Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal Archive

Taste Wisconsin and a Radio Interview
Apr. 30, 2009

I was lucky to have four great school presentations today in the Holmen and La Crosse School Districts! In the morning, I visited Viking Elementary School to meet four classes. The teachers were very welcoming to me and had taught their students a lot of information about the Wisconsin dairy industry.

At Spence Elementary School, I set-up my Taste Wisconsin display in the library to meet three elementary school classes. At this school, the teachers and students were very interested in Taste Wisconsin and all of the agricultural industries. The students also had many questions about Alice in Dairyland including wanting to know my favorite cheese, fruit, vegetable, and meat!

Try these Taste Wisconsin clues:

This is a super source of Vitamin K, which is a nutrient we need to build strong bones and to help build blood clots when we have a scrape.

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

It may be named for a noise made when this vegetable is fresh – a snapping sound.

There are more than 200 different types – some are yellow, purple, red, or striped – in Wisconsin, we know the green type.

That’s right – green beans! Wisconsin ranks first in the nation in green bean production producing a third of the United States green bean crop. Wisconsin grows over 265,000 tons of green beans each year or about 530 million pounds. Remember your green beans from Wisconsin as one of your vegetable servings.

Before seeing friends for the night, I made a stop to see Chris Collins of the La Crosse Radio Group. I have really enjoyed getting to know Chris this year doing many interviews that he tapes for different stations. With Chris, I spoke about the Taste Wisconsin program as well as the end of my Alice in Dairyland year. I can’t believe I only have a month left. This has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Three Groups of Students
Apr. 29, 2009

My days of doing the Taste Wisconsin presentation are coming to an end, but I am having fun! I still can’t believe the student questions. A good example was today at Evergreen Elementary School. One student asked what male cows, bulls, were used for. I explained that two main reasons are for meat and breeding. A student then asked how you can tell a bull from a cow. I pointed out that a cow has an udder and gives milk while a bull does not. Another student raised their hand to ask what breeding was, and many other hands went up to ask about how a cow becomes pregnant, how a cow has a baby, and why farmers need to breed cows. These students wanted to learn everything about the dairy industry!

Eagle Bluff Elementary had two groups of students waiting for my arrival. The first class was smaller and didn’t have many questions. The students were intense listeners and were ready to play the game. They had a competitive spirit and seemed to really like guessing the Wisconsin cheeses, crops, and animals. The second group was a big fan of the Alice in Dairyland position and wanted to know about everything from the Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe to how Wisconsin harvests our state fruit, cranberries!

Two Television Interviews and a Radio Interview
Apr. 29, 2009

I woke up early this morning to drive to La Crescent, Minnesota to tape an interview with Amy DuPont of WXOW television. Live on the morning news, we described the Taste Wisconsin activity and what makes Wisconsin America’s Dairyland producing 2.9 billion gallons of milk each year from 1.2 million cows.

After speaking with Amy, I traveled to La Crosse to tape an interview with Eleanor St. John on KQEG television. On KQEG, we tape a thirty minute program. Eleanor and I had a great conversation about Alice in Dairyland, agriculture, and the purpose of Taste Wisconsin. Although we didn’t play the trivia game, we instead spoke about the main industries in the state. Eleanor said she learned a lot from our interview, and I said that I still learn something new everyday!

After two interviews on television, I taped a monthly radio interview with Bob Meyer of Marshfield. Bob is a true friend of Wisconsin agriculture, and we taped a long interview about the poultry, alpaca, and flower industry. He also took time to reflect on my year as the 61st Alice in Dairyland. I can’t believe I only have a month left in my year – it has been a wonderful experience!

Three Taste Wisconsin Presentations
Apr. 28, 2009

I started my Tuesday at Holy Ghost Elementary School in Chippewa Falls. I was joined at the school by Jodi Kauth, one of the six Alice in Dairyland finalists. This group of students was very interested in the role of Alice in Dairyland. Jodi introduced herself and explained to students how the long selection works. She emphasized that you apply in January and the selection isn’t until May – that is a long interview process! The students also wanted to know what I did before and what I would do after Alice in Dairyland. I explained to the students that I finished college for education and communications before applying for Alice and will continue work in agriculture after this year is over. Someday, I will be a teacher!

Jodi and I then traveled to Parkview Elementary School. Since Jodi is from the area in Loyal, she spoke about how dairy is the largest part of agriculture in the local area and in Wisconsin. With the students, I presented the Taste Wisconsin interactive activity for two groups. The students did a great job answering the clues I gave them. Try these clues:

This was first harvested or gathered in Wisconsin from low lying wetlands and dried for winter diets by Native Americans.

It is a good source of protein, a super source of manganese (a mineral we need for strong bones), and a source of fiber.

This grows best in cold climates and is native to Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest.

A teacher at Parkview Elementary was very interested in this crop – wild rice! Twelve northern Wisconsin counties harvest this crop that must be gathered using small boats or canoes. Grain is collected with wooden sticks called flails. Some grains fall in the canoe and others fall back in the water for future growth. Did you know there are 40,000 different types of rice grown world-wide! Try the dark colored wild rice today!

School Visits in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls
Apr. 27, 2009

My morning presentation was at Stillson Elementary School. Three classes enjoyed the Taste Wisconsin activity. One student was very interested in the benefits of ethanol or E85 since his mom had a flex-fuel vehicle. I tried to point out that ethanol is a local fuel produced from Wisconsin corn that burns cleaner with a higher octane rating. One of the teachers asked if the fourth grade visits were tiring, and I said NO! I discussed how I like working with the students and that every group is different with many questions to ask. I really enjoy it and will miss it. I can’t believe this is my last week of school blitzes.

I had two more class presentations today. I did a presentation at Immaculate Conception in Eau Claire. The teachers and principal were very excited to have Alice in Dairyland at their school for the FIRST TIME! It was great to visit this school since I knew one of the fourth graders, Sarah Andre. I am friends with Sarah’s family, and we took time to take a picture.

My last class of the day was at Longfellow Elementary School. These students had many questions for me about Alice in Dairyland, and I was happy to answer them. I really enjoy questions like if I know every city in the state – not yet (I wish!) – and if I keep the Chevrolet Tahoe – no (I wish!). This group did a fantastic job participating in the Taste Wisconsin activity.

Promoting Agriculture with Local Media
Apr. 27, 2009

I woke up early on Monday morning to speak with Cassy Clark on Channel 19 about the Taste Wisconsin program. I explained that this program is possible with cooperation from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. Cassy asked how the game worked, and I said that it is an interactive game that explains the economic and nutritional impact of agriculture. She was up for some trivia so I quizzed her about our official state beverage from our 1.2 million cows. Of course, the answer is milk! Wisconsin produces about 2.9 billion gallons of milk each year so we can all get enough calcium for our 206 bones. Did you get your 3-4 servings of dairy today?

On the noon show with Andrew Fefer, it was fun to explain the Taste Wisconsin game and recap my experiences on Channel 13. This station has been very supportive of the Alice in Dairyland position throughout the year as well so it was fun to preview the 62nd Alice in Dairyland selection this month.

I also had two radio interviews today. In the morning, I taped an interview with Rae Nell Halbur. Rae Nell has been terrific this year taping monthly updates. Ottery Transportation sponsored this monthly spot where we highlighted different agricultural industries. Today, Rae Nell made me describe what I learned this year in just a few words. This is the statement I came up with: “Agriculture is diverse, and I am lucky to be a part of it.” In the evening, I taped a radio interview with Amber Gonske. With Amber, I quizzed her about numerous clues from Taste Wisconsin like how our state grows wild rice, cabbage, and more!

AWA Breakfast on the Farm
Apr. 26, 2009

This morning even though the skies were gray and rain was coming down again, the Association of Women in Agriculture (AWA) women were hard at work with smiles on their faces. AWA is a professional, service, and social organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During my years at UW, I was proud to be a member and officer. Each year, these women organize a successful Breakfast on the Farm serving over a thousand people.

Today, despite the weather, I had a wonderful time greeting guests. Laura Elliot, the Wisconsin Holstein Princess, introduced me to the audience, and I thanked the group for coming to the breakfast and supporting the organization and local producers. When you drink milk or eat products from Wisconsin, you are supporting local farmers, businesses, and the economy. After leaving the microphone, I spent the remainder of the morning meeting the young and young at heart while waiting in the line! Despite damp conditions, many people lined up for this home-cooked breakfast. After breakfast, visitors could go inside the Stock Pavilion to see a petting zoo and many educational displays.

Congratulations AWA on a wonderful event! It was great to be back – and not cooking food or cleaning pans! Talking to the visitors was a lot of fun! I recommend this breakfast or any June Dairy Month event to everyone!

Governor's Earth Day Celebration
Apr. 25, 2009

At this moment, I was supposed to be welcoming over 1,000 families to the Executive Residence for the Governor’s Earth Day Celebration 2009. Because of rain and stormy weather, we unfortunately had to cancel the event keeping me inside at the office!

The Governor’s Earth Day Celebration is an opportunity to welcome 450 youth and their families to the home of Governor Doyle and First Lady Doyle. Students have a chance to play games, hear speakers, learn about the environment, and take home many treats. This event has evolved from the original Governor’s Egg Hunt. The theme of this year’s Earth Day event was “Wisconsin…Planted in the past, Growing towards the future.” What a wonderful theme to reflect on Wisconsin’s connection to Earth Day almost forty years ago and today.

The idea for Earth Day started in 1962, but Earth Day was started by former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970. Senator Nelson saw a need to put environmental issues in the spotlight. In the first year, it is estimated about 20 million people and thousands of schools and communities organized to make a difference in our world. Earth Day has continued to grow since this first year.

Wisconsin has 76,000 farms totaling over 15 million acres of land. That is about half, 44 percent, of the land in our state. This land provides places for our crops as well as places for our wildlife. Our farmers depend on clean water and good soil to grow crops and raise animals. Our state is home to 14,000 lakes and 2,000 miles of trout streams. This water needs to be clean for swimming, fishing, and boating. There are many things we can all do to make everyday Earth Day. Wisconsin agriculture has a strong tradition and strong future. As our industry continues to modernize and innovate to be profitable, our farmers remain committed to a healthy environment.

Thank you to the staff and volunteers who donated their time to organize this fantastic event that just couldn’t happen in our rainy conditions today! I am looking forward to the event in 2010!

The Great Midwest Alpaca Festival
Apr. 25, 2009

I met my friend Mary Sternitzky at the Alliant Energy Center this morning for The Great Midwest Alpaca Festival. This is the seventh year of the event, and there was a great group of venders, breeders, and alpacas. This event offers advanced information and a spectacular show for the expert breeders and a great chance for beginners to learn about the industry.

There are more than 10,000 alpaca breeding operations in the United States. Wisconsin has more than 300 established alpaca breeders with almost 4,500 animals, according to the Alpaca Registry, Inc. This is an industry that continues to grow each year. In the summer of 2006, there was officially over 100,000 alpacas in the United States.

While at the festival, I greeted the crowd explaining that food, fuel, and fiber are part of the $51.5 billion agriculture industry. The alpaca aspect of the fiber industry continues to grow. I congratulated breeders for their quality and quantity of animals at the show. Once off the microphone, I tried my hand at spinning. There were some great moments of me trying to use a spinning wheel. It takes coordination of the hands to draw the alpaca fiber through at the proper speed and thickness. Your feet need to move in combination with your hands to keep the wheel moving consistently. Patient teachers were key to the success of my small, but wonderful, string of alpaca yarn I made!

I really enjoyed myself and met many great people. Some people who raised alpacas, some who wanted to, and others who were just interested in making the alpaca fiber final products.

Remember that alpacas were domesticated more than 6,000 years ago, but were introduced to the United States in 1984. There are two types of alpaca: huacaya whose fleece has a wavy, crimpy quality that grows perpendicular to the skin and the suris with a lustrous fine fiber that hangs in ringlets vertical to the skin. An adult alpaca may weigh about 150 pounds and stand about 5 ½ feet tall.

People are attracted to alpacas for many reasons. They can be resold as breeding stock for their quality genetics or raised for their valuable fiber. There is a strong market for the animals and fiber, but some people raise them as a pet or hobby animals. These social and intelligent animals can live about 20 years or more with good care. Alpacas are clean animals that leave waste in one area and six or seven alpacas can share an acre. These modified ruminants with a three-compartment stomach rely on grass, hay, and mineral.

The gestation of an alpaca is about 11 ½ months. A baby or cria is usually about 12 – 25 pounds at birth. Birthing usually happens naturally, and the cria should be standing and nursing within 30 minutes of delivery. The cria start eating grass within one week of birth and can be weaned around six months of age.

Alpaca fleece comes in 22 natural colors. The fiber is free of lanolin making the processing easier. The alpaca fiber is strong and has a silky feel. Shearing happens once a year in the spring. Feel the difference with alpaca fiber!

For more information about The Great Midwest Alpaca Festival, visit http://www.gmaf.info/.

Pictures to come from Mary soon!

My Last Day of This Blitz
Apr. 24, 2009

I visited two schools to give four Taste Wisconsin presentations today. In the morning, I made a visit to Sunrise Elementary School. In the large group meeting area, I presented to the eager fourth grade students. The first group was very interested in the job of Alice in Dairyland and asked my favorite question, “Can boys be Alice in Dairyland?” I always answer that for 61 years Alice in Dairyland has been a female, but if you are a male and like to talk, travel Wisconsin, and promote agriculture, there are other jobs you can do! We all can be spokespersons for Wisconsin agriculture.

My second group worked hard to guess the Wisconsin products I was giving clues about. Try these clues:

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

It was the first vegetable grown in space thanks to research by NASA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Although most people eat the white version of this popular vegetable, it actually can be found in a range of colors such as blue, red, or yellow-gold.

That’s right – it is a potato. Potatoes are grown on 86,000 acres in Wisconsin. Each acre yields enough potatoes for your family to have a meal with French Fries every day for over 40 years. Potatoes are grown in all 50 states and in 125 other countries around the world. Wisconsin ranks 3rd in potato production.

My last two presentations were at Freedom Elementary School. I presented in a special room off the library that worked perfect for the Taste Wisconsin activity and class pictures. I was happy to be joined by the Freedom Pursuit, local newspaper. Media is the key to helping spread the great news about Wisconsin agriculture, and we appreciate their support.

After a week in the area, I finally made my way south to Madison for a weekend full of busy activities!

Schools in Appleton and Little Chute
Apr. 23, 2009

Today I split the day between Appleton and Little Chute. In the morning, I first presented at Fox River Academy, a Charter School. This large class was very impressed with the Taste Wisconsin board and enjoyed learning about the different Wisconsin products. The class had learned about the importance of buying local to support local farmers, businesses, and economies during a lesson this week. I was impressed that the students understood this concept.

My second class was at the Jefferson Elementary School. These fourth grade students had many questions about specific facts. The group wanted to know where we ranked in everything from wheat to apples to strawberries. They also wanted to know how much food we produced. Wisconsin really is a grocery store for the state. We produce millions and millions of pounds of food each year. Here are some examples:

Wisconsin dairy farms producer 2.9 billion gallons of milk each year.

Wisconsin produces about 4.8 million pounds of strawberries each year.

Twenty million bushels of wheat are harvested in our state each year!

Our state grows about 59 million pounds of apples each year.

There are 1.4 billion eggs in Wisconsin each year to have your breakfast!

Wisconsin produces 3.8 million barrels of cranberries each year – that is the same weight as about 25,000 elephants!

Aren’t these great clues? Thanks to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, you can learn a lot about Wisconsin agriculture at www.wisdairy.com/tastewi!

The afternoon included a tornado drill and two presentations at Little Chute Elementary School. Both groups were interested in the position of Alice in Dairyland and asked many questions about my daily work and selection. The students thought the job sounded like fun when I told them my main responsibility is to talk! The teachers at this school were fantastic! Thank you for another great day!

Earth Day with Taste Wisconsin
Apr. 22, 2009

It is Earth Day, and what a great way to celebrate by discussing Wisconsin agriculture at Appleton schools. My morning included two presentations at Johnston School. The first group had many, many questions about my job as Alice in Dairyland, and I was honored that they thought I was such a celebrity. My second group had less questions but was so excited about the game! This very competitive bunch all wanted to come up to the board and were quick to guess my clues.

Try these clues about a Wisconsin product!

Wisconsin grows over 300 different kinds of this fruit on trees.

This fruit has no fat or cholesterol and contains fiber to keep you healthy.

Seeds to plant these trees were brought to America on the Mayflower.

This tree was first planted in Wisconsin in about 1800 – to provide fruit for the farm family.

That’s right – apples grow on these trees! Trees begin to bear apples when about five years old and may produce fruit for as long as 200 years. Fresh apples will float because 25% of their volume is water.

My afternoon was filled with a stop at McKinley and Edison schools. I spoke to a large group of students at McKinley Elementary, and each student had a story they wanted to share. It was fun to hear their thoughts on topics and their questions. One girl really wanted to know about why cows were dehorned. I explained that it was safe for them, their herd, and the farmer when the horns were removed at a young age.

My last visit at Edison Elementary was with a class with two great teachers. I was impressed with how the teachers were involved in our discussion about agriculture. Each teacher shared their involvement in agriculture and helped answer student questions. The students were more interested since the teachers were passionate about the topic.

After a busy day, I went back to the hotel to have dinner with friends and spend time at my desk with my laptop. It is amazing how much there is to do as the year comes to a close in about 40 days! I can’t believe it – so sad!

Promoting Taste Wisconsin with Students & Me
Apr. 21, 2009

On a rainy Tuesday morning I made my way to the FOX-Channel 11 studio. I was really looking forward to this interview that was set up by Karen Doster of the Wisconsin Dairy Council since I had never been on this station before. I was given a warm greeting and lots of offers to help set up my Taste Wisconsin display.

This was a very fun interview with Rachel. She asked me about my experiences with the Taste Wisconsin presentation and wanted me to explain how the activity worked. I also included why it was important to educate students on food, fuel, and fiber. After our discussion, Rachel was ready for a challenge. I gave her four different Wisconsin products to guess: Mozzerella cheese, beef, milk, and cherries. She did a wonderful job and knew them all.

My first school visit was at Appleton Public Montessori School. I explained that agriculture has a strong tradition and future in Wisconsin. Wisconsin was named America’s Dairyland in 1939, but we started our agricultural heritage before that. Wisconsin has over 160 years of experience when it come sto dairy. Immigrants settled in Wisconsin from Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland because of available farmland.

After 1850, dairy farming became important in the state. Farms changed from wheat farms to dairy farms. Many families also started to begin cheesemaking to preserve extra milk. In 1841, the first cheesemaking factory was started by Mrs. Anne Pickett using milk from neighbors cows. In 1859, Hiram Smith started the first full scale cheese factory processing milk from dairy farmers for a percentage of profit from the finished cheese. Today we have 115 cheese factories, and one out of every four pounds of cheese in the United States is made by a Wisconsin cheesemakers.

At my second school visit today at St. Bernadette, my friend Mike Austin of Channel 5 came to take video of the Taste Wisconsin presentation and get an interview for television and radio. The students did a good wonderful job of focusing on the game and not the camera! Mike was a wonderful interview as always asking about how the game also educates students about good nutrition. I explained how we talk about how certain foods give us different vitamins and minerals and that we should have three to four servings of dairy per day.

My last two presentations today were at Woodland Elementary School. I was joined by 62nd Alice in Dairyland finalist, Peggy Dierickx, who introduced herself to the group and joined me in the presentation explaining the role of Alice in Dairyland and how selection works. I had to smile when one of the young ladies asked Peggy why she wanted to become Alice in Dairyland – this student should be on the selection panel with her great question! Remember the Alice in Dairyland Finals are May 13 – 15, 2009 in Burlington. Visit www.aliceindairyland.com to learn more about how you came be there! I had a great afternoon at the schools with the energetic students – let’s hope for nice weather tomorrow so the students can have outside recess again!

Before I went to dinner tonight with family, I joined Robbie Johnson of WHBY for a radio interview. I showed Robbie a small replica of the Taste Wisconsin game. I explained to the listeners about the importance of agriculture to everyone in urban and rural areas. Before I left the studio, Robbie had me use my trivia clues about Wisconsin products to quiz his listeners. The prize for guessing my clues: Brewer tickets! Wow! It was fun to give the most difficult clues to try and stump our listeners, but they were smart and will be going to a baseball game next week! Congratulations!

School Visits in Rock Ledge and Black Creek
Apr. 20, 2009

What a fantastic way to kick off the sixth week of school blitzes with great classes and media coverage! I have to admit though – I was surprised when I walked out my hotel to see snow falling!

My morning started with three presentations at Rock Ledge Elementary School in Seymour. I was impressed with the enthusiasm of the students and warm welcome from the teachers. These groups had learned about agriculture and showcased for me their knowledge of the seven dairy breeds. I had a great time, and one of the teachers e-mail me pictures and labeled his class, “The Best Class in the World!” I thought that was great.

FOX-Channel 11 of Green Bay joined me at Rock Ledge. They took footage of my presentation, interviewed two students, and asked me a few questions. It was fun to watch the students being interviewed and explain what they learned. One boy told the camera that the most memorable fact from the Taste Wisconsin game was that Big Bill weight 2,552 pounds and holds the record for the largest pig. He made me laugh.

My afternoon included a visit to Black Creek Elementary School. The students were very attentive even after an inside recess. During the Taste Wisconsin presentation, we always discuss why Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland. The Wisconsin dairy industry contributes $20.6 billion to the state’s economy. That compares to more than twice the amount that oranges bring to the state of Florida and more than eight times the amount that potatoes produce in Idaho. The average dairy cow generates over $17,000 a year in economic activity, which circulates throughout local communities.

Wisconsin’s 1,200 licensed cheesemakers craft more than 600 varieties, types, and styles of cheese making our state first in the nation in cheese production. Wisconsin has 115 cheese plants producing more than 2.2 billion pounds of cheese each year – almost 30% more than the second highest producing state, California.

America’s Dairyland, Wisconsin, is noticed around the world for its quality and quantity of dairy. Wisconsin is the nation’s top dairy exporter, accounting for more than 21% of the United States total. As Alice in Dairyland, I am honored to represent this state’s dairy tradition and future!

On My Way to Appleton
Apr. 19, 2009

On a rainy afternoon, I filled the Tahoe with 36 Taste Wisconsin display boards, boxes of posters and handouts, a cooler of cheese, and luggage! I was on my way to Appleton! It is amazing how many materials one person needs for a week.

I am really looking forward to this school blitz. Working with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, we plan to reach about 1,600 students in Outagamie and Calumet counties in just one week! I am sure to be busy with media interviews and a tour of area schools.

Taste Wisconsin is a great way to educate students about agricultural diversity! Stay tuned to stories from the week and fun trivia about our state’s leading industry!

Wine & Roses Festival
Apr. 18, 2009

Tonight I had the opportunity to dress up for an event at the Nakoma Country Club of Madison. The Alzheimer’s Association of South Central Wisconsin hosted its Second Annual Wine & Roses Event. This event is a fundraiser that allows guests to taste wines from vineyards across the country, enjoy hors d’oeuvres, and learn about the impact of Alzheimer’s disease.

I really enjoyed the social time visiting each vineyard’s display learning about wine production across the country. There were some wonderful Wisconsin wineries on hand, and I enjoyed meeting new friends. Bill was the official photographer, and he spent the night taking pictures of me with each display.

I also spent time visiting with the many guests. The people in attendance are great leaders in our state and were there to support this great cause. It was appropriate I was at this event tonight as my grandmother has suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia for years, and recently life has become more difficult for her. I recognize the importance of prevention and treatment of this disease.

The highlight of the night was an auction with Tom and Sandy Morris. I assisted Tom and Sandy with selling 11 lots of fine wine, trips, and tours. They were all valued at “priceless” so we encouraged people to bid high and bid often! It was a lot of fun and very successful raising money for research. The entire audience was very supportive of me in my role as Alice in Dairyland.

Thank you to Carol Koby, a past Alice in Dairyland, for inviting me to this event! It was a great evening!

The Big Read at the Elegant Farmer
Apr. 18, 2009

On this great Saturday morning, I traveled to Mukwanago to The Elegant Farmer. Do you remember my last visit to this beautiful orchard, restaurant, market, and store? In September, I came to The Elegant Farmer and was a judge on a Throwdown With Bobby Flay! It was an amazing day, and it was made extra special when the Wisconsin Apple Pie Baked in a Paper Bag prevailed as the winner against this professional chef.

The Elegant Farmer has been recognized nationally for its apple pie, and each year the farmers bake about 250,000 pies! These farmers are friends of agriuclture and friends of the community hosting many family events. Today, they hosted The Big Read.

The Big Read is a community reading initiative that also ties into Earth Day. The Whitewater University has been doing activities during the entire month of April promoting the Harper Lee book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Today, individuals and groups could participate in a free talent contest called a Bird Calling contest. While a few participants tried to do a bird call, it was basically a talent competition for people to showcase their singing, dancing, or reading ability. My role was to judge the talented competitors based on their creativity, costume, connection to the book, and quality.

It was fun to see adults and young children participate in the talent competition. Each participant recieved a generous gift certificate from The Elegant Farmer. Our winning contestant was a boy who had actually researched a Mockingbird call and did a great job. I was impressed with this event. It was fun and promoted reading. I took home a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird to read this wonderful book again – it has been years since English 2 with Ms. Waugh when I read it last!

Thank you to The Elegant Farmer for hosting this event, all the volunteers for organizing fun youth activities and the contest, and for all the visitors.

E85 Event in Lena, Wisconsin
Apr. 17, 2009

On this beautiful Friday, I drove north to Lena, Wisconsin to celebrate a grand opening of an E85 station. To generate excitment and encourage many visitors, the visitors offered E85 for 85 cents a gallon from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. That’s a deal! There was also dinner grilled by the Lena Fire Department and other in-store specials.

E85 offers residents and visitors of Lena another option with their flex-fuel vehicle. This event was sponsored by the American Lung Association in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Clean Air Choice Team since E85 has a positive impact on air quality reducing both ozone-forming and particle pollution by 20 percent. E85 is usually a less expensive choice at the pump as well!

There are many other benefits to this renewable fuel as well. Nancy of the Wisconsin Corn Growers was also on hand to take pictures and answer questions. E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. This fuel is also known to provide more horsepower than standard gasoline and have a higher octane rating than premium gasoline. We all had a great time speaking to the owners and customers. Many cars took advantage of this 85 cent deal!

The talk of this event was my Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe! Sponsored by the Wisconsin Corn Growers and Chevrolet GM, my brightly colored vehicle is a great way to promote this renewable fuel, home-grown fuel, E85.

The day is never complete without a media interview, and we were lucky to be joined by Larry of WOCO Radio. WOCO Radio is located in Oconto and have been very supportive of me this year. Thank you Larry and your team for coming to the station to promote this event! Ethanol is part of the $51.5 billion agriculutre industry in Wisconsin!

Remember our Partners: Wisconsin Beef Council
Apr. 16, 2009

The weather is becoming warmer, and it is time to clean off the grill! When grilling this spring – or frying out as I like to call it in Sheboygan County – remember your beef!

This year, the Wisconsin Beef Council partnered with the Alice in Dairyland program to create a poster that I have been distributing across the state. This poster explains the importance of the beef industry to the state economy and your diet. There are about 12,800 beef farms across the state. Beef is famous for giving your bodies lots of ZIP – Zinc, Iron, and Protein. Beef is also a very lean and healthy meat. There are 29 cuts of beef that have less grams of fat (per three-ounce serving) than a skinless chicken thigh.

For more information on beef, visit www.beeftips.com. Thank you the Wisconsin Beef Council for your support this year! Plan your fry out today and support a beef producer.

In Madison Thinking About America's Dairyland
Apr. 15, 2009

While today was a day set for rest and relaxation, I spent part of the day gearing up for next weeks school blitz in Outagamie County. Karen Doster of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) has been organizing five days of fun with Taste Wisconsin. Today I counted handouts and cheese for hundreds of students!

When thinking about WMMB, and America’s Dairyland, I came across this handout from the Value Added Dairy Initiative (VADI) giving 4,000 Reasons Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland. The VADI is working to expand marketing opportunities for value-added products and help restore Wisconsin’s dairy sector. The program strives to modernize dairy farms, increase production of higher valued products, add value for milk producers through enhanced supply chain management, increase recognition of Wisconsin milk and dairy products in consumer markets, and create innovative industry partnerships.

Here are the 4,000 Reasons Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland:

304 VADI grants for $3 million to producers, processors and local dairy groups in 5 years

317 Ag Development and Diversification (ADD) grants worth over $6 million since 1989

11 Technical Colleges with farm business and dairy herd management programs

1,400 Licensed cheese makers producing world-renown, quality cheeses

700 Dairy 2020 modernization grants for over $1.7 million since 1996

543 Professional Milk Hauling Services for our dairy producers

19 Real Estate Companies specialized in agricultural property

199 Dairy Processors making dairy products in Wisconsin

1 University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Profitability

1 Alice in Dairyland promoting Wisconsin nationwide

40 Professional Nutrient Management Applicators

3 University of Wisconsin Agricultural Campuses

76 Dairy Equipment Sales and Service Dealers

75 Custom Calf and Heifer Raising Businesses

31 Dairy Financial Management Consultants

6 Discovery Farms with hands-on research

71 Agriculture Construction Specialists

17 Dairy Facility Design Professionals

43 Wisconsin Master Cheese Makers

314 Agricultural Financial Lenders

170 Dairy Cow Feed Dealers

550 Dairy Veterinarians

1 World Dairy Expo

Sheboygan Falls High School
Apr. 14, 2009

Today I was close to home speaking to the agricultural classes at Sheboygan Falls High School. My uncle, Dan Huibregtse, is a police officer in Sheboygan Falls and encouraged the school to invite me! I really enjoyed my day with Bruce Brunner, the ag teacher, and the Falls students. It was fun to be at this school since it is a rival with my high school, Plymouth.

I put all high school rivalries aside when speaking with these students. The classes had a great understanding for the diversity of agriculture telling me they had learned about mint, ginseng, and mink! Mr. Brunner asked me many questions about my year and experience with industries such as alpaca and specialty cheese.

With four classes today, I presented Think Your Drink!, which is possible thanks to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. During this lesson, I ask students to identify what drinks they consume on a daily basis and why. Some students will say they drink coffee to stay awake, soda because it tastes good, and water since it is inexpensive. I then introduce the lesson that we are going to look at why we should drink certain beverages like milk since they are good for you.

We look at a nutrition label together identifying the importance of a serving size and calorie intake. We then identify the nine vitamins and minerals in milk. While we know Calcium and Phosphorus work together to help our bones and teeth, we may not realize that milk gives us other benefits as well like Riboflavin for energy.

Finally, the class looks at the sugar content of their favorite drinks. A Cola will have about 17 teaspoons of artificial sugars in a 20-ounce bottle compared to about six teaspoons of mostly natural sugars in a pint of chocolate milk. An artificially-flavored fruit punch may have as many as 21 teaspoons of sugar in a 20-ounce bottle. The result of our discussions, label observations, and game is: DRINK 3-4 SERVINGS OF DAIRY A DAY! Only 12% of teenage girls have enough Calcium in their diet, and only 32% of teenage boys have enough Calcium in their diet. Those are scary statistics since a lack of Calcium puts your body at risk for Osteoporosis later in life!

With my last class of the day, we focused on agricultural careers. We started the class by trying to identify all 300 careers in agriculture. We couldn’t think of them all so we started to do some research. About 419,556 Wisconsin citizens rely directly on agriculture for their jobs. About 12% of the workforce in our state is employed in an agricultural-related job.

The group looked at some career profiles I had brought along. Some of the careers we discussed were graphic design, ag engineering, ag teaching, dog training, and veterinary medicine. It was interesting that agricultural jobs may be outside on a farm, in an office, or in a laboratory. There are many options. We ended the class by playing a game, Jeopardairy, featuring Ag Careers. It was a great way to end a fun, educational day!

Dodgeville Kiwanis Meeting
Apr. 13, 2009

The Dodgeville Kiwanis Club works year-round to better their community and meets weekly to discuss business and enjoy great conversation. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. I am consistently impressed with these groups and the amount of time these adults volunteer!

I was the honored guest at lunch and the featured program. Jim Massey of The Country Today is a club member and arranged for me to present. After a delicious lunch, I explained my role as Alice in Dairyland. I explained how I am part of a long tradition in Wisconsin of 61 Alice in Dairylands. The position began in 1948 and has evolved to be the full-time contract position that it is now.

I used pictures to share stories about my year. From riding in a pumpkin to feeding carrots to an alpaca, numerous events have helped me to learn more about agriculture and teach others. Members afterwards came up to tell me how surprised they were by some of the facts. When I showed the picture of myself standing in a cranberry marsh, I explained that Wisconsin ranks first in the nation in this fruit, producing more than 50% of the nation’s crop. In 2007, Wisconsin harvested 3.71 million barrels of fruit. The first cranberry marshes date back to the 1830’s, but cranberries weren’t officially named the state fruit until April 5, 2004. Cranberries are wetland plants, but do not grow in water – they are simply harvested in water.

Because I was attending this meeting talking about agriculture, the Kiwanis Club also invited the Dodgeville FFA Officers to attend this meeting. The three officers and Mr. Mcgraw, their advisor, listened to my presentation and said that they learned a lot about the $51.5 billion agriculture industry! We even posed for a picture at the end of the afternoon.

Thank you to Jim for your contributions to agriculture and to the Kiwanis Club for your contributions to the greater Dodgeville area! I had a wonderful time today!

State Poultry Facts on this Holiday
Apr. 12, 2009

I learned a lot about poultry production on Thursday at Gold’n Plump, and yesterday I wrote the state’s egg production facts. The last piece to the puzzle is how significant is chicken and broiler production to Wisconsin – VERY!

Wisconsin ranks 21st in chicken production with about 5,697,000 head.

In 2007, the value of these chickens was totaled at $15,952,000.

Our state ranks 18th in broiler production with 47,100,000 head.

The value of broiler production in Wisconsin in 2007 was $86,895,000.

Enjoy your weekend with family and friends on this holiday! Good luck finding your basket filled with chocolate and treats!

A Day to Color Eggs
Apr. 11, 2009

Today is a day that my family colors eggs so I won’t be on the road today as Alice in Dairyland. Since I was thinking about eggs, I found these recent facts about the state’s egg industry:

Wisconsin produced 1.22 billion eggs in 2008.

There are about 4.55 million layers in Wisconsin.

Each layer had about 268 eggs this year – that is two more eggs per layer than the national average.

Wisconsin ranked 18th in the nation for egg production in 2007.

Most days, Wisconsin eggs are white or brown. Today they may be red, blue, green, yellow, or purple! Enjoy your Wisconsin eggs today in a basket or for breakfast!

Interview with Bob Bosold of WAXX
Apr. 10, 2009

Bob Bosold has been a great friend to the Alice in Dairyland program for years, and he has been a great friend of mine since my days with the Wisconsin CowParade. Today, I made a stop at the WAXX studios in Eau Claire since I was already on the western side of the state.

Bob and I spent a long time catching up off the air about his yearly travels across the world with farmers and other farm broadcasters. We finally turned on the microphones to tape two interviews. In the first interview, Bob asked about my year as Alice in Dairyland. I told Bob that as I reflect back, I cannot think of one negative thing to say. Even traffic jams were great ways to each people about my Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe! He asked what I learned, and I explained that I never knew how diverse Wisconsin agriculture really was. From ginseng to cherries and cabbage to mint, Wisconsin agriculture has a lot to be proud of.

Our second interview included a discussion about my upcoming week in the Eau Claire and La Crosse area, April 27 – May 1. During that week, I will talk to hundreds of students about agriculture through the Taste Wisconsin presentation. I explained to Bob that Taste Wisconsin is a huge display board that shows how food goes from the farm to the grocery store. I use this giant fantastic farm picture to show Wisconsin products that can be found at our stores and farmer’s markets. The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board makes this presentation possible and plans to reach about 15,000 students this year!

I gave Bob two of the clues to guess. While he knew cherries were from Door County, a “Super Fruit” with lots of nutrients, and shaken with a tree, he could not identify Muenster Cheese! Muenster Cheese is one of the 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese, has an orange outside with white inside, and reminds you of something that hides under your bed at night in the dark. It was a fun interview, and I really enjoyed my visit! Thank you Bob for your continued support! I am looking forward to my upcoming school blitz!

Tour of Gold'n Plump
Apr. 09, 2009

This morning I woke up early to drive to western Wisconsin for a tour of Gold’n Plump in Arcadia. Gold’n Plump processes over 160 million pounds of live birds annually in Arcadia alone – that is more than 3 million pounds of premium chicken each week! This chicken produces fresh, rotisserie, and whole cut-up chicken that is then sold in stores, foodservice customers, deli’s, and famous restaurant chains.

Arcadia is just one facility of the entire Gold’n Plump company headquartered in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The Gold’n Plump brand was launched in 1978, but there are years of history of quality poultry before that under different names. Gold’n Plump values its leadership in the poultry industry explaining that it was one of the first poultry companies to place a freshness date code on its products, voluntarily provide nutritional labeling, remove fat from the fresh tray pack products, and to utilize automatic chicken catching equipment.

Gold’n Plump purchased Arcadia Fryers in 1993. From 1993 through 1997, Gold’n Plump completed $40 million in plant expansions, built and remodeled area barns, added 200 jobs, completed a new $8 million feel mill, and doubled the processing plant’s annual production to 110 million pounds. In 2006, Gold’n Plump began a $38 million plant expansion to update processes, add employees and barns, and increase production. Now, Gold’n Plump has about 450 employees.

Today I took a complete tour of the Arcadia operation from the Hatchery to the Processing Plant. Rocky Lisowski, the Human Resource Manager, was kind to welcome me to Arcadia and arrange a great day!

I started in the Hatchery. Growing up, I always enjoyed hatching out eggs in our incubator, but I had never seen anything like this! The first room I entered was the staging area, which was filled with racks of eggs. A new machine in this room was a Rack to Setter Transfer System. This state of the art technology moves the eggs from a rack that actually was in the breeder barn collecting eggs to the setter rack that will hold the eggs through the first 18 days of incubation. With this fancy machine, one man can transfer 66-68 racks per day. There are 5,280 eggs on each rack. That means one man moves about 359,000 eggs each day alone!

In this staging area, the temperature is set to keep the eggs at metabolic zero. At about 81-82 degrees Fahrenheit, the embryo will start development so they have to be kept cooler. Eggs spend about four days in this staging area. Any more than that, and Gold’n Plump will have less hatching eggs. The age of the chicken laying the egg also changes the success of hatching eggs. An older chicken will lay a larger egg, but an older chicken will have less fertility. Most laying hens are about 35-65 weeks old.

Next I walked down the hall to the Setter Halls (also known as the Incubators). Gold’n Plump uses an all in, all out system allowing the most time for sanitation and biosecurity. Since the eggs actually release heat as the embryos grow, the cooling system is the most important machine in the Hatchery. The genetics of the chick breed used are known for the ability to transfer nutrients to muscle creating heat even while in the egg.

The incubator should be at about 99.5 – 100 degrees Fahrenheit when the eggs are placed inside. The desired temperature decreases as the incubation continues. Incubation is 504 hours or 21 days. Three factors are important to incubation: time, temperature, and moisture loss. You need to lose moisture during growing so the chick has space to grow. The pointed end should always be placed down so that the air cell grows on top as the egg loses moisture.

Eggs need to be turned – I remember that from my days on the farm. At Gold’n Plump, they are turned with a paddle every hour about 36 to 45 degrees. This prevents malposition.

At about 19 days, the eggs are removed from the incubator and setter rack. The eggs go through a machine that cuts a small hole in the shell and adds vaccine. For the last three days in the egg, the vaccine will be absorbed. The vaccination at this stage is for Merrick’s. Eggs are transferred by machine again to a hatching cart. This allows room for the chick to break out of its shell. Fourteen people process 900,000 chicks a week! The eggs are placed in a small room at 98 degrees Fahrenheit to hatch.

Chicks hatch on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. When all of the chicks have hatched that will, they are tipped out of the hatching cart. The chicks are separated from the shells and embryos that did not produced by an automatic machine. Can you tell the advanced technology of this operation – WOW! The chicks are counted by an electronic eye, sprayed with a second vaccination, and placed in a box to be taken to the farms. The second vaccine is for Newcastle and Bronchitis. In 37 days, these tiny chicks will be 4.3 pounds. I can’t believe it – they are so tiny and cute today. I had a chance to pet one! There were 115,000 in the room with me – I picked one! Each truck taking the boxes of chicks are identified. Record keeping is very important. Only about 3% of the chicks are lost during the entire hatching and growing process. That is success! No culling is done at the hatchery.

After the hatchery, I made my way to the Feed Mill. I learned about the many ingredients in the chicken feeds including soybeans, corn, limestone, bakery byproducts, and more! They estimate they go through 75,000 bushels of corn per week, and there are large bins at the mill to store it.

I walked through the mill to learn where the processes happen. Grinders with different size screens are used for different feeds. A chick feed needs to have smaller pieces, and a broiler growing ration has pellets in it. More energy and time is needed to grind the feed into small pieces.

After the feed is ground, it is mixed. Many ingredients are put together. Younger chicks need more nutrients added. Some feed is even dumped in by hand from bags, but most is electronically run by a computer and dumped from bins.

There are different feeds like Pullet Starter, Breeder Ration, Finisher, and Starter. Nutritionists work hard to make correct rations, and mechanics are needed to keep everything running. Two million pounds of feed were hauled this past Monday – WOW! Ingredients come from local farmers and businesses, and feed goes to the local poultry farms.

After a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, I made my way to a Broiler Barn filled with two-day-old chicks! Barns are owned by local farmers, and Gold’n Plump owns the birds. It is a great arrangement to benefit the farmers and the businesses in the area.

Barns are built to hold 53,000 birds in a 624 by 60 foot building. They grow for about 37 days to get to be 4.35 pounds on average. A grower gets about 6-7 flocks a year leaving about 12 days between flocks to clean.

There is an extensive generator system to back up the electric power. Birds need the ventilation and heating/cooling system to work year-round. The barn is kept at 89 degrees Fahrenheit when new chicks are put in. This temperature is decreased as the birds grow to about 74 degrees. The cool cells used to keep the barns are proper temperature are also state of the art!

Feed is brought in the barn with an auger, and is automatically fed throughout the day. The birds have access to feed and water 24 hours a day. Water is given to the birds in a nipple drinking system. Birds are attracted to the stainless steal shine so they catch on quickly as a chick! There is recycled paper laid under the feed trays since poultry has a tendency to scratch at the ground. Chickens are extremely efficient eating 1.75 pounds of feed to one pound of weight gain.

Oat hull bedding is used in the barns, which was once a waste product. Birds are given two hours of darkness when they are chicks and about eight hours of darkness as they become older.

Birds have a weak immune system so we used biosecurity precautions when touring – you should have seen my overalls and boots! Birds are culled during the growing process if they are limp, lame, dehydrated, non-attentive, or more than 20% behind the growth rate.

Birds are caught in the dark at about 37 days. To reduce stress, there is an automatic catcher. The birds are caught and taken to the processing plant – my last stop for the day!

At the processing plant, about 160,000 to 180,000 birds are processed per day. That is about 182 birds a minute. There are always USDA inspectors present during production to ensure safety of the food product. I walked through the processing plant learning how the inspectors ensure quality in each bird before it continues down the line. It was interesting to see all the meat, feathers removed, moving across the plant on this automatic transport system.

The gizzards are removed and exported to other countries. Feathers, bruised meat, and broken bones are also removed from the carcass. As the meat moves down the line, it is chilled in a large cold water bath. The meat falls off the automatic transport system into the vat. For over an hour, the meat stays in this large cold water vat to get down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

The second processing line includes taking the meat out of the chiller and rehanging all of the meat by hand. The meat then moves down the line to be weighed and graded electronically. It is amazing to me that the Vision Grader can tell if meat is an A, B, or C. I was a poultry judge in high school FFA – I know it is hard work!

Hearts, livers, and lungs go to a plant to make pet food. The quality meat goes to five different lines. Some birds are sold whole while others are cut up for trays in grocery stores, or cuts in restaurants. Some of your favorite restaurants get meat from Gold’n Plump! The meat is injected with marinade and packaged automatically. Each product has its own marinade. The meat will be marked as useable for 18 days.

The processing plant is producing meat 20 hours a day and being sanitized four hours a day. Even the boxes that the chicken is sent away in are made by machines. Did you know boxes come in three parts and this machine glues them together – I didn’t! The employees and technology are key to the success of Gold’n Plump!

Thank you Rocky for an excellent day – I learned a lot!

The End of the Fifth Blitz
Apr. 08, 2009

Today ended my short three day blitz in the Burlington area. I started the day with John and June Potter of the Racine County Dairy Promotion and St. John’s Lutheran School. The class had researched the Alice in Dairyland program so they were ready with questions about me, the Alice in Dairyland position, and how you said my last name. Although it has a lot of letters, my last name spelt Huibregtse, is pronounced HUE – BREX.

After signing postcards for my adoring fans at St. John’s, I made my way to Waterford for three elementary schools. Harold and Norma Ranke joined me again. At Trailside, the students were engaged by Taste Wisconsin. They really wanted to come up to the board and hear all the fun facts. Try these clues:

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

You can order this with your lunch at many fast food restaurants instead of a soda.

One cow produces more than 2,000 gallons each year or enough to make 32,000 cartons for school lunch.

I bet you guessed it – Chocolate Milk! And no – chocolate milk does not come from brown cows. I emphasized that many times today. Chocolate milk has the same essential nutrients as white milk!

My afternoon was spent at Evergreen and Woodfield Elementary Schools in Waterford. These schools had students with a lot of energy. At Evergreen, Harold and Norma gave a special treat since their grandson is a fourth grader! At Woodfield, the students had many questions about what the difference is between a fruit and a vegetable. Even the teachers became involved in the discussion.

Thank you to the Racine County Dairy Promotion group for joining me for three days and giving the students such a kind treat to remember Wisconsin dairy! I left Burlington this afternoon to celebrate my friend Buffy’s birthday in Madison before my next adventure tomorrow! Happy 24th Birthday Buffy!

Day Two in Burlington
Apr. 07, 2009

Harold and Norma greeted me this morning at Waller Elementary School. There are four fourth grade classes so I made two presentations. My first group met in the cafeteria where we spent a lot of time speaking about the benefits of drinking milk and why it is important to drink three to four glasses of milk a day. My second group met in the classroom. It was fun to meet the students and teachers. One of the teachers shared with me her connection to agriculture and the Alice program. She rode in a parade with Alice in Dairyland when she was in second grade – what a fun story from years ago.

In the afternoon, I visited the small Dover Elementary School outside of town. It was wonderful school with great staff and students. I even ran into a friend, Jessica, who I met this summer. I had toured Jessica’s family dairy farm this summer, and she was a great agriculture expert today. I, on the other hand, still have a lot to learn. Students asked about how glue was made. I had to say, I don’t know!

Finally, I made my way across town to Lyons Elementary School. These students had just finished an Easter Egg Hunt and lots of candy so they had a lot of energy when I walked in. I had to laugh at them as they could barely sit still for the Taste Wisconsin activity. Can you guess the answer to these clues?

This is a food that was originally known to prevent scurvy, a disease that people got if they did not eat their vegetables.

This is made up of 90% water – although it is very crunchy to bite into.

A good dose of phytochemicals comes from this vegetable – a group of nutrients needed to protect the body against cancer.

I bet you guessed – cabbage. Americans eat about 387 million pounds of sauerkraut each year – usually on top of brats and hot dogs. Racine County is known across the nation for its cabbage production!

Day One in Burlington
Apr. 06, 2009

Today starts my fifth Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board blitz in Burlington. Remember there are seven blitzes total with Green Bay and La Crosse/Eau Claire left to come! I, of course, am spending time in Burlington in preparation for the Alice in Dairyland selection. For three days, I am trying to reach every fourth grade student in the Burlington and Waterford area. At each visit, I explain who Alice in Dairyland is and why agriculture is so important to Wisconsin.

I started my day at Dyer Intermediate School speaking to a Montessori class. I am not the only person to visit these schools. The Racine County Dairy Promotion Committee has four very dedicated members: Harold and Norma Ranke and John and June Potter. The Dairy Committee plans to accompany me to each of the schools this week to deliver an extra treat. Each student will receive a pencil, dairy eraser, and a free coupon for ice cream from a local restaurant – that is a great prize!

My second visit was to Winkler Elementary School. We arrived early, and the teachers warmly welcomed us. The Racine Dairy Promotion couldn’t help laughing at some of the student questions about my job and agriculture. One boy, Tucker, grew up on a farm and knew many of the cattle breeds – we were all impressed.

In the afternoon, I headed to St. Charles School. This group of students had very intelligent questions about what makes eggs fertilized, how much cheese we export, and how ethanol is made. At St. Mary’s Grade School, the students were ready to participate in the Taste Wisconsin activity. Students really enjoy the fun facts and world records. The biggest piece of cheese made in Wisconsin weighed over 40,000 pounds and had its own truck to drive it around the United States as it aged. It was named the Belle of Wisconsin and was made in 1988.

On Your Day Off, Plan Your Trip to Burlington
Apr. 05, 2009

Today I had time to finish some loose ends I have been busy with at home and work. On your day off, make sure to book your trip to the Alice in Dairyland Final Selection. Friends and family from afar can come to enjoy several days in Racine County. Even my friend Lily from Texas is booking her flight – plan your road trip!

How can you see which professional woman is selected as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland? The question-and-answer session is Thursday, May 14, during which the finalists answer impromptu questions posed by me that are typical of those I receive. The Final Selection is on Friday, May 15. There will be a banquet at Burlington High School Friday evening at 5:45 p.m., followed by the finale program starting at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets can be bought by calling 262-763-3676. You can find more information at www.aliceindairyland.com. Book your trip to Burlington!

My Day as a Consumer
Apr. 04, 2009

Today I gave my Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe and tiara a break as traveled to western Wisconsin with friends on a bridesmaid dress shopping extravaganza. I had a wonderful time in the beautiful countryside touring small Wisconsin towns and spent time being a consumer.

Remember that Alice in Dairyland is a representative of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. Recently, Consumer Protection recently released the Top Ten Complaint List for 2008. Here they are:

1 – Telemarketing (No-Call)
2 – Landlord/Tenant
3 – Telecommunications
4 – Home Improvement
5 – Satellite Dish
6 – Internet Service Provider
7 – Credit Cards
8 – Gasoline/Fuel Non-Heating
9 – Motor Vehicle Repair
10 – Travel/Tourism

There were 15,903 complaints recorded in 2008. For this information or more on consumer protection, visit www.datcp.state.wi.us or call 1-800-422-7127.

Madison West Kiwanis Group
Apr. 03, 2009

Today I stayed near home, spending time in the office and visiting a local Kiwanis Club. I was invited to join the group by Dr. Dave Dickson. Dr. Dave is famous at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his work in dairy science and the dairy judging team. He has been a great supporter of the Association of Women in Agriculture (AWA) at the UW so I had the opportunity to get to know him while active in that organization.

The Madison West Kiwanis Club is a group of about 100 professionals and retired professionals. They meet each week at Mount Olive Lutheran Church and host many community activities throughout the year. Each week, the group has a different speaker, and this week I was featured!

I shared with the group my experiences of my year as Alice in Dairyland. As I told about my trip to a cranberry marsh in Wisconsin Rapids, I explained that cranberries are Wisconsin’s state fruit and that Wisconsin produces more of this fruit than any other state. As I told about my first maple tree tapping, I explained that Wisconsin has about 3,000 maple syrup producers, making us rank third or fifth each year in maple syrup production.

To illustrate for the group, I showed pictures highlighting my journey across Wisconsin. The group was fun to talk to as they laughed at certain stories and shared their own experiences with agriculture. I even met a man who helped develop the Cherry Shaking Machine that I always talk about with the students.

Thank you to Dr. Dave for inviting me to lunch with this group, and to the Kiwanis for all they do for their community and recognizing agriculture.

My Day in the River Valley School District
Apr. 02, 2009

You may remember that I had training with Project Recovery earlier in the month. Project Recovery is a service made possible through partnerships to aid people after a disaster. Today I took the Project Recovery information into the elementary schools of the River Valley School District. The administration, teachers, and students welcomed me with open arms! This area was greatly impacted by the flood disaster in 2008, and I was happy to offer some help and information today.

I met two fourth grade classes in the Spring Green Elementary School library. We opened the presentation discussing that agriculture was food, fuel, and fiber. The group really understood that agriculture is a business that is important to Wisconsin. Agriculture has a $51.5 billion economic impact on our state annually.

We also did the Taste Wisconsin activity. Students really enjoyed guessing the top Wisconsin products. Green beans were a tricky answer to guess, and students thought that Muenster Cheese had a funny name! After we had fun learning about agriculture, we started to discuss the floods last year. We talked about how we remembered the flood by going through our senses – how the flood looked, smelt, felt, and sounded like. Students had great answers including that the flood smelt like wet dog and sounded like water trickling down the wall. It is important to talk about disasters and the students really opened up.

At Lone Rock Elementary, the Principal even joined the fun with the third through fifth grade classes. We discussed the dairy industry in depth since the group had lots of questions. We also discussed the flood. I used a story from Project Recovery to discuss the stages of the flood – before, during, and after. Students shared their family’s experiences like how they sandbagged together, took safety at a relatives, or helped clean up garbage afterwards. For young students, they were great at communicating their feelings.

My afternoon included a stop at Plain and Arena Elementary School. At Plain Elementary School, the students gave me a wonderful handmade THANK YOU note! I really appreciated it. The group enjoyed guessing fun Wisconsin facts like how many quarter pound hamburgers are in a beef cow (720) or how many cows there are in Wisconsin (1.2 million). At Arena Elementary, our group met in the gymnasium. The local newspaper even joined us to take pictures of the Taste Wisconsin activity and to learn more about Project Recovery. The students were great about talking about how they felt about the flood – horrible, stressed, upset, curious – and great ideas for what to pack if it happened again – food, water, clothes, blankets, and stuffed animals.

Thank you again River Valley for a great day and to Project Recovery for all you do. For more information about Project Recovery, visit www.lsswis.org (key in Project Recovery) or call 1-866-422-3742!

A Visit to Gompers Elementary School
Apr. 01, 2009

I spent my morning in the office preparing for upcoming school visits and writing articles. In the afternoon, I made my way to Gompers Elementary School to meet with the four second and third grade classes. Brienne (Holschbach) Carlson is a teacher at Gompers and grew up on her family’s dairy farm. Brienne and I both showed and judged dairy through 4-H so it was wonderful that she wanted to include me in her classroom.

At this grade level, the students learn about economics in social studies. Students understand that people provide consumers goods and services. The classes work to understand why there are different jobs and what services are public or private. They also touch on how people must make choices about their resources since they are limited.

Today, I came in to explain what jobs are available in agriculture and what goods come from our Wisconsin farms. To teach this lesson, I used the book, Mooing, Milking, Munching: Wisconsin’s Dairy Tale, by Cris Peterson. We discussed what jobs are available in Wisconsin and how 1 in every 8 people works in a job connected with agriculture. I used the story to show how milk becomes cheese, a good they can buy. We mentioned that the milk and cheese are checked for quality at many times during production. It was fun to read the story and check to see what they remembered from the book.

Thank you Brienne and Gompers for welcoming me today! The group had a mismatched clothes day, and the students were excited for the upcoming spring break! I really enjoyed their energy and questions.

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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