Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal by Jill Makovec

Welcome to my Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal! 2811 Agriculture Dr. PO Box 8911 Madison WI 53708-8911 Phone (608) 224-5128 Jill.Makovec@Wisconsin.gov

1,011 Sheboygan County Kindergarteners!
May. 12, 2008

Friday, I was back in Sheboygan – this time visiting with kindergarteners. Over 1,011 to be exact! And, each of them received a postcard autographed by Alice!

During the two-hour visit, the kindergarteners had the chance to tour the farm while learning about the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture from maple syrup to honey. I was back with the fiberglass cow this time teaching kindergarteners how to milk her. Several of the students had great technique and should pursue a career milking or working with cows!

This time we focused on the products made from milk – like chocolate milk, cheese and yogurt. The students learned these products are important, and they should have them three times a day every day.

After the day on the farm, I traveled to Muscoda. This time it was to take my dad to dinner for his birthday! Yes, not only do my parents have back-to-back birthdays, but also they are less than 24 hours apart in age, were raised a half mile apart from each other and went to the same one-room schoolhouse!

Ag in the Classroom Reaches 700 Third Graders
May. 12, 2008

Not only was last Thursday my Mom’s birthday, but also it was one of my last appearances leading up to the finals in Sheboygan County. I joined the Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom to take the Sheboygan County third graders’ classroom to the farm for the day.

My station, titled Let’s Milk a Cow, allowed the students to do just that – milk a cow! Not only did they get to perfect their milking techniques on a life-size fiberglass cow, but also they had the chance to learn about dairy product nutrition from Alice in Dairyland. We talked about the flavors of milk and that all flavors of milk are nutritious. We explored the flavors of yogurt and how it provides calcium. And, we shared our favorite varieties of cheese – there were several since Wisconsin produces 600 different varieties, types and styles.

The purpose of the event was to focus on providing students with hands-on, real-life learning experiences. The third graders learned about several careers in agriculture while meeting the host family, the Hankes, which operate a fourth generation farm.

Promoting Dairy in Racine County
May. 12, 2008

Last Wednesday I had the wonderful opportunity to join the Racine County Dairy Promotion Committee and promote agriculture and the dairy industry to Racine area fourth graders at Washington Elementary, St. Thomas and Yorkville.

At Yorkville, the students welcomed me by showing me the dairy farmer and lumberjack handshakes. They enhanced their agriculture knowledge by working through the ABCs of Agriculture book, and they even presented me with my article on paper, laminated and complete with a note from the school.

During the visit at Yorkville, Cheryl also joined me. Cheryl is one of the finalists vying to be the next Alice. The students enjoyed visiting with her and hearing about her background the role of Alice.

While I was in the area to promote dairy, here are some other facts about the agriculture in Racine County. The county is a leader in Wisconsin’s sod, cabbage and pumpkin production. In addition Racine is the state’s leading duck producer. Agriculture provides jobs for 4,531 county residents and accounts for $485.4 million in economic activity.

Last Day of Middle School Visits
May. 06, 2008

This month has been filled with lots of “lasts” and today was no different. I ended my middle school visits by spending the day in Mequon. The students were surprised to learn Wisconsin has an agricultural ambassador and that she has been around for 60 years.

In each class we talked about beverages they drink on a daily basis. I was surprised to learn how many middle school students depend on soda, energy drinks and even coffee to stay awake. These beverages not only have a lot of caffeine, but also they have a lot of sugar!

We ended each class playing Jeopdairy and reviewing their dairy product knowledge.

Alice Tree Dedication
May. 06, 2008

One of the lesser-known, yet annual Alice events, is the Alice tree dedication at the MATC Mequon campus. In 1977, the tree dedication began as a way to recognize Alice and promote the green/horticulture industry. Today there are over 30 trees planted in the Alice tree garden.

I started the day by planting a magnolia tree with the kids at the day care. My dad would be so proud. I even used my farm girl muscles to pound in the stakes to keep the tree straight. I guess all those fences I helped with were just good practice.

Then, it was off to the tree dedication. This year Robb Lied of Lied’s Greenhouse donated an American Yellow-wood tree to me. The Yellow-wood is characterized with attractive, smooth bark that appears silver. The tree develops white flowers in the spring and yellow leaves in the fall. This is a seldom-used, native, deciduous tree that makes a great shade tree. It is a wonderful choice for multiple landscape uses.

This is a fabulous Alice tradition that showcases the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture and the vital role the green industry plays in our state. Thank you to the MATC horticulture department and Lied’s Greenhouse for continuing their support of Wisconsin agriculture and the Alice in Dairyland program.

Favorite Event of My Year
May. 04, 2008

As I have approached the end of my year, just 29 days from today, several people have asked what has been my favorite event. While I have several favorites, I could not pick just one. That was until Friday. On Friday, I fulfilled my promise to the St. Joseph fourth graders to meet them at Ella’s Deli. They were so excited to see me they started yelling loud enough to stop traffic on East Washington. Ok, maybe not quite, but they did get cars to honk at them.

All day, the students talked about my meeting them at Ella’s Deli, and all day, their parents tried to convince them “Alice” was too busy to meet them at the restaurant. However, they insisted I promised them, and they were right. A promise is a promise. I arrived just in time to join them on several trips around on the carrousel. I have lived in Madison for 12 years, and have always wanted to ride the carrousel at Ella’s. I cannot think of better friends to share that with than the fourth graders from St. Joseph.

We all had a magnificent time riding the merry-go-round, taking pictures, talking about their visit to the Capitol, and eating ice cream! I have never been greeted with such a fan club. I am blessed to have attended this school and then spend Friday night with them in Madison. That evening was one I will never forget! Thank you to all the St. Joseph fourth graders for my favorite event of my year – Ella Deli with all of you!

Last Day of Fourth Grade Blitzes
May. 04, 2008

Rice Lake. Sally and I had a wonderful time talking about the role of Alice, my fourth grade visits and Wisconsin agriculture. Next I was off to Haugen Elementary for my last day of fourth grade blitzes. The students were amazing, and we had a blast learning about agriculture. Here are the final questions from the “Building a Healthy Wisconsin” program.

Question 19 – This cheese is the second Wisconsin original. However, this one is not named for its shape. Instead, it is named for its shape and this heavy item cheesemakers placed on top of the cheese to press the moisture out of it. The second Wisconsin original cheese is Brick! It was invented in Dodge County in 1877.

Question 20 – You will find a head of this high fiber food in a Wisconsin patch. It is light green, leafy and has a crunch. It makes a nice addition to any lunch. In coleslaw and sauerkraut is where it can be seen, and if you eat it you will become a healthy teen. The answer is cabbage. While Wisconsin does not rank first in cabbage production, we do rank first in making sauerkraut from cabbage.

Question 21 – Not only do you have to eat healthy, you also have to exercise. This exercise is fun to do. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes. Whether it is around the track or through the woods, lace them up and you are to do what? The correct exercise is running.

Question 22 – When you were younger, this exercise may have required three or four wheels but now that you are older you probably need just two. But, no matter when or where you do it, you should always wear a helmet. The final answer is biking.

Serving as Alice is a Family Affair
May. 02, 2008

Throughout the year, several people have asked me how I get everything done for my appearances. I am always quick to give credit to my family since they help me in a variety of ways. Here is a fun, inside look at preparing for a week of school visits.

There is a lot of work associated with every week of school blitzes. Each student gets a postcard that I autograph. For this week, that equates to signing over 500 postcards. Each student also gets his/her own “Building a Healthy Wisconsin” map and a piece of Colby cheese. Besides signing and counting all those handouts and cheese, each school gets a game board already assembled and enough additional boards for each class. If I visit four different schools each day. That could be anywhere from 12 to 20 boards to assemble in a week.

This week I was blessed with a day off before my trip to Superior. I spent Saturday at the farm and recruited my family to help with my preparations.

As you can see, my dad’s job is to count out cheese. Once he is done, he can take a nap. I think that is his favorite part! My mom and I usually put together the game boards, but this Saturday we even recruited Jay to participate in the assembly process! Thanks again, Mom, Dad and Jay, for all you have done throughout the year to help me in my role as Alice.

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Contact Jill at:
2811 Agriculture Dr. PO Box 8911
Madison WI 53708-8911
Phone (608) 224-5128
Jill.Makovec@Wisconsin.gov