Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal Archive

Tour of Krueger Wholesale Florist, Inc.
Mar. 31, 2009

Thank you to Scott Hansen of Krueger Wholesale Florists and John Esser of the Commercial Flower Growers of Wisconsin for teaching me about greenhouses and some of my favorite flowers today!

Nicole Breunig joined me on a trip up to Rothschild to tour this greenhouse and learn about this big industry. Before traveling north today, John gave me a brief history of the industry. Greenhouses were first mentioned in 500 BC by the Romans, but the first greenhouse was built in Wisconsin in the early 1800’s. These first greenhouses were likely used to start vegetable plants and likely warmed by composting manure for heat.

Greenhouses were often built near cemeteries after the American Civil War to fill the need for red geraniums and other flowers for gravesites. Plants grown in the greenhouses at this time including Impatiens, Marigolds, and Petunias are called bedding plants – small, tender plants that produce better if given a head start in a greenhouse prior to planting outside.

At one time, almost all greenhouses were built in conjunction with a flower shop. Shipping long distances used to be impossible, but now cut flowers can even be flown internationally. Local flowers are very competitive with imported flowers. Local flowers do not have to travel far so fragile flowers like lilies do better close to their customers. Local flowers also last longer for the customer and help support local businesses.

Flowers offer a great way to buy local since Wisconsin flowers can be part of a CSA, Community Supported Agriculture farm, or farmer’s markets. Potted plants like Poinsettias are also grown in Wisconsin and popular with costumers seasonally. Local products are known for their quality and many varieties.

The greenhouse industry continues to change from this original history. John pointed out that there is a trend to use to towards modern and efficient greenhouse heating systems. A hot force air heating system, biofuels, and wood pellets may be used to heat the greenhouse now instead of steam and hot water. Greenhouses now are often not covered with glass but with a double layer of polyethylene that saves fuel use. Greenhouse experts continue to use less hazardous insect and disease control tools and still produce the beautiful flowers they do!

Scott showed me around Krueger’s, and it was beautiful! Krueger’s specializes in lilies. He grows his flowers in a coconut shell byproduct. Bricks of coconut shell fibers come from Asia and are used in place of a heavy potting soil. The coconut shell bricks are shipped to Krueger’s in pallets of 1600 bricks. The bricks swell up to 5 or 6 times their original size.

Krueger’s has two greenhouses. One is 55,000 square feet, and the other greenhouse is 33,000 feet. Although now the greenhouses are filled with some flowers for spring and potted plants, lilies is Krueger’s focus. The bulbs come from Holland and South America. Scott estimates they plant 10,000 Asiatic Lilies a week. They grow quickly, ready to picked in only eight weeks in the summer and in only 13 weeks in the winter. The Asiatic Lilies need a certain amount of heat and light. Heat controls the speed of growth, and light controls the quality of the product. There are Sodium Vapor Lights in the greenhouse to supplement light, but the natural light of summer makes the lilies grow faster!

Scott estimates they go through 50,000 gallons of water each week. Drip lines are on a computerized system and used to do the watering. The drip lines have a small hole every four inches. He told me that they water for about five to eight minutes each time for a total time of 40 minutes a day.

Scott has a background in science, and I could tell. He explained to me how he mixes his own fertilizer with key ingredients being Calcium Nitrate and Potassium Nitrate. He uses a water soluble fertilizer. I never realized how closely greenhouse employees need to monitor pH in the soil. Scott tests the water after it has been through the soil and left in the water tray under the pan. This water is tested for electro conductivity and pH weekly. Based on his results, he can determine the needed formula for the fertilizer.

Can you tell that it is intense, physical labor to work in a greenhouse? It is since everything needs to be planted and picked by hand. To plant the lily bulbs, they need to have about one inch of coconut shells fibers underneath the bulb and about six inches on top. The key roots for a lily are the stem roots that are between the bulb and top of the coconut shell fibers. Eighteen bulbs are planted in a 16x24 inch crate in the summer months. There are only 15 bulbs planted in the same crate in the winter since they need more energy to grow.

Wires are above the planted lilies, and the wires are needed to strengthen the stems of the lilies as they grow. As the lily grows, the wires are moved upward. These lilies could be four to six feet tall. Asiatic lilies have the biggest color selection with orange, yellow, and pink flowers being the most popular. Although each bulb only has one stem, each stem can have up to seven flowers! After one stem is harvested, the Asiatic lily bulbs are thrown out since so much of the energy has been used. How do you know when an Asiatic Lily is ready to be picked? When the flowers are colored and not opened, they are ready!

One of my favorite flowers is the Calla Lily! I never knew how big of a plant and how big of leaves there are for this delicate flower. A Calla Lily only flowers from November through April. It is not a fan of the heat. In fact, the flower goes dormant in the summer. Usually, each plant can produce about three to four flowers. It is incredible that while the Asiatic Lily only produces one stem for each bulb. A Calla Lily plant can produce flowers for over a century! Calla Lilies are difficult to grow, and Scott explained that they are more susceptive to disease.

Krueger’s flowers are shipped across the Midwest. Scott grows Snap Dragons seasonally as well. I took a moment to smell the Stephanotis flowers. This is a white flower that only flowers from spring through fall. Scott said their greenhouse produced 1,300 of this flower last week! It is a viney flower that on hot day, can grow several inches.

He also grows the Oriental Lilies that are known for the wonderful smell. Oriental Lilies have broader leaves that are more dense. It takes about ten weeks to grow an Oriental Lily in the summer and about 16 weeks in the winter. An Oriental Lily prefers a warmer environment, which means it uses more energy in production.

The greenhouse demands a lot of energy. Krueger’s keeps their greenhouse at 55 degrees Fahrenheit during the night and 70 degrees during the day. Scott showed me the huge boilers being used for heat!

After the flowers are clipped by hand, they are each graded by hand. During the grading process, the bottom leaves of the lilies are stripped. The buds are checked to make sure they will bloom. The stems are evaluated for straightness. Finally, the flowers are bunched in groups of 10, and placed in water before being stored in a 40 degree Fahrenheit cooler. While some Oriental Lilies have their anther and pollen removed at the floral shop, Krueger’s doesn’t do this yet. Flowers that don’t make the grade are put in secondary bouquets and sold at a reduced price. About 90% of the flowers grown here make the grade! Krueger’s plant about 800,000 lily bulbs in a year.

There is a large amount of organic waste at a greenhouse. Krueger’s has a company pick up this organic waste regularly, and it is composted. They can fill a large truck twice a week with leaves, stems, and used coconut shell fibers.

Although Krueger’s used to specialize in rose production, they are now experts in lilies. Scott joked that he is glad they switched since the roses had those thorns to work around! Lilies are also more low maintenance.

This visit was very educational from learning why coconut shell fibers are better than potting soil to how to grade flowers. John estimates there are about 450 greenhouses in Wisconsin with many more personal and private greenhouses as well. Greenhouses, flowers, and other plants are what Scott calls, “Indoor Farming.” It is certainly a large part of Wisconsin agriculture!

Cascade School
Mar. 30, 2009

When people found out I was visiting Cascade Senior Center, they quickly requested I make a visit to Cascade School. This kindergarten through fifth grade school has about 120 students and very dedicated staff. My mom and many cousins went to this school so it was great to share about my year as Alice in Dairyland with the students.

I first met the fourth and fifth grade students. We did the Taste Wisconsin activity, and I explained that agriculture includes food, fuel, and fiber. The group was excited to know that we had 1.2 million cows and over 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese. Thank you to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for these great educational activities! Students are definitely learning about dairy and the business of agriculture.

I then spoke to the second and third grade classes. In this room, I had many students who wanted to share their connection to agriculture. Some students lived on working farms or had parents who worked in local cheese factories. It was fun to read the story, “Mooing, Milking, Munching: Wisconsin’s Dairy Tale,” to the classes. They remembered many of the important facts including that silos store feed, cows chew cud, and a cow must have a baby before it gives milk.

My final presentation of the day was for the first grade class! In this room, students had many questions about why I was wearing a tiara. In 1984, the Wisconsin Jewelers Association designed and made a tiara made of 14-karat gold and platinum. The tiara has three scallops encircled with 90 diamonds. The center stone is an amethyst and the side stones are citrines – both of these stones are indigenous to Wisconsin!

Thank you to Cascade for welcoming me in such a great way today!

Cascade Senior Center
Mar. 30, 2009

My Great Aunt Marian is known for her cake decorating and wonderful baking skills. Last month, she asked if I could come to the Cascade Senior Center in Sheboygan County to share information about my year as Alice in Dairyland and enjoy lunch. I was happy to travel back home to speak for a large group of local people including my grandparents and mom!

To really tell the story of my year as Alice in Dairyland, I made a presentation full of pictures. As I explained to the group my travels across Wisconsin, I showed pictures of cutting the first holiday tree, tapping a maple tree, riding down the Wisconsin River in a giant pumpkin, and standing in a cranberry marsh.

The group asked many questions about my Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe and my Wisconsin Mink Coat. This discussion was a great way to explain where Wisconsin ranks in different agricultural areas. I explained that Wisconsin has many quality products that people can buy locally. Buying Wisconsin supports local producers, businesses, and economy.

This visit was very enjoyable for me and a great way for me to reflect on ten months of great experiences as the 61st Alice in Dairyland. I was so glad to be able to spend time with my family in Sheboygan County today!

Phone Interview with Amber Gonske
Mar. 30, 2009

Amber Gonske of WJMC in Rice Lake hosts a morning radio discussion program. Today I was her guest to explain more about the maple syrup industry and the upcoming Alice in Dairyland Finals.

Amber was very interested in my first maple tree tapping that was held in Luck at Richter’s Sugar Bush. Dave Richter taught me how to do the tapping with a hand drill, a hammer to tap in the spile, and a collection bucket to hang from the spile. That is the traditional way to collect sap, but I explained to Amber that the industry has really modernized and innovated to be profitable. There is now an extensive pipeline system called tubing, that can collect sap instead of moving between individual trees with collection buckets. Amazing!

I told Amber that the season for sap collection is usually less then a month. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Sap is composed mostly of water so it needs to be boiled down to get pure maple syrup! Wisconsin ranks fourth in the nation in maple syrup production.

Before Amber and I said good bye, we also discussed the upcoming Alice in Dairyland Finals in Racine County. You can watch a live stream of the Alice Finals on www.wisconsinagconnection.com on Friday, May 15 at about 7:30 p.m. There are six professional women interviewing for selection to be the 62nd Alice in Dairyland! Remember this job is a one year contract position with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection.

A Day at Quality Candy/Buddy Squirrel
Mar. 29, 2009

My chocolate weekend continued today at Quality Candy/Buddy Squirrel! Each year for decades, Quality Candy/Buddy Squirrel has offered a Free Easter Open House. It is always the Sunday before Palm Sunday. During the Open House, visitors can observe how Milwaukee’s “Original Whipped Crème Eggs” are made, meet fun characters like the Easter Bunny, Buddy Squirrel, and Mr. Jelly Belly, and receive many free samples! Delicious! I joined the fun today welcoming guests as they walked in the door.

While the date says the end of March, the weather today looked more like December! It was estimated that four thousand people braved the cold to come to the event. I first walked through the plant observing the production process and speaking to visitors. I learned about the many “Junior Miss” ladies in attendance. These high school students won a scholarship program called “Junior Miss” and were volunteering their time today.

Joseph and Lottie Helminak began the Quality Candy Company in 1916 with the ideal in mind of ultimate freshness and high quality products. While the family began selling candy on the streets of Milwaukee, they continued to grow and add retail locations. In the 1960’s, Quality Candy bought Buddy Squirrel, a nut roasting, gourmet popcorn and snack operation. These businesses combined and in 1985, they moved to the current location. In the peak season, the company employs over 200 people. Christmas is the busiest season. Much of the work is still done by hand guaranteeing the personal touch and excellence!

Today, Margaret Gile is the third generation to own and be president of the company. I was honored to speak to Margaret. She was there today greeting guests and working hard. She truly believes in her business, the quality of the products, and the importance of the customer! There are twelve retail locations for you to find these products. One of the employees estimated they produced about one million pounds of chocolate a year with a maximum of 10,000 pounds of chocolate being produced a day!

After I observed the interested creation process, I greeted guests as they walked in the door. It was fun to sign postcards, take pictures, and hear about people’s family connection to this chocolate company. Families have grown up around Quality Candy/Buddy Squirrel!

Even though I have had chocolate many days in a row, I couldn’t turn down a Marshmallow Egg before I left – it was delicious!

For more information on Quality Candy/Buddy Squirrel, visit their website at www.qcbs.com!

My Chocolate Weekend Continues
Mar. 28, 2009

I am not usually a person that eats a lot of chocolate, but this weekend, it is tasting great! Today I made my way back to Burlington for the Home Show. This annual event is held at Burlington High School. It allows the Chamber of Commerce and many local businesses to showcase the best of this city. The gymnasium was filled with booths and products!

There are two highlights of the Home Show that I was lucky to be a part of. First, I opened the Chocolate City Quilters Demonstration. This demonstration is very popular and is shown twice during the day in the auditorium. During the demonstration, members of the local Quilters group show their beautiful work and how it can best be applied and used on beds. During my opening, I explained my role as Alice in Dairyland and encouraged the audience to join me in the auditorium again on May 15 for the Alice Final Selection.

The second highlight is the Chocolate Extravaganza! The Extravaganza is a competition where food entries are submitted by youth, tweens, and community members. The food entries can be any original recipe in a bars/cookies, cake/torte, or candy category. The only rule – it must contain chocolate! Burlington’s nickname IS Chocolate City USA! I joined other celebrity judges, Chef Matthew and Radio Personality Katie, to select the final winners. There were many, many entries! We each had to try 15 desserts. It is a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Each of us definitely had our favorites. It is incredible what original recipes the participants came up with combining different types of chocolate, dipping strawberries, adding raspberries, or even peanut butter on top! We laughed a lot as we made the selections. We became more full with every entry. The audience watched as closely as we tasted and discussed! There were many great prizes, but the grand prize, the standing mixer, went to a women who made a delicious Raspberry Chocolate Cake with a unique crust! Congratulations! I was honored to give the awards and take home my own treat – dozens of Crunch Bars! If any one needs chocolate, I may have some extra!

Thank you to Judy and Kathy of the Racine County Alice in Dairyland Finals Committee for arranging this opportunity, taking pictures, sharing stories, and working all day today to promote the upcoming event! I had a great time – it will go down as one of my favorite contests I was involved in!

Did you make your plans to come to Burlington yet for the Finals? Here is some ticket information:

The public can attend a question-and-answer session Thursday, May 14, during which the finalists answer impromptu questions posed by the current Alice and typical of those that she receives, and the Alice in Dairyland Finale on Friday evening, May 15. There will be a banquet at Burlington High School Friday evening at 5:45, followed by the finale program starting at 7:30 p.m. The finale program will also be live on the web at Wisconsin AgConnection.

Tickets for the Alice in Dairyland Finals events are available by calling 262-763-3676. They are also available in Burlington through the Community State Bank, First Banking Center, and the Fox River State Bank. Additional event information is available at aliceindairyland.com.

Tour of Nestle Chocolate & Confection
Mar. 27, 2009

While in Racine County, our group was fortunate to learn more about area agriculture. Nestle Chocolate & Confection is in Burlington and has not offered public tours for years. Our group was lucky to receive a private tour of the production facilities.

Jay, the Production Manager, spent over an hour explaining the process of producing the delicious chocolate we are all familiar with! The Burlington Nestle has about 400 employees. Nestle is the world’s largest chocolate factory with more facilities in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. Nestle produces more than just chocolate – other foods and dinners come from Nestle as well!

Burlington produces about 260 million pounds of chocolate per year. One hundred million pounds of this chocolate is produced as morsels. Nestle has been in the Burlington community for about 40 years.

Jay led our group through a tunnel to the Roasting Room. The cocoa beans come from countries within 20 degrees of the equator like Ecuador. The beans are roasted to prevent the spread of bacteria and to extract the flavor. The beans are spiraled in a large machine when roasted. Nestle can process about 7,000 pounds of cocoa beans per hour and 90 million pounds per year. Besides cocoa beans, sugar is the biggest ingredient.

The next step in production includes separating the shell from the inside. The insides are broken up and blowing air separates the shell. The broken up insides are made into liquor for the chocolate creation process. The liquor is standardized with amounts of fat and some cocoa butter can be extracted from the liquor with pressing.

Once there is chocolate liquor, it is moved to the Refining Room where it goes through a slide process. Refining makes the chocolate microns smaller. The smaller the chocolate micron, the better the chocolate! At this point, the liquor is more like a paste and has very fine particles.

When the particles are at the desired micron size, they are mixed with other ingredients like sugar, milk, and fats. It is giant mixer! These ingredients can be stored in Jumbos that can hold 50,000 pounds each! The plant has capacity to hold three million pounds of mixed ingredients at any time.

We then watched how the wonderful semi-sweet chocolate morsels are made. 10,000 pounds of chocolate can be turned into chocolate morsels each hour. Two and a half million pounds of chocolate are turned into morsels in a week! Forty-five deposits are made by a machine each minute – each deposit is about 2,000 morsels. These morsels are cooled in a long tunnel before being scraped off. It is about nine minutes from creation until they are cooled and hardened. There are six baggers that work to make many sizes of morsel bags.

We then watched how Crunch bars are made with small molds. It was interested that the candy bar molds vibrate to evenly fill and not leave air pockets. The machines can make about 650 to 750 bars per minute from each of the six machines! Each machine has a special metal detector to ensure food safety. Wrappers are put the bars with a machine before they are put in a box by a machine as well. It is a very automatic process.

We also watched the process of making a 100 Grand Bar. These bars include a center of caramel made in the upstairs Candy Kitchen. The caramel is hardened, cut into ropes, and then finally cut into small bars. An Enrobing Machine covers the caramel with chocolate. A layer of crispy rice is put on the chocolate with a Crispy Falls. The excess crispies are sucked off with air or shaken off before the final chocolate layer is made. It is incredible to see how quickly the chocolate bars are made and how many can be stored before wrapping.

Our group had the opportunity to learn about Raisonets. Raisons are sprayed with chocolate and air before receiving a final glaze and shine. Raisonets are stored in ton bins! The Raisonets are placed into bags with a volumetric filler before the final seal.

The last stop was to see how Nestle Quik! was made. I was most excited for this process since I used to make a chocolate shake every night after milking cows with my family when in high school. It was interesting to learn how the ingredients are mixed in a way to get the correct particle size. A membrane sealer automatically seals the top before placing a lid and wrapper.

Beans are being roasted 24 hours a day to keep up with production at Nestle five to six days per week! The variety of products and dedication of the employees to make a quality product was remarkable. The finalists enjoyed this tour before enjoying some chocolate! Thank you to Nestle for welcoming the Alice in Dairyland finalists to Burlington and for your continued dedication to food production!

With the end of the tour, came the end of the briefing! It was a successful two days. Congratulations again to all of the finalists, and thank you Racine County for your warm welcome! It will be a great selection in May!

Day Two of the Briefing
Mar. 27, 2009

Our morning started with pictures in Burlington. Each finalist took an individual picture that will be used by media outlets in the next several months. We also joined together for the group picture seen below. These talented, professional women will continue this intense selection to become the 62nd Alice in Dairyland.

With a few moments to spare before the press conference, the group sat down for some conversation in downtown Burlington. It was great to share experiences and information. Many Burlington residents came up to talk to us about the Alice in Dairyland position. It is an honor for a community to host the final selection.

I led the press conference where we made the official announcement about the six finalists. I shared some basic information about Racine County agriculture and my year as Alice. I introduced each finalist and allowed each person to speak about their education and background. The six finalists for the 62nd Alice in Dairyland are:

Peggy Dierickx of De Pere

Krista Kasten of Richfield

Jodi Kauth of Loyal

Cheryl O’Brien of Eastman

Rebecca Paris of Belleville

Melanie Welles of Ixonia

For complete biographies, visit www.wisconsinagconnection.com or www.datcp.state.wi.us. I will include more information about the finalists in the coming weeks. After media interviews, we enjoyed lunch. Thank you to Rae Nell Halbur, the Standard Press, and the Racine Journal Times for joining us!

Congratulations to the finalists! It is an honor to be recognized as a finalist and is an experience of a lifetime!

Day One of the Briefing
Mar. 26, 2009

Everyone has been in suspense for months waiting to hear the six finalists for the 62nd Alice in Dairyland! Alice in Dairyland applications were due in January, and preliminary interviews were held in February. From the applications and interviews, six professional women were selected as finalists for the one year contract position of Alice in Dairyland.

This morning, everyone met at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. The group was lucky to be joined by Secretary of Agriculture Rod Nilsestuen. I had the honor of introducing him to the group before he spoke about the challenges and accomplishments of agriculture in the coming year. Secretary Nilsestuen has worked to make tremendous advances in agriculture during his time at DATCP tackling issues like livestock siting, manure management, land use, renewable energy, and revitalizing the dairy industry. Most notably, before being appointed, Secretary Nilsestuen is known as a leader of the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives representing 860 co-ops with 1.8 million members and helping create the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

Following the introductions with the Secretary, Nicole Breunig, the Program Manager, and Lora Klenke, the Agriculture Market Development Bureau Director, explained the Alice in Dairyland position and answered questions about the selection process. I then took the floor to explain my wonderful experience as the 61st Alice in Dairyland. I shared about how a focus of my year was encouraging consumers to buy local to support local producers, businesses, and economies. With pictures and fun stories, I really wanted to show how lucky I was to travel Wisconsin promoting agriculture and show how big of a responsibility it was.

In the afternoon, the group was lucky to learn from two professionals in communication. Cheryl Zimmerman, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin FFA, discussed the importance of presenting a professional image in the role of Alice in Dairyland. Al Guyant of Guyant & Associates, LLC, gave a communications workshop allowing the finalists to practice answering questions and creating sound bites. I learned a lot from each person. Thank you for your commitment and support of the Alice in Dairyland position and agriculture!

Finally, Nicole, the six finalists, and I made the trip to Burlington for the night. We checked in the hotel before meeting the Racine County Alice in Dairyland Finals Committee for dinner. This committee has been working for over a year to plan a successful event that will hosts guests from across the state. I was excited to introduce the finalists for the first time to the committee and share conversation with these dedicated volunteers of Racine County!

Learning about Agriculture on an Off Day
Mar. 25, 2009

Congratulations to my friend Tim Radatz who defended his thesis today! Even though it was an off day, I woke up early to watch Tim defend his thesis on the environmental impact of manure run-off. I had never seen a Master’s student presentation before so I was interested in the format and questions.

Although Tim is an agricultural engineer, he explained his topic so even I could understand! He studied the soil moisture content and its relationship to the manure run-off. By tracking weather patterns and soil moisture for two years, he used calculations to find when the environmental impact from manure run-off was most severe. He studied land in Lafayette County. This was very interesting to learn about how agricultural management techniques are important to keep our land producing and our environment protected! Congratulations!

Wisconsin Takes Top Honors
Mar. 25, 2009

Have you heard the news? Wisconsin took home the top award in the United States Cheese Championships last week! Sartori Foods in Anitgo was named the winner of the 15th biennial events with its “SarVecchio Parmesan.” This was one of 64 cheeses and butters that earned gold medals in the contest. This champion cheese was a 20-pound wheel of cheese made by John Griffiths. Wisconsin had a very successful week at this contest taking the top awards in 41 of the 65 categories.

We certainly are America’s Dairyland with 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese. Not only do we produce quantity supplying about a quarter of the nation’s cheese supply, but we also produce quality. Specialty cheeses like this really set Wisconsin apart!

I was very excited about this news since Sartori Foods can be found in my home town of Plymouth! Immediately upon hearing the news of the win, I tried this champion cheese with friends. We agree that it has a winning taste!

For complete results, visit www.uschampioncheese.org.

The Steps to Fiber Processing
Mar. 24, 2009

Today I am in the office preparing for the Alice in Dairyland briefing, March 26 – 27, 2009. I am looking forward to meeting the six finalists for the 62nd Alice in Dairyland selection. The finalists will be announced on Friday, March 27. Check back here on Friday afternoon for the biographies and information on the finals. The selection will be May 13 – 15, 2009 in Racine County.

Since I am in the office today, I wanted to share more information about fibers! When I was at County Road Alpacas, Mary Sternitzky gave me the secrets to fiber processing. To begin fiber processing, the fibers need to be graded by staple length and micron. The micron is the width of the fiber. To separate the fibers, they should be skirted. A skirting table has holes allowing fibers less than two inches to fall through.

After skirting and grading, the fibers should be fluffed to remove dirt and other particles. There is a lot of dust and fine hay in the fibers. Fibers can then be washed with hot water and soap. You shouldn’t agitate the fibers. They should be soaked for up to 30 minutes and lifted out gently. You should continue soaking and resoaking this until the water is clear after washing. This may take a long time!

After the fibers are washed, the excess moisture should be spun out. The fibers should be laid flat to dry. Once the fibers are dry, they need to carded. This can be done by hand or a machine. Before carding, tease the fibers apart. Carding makes the fibers aligned and smooth. Carding should be done at least twice. The smoother the fibers, the easier they are to spin. Time for the spinning machine!

Finally, the fibers can be spun into one, two, or even three-ply yarn. The fibers are winded and made into skeins - long pieces of yarn. The skeins need to have a twist to them so they need to be set in hot water for about 15 minutes. Again, excess moisture needs to be removed and the skeins need to be hung out to dry. Finally, the yarn can be wrapped and ready to sell or to make a beautiful product!

Mary has quite the home process for going from alpaca fiber to a final product. She has beautiful yarn in many colors. When she sells the yarn, she tells you which alpacas need to be thanked for their hard work!

Kiwanis Club Farm-City Night in Waterford
Mar. 23, 2009

This Kiwanis Club has reached quite the accomplishment! This group has been recognizing the contributions of agriculture in their community for eighty years. I was honored to be included in this tremendous achievement. I shared information about the impact of agriculture and how it has changed. I explained that I am an ambassador for Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry.

Tonight was certainly special as Kiwanis recognized a Third Heritage Award to an area family farm. The Jacobsen’s have had their family farm for 137 years! This family was terrific! I enjoyed speaking to them after the event. The mother had encouraged her daughter to be Alice in Dairyland for years so she asked questions about my job. The family’s stories were fun. Congratulations on 137 years of dedication to agriculture in Wisconsin.

Bill Bruins, President of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation shared information about the top ag issues of 2009. Bill shared great information including how Wisconsin has changed over the last century from mostly producers to mostly consumers. I thought that was very interesting! He mentioned renewable energy, working lands, and buying local were important current ag topics. It was wonderful to learn from Bill.

The event was held in Waterford of Racine County. This county includes two cities, seven towns, nine villages, and many agricultural highlights. Agriculture is an important economic force with family-owned farms and diverse products. Racine County leads the state in sod and pumpkin production and leads the nation in growing cabbage. Nearly 90,000 row crops grow in Racine County including corn, soybeans, and wheat. While dairy farms are decreasing, the cow numbers are increasing. Currently, there are 44 dairy farms with four milking more than 500 cows. Fresh vegetables are also produced in Racine County and sold in many fresh markets.

Thank you to the Kiwanis Group for recognizing agriculture, and thank you to the many farmers who attended tonight – as Bill mentioned – we must all work together!

Disaster Training with Project Recovery
Mar. 23, 2009

In Wisconsin, we have seen our share of disasters in the past few years. Flood waters have risen each spring. If you drew a line on a Wisconsin map from La Crosse to Fond du Lac, the 30 counties below it have been receiving services from Project Recovery after the President declared a disaster. People in these counties were able to apply for FEMA assistance for their primary residence. This is a maximum amount of $28,600 per family although most people received less.

Project Recovery has provided outreach services to flood survivors since August 2007. They recognize that the flood is just the beginning of a long recovery process. Project Recovery is available to offer support and connect survivors with assistance and resources as they continue the process. It is built on one person helping another.

In 2008, there were 14 leaders, and 40 outreach workers with Project Recovery. These outreach workers are trained to go door-to-door to meet with people or lead support groups. Project Recovery has come up with typical phases of disaster recovery. Initially after a disaster, there is a feeling of community cohesion. After that honeymoon period is over, families find themselves in disillusionment working through the grief. Finally, reconstruction can begin in the community.

Today I met with this group to learn more about how I can make an impact when in a flood-affected area of Wisconsin. Project Recovery gave me ideas about how I can incorporate a discussion about the disaster in my classroom presentation. I wanted to leave the classes with a positive message and an optimistic look. The group gave me materials that I can help students prepare if the floods happen again. A simple strategy to be prepared is to think about a communication plan for your family or what to pack if you need to leave in a hurry.

In April, I will visit the River Valley School District in southern Wisconsin and speak to students there about the flood and its impact. I am looking forward to hearing the students’ stories and offering some helpful resources!

The toll free number for Project Recovery is 1-866-422-3742.

A-Z Farm in Oregon
Mar. 22, 2009

Ray and Alice Antoniewicz have operated A-Z Farm for more than three decades. Several years ago, A-Z was taken to the next level when they decided to share their farm experience with the public. Families and groups can enjoy sharing and lambing as well as the other animals they have. About ten years ago, the family began managed intensive grazing to raise their sheep in an economic and environmentally sound way.

Ray and Alice are there with their family and friends to answer many questions families have. Here’s some information I learned on my visit and on the great website, www.a-zfarm.com/lambing.htm.

The gestation period of a sheep is approximately 145 days or about five months. Ewes may have between 1 – 3 lambs. Sometimes there are 4 or even 5 – but very rarely. Ewes usually have their first lamb at one year of age and can get to be 10 – 12 years old.

The goal this year was to have about 200 lambs and as of noon today, the farm had 167 young lambs. It is incredible how guests can watch births and ask many questions. Young guests enjoy petting the many lambs! I spoke to the family about the different breeds at the farm as well.

Make your plans to visit A-Z Farm during lambing season or any time of the year for their high quality meat. I was glad to meet many great families at this event as well as see a friend – my cooperating teacher from Waubesa Intermediate School – Ms. Lawler. Here she is with me and her granddaughter!

County Road Alpacas
Mar. 22, 2009

County Road Alpacas are located outside of Madison. It is owned and operated by Mary Sternitzky and Charles Stearns. This operation began in February 2003 when they purchased three male alpacas. The adventure grew when the females arrived and they starting spinning. There are currently ten alpacas and an Angora rabbit producing high-quality fiber. Mary and Chuck gave me a warm greeting walking me around the pastures and barn as well as welcoming me in the home to learn more about this curious animal.

Alpacas are members of the camelid family, which are cousins to the llama. Alpacas are known for their luxurious fiber and is one of the fastest-growing livestock industries in the United States today. These animals are native to South America and were first imported to the U.S. in 1984. They have been domesticated, however, for over 5,000 years. Records show there are about 6,000 registered alpacas in the United States.

There are two kinds of alpacas: Huacava and Suri. Huacaya fiber grows perpendicular to the skin. The fiber is dense, crimpy, and gives a wooly appearance. Suri fiber falls close to the body, has locks that more freely and give the animal a lustrous, flat-sided appearance.

Alpacas have a short and low set tail as well as soft-padded feet with two toes. Alpacas do not have horns, hooves, claws, or incisor or upper teeth. It was very interesting to me that alpacas have three stomachs since they are modified ruminants. These animals eat grass and chew cud. Adult alpacas usually weigh between 150 and 200 pounds.

The average lifespan of an alpaca is 20-25 years. The gestation of this animal is about eleven and a half months. Most alpacas give birth without assistance during daylight hours. A baby, a cria, may nurse for six months.

Alpacas are alert, intelligent, curious, and predictable animals. They are very social and seek companionship. A herd includes 2-3 animals, and it makes them feel comfortable. There is even communication between the alpacas with soft humming, neck posturing, ear and tail positioning, and head tilt. Alpacas usually leave their waste in concentrated areas.

Alpacas should be sheared once a year. About five to eight alpacas can be pastured per acre. The fencing should be about five feet tall, and it is not made to keep the animals in as much as it is to keep other animals like dogs and coyotes out. These animals need basic shelter and protection from heat and foul weather. To keep alpacas healthy, routine tetanus, vaccines, parasite control, and nail and teeth trimming are required. Toenails should be trimmed regularly as well. Their foot is much like a dog’s foot. To keep cool in the summer, alpacas can be sprayed with water.

The main end product of an alpaca operation is fiber. Alpaca fiber is as soft as cashmere and lighter and warmer than wool. It contains no lanolin and comes in 22 natural colors. The fibers can also be dyed as desired. An adult alpaca might produce about four pounds of fiber each annual shearing. The fibers can be sold in many ways including to hand-spinners, fiber artists, knitters, and cooperatives.

Mary gave a great tour and then invited me to try and feed the alpacas a treat – carrots! Alpacas look adorable with their long fibers so I was excited for this opportunity. Well, I must not have the magic touch with alpacas. When one was jealous I was feeding a carrot to another alpaca, she became mad and spit carrot on me! Mary told me they had personality. Another memorable moment as Alice! Mary and I both laughed!

Thank you to Mary and Chuck for welcoming me on a beautiful Sunday afternoon! Thank you also for a beautiful alpaca scarf – I will treasure it. To learn more about County Road Alpacas, visit countyroadalpacas.com!

Check Tuesday's blog for the stops to fiber processing - very interesting!

Maple Syrup Saturday
Mar. 21, 2009

Last Saturday, I kicked off Maple Syrup Month in Luck with the First Tapping. Today I continued to celebrate Maple Syrup Month in Appleton for the Maple Syrup Saturday at the Bubolz Nature Preserve.

The Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve is a 775-acre wildlife preserve and nature education center. This Preserve is funded by donations, memberships, grants, and program fees. There are a variety of trails and activities throughout the year. The Nature Center is earth sheltered with educational exhibits and friendly staff. The mission of this Preserve is to encourage persons of all ages to develop and practice a sound environmental ethic, which reflects an understanding and appreciation of nature.

Today there was a great event where people could eat ice cream, tour the sugar shack, and learn more about maple syrup. I enjoyed this beautiful Saturday walking through the Preserve learning about different types of trees and the many products maple syrup can be used in. I enjoyed maple syrup on top of ice cream! I signed many Alice in Dairyland posters and greeted the over 700 guests that attended!

Remember these key facts about maple syrup: Wisconsin ranks fourth in the nation in producing this natural sweetener. There are approximately 3,000 Wisconsin producers working hard each year to produce delicious products. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.

Rock County Hall of Fame Banquet
Mar. 20, 2009

I made my way to southern Wisconsin for an annual celebration in Janesville – the Rock County Hall of Fame Banquet. Tonight this group of people joined together to share stories and give the presentation for the newest members of the Hall of Fame. I was honored to meet scholarship recipients as well as Hall of Fame members. One man explained to me his decades in agriculture. From a young man who went to college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, went to serve in WWII, came home to go back to school, and finally ran the family farm. What a lifetime of accomplishment for him and his wife of 60 years!

I was honored to be included in this great event. When asked to speak, I shared the importance of agriculture to Rock County. Rock County is home to some of the most fertile farmland in the state. This county is known for hundreds of family-owned farms and related businesses. The strength of agriculture in this county comes from its diversity. Rock ranks among the top counties in the state for corn and soybean production. This county also is known for producing tobacco, mint, vegetables, nursery and flowers, pheasants, dairy and hogs.

The top five industries in Rock County are: grain, milk, cattle and calves, nursery and greenhouses, and hogs and pigs. One of the largest parts of Rock’s ag impact is from ag processing. Ag processing accounts for $356.6 million of income in the country.

Rock County agriculture provides over 8,500 residents with jobs and accounts for $1.1 billion in economic activity. Horticulture accounts for 508 of those jobs – Rock County certainly is green with tree farms, nurseries, greenhouses, and other businesses!

Ninety-nine percent of the farms in the county are family-owned showcasing the tradition and future of Wisconsin agriculture. Rock County farmers own 75% of all the land in the county – 343,763 acres of land!

I traveled to Rock County tonight for a special reason. Mark your calendars now: May 20 – 22, 2010, Rock County will be hosting the 63rd Alice in Dairyland Finals. This group of dedicated volunteers is already working hard to fundraise and organize details. Congratulations on being selected and all the best as you plan the big event!

Thank you Rock County for contributing to Wisconsin’s agriculture industry!

Last Day in Central Wisconsin
Mar. 20, 2009

Today I had two schools to visit before making my way back to Madison. My first stop was at Mountain Bay Elementary. The staff was great at this school, and the principal even stayed for the Taste Wisconsin presentation.

The groups were most interested in Big Bill, the world’s largest pig. I knew that Big Bill lived in 1933 and was 2,552 pounds – more than a ton! Well, the students decided they wanted to learn more about Big Bill so they did some research. According to the students, Big Bill was owned by Burford Butler of Jackson, Tennessee. He was five feet tall and nine feet long. He was a Poland China with a belly that dragged on the ground. That is impressive! Wisconsin raises about 440,000 pigs each year in Wisconsin. Remember that pigs aren’t dirty animals. They just roll in the mud to keep cool since they don’t sweat.

I finally came to my last visit at Weston Elementary School. These students were ready for spring break, but they did a great job of playing the Taste Wisconsin game before heading out for a week! The students asked me many questions about my job as Alice in Dairyland. My favorite was from a fourth grade boy: “Do you get lonely driving across the state?” It made the teachers and I both laugh. I explained to him that I don’t get lonely when I travel from event to event meeting great people!

How about you try this clue to end the Central Wisconsin Blitz:

There are 115 factories in Wisconsin making 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese.

If it isn’t in a stick or a rope, there is enough made in Wisconsin each year to top over one billion pizzas.

A quick peel and eat snack – giving you one of the 3-4 servings from the milk group you need for strong bones each day.

Did you guess – String Cheese – made of course from Mozzarella Cheese!

Making My Way to Rothschild
Mar. 19, 2009

My last stop today was at Rothschild Elementary School. There were so many students, I did two presentations! The first two classes had learned a lot about agriculture and could name all the dairy breeds. I really enjoyed talking to the students about agriculture’s diversity and its impact on our state’s economy.

My second presentation was with one classroom. This group had fun questions about agriculture including wondering how an egg turns into a chick. We were lucky to be joined by the Wausau Daily Herald. The group got pictures from our presentation and asked me many questions about the goal of the presentation.

Besides the 20 Wisconsin products featured in the Taste Wisconsin game, we also discuss other products as well. Wisconsin grows six million turkeys every year, and our state also has more dairy goats than any other state. Our state ranks eighth in honey production and fourth in maple syrup production. Wisconsin ranks fifth in mint, third in green peas, and 11th in onions!

Thank you to the Rothschild Schools and the Daily Herald for a great day!

Two Schools in Wausau
Mar. 19, 2009

Good morning Wausau! I woke up to another day filled with sunshine! My first school visit today was at John Marshall Elementary School. When I arrived, the students were sitting quietly waiting. The group was engaged as we played the Taste Wisconsin game answering questions about Wisconsin’s biggest industries. Following the game, I answered many questions about my job as Alice in Dairyland. One student asked where she could find more information like the facts I gave. I told her she could visit www.wisdairy.com/tastewi for these clues and more. The school was also going to visit my blog to see their class picture below – what a great looking group! Thank you John Marshall for an excellent visit – I had a warm welcome from the Principal, Staff, and Students!

My second Taste Wisconsin presentation today took me to Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. When the group came in for recess, they were ready to have some fun. I asked the group, “Why is agriculture a business?” They responded that agriculture includes the buying and selling of products. One boy even said that agriculture includes many jobs, and not just farmers – other jobs were in agriculture too like truck drivers, cheesemakers, and market managers. I was impressed with that answer! Agriculture is a big business in Wisconsin that has a $51.5 billion economic impact on our state!

Lincoln Second Grade Classes
Mar. 18, 2009

After lunch, I visited the second grade classes. The first question this group had: How do you pronounce my last name? Good question – I wrote it on the board for the group. The next question: How much sleep do you get? That question made me laugh since it changes, but I told the group I get plenty to still have fun and do a good job.

With the classes, we discussed America’s Dairyland and Wisconsin agriculture. To illustrate America’s Dairyland, milk production, and cheesemaking, the group read the book “Mooing, Munching and Milking – Wisconsin’s Dairy Tale” by Cris Peterson. This book is beautiful and filled with useful information. The group had fun, and when we reviewed at the end they remembered the important facts.

Lincoln Structure Judging and the Assembly
Mar. 18, 2009

Our group worked to judge 14 fantastic structures. The rules were that the structure could be constructed out of anything – but recyclables were suggested. It had to be smaller than 3 cubic feet and made under budget. Our group worked to select winners for these categories: Best of Show, Most Creative, Best Nutritional Theme, Silliest, Strongest Structure, and Honorable Mention. We enjoyed meeting each class and seeing the interesting creations! One group even featured Alice in Dairyland in their structure writing a story about how Alice saves the day – obviously is was a winner in my book!

The awards for the Structure Contest as well the Fitness Challenge were awarded at an all school assembly with lots of cheering and clapping. Congratulations to all the groups for their hard work. I am very impressed with the school spirit at Lincoln and the dedication of the staff!

Lincoln Elementary School Fourth Grade
Mar. 18, 2009

I had a terrific day from start to finish! I made my way to Lincoln Elementary School to spend the whole day with different classes and judging the Structure Contest with Bao, Todd, and Rita Houser of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

I presented Taste Wisconsin to the two fourth grade classes. I couldn’t believe these classes! They were perfectly quiet and very respectful for the entire presentation. They raised their hands to answered and only called out when I asked them to. The group knew the answers very quickly. The group had even went on a field trip this fall to a Wisconsin cranberry marsh to learn about our state fruit. Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for growing this fruit filled with antioxidants to make a healthy heart!

Channel 7 Interview in Wausau
Mar. 18, 2009

I woke up early this morning to join Bao and Todd on the Channel 7 Morning Show. I have never worked with Channel 7 of Wausau so I was excited to meet this news team.

I brought the Taste Wisconsin board to share with the morning viewers. We discussed the role of Alice in Dairyland as the state’s agricultural ambassador and the importance of educating fourth grade students about the economic and nutritional impact of agriculture. We then did three clues including Muenster Cheese, Green Beans, and Chocolate Milk. Bao and Todd were competitive, and it was fun to see how fast they picked up the clues.

We ended the interview by previewing our day together at Lincoln Elementary School. Lincoln Elementary has held its fourth annual Dairy Days from March 9th – 13th. This school has a theme of “Building Strong Bodies, Brains, and Bones” this year to promote fitness and wellness. During Dairy Days, the school has had many contests including a challenge to build a structure promoting the importance of dairy products. Bao, Todd, and I would be some of the selection panel for the Lincoln Elementary Structure Contest today! Below are some pictures of the champion structures!

Thank you to Channel 7 for allowing me to join your show, and thank you to Michelle of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for coordinating this opportunity!

Four Schools on this Green Day in Wausau
Mar. 17, 2009

St. Anne School did a terrific job with Taste Wisconsin even with the television camera and crew in the room. They did a great job of paying attention to the clues and asking questions. One boy even told me the best thing he learned is how Wisconsin foods can be healthy for you and fit in your diet – like Calcium is in cheese, milk, AND yogurt. It touched my heart – what a great fact to remember!

I then drove to Franklin Elementary School. While some students had to leave the presentation early for a field trip, I finished the Taste Wisconsin presentation and answered many questions from eager fourth graders. There were many questions about my job and background. I enjoy connecting to the students, finding things we have in common. I even found a girl whose grandparents live in Plymouth and are involved in the cheese business! What a coincidence!

My afternoon included time at Grant Elementary School and G.D. Jones Elementary School. The Grant group was very attentive to each of the clues. This class had learned about agriculture this past fall so they were ready for Taste Wisconsin. The students at G.D. Jones were filled with energy and very excited that they saw my Chevrolet Tahoe promoting Ethanol through the window. In our group pictures, we are posing with the signal, Number One, since Wisconsin is number one in sauerkraut, cranberry, cheese, and green bean production.

There are many great Wisconsin facts, but the nutritional impact from Wisconsin is important to remember. Strawberries are low in calories and high in Vitamin C. Whole grain wheat provides your body with fiber and means that the entire grain is ground up to eat. Pork gives your body Thiamin, a B-Vitamin needed to help our bodies use energy from food. Eggs are a source of high quality protein and are one of just a few foods that has natural Vitamin D.

Happy St. Patrick's Day on Channel 9!
Mar. 17, 2009

I was excited to visit Channel 9 this morning to promote the Taste Wisconsin program in the Wausau area. Natalie, the morning anchor, has been a great friend and always works my visits into the busy morning show. Natalie and I discussed the purpose of this program. Taste Wisconsin aims to teach fourth grade students about the diversity of agriculture in our state. Agriculture impacts Wisconsin economically and nutritionally. I told her that the game not only mentions what grows in Wisconsin but how it fits in your diet.

After our time on Wake Up, Natalie came along to my first school visit at St. Anne School. Natalie even gave the students a job to say “Good Morning Central Wisconsin from St. Anne School in Wausau!!” This will air tomorrow morning. WAOW also took footage of our discussion and Taste Wisconsin game for the evening news.

Thanks you Natalie and WAOW for being a great Alice partner!

Marshfield Agri-Business Event
Mar. 16, 2009

After a day of school visits, I made my way to Marshfield for the Agri-Business Banquet that is sponsored by the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry Agri-Business Committee. The purpose of this event is to promote and recognize the importance of impact of agriculture in the area.

During this event, the group recognized ten outstanding seniors from area schools. These students are certainly a bright future for the agriculture industry. In their corduroy blue FFA jackets! The group also recognized the strong history of Wisconsin agriculture by honored the two local century farms. It was moving to hear about these strong family farms. Finally, the Meissner Family of Chili received the “Friend of Agriculture” award.

I was honored to be invited to this event. Not only did I have a chance to mingle with many great business owners and agriculturalists tonight, but I also had the chance to meet a former Alice – the 31st Alice in Dairyland, Laura (Oldenburg) Drendel! It was fun to swap stories and hear how the position has changed. It was also wonderful to meet the new chairperson of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, Amy Sue Vruwink. She gave a message of how we all need to continue to work for the success of agriculture and encouraged me to be a strong ambassador. Amy herself was an Alice in Dairyland finalist years ago!

Thanks for including me in this event. Agriculture is important is Central Wisconsin. The top industries in Wood County are milk, cranberries, cattle, grain, and nursery greenhouse. Farmers own and manage 228,050 acres in Wood County – 45% of the land in the county. There are more than just producers in this county. There are also five cheese production plants, three cheese processors, three cranberry receivers, and several cranberry processors. Agricultural jobs account for 3,761 people in Wood County. That is $537.8 million in economic activity! This county knows how to recognize agriculture, and I hope I added to this celebration.

Nativity Catholic School with Channel 12 TV
Mar. 16, 2009

When I opened the door of Nativity Catholic School, I was immediately told how excited the fourth grade students were to meet me! The Principal and Office Staff each took time to greet me and walk me to the room.

These two classes were knowledgeable about agriculture and eager to learn. I was impressed with their questions about my job and Wisconsin crops and animals. One student asked if I had a driver – I said no – I enjoy doing all the driving and have driven about 30,000 miles since June 2! Another student asked how old you have to be to serve as Alice in Dairyland. I told her that you have to be at least 21 years old – after college or work experience.

We played a lively game of Taste Wisconsin, and the Channel 12 TV News Reporter joined us for the visit. The students were great about playing the game and ignoring the camera. After the game, I interviewed with Channel 12 about Taste Wisconsin. I explained that the Taste Wisconsin school visits are possible through the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. This interactive presentation allows students to understand where their food comes from – our farms. In Wisconsin we have over one million cows, six hundred types of cheese, and 14,000 dairy farms – we are America’s Dairyland!

Thank you to Channel 12 for your continued support and promotion of agriculture! Thank you to Nativity Catholic for being great hosts!

Central Intermediate School
Mar. 16, 2009

This morning I woke up in Rhinelander ready to educate students about Wisconsin agriculture. My first visit in town was at Central Intermediate School where I was warmly welcomed by the Office Staff and Principal. The Principal showed me to my first classroom with 44 eager fourth graders.

We started the lesson by explaining the definition of agriculture – food, fuel, and fiber. When I first started the class, no one knew what agriculture was. When I left, everyone realized its diversity! When we brainstormed lists of plants, crops, and animals from Wisconsin, the group had many great ideas like ginseng, wild rice, strawberries, sheep, and cows!

Students were eager to participate in Taste Wisconsin but waited patiently for me to finish each clue. Why don’t you try this clue:

Wisconsin’s 1.25 million cows each help produce about six gallons of this every day.

This flavor is a great sport recover beverage – after practice and games it provides muscles with protein for growth, cells with carbohydrate for energy, and bones with calcium.

This may be served with school lunch every day at school.

It is just as healthy when its brown as when its white – both have essential nutrients like calcium, protein, and niacin!

I bet you know I am talking about chocolate milk – my favorite!

After a morning visit at another school, I came back to Central Intermediate School to speak to the remainder of the fourth graders. This school has six fourth grade classes so I made three presentations.

My favorite student comment of the day: “Big Bill, the largest pig, was 2,552 pounds. That is as much as two teachers.” Priceless.

Thank you to Central for your warm welcome! I also would like to recognize the Rhinelander Daily News for stopping by today for pictures and information!

My Drive to Rhinelander
Mar. 15, 2009

This afternoon I packed up the Tahoe with Taste Wisconsin boards, student handouts, and cheese to make my way to Rhinelander. This week I will have the fourth Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Blitz in Central Wisconsin.

It was a beautiful day for a drive, and there was agriculture all around me. Cranberry marshes were filled with frozen ice waiting for the spring thaw. In the spring, cranberry producers will empty the water from the marshes so the cranberries can grow. The ginseng plastic field covers are rolled waiting for the hot summer sun. Remember that ginseng grows best in the shade so it needs to be covered while growing.

When I arrived in Rhinelander, I was warmly greeted by the Dairy Council’s Michelle Mielke. We enjoyed dinner before I started some office work. Thank you to Michelle for organizing great media and school visits this week!

First Maple Tree Tapping
Mar. 14, 2009

There are several traditions that every Alice in Dairyland looks forward to – today was one of them! I was invited to be part of Wisconsin’s Annual First Tree Tapping! This event is held each year by the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers, and this year, Dale Richter of Richter’s Sugar Bush, hosted the event. Richter’s Sugar Bush has 4,000 taps. I was amazed at the complex technology involved in this family operation. This year, the Richter family is starting a new tubing system. There is tubing that goes between the many trees collecting sap. It includes a vacuum system and many large tanks for the sap to be stored! Agriculture certainly is modernizing and innovating to remain profitable. There is a long history and a strong future.

I was joined at this event by Ashley Weissmann, the Wisconsin Maple Queen. I had the privilege of reading Governor Doyle’s Proclamation declaring Maple Month from March 15 – April 15, 2009. There are approximately 3,000 maple syrup producers in the state making a product that has about a $10 million value to Wisconsin each year.

I told the group that it was easier to tap the first maple tree than cut down the first holiday tree! I used a hand drill to make the hole. I tapped the spile into the tree, and finally hung the collection bucket. It was a great experience and fun in front of a crowd. At the end of the ceremony, I was presented with my own hand drill to keep. Would anyone like help tapping trees this maple season?

After tapping the first tree, we enjoyed a delicious pancake brunch. It certainly was a great day in Luck, Wisconsin! Filled with sweet, Wisconsin syrup, I made my way back to Madison to pack up for the fourth Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board blitz. Get ready Central Wisconsin – I am on my way for lots of school visits and lots of interviews!

What do you know about maple syrup? This agricultural product is produced only in the spring from the sweet sap of the Sugar Maple Tree. The Sugar Maple Tree is only found in the northeastern region of the North American continent making it valued. Trees are tapped in March and April. Our state had 540,000 taps in 2008. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Many factors indicate the flow of sap and quality of the finished product – the type, age, health, and size of the tree or even the soil conditions. The average amount of syrup from one tap is one quart per season.

To collect the sap, one needs a drill, hammer, spile, and sap bucket with a cover. The sap is collected with the buckets and taken to an evaporator. The sap needs to be heated with the evaporator to be boiled down to syrup density. When the syrup is ready, it is filtered and bottled for us to enjoy. Pure maple syrup has no additives, colorings, or preservatives.

It takes about 40 years to grow a maple tree to tapping size – very 15 inches in diameter. This is just another example the dedication and hard work of agriculture producers.

Wisconsin Aquaculture Association
Mar. 13, 2009

I was honored to be invited to the Wisconsin Agriculture Association (WAA) Annual Conference in Hayward! The purpose of this event is to educate aquaculture farmers on new techniques, advances in raising fish, and marketing their business. At this event, the WAA also hosted a School Aquaculture Poster Contest to help make students more aware of aquaculture and farm-raised fish.

When I first arrived, I listened to two fantastic speakers. One man spoke about the modernization of his operation and how he stays competitive. Another man spoke about the importance of labeling in marketing the product. He even mentioned Something Special from Wisconsin!

I rose to speak at the end of a long day. I joked with the crowd they looked ready to be done after a day of listening intently, but I wanted to leave them with a positive message. You may remember when I visited Silver Moon Springs to learn about aquaculture in August. I told the group the story about how much I learned about this great industry and how I caught my first fish. It isn’t hard to catch your first fish when there are 1,000 trout in the pond!

Fishing in Wisconsin may be your favorite hobby or vacation, but it is a large industry that is part of the $51.5 billion economic impact of agriculture in our state! Wisconsin ranked eighth in trout production in 2007, producing 441,000 pounds. This contributes over a million dollars in sales. The aquaculture industry in Wisconsin is diverse with fish being raised for food, stocking, and bait. It is hard work – all year – to raise fish. The fish need a balanced diet and clean water.

I told the group how I have been emphasizing year-round how people need to buy locally to support local farmers, producers, businesses, and economies. Our aquaculture farms are offering consumers a safe and high quality product.

Thank you to the WAA for supporting the Alice in Dairyland program and to the producers for taking the time to learn more today and advance their industry.

Choose Wisconsin fish this spring!

A Vist to Hayward High School
Mar. 13, 2009

This morning I made the long drive to Hayward High School from Madison! When I arrived, I was warmly greeted by the office staff and presented to a large group of students from health and nutrition classes.

I started the presentation by discussing the definition from agriculture and the important details on the nutrition label. The students were most engaged with the activity detailing the nine vitamins and minerals in milk. I have the students match the vitamin or mineral with its description. Here are some examples:

Calcium and Phosphorus keep your bones and teeth strong.
Vitamin D is the key to Calcium absorption.
Vitamin A helps your eyesight.
Protein gives you extra strength.
Postassium improves your blood pressure.
Riboflavin gives you energy.
Vitamin B12 is important to your blood cells.
Niacin keeps your skin looking healthy.

After this activity, we looked at the amount of sugar in sports drinks, sodas, and fruit punches. There were some athletes in the audience that have used chocolate milk as a sports recovery drink since it has nine vitamins and minerals, tastes, great, and helps with recovery after the big game!

Before I left, we spoke about the over 300 career options in agriculture. I explained my job as Alice in Dairyland and challenged students to consider agriculture when picking their dream job. One in eight people works in agriculture in Wisconsin – do you?

A Day at DATCP Writing About Wind Energy
Mar. 12, 2009

It is not often that I am at DATCP, and today I was lucky to have a whole day in the office to have a meeting, talk with staff, and do some work! It is important that you take a moment to reflect every so often to see if you are meeting the Alice in Dairyland program goals. We also are planning to meet our 62nd Alice in Dairyland Finalists soon – stay tuned to the blog on Friday, March 27 when the six Alice in Dairyland Finalists will be announced!

Today one of my tasks was to write an article about wind energy. How much do you know about those giant wind turbines in Wisconsin fields? Here are some fun facts about this type of renewable energy:

A wind turbine uses moving air to create energy. Steady winds turn the blades, which drives a generator that produces electricity. This electricity produced goes to an electric distribution network.

There are four main parts of a wind turbine. The rotor converts wind energy into rotational motion and includes the hub and blades. The nacelle, behind the hub, contains the electric generator and other components that change the mechanical rotation to electricity. The tower supports the rotor and nacelle and sits on the base. The base is called the foundation.

To assemble a wind turbine, it takes two cranes!

The foundation for a wind turbine is about 55 feet wide and eight feet deep in the center.

The turbine height from base to blade tip is 397 feet.

The aerodynamic wings are 134 feet long!

A wind turbine is an incredible tool to produce renewable energy. You may notice in Fond du Lac County there are 88 wind turbines at the Blue Sky Green Field Wind Energy Center. This project is designed to generate 145 megawatts of electricity – enough to power more than 36,000 homes. As Alice I am always learning! To learn more about wind energy, visit www.we-energies.com!

Optimist Club of East Madison/Monona
Mar. 11, 2009

Today I spent the day in Madison! It was relaxing and reenergizing to spend time at my apartment and the office catching up on unfinished business.

The best part of my day was lunch with the Optimist Club of East Madison/Monona. This group is a “Friend of the Youth” meeting each week as friends for lunch and hosting fundraisers especially during UW Badger games to raise funds. I was recognized by the Plymouth Optimist Club when I was in High School so I know the great work this group can do for youth and the community.

I was invited to the program by Don Huibregtse. While we do not know a direct family tie, it is a good chance we are related since our ancestors are both from The Netherlands, we both great up in Plymouth, and we can both spell that last name! Don was so kind to greet me and brought many of his family members there to enjoy lunch!

This membership includes retired and working professionals. I was honored today to not only be joined by many members, but the one Charter Member remaining. William still flies from his new hometown, Boulder, Colorado, to enjoy an Optimist Club meeting every so often.

I shared with the group my adventures and purpose of Alice in Dairyland. Remember, Alice in Dairyland has a long history dating back to 1948. While she once was a beauty queen right out high school, she is now a public relations professional speaking on all aspects of Wisconsin’s diverse agricultural industry. I explained that I drive my colorful Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe across Wisconsin 40,000 miles to speak at schools, events, and interviews. I am the agricultural ambassador for Wisconsin!

I really enjoyed the delicious lunch and great conversation. The group had many questions, enjoyed seeing my mink coat, and learning our top industries in Wisconsin. The Optimist Creed is a great one, and here is my favorite line:

“Promise yourself to think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.”

Learning at Crave Brothers Farm, LLC
Mar. 10, 2009

One of the best parts of my job is going to farms and agricultural businesses to learn about the diversity of agriculture. Today I went to Crave Brothers Farm, LLC to learn about cheesemaking, dairy farming, and creating renewable energy.

You may have heard of the Crave Brothers since they are hosting the 2009 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days at their farm in Waterloo this July 21-23. This operation has grown since Charles and George Crave started farming in 1978 after they graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Farm and Industry Short Course. Another brother, Thomas, joined the farm in 1980 and that was when they bought the current farm. The fourth brother, Mark, joined the farm in 1988.

This farm has grown since its early beginnings. In 1999, the brothers decided to grow their business, and in 2002, the brothers began producing specialty cheeses. The farm continues to modernize and innovate to remain competitive. In 2007, the family began to turn their manure into energy.

How does this family get all the work done with about 1,000 cows, 900 young stock, and 1,600 acres? They each have their own responsibility! Charles oversees bookkeeping and feeding. Thomas manages the machinery and cropping. Mark is in charge of the herd, young stock, and milk quality. George is a licensed cheesemaker managing the cheese factory. Other family members are essential in the groups operations.

Today, Beth Crave gave me a complete tour. Beth not only organizes tours but also assists with cheesemaking and demonstrations. I began learning about Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese. Crave Brothers make many different cheese from high quality milk. Les Freres means “the brothers” in French and is a European style cheese. It has a robust, earthy flavor and is a washed-rind cheese. Petit Frere meaning “little brother” in French is a smaller version sold in a wooden box. Fresh Mozzarella is great for salads and appetizers and made with just hours old milk. Mascarpone is a fresh, sweet cheese ideal for desserts. Farmer’s Rope is a farm fresh handmade string cheese shaped like a rope coil.

Beth walked me through the cheese facilities. There were two production lines going making fresh mozzarella. Crave Brothers has 35 full-time employees and five licensed cheesemakers. Cheesemaking takes place five days a week and begins at 2:00 a.m. when milk is pasteurized. When pasteurizing the cheese, it must be heated to 162 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 16 seconds. It then goes in a vat and cultures are added for taste and rennent is added for coagulation. With the new machines recently added, the cheese is handled less in this stage making it ideal for Mozzerella.

Using gravity flow, whey is pumped off the cheese curds that are forming. The butterfat goes to a butter processor, whey is taken for TMR (Total Mixed Ration) animal feed, and other waste is taken to the methane digester. Everything is used. The cheese curd is then pumped into a cooker and stretched to make it a pliable cheese. This fresh cheese can be made into balls, loafs, or strings. It was incredible to me the care put into this cheese. The cheese was hand packed and weighed to guarantee quality. This cheese is sold to retail and food service outlets.

After a tour and taste at the cheese production facility, Beth showed me the farm! The milking parlor is a Double-16 so 32 cows can be milked at one time. Cows are milked three times a day, and each milking takes about seven hours. About 1,000 cows are currently milked each day. The average herd production is 94 pounds per cow per day! There are about two dozen employees on the farm.

Beth and I walked into the free stall barn to see the cows. The animals are fed twice a day. About 30,000 pounds of feed are given to the animals at each feeding. The ration is a mix of protein, alfalfa, corn, minerals, whey, straw, and other ingredients. The free stall barn has curtains and doors that can open or closed based on weather. There are misters, back scratcher, and even a fake hawk to scare away birds!

With the weather, we didn’t have a chance to see the 200 baby calves in the next barn, but we discussed how they are raised in individual pens. Bull calves are sold after one week, and heifer calves are weaned at seven weeks. All the young stock is raised at the farm.

Beth and I finally walked into the office to learn about the manure digester from her husband, Karl Crave. The original manure digester was built in January 2007. It has enough power to supply the farm, cheese factory, and 150 homes. With the new expansion being added now, it will be able to supply additional homes.

I was amazed with Karl’s story of how this manure digester project grew. It all started with a big sloped hill. The family dug a large lagoon to store manure. This lagoon can hold 10 million gallons of manure – about a six month supply from this farm!

They then installed a large above ground tank for the manure digester. This large tank has a concrete base. This stainless steel tank was built one panel at a time. It is about 24 feet tall when completed and holds 715,000 gallons of manure.

It was incredible to see that this digester was built from the top down. When the top row is done, the team installs the top. There are straps on the top to hold the cover, which is called a bladder. There are two bladders. The inner bladder raises and lowers with gas production. The outer bladder is always erect like a balloon and protects the digester from weather. When you look at a digester, it will always look erect, filled with gas. Know that the top bladder always looks the same if it is filled with gas or not.

The tank for the digester has four-inch Styrofoam insulation to keep it warm inside. The tank is kept at 100 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside. It took about three weeks to build the tank.

Another part of the manure digester is the compost barn. It was built to hold the solid fiber taken out of the manure and dried. This is used as animal bedding. It is tested often to make sure it is high quality for the dairy animals.

Also beside the manure digester, you will find a large engine, electric control room, pumping room, and separating machine.

Manure is brought to the digester from a series of pipes from the barn. Gravity and pumps get the manure from the free-stall barns to the digester. The digester is always filled with manure. It mixes every so often to generate gas. The tank is heated to 100 degrees Fahrenheit with heated coils on the side. Natural biogas, methane, is captured in the inner bladder when the digester is mixing. This methane is burnt by the attached engine and turned into power we can use.

It was interesting to me when Karl described that it is all a transfer of energy. Energy from the cow’s feed to the cow to the milk to the manure to the land back to the cow feed. It is a continuous process.

Manure digestion only uses a small amount of the manure. Most of the manure can still be used for other things like odor-free potting soil, animal bedding, and nutrients for the fields. It also takes a small amount of time to manage from the touch of a computer button. Regular maintenance is also required.

There are 20 manure digesters in Wisconsin, and there are currently six being built. While it can be an investment of over a million dollars for some, there are many advantages to having one of these operations. A manure digester should last for about twenty years. Digesters reduce odor and help maintain a stable nutrient balance. Creating energy using methane is easier and cost-effective. It helps lessen the effects of greenhouse gases and is great for an environmentally-friendly community.

Thank you for Beth for spending the morning with me and the Crave Brothers for your contributions to agriculture. Your hard work and dedication will be easily seen when you welcome thousands this July for Farm Technology Days – mark your calendars!

My Last Day in Milwaukee
Mar. 09, 2009

Today ended my tour of Milwaukee Public Schools and the end of my third Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board School (WMMB) Blitz!

I started my day at Lloyd Street Global Education School. There are four classes of fourth graders so I did two presentations so students could be more involved. The first group had few questions for me but really wanted to answer the clues. Try these clues:

Wisconsin’s German immigrants brought seeds of this plant and began planting them in our state’s gardens years ago.

This vegetable can be eaten fresh in coleslaw, cooked in soup, or fermented as a topping for brats.

You will be a-head in your healthy eating habits by including this nutrient-rich vegetable in your diet.

This food includes a good dose of phytochemicals, a group of nutrients needed to protect the body against cancer.

I bet you know that I am talking about cabbage! Wisconsin ranks first in the nation in growing cabbage for sauerkraut and eighth in the nation for growing cabbage for fresh market. Americans eat about 387 million pounds of sauerkraut each year – usually on top of brats and hot dogs. Cabbage are made of 90% water even though it is very crunchy to bite into!

The second group of students had many questions about the job of Alice in Dairyland and dairy farming. It is amazing that students want to know how to milk a cow and how cows have babies! I enjoy the questions and try to answer as honestly as I can!

My afternoon included presentations at Siefert Elementary School and Starms Discovery Learning Center. At Siefert School, I presented to two classes of students in the gymnasium. An interesting fact about the school – the gymnasium is on the fourth floor of the building! Lots of stairs! Starms School had me present to three classes of students. It went great, and the class asked many questions about other Wisconsin crops like broccoli and lettuce. It is a good thing I had vegetable training this fall!

After a stop at the WMMB Brookfield Office, I made my way back to the office to spend a few days near Madison with events!

Wisconsin Jersey Association Annual Meeting
Mar. 07, 2009

From Fond du Lac to Janesville to attend the Wisconsin Jersey Breeders Association Annual Meeting! The purpose of this evetn is to conduct business with the state membership, give out year-end awards, and to choose the 2009 Wisconsin Jersey Queen.

I was honored to be part of the lunch and banquet. My little brother Alex is the Jersey fan in the family, and I shared my family’s experience with this beautiful dairy breed. I also found information on why Wisconsin farmers are choosing Jersey cows in their herd. This article from the National Association says, “Why Jerseys?.”

The Jersey breed is profitable, because it is a smaller animal that uses less natural resources and produces a smaller carbon footprint. It has a longer production life, producing more than 16 times their body weight in milk in each lactation. Jersey cows enter the herd faster and stay longer than other breeds. The Jersey can adapt to changes in feeding, lifestyle, and weather making them ready to produce in your herd. The Jersey cow also has nutrient-rich milk that consumers are seeking. This high quality product has more nutritional impact with more protein, calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamin B12 than milk from other breeds. Jersey cows are not only changing the color of Wisconsin pastures, but the impact of the Wisconsin dairy industry.

Wisconsin will be hosting the 2011 National Jersey Convention so I gave the group ideas about how to not only promote America’s Dairyland, but also our other diverse industries. Visitors in and out of Wisconsin should spend time in our cranberry marshes and grape vineyards. Tour a sauerkraut production plant or a cheese creamery. There is something for everyone in Wisconsin and ag tourism is always on the rise! When learning about local farmers and businesses, you can buy local to support the local communities and economies!

I was excited to meet some great Jersey dairy producers and the outgoing 2008 Wisconsin Jersey Queen, Katie Wirkus of Marathon County!

Fond du Lac Ag Showcase
Mar. 07, 2009

The Fond du Lac Area Agri-Business Council works hard throughout the year to promote the $51.5 billion agriculture industry. I learned a lot of new information about agriculture especially from the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. Remember, my Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe is possible through a partnership with GM and the Wisconsin Corn Growers. If you want to learn more about corn and ethanol, visit www.wicorn.org.

Today, I attended this annual event to demonstrate to consumers how our diverse agriculture industry affects everyone! How better to demonstrate this than bringing with me the Taste Wisconsin activity!

How about this for a difficult clue:

This vegetable is known as a root vegetable meaning you pull it from the ground and eat the root.

It has a bright orange color and is a great source of Vitamin A, important for good eyesight – especially at night.

The average person will eat about 10,800 of these in a lifetime.

The answer is – a carrot! Wisconsin ranks second in the nation for processed carrots. It was the first vegetable to be commercially canned and sold in the store.

I really enjoyed walking throughout the showcase speaking to staff and visitors. Thank you to Rae Nell Halbur and Becky Schulz for including me in this event!

Interview on FOX 6
Mar. 06, 2009

You may remember I did numerous interviews during the Wisconsin State Fair with FOX 6! This television station likes to feature agriculture and unique events in Milwaukee. This morning, I joined Kim Murphy to discuss the Taste Wisconsin activity, National Nutrition Month, and some fruits and vegetables from our state.

Before packing up this Friday, try these clues about a great Wisconsin product.

This vegetable is a good source of carbohydrates for energy and is also a source of Vitamin C to help our bodies fight off infections.

This was the first vegetable grown in space thanks to research by NASA and UW-Madison.

Mashed, baked, or friend they are the most popular vegetable – possibly the only vegetable that all fourth graders I work with like.

Do you know? It is potatoes! Wisconsin ranks third in the nation in potato production. Good thing since potatoes are included in at least 1/3 of all meals eaten in the United States. Although most people eat the white version of this popular vegetable, it actually can be found in a range of colors like blue, red, and yellow gold! About 86,000 acres of potatoes are grown in Wisconsin each year.

Thank you FOX 6 for your support and Mary Andrae for coordinating the interview!

School Visits Before Leaving for the Weekend
Mar. 06, 2009

Today I visited three more schools in Milwaukee before coming back to Madison for weekend events. I greeted the three classes at Browning School early this morning. I was impressed with how well the large group of students listened in the library. They asked great questions about agriculture and had some questions I couldn’t answer about sheepdogs!

I spent the late morning at Keefe Avenue School. At this school, I only met with one classroom, but they were filled with information about Wisconsin farms. One boy even know that emus and ostriches could be found on Wisconsin farms – I was impressed! The group really enjoyed coming up to the Taste Wisconsin board to add pictures of some of our favorite products.

Finally, I arrived at Congress School for two presentations. With four fourth grade classes, I gave the presentation twice so more students could become involved. It worked really well! While one group had a hard time keeping focus on Friday afternoon, they did have a lot of fun. The other group had just learned about dairy farming and had many interesting questions and comments!

A Thursday in Milwaukee
Mar. 05, 2009

Good morning Milwaukee! I gave two presentations at U.S. Grant School. My first presentation was with one class of eager students. It was special when Barb Rodriguez-Graf and some of the food service staff joined me for the presentation. They wore “got milk?” on their aprons to match my own! We discussed the importance of three to four servings of dairy a day. Cheese, yogurt, and milk have essential vitamins and minerals for our diets.

My second Grant presentation included two classes. Some students were eager to come up to the Taste Wisconsin board while others hesitated. I enjoyed sharing fun facts like the longest carrot – 19 feet, 2 inches – and the biggest pig – 2,552 pounds! All students were eager to try Wisconsin cheese after the presentation.

In the afternoon, I made my way to Cooper School. At Cooper, the teacher had a large display of previous Alice in Dairyland posters. I promised the teacher a large, autographed poster in the mail. In the meantime, I stayed after the presentation to sign over 30 postcards for each of the students. They were big fans and very intelligent! They guessed the answers very quickly with their agricultural knowledge.

Finally, my last class was at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning. With warm weather outside, it was also warm inside the classroom. The students didn’t seem to mind, however, since they asked many questions about dairy farming! The group had seen videos about farming and asked questions from what you feed to baby calves – milk, milk replacer, calf pellets, and hay – to how much a cow eats each day – about ninety pounds of feed and a bathtub filled with water.

Before I went back to the hotel, I enjoyed dinner with my friends at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and Department of Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection. It was enjoyable to share our stories about the Milwaukee school visits. I learn a lot from each of these women everyday – they guide me so I can give clues like this – try it!

A super source of Vitamin K – another nutrient we need to build strong bones and to help our blood clot when we bleed.

Frozen, canned or fresh, you don’t have to be a green giant to enjoy this vegetable.

It may be named for the noise it makes when its fresh – a snap!

It is green beans! Wisconsin produces 1/3 of the nation’s green beans, ranking us first in the nation! Wisconsin grows over 265,000 tons each year or 530 million pounds.

Continuing the MPS Tour
Mar. 04, 2009

Today I had groups of students with lots of energy and excitement. I started my morning at the Milwaukee Sign Language School. Although all the students at the school can use and understand sign language, only about 20% of the students rely on it. Because of this, the staff and students continue to learn together. I was lucky to have an interpreter right next to me for the entire presentation. She did a great job at keeping up with me talking fast as always! I told the students how wonderful it was to learn sign language at a young age. I continue to meet students that have skills I admire!

After a group picture, I went to the Curtain Leadership Academy. At this school, two fourth grade classes joined to learn about Wisconsin agriculture. This group of students was fast to guess the answer. How fast can you guess this agriculture fact:

One small serving, about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand, gives your body ZIP, Zinc, Iron, and Protein!

You may eat this meat from a large animal grilled, with vegetables in stew, or ground up in tacos.

If you combined the total number of animals raised for this meat with the total number of dairy cows, you would have 3.4 million cattle in Wisconsin!

Do you know the meat from cattle – BEEF! Include beef in your dinner. Wisconsin ranks ninth in the nation in beef production. America’s favorite sandwich is the burger – 86% of Americas eat at least one burger a year. Some people like me eat at least one burger A DAY! I always enjoy challenging the students to understand how many quarter pound hamburgers are in each cow – 720 – that is a lot of beef!

Curtain Leadership Academy wouldn’t let me go without taking part in Leadership Lunch. Students from each grade are selected every month to take part in a leadership lunch. The students learn about leadership skills as well as sharing a fancy meal with several servings and proper etiquette. I enjoyed personally talking to students from first to eighth grades. I thought this was a great idea for a reward for good behavior. The food was also delicious – lasagna – one of my favorite foods!

My afternoon included a visit to Manitoba Elementary and the Hmong American Peace Academy. At Manitoba, the students came in from lunch recess to participate in Taste Wisconsin. The group had lots of questions about famous people I have met in my life – President Obama, Bobby Flay, and state officials made the list. One of the students tried to be clever and see if I had met the characters of Alice in Wonderland – the answer was no since I am in America’s Dairyland! They also asked about many harvesting animals and crops. I became a little lost on my way to the Peace Academy, but the group forgave me when we had fun with the Taste Wisconsin activity and left Wisconsin Colby Cheese. This group of students were very polite and put a lot of effort into thinking of the top Wisconsin industries.

I drove my Tahoe back to the hotel for a night of work and relaxation. We are half way done with the third school blitz!

Interview on WTMJ - Channel 4
Mar. 03, 2009

Alice in Dairyland’s key partner is the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, which includes the Wisconsin Dairy Council. Mary Andrae of the Wisconsin Dairy Council worked hard to schedule these six days of visits and two interviews!

At the noon hour, I interviewed with WTMJ – Channel 4. I couldn’t believe the warm welcome I got from the news team. I made a display of fresh Wisconsin products and a mini-replica of the Taste Wisconsin board. These props worked well to promote the strong history and future of Wisconsin agriculture.

I started the interview by challenging Diane Pathieu with a question about Wisconsin cheese! While she couldn’t guess Muenster from my clues, she was a great sport and had help from her co-anchors! Diane then continued by asking about why agriculture was important and why we were teaching this lesson in MPS. I shared my background on a farm and discussed how agriculture impacts each of our lives. I shared fun facts about cabbage for sauerkraut, corn for food and fuel, and cranberries for our state fruit!

I really had a good time with the crew and look forward to working with them again. Even off the air, we joked about last summer’s Cream Puff Eating Contest (I lost – Brian the Meteorologist won) and other agricultural issues. Thank you Diane and Chris for making this interview possible! Thank you to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for your continued support!

Visiting Milwaukee Schools
Mar. 03, 2009

I had some great groups of students today! At all three schools I went to today, I didn’t have to ask students to be quiet once. Everyone was attentive and interested in the game. Groups asked great questions, and I felt very lucky to be able to meet such wonderful staff and students.

I started my morning early at Humbolt Park School. Even though over 60 students had to fit in one room, the students were great at participating and answered questions very well! It is a rule in the classes to answer in a complete sentence. Instead of just yelling out an answer, the students would say, “Agriculture is a business, because it gives $51.5 billion to the state’s economy each year.” That is impressive!

At Whittier Elementary School, the students were excited to be featured in my blog pictures. The group asked questions about my job as Alice such as if it was fun! Yes – this job is very fun! I challenged the group to think about clues like this:

Almost half of the cheese used in restaurants is this variety.

Wisconsin makes over 750 million pounds of this cheese each year to be a favorite ingredient in pizza.

Saturday night is the most popular night for pizza – and Americans eat about 350 slices of pizza every second!

Do you know this cheese – Mozzarella!?! Wisconsin ranks second in the nation for making Mozzarella cheese. Wisconsin produces ¼ of the United States supply of this cheese. Today as a treat, students received a stick of Mozzarella String Cheese!

I also made a stop to Burdick Schools to talk to two groups of students. They were very interested in the game and asked if we grew Pomegranates in Wisconsin – no – it is too cold! Another boy asked where venison came from. I explained that pork comes from pigs, beef from cows, and venison from deer. Even though the students today didn’t live on farms, they understood their connection to agriculture. No matter where you live – food, fuel, and fiber are important to your life!

My First Day at MPS
Mar. 02, 2009

This morning I broke through the traffic to visit four different schools in Milwaukee. I am constantly impressed with how unique each school is! My first school was Barton Elementary School. I spoke to two fourth grade classes in the gym. The group had many questions about dairy farming including how calves are born and if it is true that robots can milk cows! I really enjoyed the intelligent questions about agriculture. The students asked about how much a cow needed to eat each day and how milk got in and out of the udder! I didn’t have to tell the group to pay attention once – they were interested and fantastic!

My second school was Dr. Benjamin Carson’s Academy of Science. This group also asked many questions about dairy farming. We discussed the seven dairy breeds and why there are more Holstein dairy animals in Wisconsin than any other breed. This group was most interested in if you could milk bulls and wondering if I had any knowledge about rodeos like bull riding – I do not by the way. The group had a lot of fun with the game.

The third stop today was 21st Street School in Milwaukee. Although I had a small group of only 31 students, they had a lot of energy! Each student wanted to participate and answer the clues. Try this clue I gave the students:

Known as a hutrient, Super Fruit, this is an excellent source of Vitamin A for healthy eyes, Vitamin C to fight infections, and antioxidants for a healthy heart.

There are 7,000 of these on an average tree, and it takes 250 to make a pie – that’s 28 pies per tree.

You may think it’s the pits that most of this delicious fruit – 95% - comes from Door County. This fruit may be found on top of an ice cream Sundae anywhere you go!

Do you know – cherries! Wisconsin ranks fifth in the nation for cherry production. Door County grows 10 million pounds of cherries each year. Using a shaking machine and special shaker frames, a tree can be harvested in 7 seconds! Door County is famous for trees since Lake Michigan tempers the winter winds and cools the hot summer to protect the trees.

The last school of the day was the Milwaukee French Immersion School. I am so impressed that these young students are learning a second language everyday while I barely remember any of my French from high school. I tip my tiara to this group of hard-working students and teachers. I brought a Taste Wisconsin board for this presentation and left the class with a delicious piece of cheese!

After my vists, I headed to my hotel for office work and prep for tomorrow’s school visits and interviews!

From the Farm to the Big City
Mar. 01, 2009

Alice in Dairyland has been keeping me very busy the last two months so I haven’t been able to practice my milking skills as often as I would like! This weekend I enjoyed some time on the farm milking cows, feeding calves, throwing sand, and playing with the family pets – including Oliver the Goat and Alex’s, my little brother, puppies – Buzz and Wishbone. So cute!

After a weekend back in the country with friends and family, I headed to Milwaukee for six days of school visits! I am excited for this next adventure speaking to the urban audience about my rural upbringing and the impact of agriculture.

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Contact the Alice In Dairyland Program at:
2811 Agriculture Dr. PO Box 8911
Madison WI 53708-8911
Phone (608) 224-5127