“On the Road with Alice” in August

In the blink of an eye, August came and went with so many beautiful places, people, and products that I had the chance to interact with and promote!

174th Wisconsin State Fair

My August began right off the bat with the best 11 days of summer, the 174th Wisconsin State Fair! I attended every day of the fair and each experience filled my cup to the brim with joy and richness. My first day started bright and early with media interviews and opening ceremonies, followed by a stop to the Wisconsin Products Pavilion to perfect the art of the grilled cheese pull, visit with Something Special from Wisconsin™ (SSfW) members, and taking in the livestock shows throughout Agricultural Village. It was especially meaningful to revisit the Junior Dairy Cattle Show since I was a competitor myself for eight years in that very Coliseum.

Throughout all 10 days of this year’s fair, I was able to participate in cow and goat milking demonstrations every day, interview 14 SSfW members, enjoy some very delicious new fair foods, make unforgettable memories with the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs Megan Salentine, whip up butter in the Wisconsin Products Pavilion, welcome a couple Brewers players, and meet so many people from all across the state. Every day was a new and rewarding adventure, with highlights including the Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Content, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Auction, the Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Contest, a fun ride down the Giant Slide, Dairy Building tours with special guests, Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs Reunion Lunch, and the numerous livestock show contests that showcase the hard work of youth. Mark your calendars for the 175^th Wisconsin State Fair, August 6-16, 2026!

Marathon County

Once the State Fair wrapped up, I caught some rest before I was back on the road traveling throughout Wisconsin. My next stop brought me to Marathon County, the host county for the 79^th Alice in Dairyland Finals! Each month leading up to the Finals in May, I will be visiting Marathon County for various activities and learning what makes this part of the state so special in contributing to Wisconsin’s agriculture industry.

At the 120th Athens World Fair, I had the great pleasure of meeting with youth exhibitors, addressing attendees at the poultry show, and snacking on some delicious cheese curds from the Marathon County Holstein Association. Since Marathon County ranks second in Wisconsin for dairy production, their cheese curds are sure to delight! Later in August, I continued learning about Marathon County’s rich agricultural heritage at the Edgar Steam Show. This event provides a wonderful opportunity for Wisconsin tractor and steam engine enthusiasts to show off their best antique agricultural equipment and honor machinery’s early roots. At this show, you can even browse the antique mall, take in old schoolhouse lessons, witness a historic sawmill demonstration, or ride on an antique steam engine like I did!

Steam engines need not be reserved for just show, either. Today, historic equipment still can be used for modern day purposes, like steaming corn for hungry attendees at the Randolph Community Corn Carnival on Labor Day! It was a true “full-circle” moment when I was able to learn about the 107-year-old steam engine that provides steam in a chamber for cooking corn, which is then enjoyed by over 2,000 community members. Don’t forget the butter, too! I sure got my fill of “ear-resistible” sweet corn in August as I also attended the 72nd annual Sun Prairie Sweet Corn Festival in Sun Prairie. 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! Sweet corn season is one of my favorite seasons and perhaps is the best way to enjoy those last few official days of summer in the sun.

County Fairs

Wisconsin’s county fairs don’t end with the State Fair, so I found many opportunities to visit these local celebrations around the state as well. The Juneau County Fair celebrated its community with the Ag and Dairy Breakfast, which offered yogurt parfaits, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and specialty cheese. Each dish incorporated a dairy product, showing the variety of ways to start your day off right with dairy! Youth exhibitors then brought their animals to the local nursing home for residents to see and touch, a heartwarming yearly tradition enjoyed by many. Megan Salentine and I attended the Manitowoc County Fair together in late August, where we put on our fancy clothes for the 21st annual Manitowoc Culver’s Futurity. I also was honored to be a guest and co-announcer alongside the 61st Alice in Dairyland, Ashley Andre, at the 25th Anniversary Show of the Sheboygan County Holstein Futurity in Plymouth. All of these “cow proms” provide a unique educational opportunity about Wisconsin’s $52.8 billion dairy industry while showcasing the long-term commitment that farmers have in preparing their animals for show, often starting when the calf is born.

Childhood memories from dairy judging and showing flooded back to me as I continued to visit fairs through August. The Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield, the site of many 4-H dairy judging contests, was a great opportunity to catch up with friends and relive many moments. A tour of the grounds with the 2025 Central Wisconsin State Fair Fairest of the Fair, attending the open dairy show, and presenting about the dairy industry gave me plenty of new memories too! Additionally, traveling to the Iowa County Fair in Mineral Point reminded me of showing at the Brown Swiss Canton II Show as a youth, and the fairgrounds was just as vibrant as ever. From announcing at the youth livestock auction to participating in a youth dairy promotion, I felt immense excitement and delight at having the chance to visit with fairgoers and exhibitors alike. Thank you to all these wonderful fairs for greeting me with open arms throughout the past month!

Dairy Farms

More wonderful August experiences happened while welcoming visitors to dairy farms across the state, whether it was for a dinner celebration or an educational meeting. I was delighted to attend the Kewaunee County Farm to Fork Gala at Deer Run Dairy shortly after State Fair. This farm-to-table dinner brought together Northeast Wisconsin community members in a night of curiosity and fellowship, featuring delicious prime rib, baked potatoes, buttered green beans, artisan cheese, and decadent ice cream! The Professional Dairy Producers then hosted a series of Agricultural Community Engagement (ACE) Twilight Meetings focused on bringing community leaders and dairy farmers together. It was inspiring to attend the last of these on-farm meetings at Rosy-Lane Holsteins in Watertown. Throughout the evening, town, county, and state leaders toured Rosy-Lane Farm and gathered in a collaborative discussion with farmers to understand how dairy farms help keep local communities vibrant and sustainable. If you have the opportunity, try to attend an ACE Twilight Meeting in your area next August!

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 $116.3 billion agriculture industry as I keep traveling and learning more.