signature whitefish fillets and other healthy, sustainable, local, and fresh fish. Then I went to Jordan Farm, home to approximately 40 Shorthorn beef cattle. They also take their cattle across the country for livestock shows, starting with a trip over the ferry in their trailer. My final Door County stop was at Island Orchard Cider, which grows its apples and pears for cider on Washington Island, and after fall harvest, these fruits are made into over 17 varieties of cider and four varieties of vinegar. My first month as Alice in Dairyland has already surpassed my expectations! I am so honored to represent our $104.8 billion agriculture industry and look forward to seeing and learning so much more!

What do apple trees, dynamite, and Wisconsin’s easternmost county have in common? They’re all behind Wisconsin’s famous cherry crop! Most Wisconsinites know Door County is our cherry producing hub, but they are also the host of the 77th Alice in Dairyland Finals, taking place in May 2024. I will be visiting the county at least once a month for the next year, which will provide me the opportunity to learn so much about cherries and see the orchards in all seasons of the year! I recently found some surprising backstory to how those delicious fruits got their start in our state. According to Wisconsin 101, a statewide, collaborative, public history project, Door County residents faced continuous struggles to grow typical cash crops due to the county’s rocky soil. Joseph Zettel, a Swiss immigrant settled there in 1855 and discovered success with apple trees. Green Bay and Lake Michigan largely insulate the county from late frosts and provide a more temperate climate, leading to plentiful apple crops. The shallow, rocky soil was even a benefit, providing drainage that significantly reduced root rot! Zettel’s farm was producing 3,000 bushels of apples per year by the 1890’s. Attracted by this success, a fruit grower from southern Wisconsin, A.L. Hatch, and E.S. Goff, a UW horticulture professor, bought land and began experimenting with plums, raspberries, strawberries, and cherries. They saw great success with their cherries and other fruit growers soon flocked to the area. Even though the soil was beneficial for the tree’s growth, planting proved difficult. This is where the dynamite comes in! According to Destination Door County, “. . . many farmers had to use dynamite to break up otherwise impenetrable bedrock.” Despite the hurdle, soon thousands of cherry trees were being planted each year. Growers started with roadside stands and U-Pick operations, opportunities still common today, but eventually received national attention and led to large-scale canning and commercial attraction for Door County. Around the 1950’s, Door County Cherries were at their peak. Seven hundred growers annually produced fifty million pounds of cherries, which was about 10% of the world’s cherries. All of those cherries meant many hands were required for harvest. Destination Door County shares that Horseshoe Bay Farms operated “Cherry Camp” to teenagers. Horseshoe Bay Golf Club housed 100 local and out of state teens. In exchange for their room and board, campers were expected to pick 7.5 pails of cherries each day, but money was earned for any cherries beyond that. Prizes were awarded for best pickers of the day. Splashing around the Bay and exploring the Horseshoe Bay Cave were favorite free time activities. The 1960s brought about the invention of mechanical cherry pickers, which shake the trees and catch the cherries that fall off. Today, these pickers can harvest over 10 trees a minute and Door County’s growers produce 700 million pounds of cherries each year. On each of my upcoming visits to Door County over the next year, I look forward to continuing to learn more about Wisconsin’s cherry crop, the rest of the county’s agriculture, and the people and businesses that call Door County home.

Winnie the Pooh said “how lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard,” and that honey-loving bear couldn’t have been more spot-on. Each Alice in Dairyland is given 12 months to experience all that Wisconsin agriculture has to offer, and I have taken every opportunity I could to experience it all. The businesses, the commodities and most importantly, the people have made this a year unlike any other. From day one, I was filled with gratitude for Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture community and all of the people and places that are impacted by it. It didn’t take long before I was whisked away to media visits, Farm Technology Days, county and state fairs, and industry tours, and the year hasn’t slowed down since. Attending fairs throughout Wisconsin was a major highlight of my summer, and my first six months as the 75th Alice in Dairyland. With each visit, I was able to learn through the thousands of conversations I had with people of all backgrounds. I enjoyed sharing my story in agriculture while also learning more about the experiences that helped shape the stories of countless exhibitors, volunteers, and community members. As the leaves began to change in the fall, so did my time as Alice. I visited many exciting events - some for the first time, and others that I have cherished for many years. Although this year’s trip to Green County Cheese Days was my first, it certainly will not be my last. I spent the day tasting some of Wisconsin’s finest cheeses, celebrating Swiss Heritage, and learning more about the history of an amazing town in southern Wisconsin. I even had an opportunity to do a Limburger tasting live on TV, which is certainly a segment I will remember fondly for years to come. Warrens Cranberry Festival was an event that surprised me, as the town of less than 1,000 welcomes more than 100,000 guests each fall to celebrate our state’s official fruit. It was a day I will never forget, filled with cranberry-themed foods, beautiful artwork, and an amazing community of people that I can’t wait to visit again this fall. I finally was able to live out my childhood dream of being Alice at World Dairy Expo, where I spent many days during my tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Instead of flipping sandwiches at the Badger Dairy Club grilled cheese stand like in years past, this year, I was able to enjoy them alongside some of the most forward-thinking minds in the dairy industry from around the world. I also walked across the colored shavings and delivered the Supreme Champion envelopes and was next to a lifelong friend as her prized cow was named the Supreme Champion of the Junior Show. As snow began to fall and the days turned colder, I could not believe how fast time had gone. How was it already November? It was time to kick off my Something Special from Wisconsin holiday campaign and visit numerous radio and TV stations across the state to talk about a program that recognizes companies with at least half of their ingredients, production, or processing from Wisconsin. I learned more about their history, products, and stories, and shared that with thousands of viewers. I also visited as many of them as I could during my travels. As the year turned to 2023, it was time to recruit the next Alice in Dairyland. When the application process began, I reflected on my time as Alice and shared some of my fondest memories through social media. The spring was filled with countless 4th and 5th grade school visits, industry tours, and attending events like the National Outstanding Young Farmer Convention, CheeseCon in Madison, and even traveling to Michigan for the Lipari Food Show. It feels only fitting to end this whirlwind of a year with one of Wisconsin’s favorite months, June Dairy Month. This month will be filled with dairy breakfasts, special events, farewell speeches, and more. I know in just the blink of an eye I will be passing over the keys to my trusty vehicle, nicknamed “Kernel,” to the 76th Alice in Dairyland when she begins her term on July 5. Whether we met in passing at the Wisconsin State Fair, you hosted me on your farm, or we connected virtually through social media - thank you to each and every person who has made this year one I will never forget.

12 months ago when I was selected as the 75th Alice in Dairyland, I knew I was in for a special year. I was able to take some time last June to settle into the idea of having this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and now I am already beginning my final month in this role! This month will be filled with events throughout the state and ending with June Dairy Month, which could not be more perfect. As this position’s name (and our state’s license plates) advertise, Wisconsin truly is America’s Dairyland. With our long history of dairy farmers dotting the countryside and our repeated ranking as the top cheese producing state in the nation, many of my events and tours this year involved dairy, with many more to come. According to The Dairy Alliance, “National Dairy Month started out as a way to distribute extra milk during the warm months of summer. The commemoration was established in 1937 by grocer organizations sponsoring ‘National Milk Month.’ By 1939, June became the official ‘dairy month.’” Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin recognizes the month as “a celebration of Wisconsin dairy farmers and the industry that defines our state.” From the on-the-farm dairy breakfasts around the state and the June Dairy Day at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center to the Tour of America’s Dairyland bike race and the Dairy Products Contest judging at the State Fair, dairy will propel my travel around this great state all month long. Looking back, dairy has propelled my travel for much of this past year! I started off strong last summer with an ice cream media campaign where I showed viewers how to make their own ice cream with just a few ingredients, a jar, and a freezer. This also inspired my first (of many) ice cream cones that I got to enjoy while traveling to new parts of the state. The Wisconsin State Fair combined so many of our great commodities all in one place. I enjoyed learning about alpacas, cranberries, honey, and some of our Something Special from Wisconsin companies. The opportunity to learn more about Wisconsin Dairy and our farmers prevailed through all 11 days of the fair. From the goat and cow milking demos, to showing visitors the adorable calves in Dairy Lane, and enjoying delicious milkshakes, dairy makes an impact throughout the fairgrounds. December brought along media highlights featuring a fantastic 12 days of Wisconsin dairy! Butter boards, cookies, and hot chocolate counted down the final days of 2022. All made with delicious Wisconsin products, it’s important to look for the “Proudly Wisconsin Dairy” badge or the number 55 on your dairy products to ensure you’re purchasing a local treat. This first half of 2023 was highlighted with Girl Scouts earning their Wisconsin Dairy badges; making delicious charcuterie boards with the host of the 76th Alice in Dairyland Finals, Walworth County; and putting some of our cheeses head-to-head in my March Madness Cheese Bracket, naming cheese curds as Wisconsin’s favorite! This year has been nothing shy of remarkable. Thank you to Wisconsin’s dairy farmers and processors for keeping my supply of dairy at an all-time high; thank you, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, for the support, resources, and guidance; and thank you, Wisconsinites, for giving me this opportunity of a lifetime. Now, let’s bring on June Dairy Month!

“The cows are out! I need backup,” I said to my mom over the phone. While feelings of fear and worry usually come from hearing that statement, this time felt inspiring. I grew up on one of Wisconsin's 6,000 dairy farms, where our cows had access to grazing for over 120 days of the year! My responsibilities started at a young age with feeding the kittens. As I grew older, I progressed into herd management roles. I was walking out to our pastures in July 2019 to gather the cows for milking when the cows broke through the fence to enjoy the greener grass! I quickly called my mom for backup, and we directed the herd back to the milking barn. That day our dairy cows taught me something special; they taught me not to be afraid to go for those greener grasses or in our instance, our passions! Unlike our confident cows, I didn’t know where my agricultural experiences would take me. In 2016 I applied and was selected as the 48th Miss Rural Winnebago. My experiences in this leadership program ignited my passion for telling my farm story! Throughout high school, I continued to share my farm story while developing an interest in agricultural communications. As I began understanding which greener grasses I wanted to pursue within Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry, I attended Fox Valley Technical College to further my working knowledge! While studying agronomy and dairy production, I felt like something was missing. I knew I wanted to be involved in agricultural communications and public relations. As a result, I joined the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization, which provided me with local, state, and national organizational leadership and marketing experiences. After graduation, I began working at Tilth Agronomy. Tilth is an independent crop consulting company working alongside many of Wisconsin's 95% family-owned dairy farms to provide nutrient management planning, soil sampling, and scouting services. Developing my foundation in agriculture has inspired me to follow my passions! Three years ago I started Farmer for a Day - a youth mentorship program in Winnebago County. Eagerly, I also took on the role of coordinator for Miss Rural Winnebago! Both of these roles have played a crucial part in helping local youth pursue their greener grasses! Growing up on my family's farm taught me some of the most valuable lessons, including being willing to follow my passions. Whether you are a cheese curd lover or have yet to try a Wisconsin cranberry, be willing to go for your greener grass!

National Beef Month is here again, and there’s no shortage of reasons to recognize this celebration in Wisconsin. Though every month is a good month for thanking our farmers, May is a dedicated time to show our appreciation for the cattle ranchers who rise before the sun each day to provide food for the world. As of Jan. 1, Wisconsin is home to 3.4 million cattle, which represent the second-largest agricultural commodity in Wisconsin, with $1.6 billion in income. Being a strong dairy state helps support the beef industry as well. 15,000 Wisconsin beef farms Growing up on one of Wisconsin’s nearly 15,000 beef farms, I learned that something special happens when a family is raised in agriculture. On the farm, I learned values like time management, hard work, responsibility and compassion. Each of my family members plays a vital role in our success: My dad took the heaviest load managing our cattle, land and equipment, while my brother and I were primarily responsible for our show stock. My mom, although not having a background in agriculture, was always our greatest cheerleader, helping out wherever she could on the farm. After a long day on the farm, we always join together at the dinner table to enjoy some of our favorite beef-inspired meals. If beef doesn’t typically make it into your meals, National Beef Month is the perfect excuse to give it a try. The Wisconsin Beef Council has recipe collections for a variety of circumstances. Air fryer recipes, heart-healthy recipes, beef-on-a-budget ideas, ground beef favorites and so many more. The organization also offers tips to ensure safe cooking, virtual cooking classes, grilling tips and other resources to help you feel more comfortable adding beef to your grocery list. Last summer, we used recipes from the Wisconsin Beef Council recipe book to demonstrate at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days in Clark County. The Mongolian Beef was a fan favorite, and the smells brought visitors over from across the grounds. Each individual recipe includes nutrition facts as well as detailed instructions. Which recipe will you try first? Over the past 11 months, I have been fortunate to have an opportunity to connect with various producers, processors and restaurant owners to learn more about how beef makes its way from the farm to your table. The Wisconsin Beef Council has created a video series to highlight these visits, which can be found with the resources listed above at beeftips.com.

When I think of growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, I remember the beat of life around me. The steady rhythm of the pulsators milking our cows. I know that steady sound wasn’t just on our farm in Mauston. It's also found across the dairy state, among the 95% of Wisconsin dairy farms that are family owned. The thump of the basketball on the court, the crack of a bat on the softball field, the crunch of gravel under my heifer’s feet and the sound of a pig settling in for a nap at the county fair. Those were the melodies of my life as I learned first-hand the work ethic and dedication of Wisconsin farmers while also learning to balance my priorities and commitments. That start helped me find my voice in life and in agriculture. I may not have led the band, but I did lead as president and secretary in 4-H and FFA, where the pulse of my life in agriculture went from just a chorus to a song. Like farmers who work to the “beat of their own drum,” I used this dedication as my instrument to enhance my knowledge about the industry. I wanted to no longer just be in the agriculture industry but stand for it and be a voice for our farmers. This goal led me to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where I obtained my Agriculture Business degree with a Communications and Marketing emphasis. During my time there, I listened to the music of other’s journeys in agriculture through my involvement in the Pioneer Dairy Club, Agriculture Business Club, Ceres Women’s Agricultural Fraternity, and the National Agri-Marketing Association. These offered experiences of direct and non-direct farm involvement and enhanced my ability to share the story of Wisconsin’s farmers and processors. After graduation, my tempo only increased as I served as an Ameri-Corps Farm to School Specialist. Creating and teaching nutrition education lessons, working with local farmers to do presentations, and bringing local food into the schools allowed me to share the diversity of Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry. From working at the Wisconsin Holstein Association to now being at the Mid-West Farm Report, I have heard the cadence of Wisconsin’s farmers and what keeps them going every day. It isn’t a job, but a passion and that’s exactly why I want the next verse of my life’s song to be as Alice in Dairyland. It would be an honor to learn from Alice’s strides in agriculture to help cultivate a positive learning environment for all to share the stories of our state’s producers and how they found their harmony in the industry. I encourage you to reach out to farmers in your area and learn about their rhythm of finding a place in agriculture.

From dusk to dawn, a farmer works for the love of agriculture! Hello everyone, my name is Jackie Rosenbush and I am a lifelong lover of Wisconsin agriculture. I grew up in Sarona, WI with my loving family and a barn full of sheep. Although not every day in the life of an agriculturist is perfect, my time on the farm has taught me some valuable lessons. It’s taught me to work hard, to express gratitude often, and to take joy in the little things. These lessons have supported me through every twist and turn my life has taken. As a student at UW-River Falls, working hard means something a little different than it does in the barn. My agricultural experience also taught me to work hard in the classroom. I am currently in my last semester, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education. Between class and farm chores, you can almost always find me working hard with my teammates as part of the Track and Field team. For the past four years, I have actively competed on and off the field for UW-River Falls. Outside of athletics, I’m also involved in several other clubs and extracurricular activities that have pushed me to become the best version of myself. In my life, there’s just so much to be thankful for! I’m thankful for the opportunities that 4-H and FFA have given me to pursue a career in agriculture. These organizations have allowed me to travel Wisconsin to see the diverse industry of agriculture. I’m thankful for the time I’ve spent in the barn with my sister. If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t be the proud owners of our sheep farm, R n’ R Romneys and Columbias. I’m thankful for my parents. My parents have supported me through all of life’s crazy adventures. About one in nine people working in Wisconsin hold jobs related to agriculture. As an agricultural educator, I’m one of those people. I’m currently student teaching at St. Croix Central High School and loving every minute of it. Every day I have the opportunity to express my love of agriculture and develop the next generation of educated consumers and producers. In my classes, I share the story of Wisconsin farmers producing nutritious foods for consumers across the globe from award-winning cheeses to unique commodities like cranberries and mink pelts. Each of my classes and students create new challenges, and new opportunities to find joy. From the classroom to the barn, I’m thankful for the lessons that agriculture has taught me. I’m thankful for my family, for Wisconsin agriculture, and of course, for a barn full of sheep.

My families dairyland story begins on October 21st, 1972. The day my grandparents, Robert, and Diane Kissinger, were united in marriage. They branched out from the family farms they grew up on to start their own family and dairy farm in Kiel, Wisconsin. Both their family and farm grew with the addition of their four daughters: Karen, Janet, Becky, and Katie, creating Kissinger’s Family Farms. The sister’s worked side-by-side with their parent’s every day, ensuring their dairy herd was milked, fed, cleaned, and healthy. They, like their parents before them, grew up on one of Wisconsin’s 6,000 dairy farms, 95% of which are family owned. This experience instilled the importance of hard work, responsibility, and diligence into each of the sisters. These core values have guided our family for years and will continue to guide our families for many generations to come. My parents, Allan and the late Karen Luebke, became the 2nd generation on our farm. This is where my dairyland story begins, with my brother, Adam. On the farm I could be found milking cows, feeding calves, and raising market hogs. Growing up I was involved in 4-H and FFA and was honored to serve as the 2021 Manitowoc County Fairest of the Fair. My passion for the dairy industry led me to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in dairy science with a minor in agricultural business in 2021. On campus I was involved in Collegiate Farm Bureau and the Association of Women in Agriculture. Today, I am turning a new page in my families dairyland story by still being involved in agriculture but, not being the farmer in the story. I became the first generation to leave our farm and work full-time off the farm. After college I served as the quality assurance intern at American Foods Group: Dressed Beef. Where I discovered the vital importance, the dairy industry plays with in the beef industry. After completing my internship, I found my new place in agriculture at a family-owned cheese company, as a microbiology specialist. Every day I ensure the highest quality Wisconsin cheese reaches consumers across the nation. My brother will continue to write our story as the 3rd generation on the farm, while I turn page in our dairyland story.