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Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal Archive |
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Dairy Day at Miller Park
May. 31, 2009
For the fourth year, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is combining the celebration of June Dairy Month with a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game. Together, with 42,000 fans, we thanked our dairy producers and encouraged visitors to drink milk! Talk about a great event to end my year!
Before the game even began, the fun started! We offered samples of milk, ice cream, and cheese from many different Wisconsin companies. I signed many postcards and spent time with friends like Becky Kronberg of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
Visitors to the game received a collectible bobblehead featuring MLB’s All Time Save’s Leader, Tony Hoffman, which includes a Wisconsin Cheese logo. Once inside, we all enjoyed the game complete with a first pitch by a dairy producer! I was very excited for this. Dave of the Milwaukee Brewers staff walked myself and Eileen Gundrum of Hartford out to the field. We joked about our lack of baseball skill before Eileen threw the first pitch. She did a great job, but it did just bounce once before reaching the catcher. What a thrill for my last day as Alice!
If you want to see pictures of us on the field, visit www.brewers.com/fanfoto. Just click on the date, look in Gallery 30 - and there we are!
For the remainder of the game, I visited with Brewer fans and signed postcards. I enjoyed the game with Alex, my little brother, and Grandpa Schultz. My sisters also joined the event as well as many friends. Thank you to everyone for making my last day memorable!
The theme of WMMB”s June Dairy Month this year is “Eat Local. Eat Dairy.” This is a terrific theme for me as Alice in Dairyland since this entire year we focused on buying local to support local producers, businesses, communities, and the economy. There are many opportunities to buy local dairy products from the grocery store to the farmer’s market. With the over 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese in our state, we are sure to have the quality and options you need here in Wisconsin! In the new brochure by WMMB, it says, “For every dollar a dairy farmer earns, seven times that amount is filtered back through the local economy. When you buy local ingredients, you’re supporting the economic strength of Wisconsin.” I couldn’t have said it better!
Visit a local dairy event this June to receive great local recipes from WMMB!
Kicking Off June Dairy Month in Jefferson
May. 30, 2009
It is that time of year – June Dairy Month – one of my favorite times of the year! Have you ever wondered how this wonderful tradition started? June Dairy Month has been celebrated each year since 1937 when the National Association of Chain Drug Stores created the first celebration with National Milk Month. The purpose was to increase milk consumption when production was increased due to spring pasturing and spring calving. In 1938-1939, the National Dairy Council started contributing promotional brochures. The American Dairy Association became the headquarters for June Dairy Month in 1955.
Today, Wisconsin still celebrates the month to recognize the dedication of dairy producers, educate consumers, and increase consumption of all dairy products all year long! It is a fantastic tradition that includes many community events. For a complete list of dairy events this month, visit www.eatlocaldairy.com/DairyFarmBreakfast.aspx!
Jefferson County was the first June Dairy Month event on my calendar and what a way to kick-off the year! When I first arrived, I was very nervous. Michael Clish of a local radio station had challenged Representative Andy Jorgenson and myself to a milking contest. I really wanted to keep my undefeated title so I was worried about losing in my last contest. We had a lot of fun on the radio – even making Michael milk – and after all was said and done, I was still undefeated! I milked almost four cups in one minute compared to less than a cup from my competitors. This was a great way to promote dairy! I explained that today, agriculture has modernized and innovated so many people do not milk by hand. These contests, however, are just one fun way to promote milk. Wisconsin has over 13,000 dairy farms with 99% of those farms being family-owned. Our high quality milk is made into high quality dairy products by our state’s 1,214 licensed cheesemakers and 211 dairy plants.
For the remainder of my morning, I greeted the group on stage and mingled with visitors. I signed many postcards and gave several radio and newspaper interviews. What great media support by this community. I interviewed with WFAW and WTTN on the radio explaining the Alice in Dairyland position and America’s Dairyland in each.
After a visit with friends and meeting many community members, I made my way back to Madison to clean the Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe for Cheryl and complete some work in the office. I can’t believe I only have one more day!
My Last Media Day as Alice in Dairyland
May. 29, 2009
I started this day at the office at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. You can probably tell from my blog entries that I didn’t spend much time in the office as I always wanted to be on the road! When I was in the office, however, it was great to be surrounded by the wonderful state employees at DATCP. We have an excellent team, and I am proud to be a part of it. This morning, a group of us shared breakfast and stories from my year. If you haven’t heard, my gift from my friends at DATCP was a beautiful quilt made up of t-shirts from my year. If I received a t-shirt from your group, know that I will keep it forever as part of this quilt. It is absolutely beautiful! Thank you DATCP for allowing me to represent you this year – it was terrific!
After sharing some breakfast, I went to work with two radio interviews. I first started by giving my monthly interview with Amber Gonske of WJMC Radio in Rice Lake. Amber and I discussed the Alice in Dairyland selection process and our time in Burlington of Racine County. I congratulated Amber on her selection as the “2009 Friend of Alice” awardee. Although many media partners have been great friends this year, Amber’s dedication to include agriculture on the air everyday is remarkable. Congratulations again Amber!
After a short break, Amber and I then discussed June Dairy Month. Why is Wisconsin America’s Dairyland? Wisconsin is home to 1.2 million cows and more than 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese. In 2008, Wisconsin produced 24.7 billion pounds of milk, an increase of 2.5 percent. We are set to break the all-time milk production record next year, which was set in 1988 at 25 billion pounds. In Wisconsin, 90% of our milk goes into making cheese. Specialty cheese production set a new record last year as Wisconsin produced a total of 419 million pounds. Specialty cheese production makes up almost 20 percent of the state’s cheese production. Now, 99 of our state’s 136 cheese plants now craft at least one type of specialty cheese. Our state has strong tradition and strong future in dairy!
After Amber and I gave our final good bye, I called Doug Wagen, the News Director at WGLR Radio in Platteville for a Guest Spotlight interviews. With Doug, I explained the role of Alice in Dairyland to represent all areas of agriculture. I emphasized that Alice spends time going to schools, community events, and interviews to promote the $51.5 billion economic impact of agriculture in our state. This was a great interview to review my year – thank you Doug!
My last interview for today was at NBC-Channel 15 of Madison. Carleen Wild has been featuring an agricultural story each Friday, and today it was my turn to promote June Dairy Month. Chris, who was filling in today, asked me about the economic impact of dairy and how dairy is currently doing in the recession. I explained that dairy is a $20.6 billion industry in Wisconsin and that we are continually seeing reinvestment in dairy. In the past five years, dairy processors and producers have each reinvested nearly $1 billion to modernize and innovate their operations. In the next five years, we are expecting the same reinvestment to keep the industry competitive and profitable. The best way to support your dairy farmers anytime is to buy local to support local producers, businesses, communities, and the economy!
Tipping My Tiara to Racine County
May. 28, 2009
Tonight Nicole Breunig, the Alice in Dairyland Program Manager, and I made our way back to Burlington one last time to celebrate the successful 62nd Alice in Dairyland Finals. It is incredible how this huge event travels to a new county each year. In one year, the county needs to secure funding and organize tours and public events. In one year, friendships are built and the county really shines!
The committee enjoyed dinner and conversation before taking care of business. The Racine County community did a fantastic job of fundraising and after all the bills are paid, there still will be over $3,000 available to donate to local groups and organizations. Youth and residents will really benefit from the hard work of this committee. Thank you Racine County for your generosity!
It was sad to say good bye, but I know that I will end up back in Racine County in my future to attend the local fair or see another Project Yum-way! Congratulations Racine County for your excellence in agriculture – you are the number one county for cabbage for sauerkraut, pumpkins, sod, and ducks.
Are you interested in the 63rd Alice in Dairyland Finals? They are coming up May 20-22 in Rock County. The website, www.aliceindairyland.com will be updated soon. I know I will be there as a former Alice in Dairyland – I hope to see you there!
My Last Middle School Visit
May. 28, 2009
Today I made my way to Sheboygan to speak to the seventh grade students at Farnsworth Middle School. Farnsworth has a very unique Family and Consumer Education class titled, “Taste of Wisconsin.” During the class, the group discussed great Wisconsin products and tried many recipes using them. I thought this was a terrific idea. What really made me excited was that the teacher, Ms. Ann Meyer, used my newspaper articles about diverse Wisconsin products in her curriculum. I was honored that a teacher would find my materials useful in the classroom. The group read articles about cranberry production and cabbage for sauerkraut.
Immediately when I walked in the school, Ms. Meyer was there to bring me to the library. I spoke to two large groups in the library about why it is important to “think your drink!” We brainstormed what drinks they enjoyed on a daily basis and why. We then looked at a nutritional label to understand the meaning of those words and numbers. Everyone needs to understand that milk gives you more than just Calcium – milk gives you nine essential nutrients. Together, we did an activity to show the nine vitamins and minerals in milk. After each nutrient’s description, you will see what household item I use to help students remember. Here they are:
CALCIUM gives you strong bones and teeth, gives you strength and helps you grow (toothbrush)
VITAMIN D is key to calcium absorption (sponge)
VITAMIN A helps your eyesight. (eye glasses)
PROTEIN gives you extra strength. (workout weight)
POTASSIUM improves your blood pressure. (heart)
RIBOFLAVIN gives you energy. (battery)
VITAMIN B12 is important to your blood cells.(band aid)
PHOSPHORUS works with calcium to keep your bones and teeth strong.(bones)
NIACIN keeps your skin looking healthy. (lotion)
The groups did a great job with everything from the Jeopardairy game to reading a nutrition label. Thank you Ms. Meyer and Farnsworth Middle School for welcoming me!
Humboldt Park K8 Charter School Wellness Night
May. 27, 2009
As an elementary education teacher, I always enjoy visiting schools and learning what makes them unique. I had visited Humboldt Park Charter School in Milwaukee during my Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Blitz in March and was happy to be welcomed back for their Wellness Night. This event is held each year to promote good nutrition, exercise, and general well-being.
This is a wonderful school with enthusiastic staff. I joined the celebration to promote drinking milk! Milk is filled with nine essential vitamins and minerals such as Calcium, Riboflavin, and Protein. I told many students that they need 3-4 glasses of milk each day, and that all milk – whether it is chocolate, white, or strawberry – is good for you!
I wasn’t the only celebrity in attendance. The school also had the Racing Sausages from the Milwaukee Brewers at the event as well as Roscoe from the Milwaukee Admirals. Wheel and Sprocket was there to give free bike inspections, and students could take home a new toothbrush and toothpaste. This was a great family event with many door prizes. One lucky student even took home a new computer!
Congratulations to Humboldt Park for valuing education and wellness and celebrating it in such a great way!
Women's Civic Society Spring Luncheon
May. 27, 2009
Home sweet home again! My mom joined me for the Spring Luncheon of the Women’s Civic Society in Plymouth. The Women’s Civic group is a social and philanthropic organization that supports local students and the community. In the past year, the group has given numerous scholarships, baked for nursing home residents, and funded flags for town – among many other services. This group raises thousands of dollars each year just to give it all away again!
Susan Curtiss was the Program Coordinator of this event and requested me months ago for the Spring Luncheon. When I arrived, we all sat down to a delicious lunch and conversation. It was fun that my sixth grade teacher is a member of the organization. She gave a great introduction with some funny stories about my younger middle school days! I then addressed the group speaking about how I prepared for the year as Alice in Dairyland and what I did during my year contract.
I explained that as Alice in Dairyland you can wear a hip waders to promote cranberries on television or you can serve local food at a restaurant to promote the Eat Local Challenge. Alice in Dairyland offers another adventure everyday, and it is a huge responsibility and opportunity to be the spokesperson for agriculture.
Thank you to the group for your warm welcome and for your support of my year! I am proud to be from Plymouth in Sheboygan County!
My Last Taste Wisconsin Presentation
May. 27, 2009
After a year of traveling over 43,000 miles across Wisconsin, I usually know where the towns are that I am going to visit or at least their county. Today, I traveled to Berlin. I had never heard of this small town of about 5,000 people before, but now after one visit, I want to go back. Located in northeastern Wisconsin, this group of fourth graders was polite, enthusiastic, and very interested in my presentation.
I was very sad as I opened my last Taste Wisconsin box to present to the class at All Saint’s Catholic School. I can’t believe my year is coming to an end! I quickly cheered up as the group wanted to play the game! Even when they couldn’t guess the answer on the first try, they kept trying. I challenged the class with facts like Wisconsin could grow wild rice, make Muenster Cheese, and harvest green beans. The class challenged me with a lot of questions about my year as Alice in Dairyland. I really enjoy student questions. Today the group asked me about growing up on a farm, how you become Alice, and my favorite memories. They were very sweet.
We posed for a class picture before I left town. The entire class came outside to say good bye and take a peak at my Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe. The class really thought it was a fun vehicle – and the locally produced ethanol supports local producers, businesses, communities, and the economy!
Tour of Wussow Dairy Farm
May. 26, 2009
My cousin, Jesse, has been one of my best friends since we were young. We graduated from high school together and both went to school for elementary education. After graduation, she moved to Bonduel to be a first grade teacher at St. Paul Lutheran School. When she told her fellow teachers that her cousin was Alice in Dairyland, they immediately requested me to speak with their third and fourth grade classes in Bonduel.
What makes this school visit extra special was that the teachers invited me to join them on a tour of the Wussow Dairy Farm and then present on the farm. It was perfect! Ron and Nicolle Wussow are very well known around the dairy industry for their great animal genetics, awards in the show ring, high production, and emphasis on community education. The family opened their farm up to the 40 students for a tour of everything from the feed bags to the milking barn. It was wonderful to have students learn that cows need to eat about 110 pounds of feed per day and then have the students actually see the feed. It was great to have the students guess trivia facts like how much water a cow needs per day – one bathtub full!
After a full tour, the students sat quietly to participate in the Taste Wisconsin presentation. I enjoyed the students’ enthusiasm for the game and all of Wisconsin’s products. They showed a sense of pride that our state was first in the nation in green beans, cheese, cranberries, and cabbage for sauerkraut. Sitting on hay bales, it was the perfect way to learn about agriculture.
What impressed me even more than the wonderful students and welcoming teachers was the overwhelming support of the local media! We had agricultural newspapers in attendance as well as newspapers from Shawano and Pulaski. A local radio station came to get audio, and Mike Austin of Channel 5-Green Bay came to get video. Thank you to all media personalities who came to cover this great tour and the Alice in Dairyland presentation!
After a fun day, we all went back to school where I met my cousin and sister, Abby, for a visit. When I arrived at the school, I noticed that the school sign said, Welcome to Bonduel, Alice in Dairyland! I was honored! If you want to see more pictures from this visit, you can go to the school website at: http://www.stpaulbonduel.com/school/fourthgradeindex.htm . There is an entire video of pictures from the day – fantastic!
Thank you to St. Paul Lutheran for organizing a terrific day and inviting many media. Thank you to Wussow Dairy Farm for opening your farm to many visitors!
Early Morning Dairy Discussion Group
May. 26, 2009
This morning I woke up early to meet with the Dairy Discussion Group. This group of agricultural leaders meets monthly to discuss dairy and related industry issues. The leader, Alton Block, invited me to bring my experiences as Alice in Dairyland to the group and explain how, as Alice, I represent the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture.
To illustrate my stories and examples of my year, I brought with a PowerPoint of pictures from events, interviews, and school visits. An important emphasis of my discussion was on how Alice in Dairyland actually learns from producers and processors in agriculture in order to teach others. I have toured cabbage, carrot, and cranberry operations. I have learned about the processing of poultry, sauerkraut, and wine. I am grateful that I can take this knowledge and teach others in speeches, presentations, news articles, and blog entries.
I also explained how Alice in Dairyland is a spokesperson and public relations professional for the Department of Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection. This position, however, would not be possible without support from organizations such as the Kettle Moraine Mink Breeders Association, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, Wisconsin Jeweler’s Association, or the Wisconsin Beef Council – just to name a few!
After sharing my stats and facts, the group asked me several questions about my year. The toughest question I received was, “Being out in agriculture, what do you think is the most positive and most negative thing about this industry right now?” When you care about the business as much as I do, it is easy to come up with positive comments and difficult to come up with negative comments. I explained that the most positive news I had about agriculture is that the industry producers are positive about the future, even in difficult times. The agricultural industry has modernized and innovated so much in the past two centuries, that this is just one more time to reflect on your operation and do what you need to do to reinvest and be profitable in the future. The only negative I could think of is that we need even more public education – even among producers. In agriculture, we are all passionate about our specific businesses, but that cherry producers probably aren’t very familiar with ginseng production, and that mint farmers may not understand aquaculture needs. We need to continue to educate each other on what we are doing to all remain successful and competitive.
Thank you for to the Dairy Discussion Group for your passion for agriculture!
Wishing Everyone a Great Memorial Day
May. 25, 2009
Enjoy time with your family and friends this weekend and remember the true meaning of the day - to recognize those who have lost their lives serving our country. Thank you for your service!
If you are using your grill this weekend, I hope you are remembering your Wisconsin beef. Beef is a healthy and delicious choice this holiday. Remember beef is known for ZIP - Zinc, Iron, and Protein. There are 29 lean cuts of beef that have less grams of fat (per 3-ounce serving) than a skinless chicken thigh. For great beef recipes, visit www.beeftips.com!
In Madison
May. 24, 2009
While I won’t be traveling across Wisconsin today, I will be busy in Madison this weekend enjoying the beautiful spring weather and going to the office to prepare my final report. I cannot believe how fast my year as the 61st Alice in Dairyland has flown by. I appreciate all of the Alice in Dairyland partners and friends who have made this year possible. On Tuesday morning, I will hit the road early to enjoy a busy last week as Alice.
ChocolateFest
May. 23, 2009
This was the day I have been waiting for – a full day at ChocolateFest! The theme of the Fest this year is “Alice in Chocolateland” so many people were happy to see me.
When I first arrived, I was part of a Chef Demonstration. Now my friends and family could tell you that I cannot cook or bake…at all. This is not even an exaggeration. Needless to say, I was a little nervous. Fortunately, I was paired with Chef Carole Caine, who is a local radio personality and celebrity. She had a great sense of humor and large fan base, which made it fun. Together, we made a chocolate dessert. My contributions included chopping pecans, breaking up chocolate, and stirring things. I could handle that. Even with microphone technical difficulties, we both encouraged people to use chocolate and local fruits like strawberries and raspberries in their desserts. When you buy local, you support local producers, businesses, communities, and economies. Thank you Carole for a fun day – we even enjoyed whipped cream on our dessert to support local dairy farmers!
A short time later, I was a judge for the Project Yum-Way Contest. This was the highlight of my day. There was a contest for five teams of five people each to create a fashion design out of candy wrappers and other provided materials. This is based off of Bravo’s Project Run-Way television show. The teams needed to race against the clock to construct a wearable fashion out of rolls of Nestle candy wrappers and other accessories. There was a 30 minute time limit. It was hard to decide the top group since all five creations were fantastic. It was hard to assign number values during the judging. We had to judge based on style, use of wrappers, creativity, and use of accessories.
The teams had youth of various ages and were made up of boy and girl members. I was impressed with the creativity. One team made a pirate costume for a boy, and one team made a dress I would probably wear! This was a great way to encourage teamwork and promote chocolate. Congratulations to all participants!
After receiving a giant candy bar, I made my way to the Kids’ Kanopy to interact with families that were enjoying small animals, finger painting, face painting, and dairy treats. I signed many postcards for young visitors. On this warm day, it was fun to answer questions about my position and the recent Alice in Dairyland Finals. Filled with chocolate, I made my way back to Madison. I would really enjoy coming back to the Fest again in the future for all the fun contests and presentations!
An Afternoon at St. John the Baptist
May. 22, 2009
Today was a day full of students in Plymouth. My cousins, Megan, Grace, and Riley Huibregtse, are huge fans of the Alice in Dairyland position and all currently attend St. John the Baptist. Due to some great organization by my uncle and Mrs. Nelson, we arranged two presentations at this school so I could speak to all 250 students at the school!
In both groups, I used a modified version of Taste Wisconsin so students could not only understand Alice in Dairyland but also about the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture. While I thought my first group of older students may not be as interested, they really wanted to participate! With the older students, I discussed the importance of enough calcium in the teenage years. We emphasized that we need 3-4 servings of dairy a day and that many teenagers do not have enough dairy each day!
With the younger students, there were many more questions about the Alice in Dairyland tiara and position. I am always excited to speak about the tradition of the program and the indigenous stones, the amethyst and citrines, in the tiara. When I told the students that my job was all about talking, many young girls thought they would want the job! This group was enthusiastic that we were first in the nation in so many foods including cheese, cabbage for sauerkraut, green beans, and cranberries.
This was a wonderful day to be back in Plymouth! Thank you to my aunt Colleen for coming to help today and take pictures!
A Morning at St. John Lutheran School
May. 22, 2009
It is always great when you can work with other agricultural professionals to educate students. This morning, I milked cows at my parent’s farm before spending the morning at St. John Lutheran School in Plymouth with Cheryl Rivas, a Sheboygan County Dairy Ambassador, and Mary Andrae, a Regional Program Manager with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
Cheryl organized a fun morning where we all worked together to promote dairy. For the kindergarten and first grade classes, Cheryl discussed dairy farms and good beverage choices. I then read the story, Out and About on the Dairy Farm by And Murphy. After the story, I used an activity to see how much students remembered. It is impressive that many students, even at a young age, could tell me that a baby cow is called a calf and that cows eat silage. While Mary reviewed with the students how the milk goes from the cow to the carton, Cheryl and I made yogurt parfait treats.
With the second and third grade students, I read the story, Mooing-Milking-Munching: Wisconsin’s Dairy Tale by Cris Peterson. After the story, everyone stood up and did the motions so we could remember how to milk a cow and make cheese. Cheryl again reviewed our basic dairy information, and Mary led an exciting cheese tasting. It was fun to listen to the students enjoying cheese using all their senses: seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting! You could even hear the fresh squeak of cheese curds!
In the fourth grade classroom, Cheryl showed a video describing cheese tasting and led a second cheese tasting. It was great to talk about three different cheeses: Muenster, Swiss, and Colby Jack. I explained about Alice in Dairyland and what makes Wisconsin America’s Dairyland. After this presentation, Cheryl and I enjoyed a very dairy lunch in the cafeteria with the students and staff!
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Pecatonica High School
May. 21, 2009
On a gorgeous spring day, I drove to Blanchardville to speak to the high school students. I am constantly amazed by the beauty of our state, and while driving through the rolling hills, I certainly had a renewed appreciation for our hard working producers driving along the roads and in the fields with their machinery.
Once at the high school, I gave two presentations. Since it is a small high school, Mark Dickson, the wonderful teacher who organized the day, invited all the high school students to choose one or both presentations to attend. During the first class, I gave my “Think Your Drink!” presentation. These high school programs are possible thanks to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
During the class, we discuss the importance of agriculture to our state before we brainstorm our favorite beverages. We all think about why we choose certain drinks. Some answers are that a certain drink may taste good, give you caffeine, be inexpensive, or be good for you. As a group, we then look at a nutritional label so we all know how to understand serving size, calories, and nutrient amounts. Since I am Alice in Dairyland, we then discuss the nine essential vitamins and minerals in milk and the large amount of sugar in other beverages we choose. Before the end of the first classes, we played the game Jeopodairy giving the students chances to win WMMB prizes!
In the second class, we discussed agricultural careers. We brainstormed a list of agricultural careers in Wisconsin, and I was very impressed with this group. There are over 300 careers in agriculture, and this group named a few dozen before I stopped them. Wow! We then discussed why we choose certain careers and how we can prepare now, in high school, for the future. Before I let the group go for the day, we researched several interesting careers in agriculture like landscape architecture, irrigation engineer, and television broadcaster. Students looked at these career profiles and were interested in how big the salary was and how much school they would need to go to. Finally, we played another round of Jeopodairy.
These students really were terrific! Thank you Mark for organizing this great set-up in the library and for the student participation!
ChocolateFest Sponsor's Gala
May. 20, 2009
Tonight I drove to Burlington for the ChocolateFest Sponsor’s Gala. ChocolateFest is an annual event in the Burlington community that is celebrating its 23rd year. I had no idea how big of an event ChocolateFest was until I drove up to it and there was full carnival and many tents and food venders. ChocolateFest is going to be this weekend, May 22 – 25, 2009. Tonight there was a dinner and music event to recognize the many community sponsors that make this event possible.
I have never seen an appreciation event quite like this. The theme of the event is Alice in Chocolateland. The decorations were bright colors and there were even people in costume. There were elaborate chocolate, candy displays and a place to vote on your favorite chocolate carving. Many of the sponsors in attendance also sponsored the Alice in Dairyland Finals last week such as Runzheimer International. This was a great opportunity for me to speak on stage and thank the group for their dedication to the community.
The entire evening involved great live music, delicious food, and fun conversation. I enjoyed seeing friends from the Alice in Dairyland Finals committee as well as meeting community members. I am looking forward to coming back to ChocolateFest this weekend to help with Chef Demonstrations, Fun Contests, and the Children’s Area.
To learn more about this great family event that attracts thousands of visitors, visit www.chocolatefest.com!
Sheboygan Falls Senior Center
May. 20, 2009
It is always great to go back to Sheboygan County to meet with people who have supported me and my family for years! This morning I drove to Sheboygan Falls to share pictures and stories of my year with the Senior Citizen group. It was a large crowd of local residents as well as Verla Peichl from The Sheboygan Falls News.
I started my presentation by explaining the role of Alice in Dairyland. I shared with the group that Alice is an agricultural ambassador that represents the diversity of Wisconsin. I explained the intense selection process and how my young experiences on the farm and in 4-H and FFA prepared me to be Alice in Dairyland.
I then opened up my PowerPoint of pictures to explain the major Alice in Dairyland partners. I showed pictures of the Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe from the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board and Chevrolet GM. I explained my mink coat from the Kettle Moraine Mink Breeders and how our state leads the nation in mink production. I emphasized the beauty of the tiara and brooch from the Wisconsin Jeweler’s Association and the benefit of working with the Wisconsin Beef Council to promote beef.
I walked through the year of events by sharing stories of school visits with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and interviews with media personalities. The group laughed at some of my stories and even clapped for my milking cow abilities. I have to say I have found a new champion farmer though. One man stood up and explained how he was a POW in World War II and did a lot of hand milking cows. When a prisoner in Poland, this man worked on a farm and would drink milk while in the barn to survive since they were not fed well at all. Now that is a champion story. I am always honored to work with such fantastic people. I am very lucky to have served as Alice in Dairyland and have a lifetime of memories! As always, thank you and all the best to veterans everywhere!
Thank you for welcoming me back home to the Senior Center!
In the Office Thinking About Wisconsin Potatoes
May. 19, 2009
After a busy week of Finals and activities, I had time in the office today to prepare for the next two weeks of travel. With the beautiful sunshine, I started thinking about all the great Wisconsin crops going in the ground this spring like potatoes! According to the Wisconsin Ag Connection last week, most potato farms have successfully planted this year’s crop into the fields, which is a total more than 63,000 acres.
There are many varieties of Wisconsin potatoes with the most basic types being Round White, Red, Long White, and Russet Potato. The Russet is most commonly found in grocery stores. The potato produces more food per acre than any other crop. The potato is the fourth most important food crop after rice, wheat, and corn. The potato is grown in more countries than any other crop except corn. Potatoes were even the first vegetable grown in space in 1995. An eight-ounce baked potato only has 110 calories and is more nutritious with the skin on. Potato chips are the most popular snack food in the world.
As Alice in Dairyland, you find many interesting facts. On a poster in my cubicle, the Guinness Book of Records largest potato is posted. In 1993, a thirty pound potato was grown in Riyadh, Saudi. This is enough potato to make 150 servings of French Fries. And we all know how the potato became popular – Mr. Potato Head! Mr. Potato Head has been sold since 1952. He married Mrs. Potato Head in 1953, and Baby Potato Head was born in 1955.
In 2007, Wisconsin had 3,320 farms growing field vegetables including potatoes. Las year, Wisconsin ranked third in the nation with 25.7 billion pounds of potatoes produced and an average yield of 41,500 pounds per acre harvested. In 2008, potatoes generated over $293 million in sales for producers.
For this information and more, visit www.wisconsinpotatoes.com!
Alice in Dairyland Tree Dedication
May. 18, 2009
During my year I have cut down a holiday tree, tapped a maple tree, and today I planted a tree! The Milwaukee Area Technical College has dedicated a tree to every Alice in Dairyland for the past 32 years. This tradition started in 1977, and it is an honor to have a tree on the campus with your name in front of it!
Michael Wendt is an Arboriculture and Horticulture Instructor. He arranged a great afternoon outside. When I first arrived, I met the Day Care students. Together with Michael, we planted an ornamental tree called a Weeping Birch Tree. This tree is in front of the campus and will provide shade for students and visitors. The Day Care students were fun to work with, and they helped with the entire process from covering the roots with dirt, to surrounding the tree with mulch, and even watering it! After a group picture, I gave each student a postcard before going to the tree dedication ceremony.
Together with many great representatives from MATC and Robb Lied of Lied’s Nursery we dedicated my very own tree, a Japanese Hornbeam. I have a great location immediately outside the cafeteria and commons area so students and visitors will be able to enjoy my unique tree often! When researching the Japanese Hornbeam, I found it is a great urban tree since it is rugged and has a unique form and size. The tree is vase shaped and reached to be about 30 feet tall. The leaves are long and narrow and doubly toothed. The dark green leaves turn to yellow in the fall. I am very proud to have my very own Japanese Hornbeam at MATC in Mequon. Come visit my tree and the tree of many past Alice in Dairylands at this campus! This is a wonderful partnership as Horticulture and the Green Industry is part of the $51.5 billion economic impact of agriculture. Now is the time to enjoy gardening, planting flowers, or the beauty of nature!
Thank you MATC and Lied’s Nursery for this tradition!
A Beautiful Sunday!
May. 17, 2009
Today I visited with friends as I rested after a very busy week! I really enjoyed the beautiful weather as I blogged, wrote reports, and caught up on e-mail. Tomorrow I am back on the job traveling to Mequon! Remember that whether you are in an urban or rural area, you are part of Wisconsin agriculture. Each person in our state relies on agriculture for their food, fuel, and fiber!
Family Day at Road America
May. 16, 2009
While Cheryl wore the tiara Friday night, I have two more weeks on the job before Cheryl begins the job June 1! I drove early on Saturday morning to Elkhart Lake to Family Day at Road America. This event is an annual event put on by Road America staff to allow families to see the race track and enjoy activities. I spent the day by the Sheboygan County Dairy Promotions tent educating visitors about America’s Dairyland.
We have a fiberglass cow named “Addie” that we used to show youth how to milk a cow. There was also a game set-up to ask students trivia about Wisconsin. There are over a million cows and 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheese. A cow can give about six to eight gallons of milk each day, and cows need to be milked two or three times a day.
I really enjoyed the day visiting with families and the Sheboygan County Fairest of the Fair, Erin Jens. Even my mom came to enjoy the fun! I had interviews with local papers as well as local radio. Thank you to Sheboygan County for your continued support of my year and welcoming me back today!
The Finale Program
May. 15, 2009
And after a dress rehearsal and a social hour, it was time for the banquet and finale program. I couldn’t believe it! It was a very special night for many reasons, and one reason was that I met the first Alice in Dairyland, Margaret McGuire Blott. I was honored to meet her and learn about how the position has changed over time. We had a great group of past Alice in Dairyland’s including Margaret and many women I call friends.
During the Finale, the finalists did a great job with agribusiness talks and final speeches. The topic of the final speech was discussing the economic impact of our diverse agriculture industry. After the selection criteria were done, I gave my Friend of Alice award and final speech. I named Amber Gonske of WisconsinEYE and WJMC Radio with my Friend of Alice award for dedicating many hours to agriculture on television and radio. When reflecting on my year, I thanked the many partnerships, producers, and friends who made this position and my success possible.
After receiving my beautiful amethyst pendant from the Wisconsin Jeweler’s Association, we revealed the selection of the 62nd Alice in Dairyland: Cheryl O’Brien. Cheryl will do a terrific job as the next Alice in Dairyland traveling to events, schools, and interviews to promote the $51.5 billion agriculture industry. Cheryl grew up in Eastman and currently resides in Milwaukee working for WISN-TV/DT as an assignment editor. Congratulations Cheryl!
This was an exciting night but bittersweet as I am sad that I only have two more weeks to represent Wisconsin agriculture. Thank you to my family, college roommates, and even my favorite fan from Texas who helped make my night special! I appreciate it!
Schaal Dairy Farm & the Milking Contest
May. 15, 2009
Today was the big day – the Alice in Dairyland Finals and the Milking Contest of course! Our group first toured Schaal Dairy Farm, LLP. The partnership was formed in 2002 between father and son, Mike and Brian Schaal. This solidified a third generation in the dairy business. The farm currently milks about 200 cows and grows alfalfa and corn for feed on 320 acres. This family has modernized their dairy facilities building a flat barn parlor and a free stall barn. This allows better cow care and cow comfort. This family prides themselves in producing high quality milk and being stewards of the land. I really enjoyed seeing the new additions like the manure lagoon and the large free stall barn.
After the tour came the milking contest! We all enjoyed lunch under the tent before greeting Orion Samuelson, the Agribusiness Director since 1960 on WGN Radio in Chicago. Orion and I introduced ourselves and the importance of agriculture to the large crowd in attendance. Orion has many fans, and they were there to support him! Orion even had brought directions from the internet about how to milk a cow. It brought a lot of laughs as he explained the steps like squatting next to the cow, grasping the teat firmly, and pulling down.
Then came the time for the big contest! Here were the rules – we each had a cow to milk on for one minute and then we switched. We were going to keep switching until one of us reached a line on the pail. Well, the contest began, and I milked my way to the line after three minutes. While we both started undefeated in cow milking, at the end, I was the only one to keep my title! For Orion being such a great sport, we gave him a glass milk pitcher recognizing his contribution to agriculture. The real winner was Racine County, who fundraised thousands of dollars for the Alice event, and excess funds will be divided among youth and volunteer groups in the area.
Thank you Orion for agreeing to this fun contest that will be aired nationally on his show next week, and thank you Schaal Farm for doing a great job organizing this event!
Impromptu Question and Answer Session
May. 14, 2009
After a day of tours, we all made our way to the Aurora Wellness Center for the Impromptu Question and Answer Session. Questions are posed to each finalist, and the selection panel rates the finalists’ ability to think on their feet in front of the audience. For the event tonight, I served as the emcee and gave the group questions I had received throughout my year.
For the first part, the finalists each gave a 30 second biography and answered a question based on their resume. In the second part, the finalists answered questions that students have asked me during my school visits. Some of these questions received laughs from the audience since students will commonly ask funny questions. For the third part, I asked questions about current trends in the agricultural industry. Tonight we allowed the finalists to showcase their extensive agricultural knowledge!
CPI
May. 14, 2009
Cooperative Plus, Inc or CPI is a $100 million locally-owned farm supply, grain, and consumer cooperative that serves southeast Wisconsin and northeast Illinois. With headquarters in Burlington, the company employs over 100 people. The primary product and service lines of CPI include grain, agronomy, feed, refined fuels, propane, livestock, and companion animal consumer products and power equipment. It is amazing what CPI can do for their customers mixing rations even for rhino food for the local zoo! CPI currently has over 5,000 active members.
The mission of CPI is to be the partner our customers choose first. The cooperative started in 1939. There is a seven member board that guides the membership. CPI is the fifth largest farm cooperative in the state. The variety at CPI can even be seen in the turf division with seed, care, fertilizer, and pasture management.
Thank you to all of our tour stops today for opening their doors for us! We learned a lot and appreciate the diversity of Racine County agriculture.
Edstrom Industries
May. 14, 2009
Edstrom Industries was started in 1969 by Bill Edstrom, Sr. who developed a watering product for his award-winning chinchilla herd. To alleviate the problem of cleaning and filling hundreds of water bottles, Bill, a mechanical engineer, designed the original Edstrom Drinking Valve. This valve quickly won over the chinchilla ranchers and then spread across the agricultural industry. There is a cooling system for the hog and dairy industry. Watering systems are available for small animals like rabbits, chinchillas, birds, and rodents.
Edstrom offers top products for their customers! Edstrom employs 220 people in the Racine County area. The company continually modernizes and innovates to be profitable. When you buy an Edstrom product, there is a lifetime guaranty.
SC Johnson
May. 14, 2009
SC Johnson has had family leadership for five generations. This business has brought innovative products to the market while upholding to high environmental and health standards. This company consistently donates to the local community. SC Johnson is now led by the founder’s great-great-grandson, Fisk Johnson. The company employs about 12,000 people globally and generates more than $8 billion in sales. The company is still headquartered in Racine, where it was founded in 1886.
Products like your air fresheners, bug spray, and plastic bags are developed by SC Johnson. The tour of the SC Johnson campus was beautiful. The administration building is beautiful as it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. There are public tours done often to showcase the architectural history and the company’s vast products. Research done by the company has shown that 95% of households has at least one SC Johnson product. SC Johnson is truly worldwide, based out of Racine, with over 70 foreign subsidiaries.
Borzynski's Farm & Market
May. 14, 2009
This Borzynski familiy has been growing and shipping quality produce for over 35 years and in 1993 opened their retail market in the Racine area. This diverse market offers a garden center, floral shop, fresh deli and bakery, Wisconsin cheese, specialty foods, a cappuccino bar, unique gifts, and even a café for guests.
The Borzynski’s were commercial farmers first, and with farms in four states, they can grow products year-round. The family has 10,000 acres in Wisconsin and employs 300 workers at peak production. Borzynski’s are known as the biggest individual cabbage farmer in the United States with 3,000 acres of cabbage in Wisconsin. The family also grows 1,500 acres of sweet corn, 1,000 acres of peppers, and 1,000 acres of green beans among other things!
Tours of Racine County: Case IH
May. 14, 2009
On the second day of the Alice in Dairyland selection, I joined the six finalists for tours across the county. Each of the finalists were assigned a tour stop to speak about at the Finale Program on Friday.
Our first tour stop of the day was at Case IH. I was looking forward to this visit to learn how to make those tractors my family used everyday on the farm yet, I didn’t know how to drive! At the Racine plant where the Magnum (Case IH) and the T8000 (New Holland) series tractors are produced. This plant was started 165 years ago when Jerome Case started the business. The business has changed from the original products of wooden and steel threshers before the steam and gas machines that we have today were invented.
Almost 1,000 people are employed with Case IH in Racine. In the past two years, Case has doubled the tractors produced, which means they have doubled the workforce. About 48% tractors made here are exported. About 30 – 35 tractors can be made a day. It takes about eight hours for one tractor to go from initialization to done. One is finished about every 15 minutes a day at the Racine factory. This plant is clean and well-organized. Each tractor is put through many tests to make sure the final product is quality!
Day One of the Alice in Dairyland Finals
May. 13, 2009
I can’t believe one year ago I was coming to the Alice in Dairyland Finals to begin my own journey to be the 61st Alice in Dairyland. I remember my nerves and excitement. Today I welcomed the six professional women who are finalists to be the 62nd Alice in Dairyland to Burlington in Racine County to start their journey.
In the morning, Bob Meyer, an agricultural broadcaster with the Brownfield Radio Network, interviewed each of the six finalists for the radio interview portion of the selection. Bob taped a five-minute radio interview, and he developed questions to ask each finalist about their background, reason for being Alice, and other important topics in Wisconsin agriculture. Thank you Bob for making the four hour drive this morning and consistently offering your support to the Alice in Dairyland program!
With six radio interviews behind us, we drove to Win-Media/Win-Television to tape the television interview of the selection process. Each finalist selected a Something Special from Wisconsin company/product and developed props, talking points, and suggested questions for the interviewer. The look and time of this taped interview is similar to the ones I have done during my year.
It was interesting to learn more about each finalists’ company. It was a very dairy day as Peggy featured specialty cheeses from Beechwood Cheese, and Cheryl showcased Caprine Supreme, LLC goat milk products. Krista brought in Something Special from RP’s Pasta while Melanie had sweet treats from Confections for Any Occasion. Jodi had many products from Falcon Foods at UW-River Falls, and Becky was knowledgeable about the uniqueness of Dancin’ Tastebuds. For more information on these local companies and more, visit savorwisconsin.com. These women emphasized how it is important to buy local to support local producers, businesses, communities, and economies.
After an intense morning, the finalists, Racine County committee members, and I enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant before going back to the hotel for the individual interview and writing exercise. The individual interviews are an opportunity for the finalists to personally introduce themselves to the three-person selection panel. The writing exercise challenges finalists to complete a two-part assignment that is typical of the daily work of Alice in Dairyland. Although it did not involve additional research, it did require creativity and focus!
With a busy day of work behind us, we all enjoyed a dinner at another local restaurant before resting for the night. The Racine County committee members have done an excellent job of organizing all of these stops, and it is greatly appreciated! I am looking forward to tomorrow when I can learn more about the agricultural industries of Racine County in agribusiness tours. There is still time to join us tomorrow, Thursday, night at the Aurora Wellness Center in Burlington for the Dinner and Impromptu Question and Answer Session. The social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by a dinner and the big event. Call 262-763-3676 for ticket information!
Alice in Dairyland is a public relations specialist with the Division of Agricultural Development at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. Alice in Dairyand promotes the diversity of agriculture and its $51.5 billion economic impact through media interviews, community events, and school visits. While this professional role began in 1948, it has continued to evolve throughout the years to have the intensive and extensive selection process it does today!
A Presentation and Prep for the Finals
May. 12, 2009
This morning I had the opportunity to share stories of my year with my Division at the Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). In 1948, Alice hosted the Centennial Exposition at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis. A year later, DATCP became the sponsor of the Alice in Dairyland program. In 1952, Alice became a one-year, full-time contract employee of the Department.
In my report to my Division, I shared the number of interviews and speeches done this year, which shows the achievements of the Alice in Dairyland program. I also shared the personal stories from community events, fun contests, and school visits. I have had a memorable and exciting year, and I thanked the Division for their continued support of me and the position!
After I finished my presentation, Nicole Breunig, the Program Manager, and I finished preparations for three day selection ahead. It was a busy day, and we both are looking forward to spending three days with the six finalists! On Wednesday, we will hold television, radio, and individual interviews before enjoying a group dinner.
There is still time for you to join us for the Impromptu Question and Answer Session on Thursday and the Selection Finale on Friday. Go to www.aliceindairyland.com for more information or call 262-763-3676!
Reception at the Executive Residence
May. 11, 2009
After a busy day of school visits, I celebrated the success of agriculture in 2008 with a reception at the Executive Residence. The attendees were from the diverse agricultural industry in Wisconsin representing major agricultural companies, boards, corporations, processors, and producers.
Secretary Rod Nilsestuen introduced Governor Jim Doyle who proclaimed the accomplishments of agriculture in our state and the challenges ahead. The Governor shared a positive story of our producers and processors continue to invest in our industry. In the past five years, Wisconsin’s 13,500 dairy farms have invested about one billion dollars to modernize, and reports show that in the next five years, another billion dollars will be invested. Wisconsin dairy plants have also shown record investments. In the past five years, Wisconsin dairy plants hae invested $1.24 billion in their equipment and facilities. In the next five years, more investments are expected! Since 2004, Wisconsin’s dairy processors have opened 34 new dairy plants and expanded 54 more.
The Governor emphasized that Wisconsin’s diversity make us strong. Organic farming in Wisconsin has risen by more than 90 percent in the last five years, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Wisconsin leads the nation in organic farming and livestock. Managed grazing is also making a statement in agriculture with 26 percent of all dairy farms in Wisconsin using managed grazing as their primary source of forage. More than half of all dairy farms in the state use pasture as part of their nation.
The agricultural statistics could continue as the list goes on! This was an uplifting event to see so many people in the industry gather together to share stories, information, and conversation! Thank you for everyone who works daily to keep the $51.5 billion agriculture industry strong!
School Visits with Mrs. Doyle
May. 11, 2009
I was very excited to drive to the Executive Residence this morning for a day of school visits with First Lady Jessica Doyle. During my college years, I worked as an event coordinator with Mrs. Doyle and enjoyed meeting thousands of students across the state as she promoted literacy, Wisconsin geography, and preparing for higher education. Today, we planned three school visits together so I joined Dave Huxtable, our Capitol Police Driver, and Carina Marquez-Barrientos, the Executive Assistant, on the road to Green Bay.
Our first school visit was at Jefferson Elementary School. Mrs. Doyle introduced me, and I explained the role of Alice in Dairyland and Wisconsin agriculture. The students were interested in my Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe and wanted to know more about it! After I gave an introduction to two industries Wisconsin ranks first in the nation in – cranberries and green beans, Mrs. Doyle explained how students could learn more about Wisconsin geography by playing Where in Wisconsin is Jessica Doyle?.
Our second school for the day was Doty Elementary School. Three fourth grade classes joined together to hear more about America’s Dairyland, the importance of Wisconsin agriculture, and what makes Wisconsin unique. Both Mrs. Doyle and I enjoyed asking the students questions since they would immediately raise their hands with ideas.
Our last stop was Washington Middle School. When we first arrived, we attended an all-school assembly where we congratulated the students on their achievements on the WKCE test. The entire school has increased their scores immensely in the last three years and was honored at today’s event. I told the students to set their dreams now for the future and work towards them. They have made a step in the right direction by working so hard on math, science, and reading in middle school.
After the all-school assembly, we met with an eighth grade science class. I explained to the students how I reached my dream position of Alice in Dairyland and challenged them to start their preparations today. I encouraged the students to consider one of the 300 careers available in agriculture. One in every twelve Wisconsinites works in an agricultural-related field. You could too!
It was a great day in the car again with Mrs. Doyle, Dave, and Carina. Thank you for welcoming me back, and thank you for all you do for education in Wisconsin!
Happy Mother's Day!
May. 10, 2009
Today I am home on the farm practicing my milking skills for the Milking Contest of Champions on Friday, May 15 versus Orion Samuelson, a famous agricultural broadcaster on television and radio.
I have to say Happy Mother’s Day to moms everywhere! I especially have to thank my mom for all she has done to raise my four siblings and me through all of our dreams and challenges! I appreciate you! A special Happy Mother’s Day to my grandmothers as well!
Also, Happy 50th Birthday to my father today! There is a lot for the Huibregtse’s to celebrate today before heading back to work Monday for a very busy week!
On the Air with Carol Koby
May. 09, 2009
On this beautiful Saturday morning, I drove to the Mid-West Family Broadcasting Building in Madison to interview with Carol Koby on AM1670 WTDY. Carol (Anderson) Koby was the 14th Alice in Dairyland in 1961 and was originally from Superior. Today, she lives in Madison and is a great supporter of the Alice in Dairyland program. You may remember Carol invited me to the Wine and Roses Event raising funds for Alzheimer ’s disease just weeks ago and now I was her guest on her program, All About Living.
Carol and I compared stories of our time as Alice in Dairyland as well as talking about the diversity of Wisconsin products. Carol asked me to give her a map of Wisconsin and what is grown in different areas. I explained that Racine County is known for cabbage, and Door County is known for cherries. The sandy soils of northeastern Wisconsin are famous for potatoes and other vegetables, and the marshes of northwestern Wisconsin are famous for cranberries. The rolling hills in the southwestern corner of Wisconsin are filled with row crops like corn and soybeans. Each area of Wisconsin is unique whether raising trout in the streams of northern Wisconsin or milking cows in central Wisconsin!
Carol also asked about important topics like buying local and renewable energy. She is a very knowledgeable woman and spoke about the benefits of buying local like supporting local farmers, producers, businesses, and the economy. Carol also wanted to talk about the benefits of ethanol use and help explain that there is a plentiful supply of corn in the United States for us, our livestock, and our fuel.
Thank you Carol for this challenging and fun interview on your morning program! It has been great working with you!
A Day in Hustisford with FFA
May. 08, 2009
This morning I was welcomed by a bright sunny spring day and bright cheery FFA students at the Hustisford FFA Agriculture Day. The purpose of this event was to share the importance of agriculture with the entire district. My first role at the event was to speak to the entire elementary school in a kick-off assembly. I encouraged the group to remember the three F’s of agriculture – food, fuel, and fiber as well as the fact that agriculture is diverse in our state. I even showed the bright picture of a Fantastic Farm that is on the Taste Wisconsin board. I told the students to make the most of this fun and educational day and remember how fantastic all of our farms are!
I soon walked over to the Middle School and High School building to put on a whole school assembly for these older students. I explained the role of Alice in Dairyland and why agriculture is a business. With this large group, I questioned whether they would volunteer for my planned activities, but they did in huge numbers! I was impressed with the spirit and enthusiasm of this group! The students helped me identify the nine essential vitamins and minerals in milk as well as how much sugar is in popular cola and sport drinks. I made the students promise to drink three to four glasses of milk a day. Only one in three teenage boys has enough calcium in his diet, and even scarier, only one in every eight teenage girls has enough calcium in her diet! The main message: Drink Milk!
My afternoon was spent serving ice cream treats to the elementary students in the cafeteria as well as greeting students in the petting zoo. The students were excited to talk to me in the cafeteria asking me questions about the tiara – the Amethyst and Citrines in the tiara are indigenous from Wisconsin – and my vehicle – a Chevrolet Flex-Fuel Tahoe from the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board and GM: Chevrolet. While at the petting zoo, I would ask students trivia questions like how much milk a cow gives a day – about 6 to 8 gallons – or what dairy cow is black and white – Holstein!
Congratulations Hustisford on a successful event, and thank you to the dedicated advisor, Grace Roberts, for inviting me!
A Meeting in Racine County
May. 07, 2009
Racine County’s Alice in Dairyland Planning Committee and volunteers have been working hundreds of hours to put on a terrific event next week. Tonight I was excited to join their final meeting and see the wonderful things to be expected next week. We previewed the wonderful video that will be shown the night of the Finale as well as the beautiful Finale Program Booklet that shares agricultural facts like these:
Racine County’s agricultural history dates back over 200 years. Dairy farming increased in importance after the Civil War and continues to be prominent today. Before Wisconsin had statehood, Racine County was the home of agricultural manufacturing. Delicious products like the malted milk ball and chocolate malt even came to be in Racine County in the mid 1800’s at the Horlick Malted Milk Company.
The event next week is sure to showcase the tradition and future of agriculture in Racine County. This event will also showcase the history of the Alice in Dairyland program and the future as we select one of the six professional women to be the 62nd Alice in Dairyland.
THANK YOU to the Racine County Planning Committee for all of your work this past year. I am confident this will be an event to remember!
Wisconsin Livestock and Meat Council
May. 07, 2009
The Wisconsin Livestock and Meat Council Recognition Banquet was fantastic today. I joined the large group of young and distinguished people at a local hotel for a delicious meal and awards. Secretary of Agriculture Rod Nilsestuen served as the Master of Ceremonies, and welcomed Dean Molly Jahn from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and I to give a welcome. I explained that I thought this even represented the tradition of the meat industry in Wisconsin and the future as we honored new Hall of Fame inductees and scholarship recipients.
The Wisconsin meat industry is something to be proud of. Wisconsin is first in specialty meat production with more than 300 small meat plants and processing facilities. The beef industry has grown in cattle numbers in the past two years and has about 12,800 beef farms. Wisconsin has 2,816 farms with sheep giving our state a rank of eighth in the nation. The value of the 440,000 pounds of wool produced last year is almost $200,000 in Wisconsin. Our pork industry gives approximately 5,000 Wisconsin citizens jobs and has an economic impact of almost $200 million.
I shared a short welcome sharing that I promote food, fuel, and fiber as Alice in Dairyland. I promote the dairy cow as often as I promote our livestock and meat products. I especially made note to the Wisconsin Beef Council who generously was an Alice in Dairyland partner this year printing a beef poster. Beef gives you ZIP – Zinc, Iron, and Protein, and has 29 lean cuts! Livestock is certainly a contributor to our $51.5 billion agriculture industry!
Three people who have made a difference to not only Wisconsin agriculture but the nation’s food supply were inducted into the Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame: Dr. Larry Borchert, Dr. Dean W. Henderson, and Louis E. Muench. Learn more about this Hall of Fame at http://www.ansci.wisc.edu/Meat_HOF/index.htm and recognize the great accomplishments of many in our state. Here is some information from the website:
The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame was established to recognize the contributions of individuals who have had a significant impact on the meat industry of Wisconsin. This contribution may be regarded as a business venture, an idea, a process or invention, an educational effort, a leadership role or any other effort which has influenced positively the people and environment of the state of Wisconsin. The accomplishment is broadly interpreted as related to the production, distribution and consumption of meat products.
The rationale for this effort is to compile a historical documentation of significant achievements and impacts of meat industry leaders and innovators that contributed to a strong and vibrant Wisconsin Meat Industry.
The concept is to recognize, record and thereby ensure not only a lasting tribute but equally important to serve as a challenge for greater accomplishments in future generations.
Each year, a committee of academic and industrial leaders in the field solicits nominations for honorees. Those who are selected receive a plaque and their photograph and biography are placed in the Hall alongside the other distinguished Hall of Fame inductees.
This activity was the inspiration of Dr. Robert W. Bray, Professor of Meat and Animal Science, University of Wisconsin, from 1941 to 1984, and was initiated in January, 1993. The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame resides at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science Laboratory; 1805 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 (608-262-0463).
Interview with Orion Samuelson
May. 07, 2009
While I tell people I different highlights from my Alice in Dairyland year, one of my favorites is still to come: my milking contest with Orion Samuelson! During my holiday interview with Orion, we joked back and forth that we were both undefeated milking champions. This spring, I challenged Orion to the ultimate milking contest, and he accepted! Racine County graciously agreed to host this contest at Schaal Dairy Farm.
On Friday, May 15, 2009 at 1:00 p.m., everyone is welcome to Schaal Dairy Farm located at 1800 Mckee Road, Burlington. We will discuss the huge impact of America’s Dairyland, introduce our finalists, introduce our guest of honor, and finally – have the big contest!
Orion Samuelson is heard six days a week on WGN Radio in Chicago, where he has served as Agribusiness Director since 1960. Orion and his associate, Max Armstrong, present 18 agricultural reports daily on the station. Orion is also heard daily on 260 radio stations with his syndicated National Farm Report and on 110 stations with his syndicated Samuelson Sez. Orion and Max are seen weekly on RFD-TV as co-hosts of This Week in Agri-Business.
Orion’s life long commitment to agriculture has been recognized by organizations in all segments of agri-business. In 1998, the American Farm Bureau Federation honored Orion and Senator Bob Dole with the AFBF Distinguished Service Award. In 1997, Illinois Governor Jim Edgar renamed the State Fair Junior Livestock Building the Orion Samuelson Junior Livestock Building as a tribute to Orion’s four decades of service to the agricultural youth of Illinois. In 2001 the University of Illinois conferred Orion with the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters; and in 2003, Orion received the highest award in the radio industry when he became the first Agribusiness Broadcaster to be inducted into the National Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Hall of Famer Paul Harvey presented the award to Orion on the national radio broadcast hosted by Larry King.
Orion is also in the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame, the National 4-H Hall of Fame, the Illinois Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame and the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Orion has traveled with his television crew to 43 countries to cover agriculture; four of his trips were official agricultural trade missions with the Secretary of Agriculture. During his 1989 trip to Taiwan, Orion was presented the International Communicator of the Year Award by the President of the Republic of China.
Orion is active outside broadcasting. He is Chairman of the Board of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation, a member of the Farm Foundation Bennett Round Table, a member of the Board of the Agriculture Future of America, a member of the Board of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, a member of the Board of Directors of the Foods Resource Bank, a Trustee of the Cornerstone Foundation of Lutheran Social Services in Illinois and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National 4-H Council.
For this contest, both Orion and myself will be asked to fill a bucket to a marked line. Two cows will be standing in locked stalls in the parlor, and then each contestant will have to do the milking by hand at the call of “Go!” The first one to fill the bucket to the line is our winner!
I cannot wait for this big event! Mark your calendars - May 15 at 1:00 p.m. is the Milking Contest of Champions!
Reedsburg Radio Interviews
May. 06, 2009
I was fortunate today to spend the entire morning in Reedsburg interviewing with Mike and Tom on the FM and AM radio stations. These two radio personalities have been great supporters throughout the year and always accommodate the changing Alice in Dairyland schedule. I enjoy being able to co-host a country morning show as I am a huge fan of the music and also share interesting agriculture facts.
Our first topic was reviewing my Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board school visits. I explained that I met over 8,000 students this year with elementary, middle, and high school visits. I was fortunate this year to be able to kick-off a brand new fourth grade program with the Wisconsin Dairy Council called Taste Wisconsin. I explained to Mike that I gave the students clues about Wisconsin products, and using an interactive game format, they had the chance to guess the answers!
We also talked about the great local products Wisconsin produces like Wisconsin maple syrup. I shared my experience about tapping the first maple tree in Luck and how our state ranks among the top in maple syrup production. Wisconsin has wonderful weather in the spring to stimulate sap flow in the tree. Sap flow needs warm days and cool nights. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup so it is intensive work to produce this natural sweetener. Wisconsin has about 3,000 producers, and this industry continues to modernize and innovate to be competitive. While some producers still use hand drills like I did to make my hole and hang my bucket, others use advanced pipeline systems between trees to efficiently move sap.
We also mentioned the Wisconsin poultry industry. Wisconsin produced 1.22 billion eggs in 2008 from about 4.55 million layers. While Wisconsin ranks 18th in egg production, our state is proud to have large broiler processing facilities. A broiler reaches its finished weight of 4.35 pounds in just 37 days. The industry has changed immensely over the years so now much of the incubation work can be done mechanically and all birds can have food and water available 24 hours a day!
Mike and Tom were surprised by my adventures at the Great Midwest Alpaca Festival. At www.gmaf.info/index/html, you can find information on this growing fiber industry. Remember alpaca are new to Wisconsin, coming to the United States in just 1984. Alpacas are a growing industry due to the value of their precious fibers. The alpaca fiber comes in 22 natural colors and is described to be as soft as cashmere and lighter and warmer than wool with no lanolin.
Finally, we encouraged listeners to pick up Wisconsin flowers for Mother’s Day. The first greenhouses were built in the 1800’s before statehood, and now our state has over 450 for you to buy local flowers. When you buy local flowers, you receive the best value since they are fresh and not damaged by travel. Wisconsin can grow many beautiful flowers including roses, snapdragons, tulips, and lilies. There are of course many potted flowers to buy as well. Find a flower location near you at www.cfgw.org!
Thank you Mike and Tom for being terrific friends to Alice in Dairyland!
Phone Interview with Paul Kern
May. 05, 2009
This morning I jumped on the phone to interview with Paul Kern of Racine. Paul has been a great supporter of the Alice in Dairyland program this year interviewing me about the Eat Local Challenge, Specialty Dairy Products, and Taste Wisconsin. Today, we spoke about the upcoming Alice in Dairyland selection.
Paul and I discussed what it takes to be the 62nd Alice in Dairyland. A three-person selection team will have the difficult job of evaluating the six finalists on their radio and taped television interviews, individual interviews, a writing exercise, impromptu question and answer session, agri-business talk, finale speech, and professionalism.
During the three-day Alice in Dairyland selection, the finalists will have the exciting opportunity to tour six area agri-businesses. Racine County has a large amount of agriculture, and I am looking forward to learning more about how these businesses contribute to the $500 million economic impact of Racine County agriculture. This county boasts the top spot for sod, cabbage, pumpkin, and duck production. Almost 40,000 acres of soybeans are harvested each year, and horticulture provides jobs for over 1,000 county residents.
I can’t wait to make my way to Racine County May 13 – 15, 2009!
Edgerton FFA Banquet
May. 04, 2009
This evening I enjoyed visiting a second FFA banquet for my year in Edgerton. I feel FFA and 4-H are the premier youth organizations to build leadership and speaking skills so I am honored when these groups welcome me to be their guest. This annual Edgerton banquet honors the accomplishments of the students throughout the year at contests, service projects, and school events.
I was invited as the keynote speaker explaining to students about Alice in Dairyland, Wisconsin agriculture, and how FFA can help the students in the future. I shared with the group how Alice in Dairyland is an agricultural ambassador for all of Wisconsin agriculture – America’s Dairyland as well as all of our food, fuel, and fiber. I shared several stories about how I participated in events, interviews, and school visits to promote the industry.
Finally, I shared my experiences in FFA and how they made a difference in my life. In FFA, I participated in officer positions, speaking contests, and poultry judging. There is no doubt that these contests gave me the confidence to do Fairest of the Far and Alice in Dairyland. In poultry judging, our team even wore t-shirts that said, “We are the best around – no clucking!” Now to wear a shirt like that, FFA had to give us confidence!
I encouraged the students to take their experiences in FFA and apply them to one of the 300 careers in agriculture. In Edgerton and all of Rock County, agriculture is abundant. The quality land and ideal location makes Rock County a plentiful place of production and processing. Rock County ranks among the top in the state in corn and soybean production. Agriculture is diverse in this area, producing mint, vegetables, nursery and flowers, pheasants, dairy, and hogs – just to name some! Agriculture provides jobs for almost 9,000 county residents, and farmers own and manage 75% of the land in Rock County. The young men and women in this area clearly are involved in agriculture now, and I hope they will continue this in the future as they go on to school and the workforce.
Congratulations Edgerton FFA, and thank you for welcoming me to the podium!
Back to Madison
May. 03, 2009
This morning I drove from the western side of Wisconsin back to Madison! Today I had some deadlines to meet so I spent time in the office at DATCP.
Your deadline is approaching to come to the 62nd Alice in Dairyland selection. Learn more about how you can join me in Burlington May 14 – 15, 2009 for the big event at www.aliceindairyland.com!
A Day at Flat Pennies
May. 02, 2009
On a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, I was the honored guest at Flat Pennies Ice Cream. In March 2001, Jim and Lorna Ross decided to purchase SooLine Caboose #27. Jim always had an interest in trains so this filled a lifetime dream for him. This caboose stayed at the Colfax Railroad Museum while they decided how to make their goal of having an ice cream shop a reality. Finally, the couple found a real Wisconsin dairy product that fit their needs and an old restaurant in Bay City to be their perfect location.
Opened in March 2007, this ice cream shop has a beautiful appearance with log cabin in the inside and even a fireplace. There is a place for pets and outside seating. The menu includes delicious ice cream as well as meals. Almost all the products, including many gifts available inside, are from Wisconsin! The original caboose now sits next to Flat Pennies and can be toured daily during the season. This is an excellent part of history to enjoy! Jim estimates there are only about 10,000 cabooses left since they are rarely used now. Cabooses were used as a mobile office for the train.
Have you ever wondered about where history came from? At www.eatwisconsincheese.com, I found that ice cream evolved from flavored ices that popular with Romans in the 4th Century, B.C. The hand crank freezer to make ice cream was patented in 1846. The first commercial ice cream plant was opened in Baltimore in 1851. I also found that ice cream is delicious and with health benefits. Ice cream includes dairy products, which means Protein, Riboflavin, Calcium, and other vitamins and minerals for you!
This business goes through about 60 gallons of ice cream mix every other week. Jim and Lorna are committed to this business and are open seven days a week from March through October. With only five employees, they are there are almost every day! It was a great day visiting with 4-H members, Classic Car Club members, and local visitors.
Speaking at the CFC FFA Banquet
May. 01, 2009
I was honored to be a speaker at the Cochrane-Fountain City FFA Banquet. I first heard of the CFC FFA Chapter when I was in high school at the Wisconsin FFA Convention. This chapter is known as being successful at everything – speaking contests, proficiencies, and state office candidates. I couldn’t believe that I was asked to join the banquet to share my experience trying to reach my goal of Alice in Dairyland!
After great conversation and dinner, the awards began! When it was my turn to take the podium, I explained the role of Alice in Dairyland as an agricultural ambassador for Wisconsin. I then explained my journey to being the 61st Alice in Dairyland. I shared how I was a “runner-up” numerous times – for National Speaking, FFA State Office, and State Fairest of the Fair – and yet still kept my mind on my goal to be Alice. I encouraged the students to stay focused on their path making small goals to reach their ultimate dream.
I also explained to the students that I hoped they would consider work in agriculture. What Buffalo County lacks in fast food restaurants and stop lights, it is strong in agriculture! Buffalo County, along the Mississippi River with the beautiful bluffs, has almost 3,000 residents employed in agriculture. Over 72% of the county’s land is farmed. Agriculture is the number one source of income in the county with dairy, poultry, and beef being the most significant businesses. Because agriculture is a $51.5 billion business, we need FFA members like these successful students to continue to make their impact in agriculture.
Thank you CFC FFA for including me in your annual event – it was spectacular! Congratulations on another successful year!
The End of Taste Wisconsin Blitzes!
May. 01, 2009
My last day of Taste Wisconsin blitzes! After seven weeks total over this spring semester, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has made it possible for me to meet thousands of students at over a hundred schools. This wonderful group at WMMB also set up dozens of media interviews to encourage everyone to learn more about agriculture at www.wisdairy.com/tastewi.
My last two schools were Franklin Elementary School and Southern Bluffs Elementary School. At Franklin Elementary, I had a small group of students making it possible for us to talk about a lot of agricultural businesses and for me to learn more about their recent trip to the Capitol! At Southern Bluffs Elementary, I met with over sixty students in the cafeteria. The students were full of energy and excited for the visit. They were even more excited at the end of the activity when they received a Wisconsin Colby Cheese Stick from Maple Leaf Cheese Factory.
My last Taste Wisconsin interview was at WKBT – Channel 8 in La Crosse with Mark McPherson. I really enjoyed working with this station this year, and today the entire floor crew had fun with the Taste Wisconsin activity. I gave the group clues about Wisconsin agriculture, and they would guess. The weatherman and camera crew did a great job and kept beating Mark to the answer. The knew milk was the state beverage and the cranberry was the state fruit.
Thank you to WMMB, the schools, and the media for supporting this Taste Wisconsin campaign! It was terrific, and I appreciate your support!
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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
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