Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal by Katie Wirkus

Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal by Katie Wirkus 2811 Agriculture Dr. PO Box 8911 Madison WI 53708-8911 Phone (608) 224-5080 DATCPAlice@wisconsin.gov Friend Alice on Facebook Follow Alice on Twitter Get LinkedIn with Alice Alice In Dairyland's YouTube Channel

Cheese with the Holes
Feb. 03, 2012

After 20 presentations and handing out around 1,000 cheese sticks, my first week-long school blitz is complete. My favorite part was answering all of the great questions the students came up with like “How do they make the cheese with the holes?” The cheese with holes is called Swiss cheese; simply put the cultures added to the milk give off carbon dioxide which form holes in the cheese.

For the person wanting more details, here is a more detailed answer. Cultures of the bacteria are mixed with cow's milk. The resulting curds are pressed. Then, the pressed curds are soaked in brine and aged, or ripened. Here is where the holes come in. As the cheese ripens, the bacteria are still munching away. One strain produces carbon dioxide in the process, which forms small bubbles in the cheese. Later, when the cheese is sliced, the bubbles burst, leaving behind empty holes.

National Potato Lover's Month!
Feb. 02, 2012

February isn’t just for valentines, chocolates and flowers. It is for potatoes too! February is National Potato Lover's Month! Are you a potato lover?

As I spent more time in the Milwaukee Public Schools, one student said to me “I don’t like vegetables.” However, as we started listing different vegetables the student realized he actually did like some vegetables like potatoes and corn. These vegetables taste great and are great for you.

Are you smarter than a 4th grader?
Feb. 01, 2012

Are you smarter than a 4th grader? Here is an example of the clues given for one product during the Growing a Healthy Wisconsin presentation. What was the 1st vegetable to be grown in space? Hint: It is possibly the only vegetable that all 4th graders like to eat every day.

"Yes!"
Jan. 31, 2012

I love hearing the 4th grade students say “Yes!” when I am presenting Growing a Healthy Wisconsin. I know the students have learned a lot when I hear lots of them saying “Yes!” after getting one of the review questions correct.

I know a lot of students at Park View School would be saying “Yes!” if they win a visit from an NFL Player. Great News! Fuel Up to Play 60 has selected Park View School in Mukwonago as one of the top 4 video submissions for the Cooking Show Student Challenge! Please vote for the Park View Middle School Cooking with Triple Threat Chefs at www.schooltube.com/contests/fuel-up-to-play/.

The school could win a visit from an NFL Player (of course it will be a Green Packers Player!). This middle school has worked with Fuel Up to Play 60 for the past three years and it would be wonderful to see them win the national prize and the recognition for all their efforts. You can vote once from any computer, so vote at your desk, vote at home tonight on any and all home computers you have and vote from your smart phones.

Send this on to everyone you know -- we need those votes! A Wisconsin school won the last two competitions; let's keep it going for Wisconsin!

Frig Full of Cheese!
Jan. 30, 2012

The hotel refrigerator is full of cheese sticks waiting for 4th graders to enjoy them. Today marks the start of my first week long school blitz in the Milwaukee Public Schools. It was a crazy fun first day! The crazy part was a planned fire drill during my presentation at one of the schools. The fun was seeing the students’ faces light up when they knew the answers to the trivia game.

Books Can Take You Anywhere
Jan. 28, 2012

Books can take you anywhere you want to go: the moon, a foreign country, back in time and even to a farm! At the Marathon City Library, I spent time reading books, talking about the many diverse products that make up Wisconsin’s diverse $59 billion agriculture industry and then coloring some pictures of those products.

4th Graders
Jan. 27, 2012

This afternoon was a little glimpse of my schedule next week, as I visited students in Middleton. In 4th grade is when Wisconsin students learn about our state’s rich history. Agriculture is a big part of our history, present and future. This is why Alice in Dairyland, in partnership with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, presents to 4th graders throughout the state. You will be learning more about this program in the months to come!

More Re-Think Your Drink
Jan. 26, 2012

More Re-Think Your Drink presentations, this time in Waukesha. The class length even allowed time for a discussion on athletic recovery drinks. Chocolate milk is known as a sports recovery beverage because of its ratio of protein to carbohydrates. It has those nine nutrients and as the students pointed out it tastes great!

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