Alice in Dairyland Travel Journal Archive

Back on the Road
Jun. 30, 2009

I was back on the road today to a couple of really neat events. I started my day at Shorehaven Health Center in Oconomowoc. They were having “State Fair Day” at the center for all the residents. They had a quilt display, a petting zoo, ice cream sundaes, and even cream puffs. I even got a blue ribbon at the fair! I had a great time visiting with the residents; many of them grew up or lived on farms. It was great to hear their stories about what it was like when they were farming. I talked with them about all the advances farmers are making like using rotary milk parlors and harvesting methane gas for power like I saw at Holsum Elm Dairy on Sunday. Farmers are business men, and agriculture is a business like any other, so it needs to keep modernizing to remain profitable and competitive. I had a great time at “State Fair Day” at Shorehaven. It made me even more excited for the Wisconsin State Fair, August 6 – 16 in West Allis.

After my time in Oconomowoc, I was back in Madison for some work in the office, wrapping up some things from the month of June and preparing for what is ahead for me in July. But I still had one more event to go to before the month of June ended. I went to Whole Foods on University Avenue in Madison for Tandoori Tuesday. The event was all about grilling delicious burgers using some spices from the company White Jasmine. The company’s owner, Huma Siddiqui, grew up in Pakistan. She now lives in Wisconsin, but wanted to bring some of her home here. So she did by starting a company to sell spices. And we got to sample one of them, Tandoori Marsala, cooked in with the burger. I had a piece of Swiss cheese on my burger, and it was delicious. Huma also told me that she has been working with a Wisconsin cheese factory to include some of her spices in the cheese! I also had a great time visiting with a lot of people who stopped by for a burger before they went grocery shopping. I think the event went really well, and it was a perfect way to transition from June Dairy Month to Beef Month in July!

Radio Interview with WJMC
Jun. 29, 2009

After a very busy and exciting day yesterday, I was ready for a little rest and relaxation today. But, I was still so excited about how much fun I had at all the events yesterday that I had to tell someone! Good thing I had an interview scheduled with Amber Gonske at WJMC radio in Rice Lake so I could tell her and all her listeners about it. And we had plenty of time to talk about everything. This was the longest radio interview I had done as Alice; we filled 30 minutes talking about my background in agriculture and communications, how I became Alice, what Alice does throughout the year, and all the different events that I had been to during June Dairy Month. I had a great time, and I look forward to talking with Amber every month for our monthly update!

3 Events!
Jun. 28, 2009

When I look back at today, all I can think is what an amazing day it was!

I started off bright and early driving in the Flex Fuel Tahoe to Fond du Lac County. I have driven through Fond du Lac County many times this month, but this was my first stop there for the Agribusiness Council Breakfast on the Farm at Circle H Dairy near Van Dyne. I started off the day by helping serve milk during the breakfast. Then I kicked off a half hour of live radio broadcasting from the farm as I was interviewed by Wade Bates of KFIZ radio. After that, I was up on stage talking to the audience about how important the $20.6 billion dairy industry is in Wisconsin. Every time I tell the audience that if we break that big number down, that’s $653 every second the dairy industry is contributing with the state’s economy, I can always hear people in the audience say “wow.” After speaking, I roamed around the tables handing out Got Milk? stickers and key chains and talking more with people about how important agriculture is here in Wisconsin. But before I knew it, I had to hit the road to the second event of the day.

From Fond du Lac County, I traveled around Lake Winnebago to Calumet County for their “Sundae” on the Farm at Holsum Elm Dairy near Hilbert. Having the “Sundae” at Holsum Elm was a great way for people to see how a larger farm operation works. Holsum Elm is home to 4,200 cows, and roughly 15 new calves are born there every day! But for being a larger farm, they are still family operated with 70 employees and family members working on the farm. Kenn Buelow is the manager of the farm, and takes great pride in keeping it environmentally conscious. Holsum Elm is home to an anaerobic digester that converts the cows’ waste into electricity for the Holsum Elm farm and 800 homes in the area. Because of the use of the digester and other practices, Holsum Elm is listed as Green Tier with the Department of Natural Resources for exceptional environmental practices. I think every one who visited the farm learned a lot; I know I did. It was great spending my early afternoon there before heading to my third event of the day.

From Calumet County, I drove south to the city of Waukesha for the final stop on the Tour of America’s Dairyland cycling series. I was at the kick-off event in Waterloo the week before, so I was excited to see how all the racers had been doing as they traveled across Wisconsin. Right when I got to the Start/Finish line, I helped present the awards to the winners of the Pro Women’s race. It was great to see the overall winner Jesse Maclean’s face light up as I presented her with a 25 pound wheel of cheese. Speaking of cheese, I was put to the test there playing “Spot the Phony” with one of the race announcers. Todd would list off three types of cheese and include a word that could be confused for a name of a cheese. I would have to pick out the one that wasn’t cheese to help someone in the crowd win a block of cheese. I’ll admit, I haven’t studied the whole list of more than 600 types, styles, and varieties of Wisconsin cheese, so I didn’t get them all correct, but I did help some people win cheese. I visited with people during the race, including the family of the winner of the Pro Men’s race that day, James Stemper from Wauwatosa, and the family of Chad Hartley, the overall series winner. And it was a great way to finish the day with an exciting race, and the cyclists drinking the ultimate sports recovery drink, chocolate milk. I even got to finish my day with fireworks as I pulled in to Madison just in time for the start of Rhythm and Booms!

I had so much fun today, and I’m glad my older sister, Wendy, was along with to help me capture the day on video! Now that you read about everything that I did, you can see it for yourself by checking out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xab2uZTaDQ4

Pierce County Dairy Breakfast
Jun. 27, 2009

Today was a really special day, and some morning rain showers didn’t dampen the mood one bit. After a 10 year absence, the Pierce County Dairy Breakfast returned, and it was amazing! The Pierce County Dairy Promoters worked really hard, and their hard work paid off with around 1,000 attendees to the breakfast. I had so much fun talking to so many people as they enjoyed their breakfast of waffles on the farm. I talked with many people about the revival of the breakfast in Pierce County and why it’s so important to have these events on the farm to help people connect with agriculture. Everyone around the state no matter where they live is connected to agriculture by being a consumer. And when local products are purchased, the money spent is going to stay in the community longer, and support the farmers, the producers, the community, and Wisconsin agriculture as a whole. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to bring back the Pierce County Dairy Breakfast! I think you have revived a great tradition.

Dairy, Berry and Cheese
Jun. 26, 2009

I started my day in Wisconsin Rapids for the Dairy and Berry Breakfast to celebrate June Dairy Month and the Cranberry Blossom Festival. Wood County is very diverse in agriculture. It is home to 21,000 dairy cows and is the largest cranberry producing county in Wisconsin. During the breakfast that took place at Lincoln High School, I got to talk to lots of people about diversity in Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry as they enjoyed their pancakes with cranberry syrup. I also got to meet the Blossom Festival Princesses. I was very excited to hear that they were selected after giving a two minute presentation about the importance of cranberries in their community!

After the breakfast, I drove from Wisconsin Rapids to State Fair Park in West Allis for the State Fair Cheese and Butter Contest Judging. I met Bill Schlinsog, the chief judge of the contest. Bill walked me through the whole process of judging cheese. At the State Fair Cheese Contest, there are two judges at each table. First, the judges look at the outside of the cheese for any imperfections. Then judges use a tool to pull a plug of cheese from the block. After pulling the plug, the judges first smell the cheese. Then they break it apart and feel it. After all of that, then they finally taste the cheese, but they don’t eat it. The judges will put a small piece of cheese in their mouth to taste the flavors, but they don’t swallow it so it doesn’t change their taste buds as they judge the other pieces of cheese. As they taste the cheese, they take points off if it had any negative flavors like a woody, flat, or acidic flavor. The judges make notation of any deductions on a score sheet. The scores are averaged between the two and then ranked in order. The top three cheeses in each category will be on display in the Ag Products Pavillion at the Wisconsin State Fair, August 6 – 16. All the first place cheeses go up against each other for the title of Grand Master, which won’t be announced until State Fair. I learned so much and got to taste some really, really good Wisconsin cheese!

Back in the Office
Jun. 25, 2009

I was back in the office today getting ready for a busy three days ahead of me. I started my morning with a radio interview with Bob Meyer, the farm director for the Brownfield Network and WDLB in Marshfield. Bob and I talked about all the different events I’ve been to as we celebrate the $20.6 billion dairy industry during June Dairy Month. We also talked about my year ahead, and to what other things we’ll be able to talk about during our monthly interview as my year goes on. Thanks Bob for all the interviews and for everything you do to promote agriculture!

After my interview, I met some more people in the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection when I met with some of the staff from the Departments of Trade and Consumer Protection. I learned how they work to make sure consumers are being treated fairly by investigating consumer complaints whether they are from illegal telemarketers, deceptive business practices, incorrect food scanners, questionable food, and many more things consumers can come across. One thing I found really interesting is that they make sure all the different weights and ways of measuring are accurate like scales at the grocery store and pumps at the gas station. So, when I’m filling the Flex Fuel Tahoe with E85, I know that I’m getting the amount of fuel that is listed on the pump. Thanks to all the employees in Trade and Consumer Protection for all they do!

After my day in the office, I loaded up the Flex Fuel Tahoe and hit the road for Wisconsin Rapids to get ready for an early morning event the next day.

Why Milk?
Jun. 24, 2009

Even on a day off, I still can’t help but talk about Wisconsin agriculture. And it’s not hard to do when you just go on a quick trip to the grocery store and the Milk Mustache Mobile Tour is parked in the grocery store parking lot! My sister Wendy and I walked over to visit with the people on the tour. We met one of the guys who has been on the road since March, traveling all over the United States on the “Drink Well. Live Well.” tour promoting the health benefits from drinking milk. Hundreds of studies have proven the health benefits of those nine essential vitamins and nutrients you get from drinking milk. Milk has also been endorsed by 250 celebrities. When my sister and I said we grew up on a dairy farm, the guy on the tour asked us if we knew all about the Dairy Princesses he's met here in Wisconsin. I told him that I did because I was the Crawford County Dairy Princess while I was in high school. And I told him about Alice in Dairyland and how I travel all over the state promoting Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry.

If you see the tour in your neighborhood, be sure to stop by to learn more about milk, try a milk shake, and get your very own milk mustache picture taken like the one of my sister and me! And check out their website, www.whymilk.com.

Sheboygan County Fairest of the Fairs Gala
Jun. 22, 2009

After spending much of the day in the office getting ready for a very busy end to my first month as Alice, I filled up the Tahoe with E85 and headed up to Sheboygan County for their Fairest of the Fair Gala. Before the event started, I was able to visit with the reigning Sheboygan County Fairest of the Fair Eric Jens and the 2009 Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair Melissa Ploeckelman during an interview for TV 8 in Sheboygan. We interviewed each other to learn about what we all do to promote Wisconsin agriculture. After the interview, I was also able to visit with the three young women vying for the title of 2009 Sheboygan County Fairest of the Fair and with many familiar faces from the Sheboygan County Breakfast on the Farm just a couple days before. During the program, each of the three candidates had to introduce themselves, give a 30 second radio commercial for the Sheboygan County Fair, and answer an impromptu question. All three did an amazing job. While the judges deliberated, I spoke to the crowd about two things I am passionate about: agriculture and the news. After hearing from the crowd what news headlines they remembered from the past year, I talked to them about all the good news from the past year in Wisconsin agriculture. There are a lot of good things going on in Wisconsin agriculture even in these tough economic times. Demand around the world for Wisconsin’s award winning cheese continues to grow; last year, cheese exports rose 30% to a record value of $94 million dollars. After my speech, it was time for some more news and the announcement of the new Fairest. Congratulations to Laura Rortvedt who was selected as the 2009 Sheboygan County Fairest of the Fair! I look forward to working with Laura and seeing everyone in Sheboygan County again at the Sheboygan County Fair, September 3 – 7, 2009 in Plymouth. Visit www.shebcofair.com for more details on all the events at the fair.

Marshfield FFA & Alumni Dairy Breakfast
Jun. 21, 2009

This morning, I made my first trip to central Wisconsin for the Marshfield FFA & Alumni Dairy Breakfast held at Central Feeds. It was a great set-up, and there was great food. There were scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, sausage links, cups of applesauce, ice cream sundaes, cheese curds, milk, and three kinds of pancakes, buttermilk, blueberry, and potato. Not only was the food amazing, but so was the petting zoo and educational display. They had a great variety of animals and displays that really highlighted the diversity of Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry. One of my favorite displays was a small swimming pool filled with corn. Kids could fill up buckets with corn as if they were going to feed it to the animals, and I could talk to their parents about how the corn can be turned in to fuel like the E85 that fuels Flex Fuel vehicles like the Tahoe I drive. The event had a great turnout, and I think everyone learned a lot too because the FFA members worked so hard on the displays. Thank you to the Marshfield FFA & Alumni for inviting me to the event!

Sheboygan Co Breakfast & Claytonfest
Jun. 20, 2009

I think the weather has been getting better and better with every Breakfast on the Farm I’ve been to. In my opinion, the weather today was perfect for both events I attended. I started the day by traveling to Oostburg for the Sheboygan County Breakfast on the Farm at Gary-Lee Farms. Upon arrival, I met the Sheboygan County Fairest of the Fair Erin Jens and the three young women who are vying for this next year’s title. Erin, the candidates, and I all spoke many times to the audience of breakfast go-ers. Between speeches, I greeted many of the few thousand people who came to the farm. I also spent time in a tent set-up by the Sheboygan County Dairy Promotions Committee helping educate visitors about the dairy industry. Anyone could come spin the wheel, then I would ask them a question from the category the wheel landed on, and if the contestant guessed correctly, then they won a prize. It was fun helping everyone learn how important the dairy industry is in Wisconsin like with the question that asks how many people in Wisconsin are employed by the dairy industry. The answer: nearly 160,000; that’s about 40% of all Wisconsin agricultural jobs. Also in the tent was “Addie,” a fiberglass cow that gives people the opportunity to try their hand at milking a cow. I sat next to “Addie” and helped a number of kids milk her.

As the breakfast started to wrap up, I headed to the Flex Fuel Tahoe and drove to Larsen. Larsen is home to Claytonfest, a community event for residents of the township of Clayton. There were games, demonstrations, a polka band, and a pet show. The pet show was probably my favorite event because so many people brought so many different pets for the show. There were puppies, a kitten, a goat, a rooster, a chicken and even a horse in the show. To help them all celebrate June Dairy Month, every participant a Got Milk? pencil. I enjoyed visiting with the Claytonfest attendees. Many of them hadn’t met an Alice in Dairyland before, so I got to tell them all about the Alice program and what she does every year to promote Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry.

Thank you to the Sheboygan County Dairy Promotions Committee and the organizers of Claytonfest for inviting me to their events!

Tour of America's Dairyland
Jun. 19, 2009

This year, I’ll be traveling more than 40,000 miles across America’s Dairyland promoting Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry and touring many of the diverse agriculture industries here in Wisconsin. In other words, I’ll be “touring America’s Dairyland.” Today, I made a stop in Waterloo to kick-off the Tour of America’s Dairyland, a series of cycling events across Wisconsin. This is the first year of the Tour of America’s Dairyland under new sponsorship from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, who is also an Alice in Dairyland partner. The tour is a great way for cyclists from all over the world to experience the gorgeous farm scenery of America’s Dairyland and to promote the health benefits from cycling. And the tour is a great way for cyclists and spectators to learn more about the health benefits of dairy products and the ultimate sports recovery drink: chocolate milk. Chocolate milk has the perfect blend of proteins and carbohydrates to rehydrate tired muscles. In milk, there are nine essential vitamins and nutrients: calcium, phosphorus, niacin, riboflavin, protein, potassium, and vitamins A, B-12, and D. Other beverages you might have after a workout don’t have any of those. It was really great to see the cyclists grabbing up the bottles of chocolate milk after their races. Spectators were enjoying the chocolate milk too on the hot and muggy June afternoon. The winner of each race got to drink chocolate milk on the podium too when they received their winning cow-spotted jersey too. I had fun handing out awards and talking to the crowd about Wisconsin’s dairy industry and all Wisconsin agriculture. Thank you to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for sponsoring this great event and for inviting me to attend the kick-off. To see if the series is making a stop in your area, visit www.tourofamericasdairyland.com.

Also at the event, I got to meet many members of the Crave family whose farm is just outside Waterloo. They will be hosting Wisconsin Farm Technology Days at their farm July 21-23. Farm Technology Days is Wisconsin’s premier agricultural technology exposition. The Crave’s farm is making a lot of great technological advances like using an anaerobic manure digester to power their farm, and many neighboring homes too. There will be a lot to see and to learn there. There will also be a lot of great cheese straight from the Crave Brothers farmstead cheese factory. Visit www.dodgefarmtech.com for more information about this upcoming event. I hope to see you all there!

Nursery Training & 3 Events in 1 Day
Jun. 17, 2009

I was excited to see a very busy schedule today after a day off yesterday. I started my day at a nursery owned by The Bruce Company, one of the largest landscape contractors in the United States. The Bruce Company was founded in 1952 and has grown to cover nearly 500 acres with growing trees. The Bruce Company grows trees beginning at the “liner” stage, meaning the trees have already grown from the seeds and are ready to develop a root system in the ground. This year, The Bruce Company planted 25,000 of these new trees! Trees are sold when they are at a healthy diameter, and that varies by tree. Some of the liners The Bruce Company planted this year will be ready for sale in three years; others won’t be ready until five years from now. When trees are ready for sale, they must be dug from the ground. Most trees are dug using big machines that dig all the root systems up too. It takes a crew of five people to get the tree ready: one to operate the machine and four to put a large piece of burlap around the “root ball.” The Bruce Company employees a year-round staff of about 100 people, but they also have 500 to 600 seasonal workers. The Bruce Company does a variety of landscaping including services for golf courses, living walls for homes, and landscaping in commercial areas. The Bruce Company is currently working on a 1,400 tree forest for a new commercial development. Thank you to The Bruce Company for taking me on a tour and for introducing me to my new favorite tree, the Fat Albert Blue Spruce.

After touring the nursery, I traveled back to Madison for two events. The first was with the South Madison Coalition for the Elderly and CDI Day Care. I really enjoyed working with both children and the elderly who were there. I read them the story “Mooing, Milking, Munching: Wisconsin’s Dairy Tale,” a book all about Wisconsin’s dairy industry. During the story, we talked about Wisconsin cheese curds being the best snack, and after the story, we ate Wisconsin cheese curds as a snack! Next, I met with “The Lunch Bunch” from the West Madison Senior Coalition. They had been studying about healthy lifestyle choices including exercises and food choices. I talked with them about the importance of dairy products in a healthy diet. Milk has nine essential vitamins and nutrients for helping maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.

After my two events in Madison, I was on a long drive under blue skies to Hobart, a town just south of Green Bay, for the first annual Hobart Ice Cream Social to celebrate June Dairy Month. The event included ice cream sundaes, entertainment from the Pulaski High School Band, carriage rides, a petting zoo, and hot air balloon rides! Even though this wasn’t my first trip to Brown County this year, it was my first time speaking from the top of the playground. I even slid down the slide after addressing the crowd. I had a great time visiting with many of the more than 450 people who attended and helping dish out some ice cream. I also enjoyed talking to some young reporters at the event. I was interviewed by two young women from Pulaski High School and Pulaski News and by Jake who is an intern this summer at the Hobart Press. Jake said he was nervous to interview me since I was a journalist too, but he did a great job. I think the event was a huge success, and I hope the village of Hobart continues the celebration!

Farm Center & Ethanol Training
Jun. 15, 2009

Starting my third week as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland, I still have a lot to learn about all the different divisions in the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, and the services out there to help farmers to learn and succeed. This morning, I met with Paul Dietmann with the Wisconsin Farm Center. I was amazed to learn about all the services and assistance they provide to farmers both from the office and out in the field for crisis management and ways to be proactive. One of the most used services now because of the down economy is the Farmer Assistance Program where farmers can call the center to talk to someone about their business plans, debt analysis, coming up with solutions, and much more. Aside from the people who work in the Farm Center answering calls, there are also about 30 volunteers across the state that go out to meet with the farmers. Another program, the Farm Mediation and Arbitration Program, helps farmers settle disputes whether they are with a creditor, a government program, an environmental conflict, or something with a neighbor. There are a lot of great programs that can assist a farmer when they are making a major decision about their farm whether it’s positive or negative. You can learn more about the Wisconsin Farm Center by visiting www.datcp.state.wi.us.

After my meeting with Paul, I took the Flex Fuel Tahoe to a place that makes the fuel the Tahoe needs. I drove to Friesland to visit the United Wisconsin Grain Producers, LLC ethanol plant. Dan Wegner, the Commodities Manager of the plant, took myself, Madison radio personality Sly from 1670 WTDY, and representatives from the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board on a tour of the facility. There are nice ethanol plants across Wisconsin that produce this renewable energy that burns cleaner and is better for our air. The plant I toured in Friesland opened in April 2005. I was amazed to learn that plant operates nearly every day of the year only having to close once in a while for maintenance. About 60 semi loads of corn come in to the facility each day. About 90% of all the corn UWGP uses is from Wisconsin. All that corn produces 50 to 60 million gallons of ethanol each year. One kernel of corn can be broken into three parts: distillers’ grain, carbon dioxide, and starch which is used to make ethanol.

The whole process starts with a semi of corn being unloaded. The corn is fed through a grinder and chopped down to very fine pieces that look like feed for chickens. Water and enzymes are added to the chopped up corn to a “mash” form to help break down the starch to a simple sugar. After being heated and cooled, yeast is added to break apart the carbon dioxide and converts the starch to ethanol. This process is called fermentation, and it takes between 40 and 50 hours to get the “mash” converted to “beer.” After the carbon dioxide is separated, the “beer” that is left is ethanol and “stillage” for the distillers’ grain. The “beer” is pumped through distillation columns where the ethanol is separated from the “stillage.” The “stillage” can them be converted in to two forms to be sold, wet or dry distillers’ grain. This grain is high in protein and makes great feed for cattle. Many times, trucks that bring in the corn from a local elevator often take a semi load of distillers’ grain back with them to a local feed mill.

The ethanol that is separated from the “stillage” is actually 190 to 200 proof alcohol. The facility then denatures the ethanol with about two percent gasoline so it isn’t drinkable. This 98% ethanol blend is ready for transport to another facility where it is blended with more gasoline to become E85, the type of fuel the E85 Flex Fuel Chevy Tahoe runs on. At UWGP, there are two truck racks for loading ethanol that are in operation 24 hours a day. Those trucks take away nearly one million gallons of ethanol from UWGP every week.

Seeing the process of turning corn into ethanol was really interesting to me. The number of people that it takes is interesting too. At UWGP, it takes only three people to run the entire plant since much of the process is computer operated. There are at least three people on staff at all times during the day. UWGP does have a staff of 35 people to run the plant, the office, and the lab. Because the production of ethanol uses living organisms in the yeast, there is a need for the “mash” to be monitored. Samples are taken at many times during fermentation to ensure the “mash” is healthy. If the “mash” gets infected, that could ruin the whole batch. UWGP has a great record, only loosing two loads over their history.

I’m still amazed at everything I learned at UWGP. I can’t wait to fuel up the Tahoe again knowing how much that fuel is supporting Wisconsin’s corn growers and the ethanol industry that generates nearly $400 million in economic activity each year. Thank you to everyone at UWGP for the amazing tour. Thank you everyone from the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board for being a great partner with Alice in Dairyland and making the E85 Chevy Tahoe possible.

Manitowoc Co. & Oconto Co. Breakfasts
Jun. 14, 2009

This morning, I loaded up the Flex Fuel Tahoe and headed once again to the northeastern corner of Wisconsin for two Breakfasts on the Farm. I didn’t travel alone today; my parents came with me! I was really happy to have my mom and dad along for the ride because they were the ones who raised me on a dairy farm and taught me about agriculture at a very young age. I started my day at Kohlmann family’s farm near Valders. I was amazed to learn the Kohlmann’s farm was destroyed by a tornado on July 13, 2004. Now today, the farm stands tall and hosted thousands of guests under bright sunshine. I visited with many guests as they enjoyed their breakfast. I spoke to the crowd too along with the new Manitowoc County Dairy Princess and new Miss Farm Bureau. There was an amazing turnout at this breakfast. There was also a great turnout at the next breakfast I was able to attend at the Alsteen’s Farm near Lena in Oconto County. When I arrived, I saw a long line of breakfast attendees waiting to get some delicious food. I talked with many of the breakfaster go-ers in line as they enjoyed some cheese that was brought around for them to snack on. I enjoyed talking to them about that delicious Wisconsin cheese too like how Wisconsin still leads the nation in cheese production and produces more cheese than most countries around the world! Thank you to both Manitowoc County and Oconto County for inviting me to their breakfasts!

Two Events in Dane County
Jun. 13, 2009

The day started off a little rainy, but ended bright and sunny. I started my day at the Dane County Breakfast on the Farm at Hinchley’s Dairy Farm near Cambridge. I parked the Flex Fuel Tahoe and rode in to the farm on a wagon just as all the breakfast attendees did. Upon arrival, I was interviewed by a great farm reporter, Pam Jahnke. Pam and I talked about why it’s so important to have events like the Breakfast on the Farm to better connect consumers with agriculture. Every person in this state is a consumer and is connected to agriculture. And when consumers buy local products, that supports our local farmers, producers, communities, economies, and Wisconsin agriculture as a whole. I got to visit with a lot of people who attended the breakfast including Dane County’s Fairest of the Fair, the county’s ambassador for the fair. I was honored to crown Molly Rake from Waunakee as Dane County’s first Fairest of the Fair. Congratulations Molly! Thank you to the Dane County Dairy Promotion Committee for inviting me to the breakfast!

After the breakfast, the sun was shining bright, and I headed to the other side of Dane County to the city of Middleton and the Middleton Big Event. I met with people at Hubbard Ave. Diner and talked with them about the importance of agriculture, especially the dairy industry as we celebrate June Dairy Month. I also visited the Carr Valley Cheese Store in Middleton. While I was there, I learned about the history of Carr Valley, now on its fourth generation of ownership and home to one of the certified Master Cheesemakers in Wisconsin, Sid Cook. Carr Valley makes 50 varieties of cheese including two cheeses that took home Best of Show honors at the 2008 American Cheese Society Competition. Thanks to the City of Middleton, Hubbard Ave. Diner, and Carr Valley Cheese for a great afternoon!

Breakfast in the Valley & Bike-Cream
Jun. 12, 2009

I was up before the sun again this morning to get ready for the Breakfast in the Valley in Eau Claire. I headed right to the breakfast at the Eau Claire County Expo Center to meet up with WEAU News 13 for my first live television interview. Meteorologist Mark Holley asked me a lot of great questions about the Alice program, Wisconsin agriculture, and Wisconsin’s dairy industry. I went straight from my interview with WEAU to be interviewed by Bob Bosold from WAXX radio who was also broadcasting live from the breakfast. I worked with Bob most of the morning too as he was the emcee for the breakfast. Between being interviewed by Bob in front of the audience, helping hand out door prizes, and interviews with WQOW and the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, I had a great chance to meet with many of the people who attended the breakfast and help them see the importance of Wisconsin’s dairy industry as we celebrate June Dairy Month. During the milking contest, I was able to tell the crowd that the one Jersey cow that was there was worth $17,000 in economic activity to the state each year. I didn’t compete in the milking contest, but I did compete in the milk drinking contest. Check out the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNx6A1X_sw Thank you to everyone at the Eau Claire Breakfast in the Valley for making it such a great event!

After making the trip back to Madison, I got to celebrate Bike to Work Week and June Dairy Month with my DATCP co-workers by helping make “bike-cream.” An ice cream maker was attached to a bicycle, so when a person peddled, the cream was churned and cooled to make the “bike-cream.” I helped churn the Honey Lavender flavor. It was delicious. Thank you too the engineers of the bike and Sassy Cow Creamery for supplying the cream!

More Training… More Travel
Jun. 11, 2009

This morning, I was back in the office learning more about the various divisions in the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection where the Alice in Dairyland Program is also located. I met with Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt and the Division of Animal Health. I learned about how they provide disease prevention and control programs to livestock and pets here in Wisconsin, and how they also work with local authorities on how to care for animals in a disaster setting like a tornado or a need for an area to be evacuated. I also met with Kathy Pielsticker in the Division of Agricultural Resource Management. That division focuses on protecting Wisconsin’s environmental resources by working with the land, water, and everything on it. I also had the opportunity to be a part of the Market Wisconsin meeting. There are a lot of great programs here to help educate and encourage the purchase of Wisconsin products. As Alice, I will get to work with many of them like the Something Special from Wisconsin program. The producers who sign-up with this program guarantee that at least 50% of the ingredients in their products or the production of their products are from Wisconsin. We’ll talk a lot more about this program as the year goes on. I will work closely with SSfW during the holiday media campaign.

After the meeting, we loaded up in the E85 Flex Fuel Tahoe and headed to Eau Claire to get ready for a big event the next day.

WMMB Photo shoot & Wisconsin FFA Convention
Jun. 10, 2009

There are two things that I always need to start my day: a smile on my face, and a dairy product in hand. I definitely had both today as I met with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for a photo shoot for my poster and post card! I was happy to share the picture with an array of delicious Wisconsin cheeses. I take great pride in being from the state that has lead the nation in cheese production since 1910. We’ll have to wait a little to see the final photo, but I’ve attached a sneak-peak below.

After the photo shoot, I rode with the Secretary of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection Rod Nilsestuen to the Wisconsin FFA Convention at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Secretary Nilsestuen and I both spoke before the crowd of more than 400 FFA members, advisors and family. It was great to see the accomplishments of the members as they are the future of agriculture. I really enjoyed speaking to them about their future and their possible future in agriculture. There are over 300 different careers in agriculture. Here in Wisconsin, nearly a half million people are employed by agriculture; about 12% of the state’s workforce. Another thing I enjoyed pointing out to them was how agriculture has changed, and like any other business, how it will continue to change, modernize, and be innovative to remain competitive and profitable. Someone in that audience, or reading this blog, could make the next great advance in milking technology or ethanol production. The future of agriculture is very exciting with all the possibilities!

Cream Puff Eating Contest Video on YouTube
Jun. 09, 2009

As I mentioned in my June 6 blog post, I participated in a Cream Puff Eating Contest at Cows on the Concourse in Madison. This was the first of many competitions I'll be involved in over my year. I think these contests are a great way to have even more fun while promoting Wisconsin agriculture. I think the crowd enjoys these too. Check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl8nP1X94D4

Alice in Dairyland on YouTube
Jun. 08, 2009

One of my goals as Alice in Dairyland is to use my experience in journalism to help everyone better understand Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry. I think using video is a great way to do that so everyone can follow Alice as she visits with various commodity groups, speaks at events, and visits schools. Take a look at my first video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l04f3K-3u9w

Brown County Breakfast on the Farm
Jun. 07, 2009

It was another early morning for me traveling to Brown County for their Breakfast on the Farm; however, I didn’t get to see the sunrise because it was very cloudy. It rained most the night in northern Wisconsin, but that didn’t stop the breakfast from happening or the thousands of people from coming to New Horizons Dairy in De Pere. I started my morning assisting in the food line making sure that everyone had their milk to drink. With nine essential vitamins and nutrients, milk goes well with every meal! I also had the great opportunity to work with Mike Austin, a television and radio ag reporter in northeast Wisconsin. Mike was the emcee for the event and got me up to the microphone to speak to the crowd about Alice, Wisconsin agriculture, and the dairy industry. I had a great time telling the crowd that the dairy industry in Brown County is an economic force. The Brown County dairy industry contributes more than $1 billion to Wisconsin’s economy; that’s about the same as the economic activity the apple industry of Washington has. I also did my first two television interviews as Alice - Thank you to WBAY & WFRV for helping me spread the word of Wisconsin agriculture to your viewers! And thank you to Brown County Dairy Promoters and New Horizons Dairy for having me!

Big First Saturday
Jun. 06, 2009

Today was my first of many busy Saturdays as Alice. I started my morning traveling in the Flex-Fuel Chevy Tahoe to Janesville for the Rock County Dairy Breakfast. This was my first time as Alice being at a breakfast on the farm. I always went to my county’s dairy breakfast on a farm, so I felt right at home there. I also did my first live radio interview with Ken Scott from WJVL. Ken interviewed me at the breakfast and we talked about who Alice in Dairyland is and what she does throughout the year promoting Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry. And even though my year just started, we talked about the end of my year because Rock County is hosting the 63rd Alice in Dairyland Finals May 20-22, 2010. I had a great time greeting visitors throughout the morning and watching the “Chore Wars.” Thank you to Rock County and Funk Fairview Acres for hosting the event and for having me!

I then traveled from Rock County to Madison for my second event of the day, Cows on the Concourse held on the Capitol Square. It was an amazing event with thousands of visitors despite the sprinkles of rain. I enjoyed talking to visitors of all ages and teaching them about the economic impact the dairy industry has on all of us. Did you know Wisconsin’s dairy industry contributes more money to Wisconsin’s economy than citrus fruit in Florida and potatoes in Idaho? And I loved getting the kids involved in the day when I read the story “Mooing, Milking, Munching: Wisconsin’s Dairy Tale.” I took part in my first competition as Alice… the Cream Puff Eating Contest. I won’t tell you how I did because the contest was video recorded, and I will post that soon for you all to see. Thank you to all the volunteers at Cows on the Concourse for organizing that great event and for everyone who attended!

More Time in the Office
Jun. 05, 2009

After a day of traveling yesterday, I was back at the DATCP office to learn more about some of the other departments that Alice works with throughout the year. I learned about Market Orders, how certain commodity groups form, and how they support each other. I also learned more about the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program which works to increase the purchase of Wisconsin locally grown and produced foods. The program has had great success, in the first six months of program work, BLBW saw $2 in new sales for every $1 given out in grant money. It’s important to purchase Wisconsin products because buying locally grown supports local farmers, producers, communities, economies, and Wisconsin agriculture.

I also spent time today with Nicole Breunig, the Alice in Dairyland Program Manager, discussing ideas for my upcoming year as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland. We talked a lot about ideas for my upcoming media campaigns. I’m really looking forward to working with the media this year and helping promote Wisconsin products all at the same time!

Kewaunee Co. Dairy Breakfast & WMMB Meeting
Jun. 04, 2009

Today marked the first of many early mornings for Alice this year. I saw the sun come up over Lake Michigan as I traveled to Kewaunee County for their annual Dairy Breakfast. Even though this was my second event as Alice, there were still some firsts there for me; I spoke to my first international audience as a farm had two guests from Germany with them at the breakfast! During the program, I talked about the Alice in Dairyland program has changed over the years just as Wisconsin agriculture is modernizing and innovating to remain competitive, just as all businesses do. I also shared with the attendees that Alice has this blog and how Alice is on facebook and twitter to connect with ag-enthusiasts everywhere! I also spoke about how much of an economic impact the dairy industry has on Wisconsin. Each of Wisconsin’s 1.2 million cows produce $17,000 in economic activity each year. Add that up, and that equals $20.6 billion, nearly half of Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry! I also met Kewaunee County’s Fairest of the Fair, Stacie Fameree, and the 2009 Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair, Melissa Ploeckelman. Melissa and I will be at events together throughout the year, especially the Wisconsin State Fair August 6 – 16 in West Allis.

After fueling up the Flex Fuel Chevy Tahoe with E85, I made my way back to Madison to meet with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, one of the great partners of Alice in Dairyland. I met many of the wonderful staff members who promote Wisconsin’s dairy industry, learned more about the school visits I will be conducting with WMMB during my year as Alice, the different marketing materials available for my use, and even learned more about Wisconsin’s history as America’s Dairyland. Did you know that during the 1800’s, Wisconsin was known for wheat production? After the wheat crops were wiped out by the chinch bug, W.D. Hoard made one of the most significant and successful economic re-developments in our state’s history: suggesting Wisconsin become a dairy state. Since 1910, Wisconsin has led the nation in cheese-making. That holds true today as Wisconsin produces 2.5 billion pounds of cheese every year and wins more awards than another other country in the world. We also discussed ideas for my WMMB poster and postcard, so be on the look out for those coming soon!

My First Event as Alice in Dairyland
Jun. 03, 2009

After just two days of training in the office, I was on the road for my first of many events this year as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland. The event was a dairy breakfast at Meadowmere Assisted Living in Madison, where they served a delicious breakfast complete with many dairy products including an ice cream cake to celebrate June Dairy Month. I visited with many of the facility’s residents as they enjoyed their breakfast full of wonderful Wisconsin products! I will never forget the first two that I talked with, Marion and Alberta, as they were both so excited to see me! I gave a short speech talking about the $20.6 billion dairy industry here in our state. In my speech, I also shared some stories of how I was involved in the dairy industry at a very young age by helping my dad feed cows before I was old enough to go to school. After my speech, I visited with more residents and heard many stories from them about how they grew up on farms. Today, around 160,000 people are employed by the dairy industry in Wisconsin; that’s about 40% of all agriculture jobs in the state. Thank you Meadowmere Assisted Living for hosting my very first event as Alice!

After my first event, I was back in the office for more training during my first week. I met with Steve Ingham, the administrator for the Division of Food Safety and Inspection. Steve taught me about their division and the things they do to keep our food supply safe. Later that day, I met with Robert Battaglia, the director of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, to learn about how they compile and track agriculture stats for the entire U.S. While I was there, he shared with me some new numbers on Wisconsin specialty cheese production. A USDA report that was just released and shows production of Wisconsin specialty cheeses rose seven percent just last year. Wisconsin produced over 400 million pounds of specialty cheese last year - That’s something we can celebrate now in June Dairy Month!

Second Official Day as Alice in Dairyland
Jun. 02, 2009

I spent most of my morning learning more about my upcoming travels as Alice in Dairyland. I’ll be on the road for my first event tomorrow!

In the afternoon, I met with Ashley Huibregtse who shared insights about the media I’ll be working with this year. Alice spends her year educating various audiences across the state promoting Wisconsin’s agricultural industry and its impact on the state’s economy – Remember it’s a $51.5 billion industry! And working with the media is a great way to get those messages out to a large audience whether it’s by television, radio, or print articles. We have some great ideas for my upcoming media campaigns, so be sure to check in to see when I might be appearing on a local television station, local radio station, or have an article in your local paper.

In between meetings today, I also took a little time to set-up some new ways that you can follow Alice wherever she goes! You can always follow me by reading this blog to see what events I just attended. Or you can see where I’m going now that Alice has a twitter account (Alice_Dairyland) and a facebook page (Alice Dairyland). So be sure to be my “follower” and my “friend!” And I’m hoping to give you an inside look at Wisconsin Agriculture through video this year too. We're still working on some technical issues, but I'm hoping we will get it up and running very soon!

Last Day as the 61st Alice in Dairyland
Jun. 01, 2009

I used this quote at the end of my high school career during my graduation, and it applies now – “Don’t cry because it is over. Smile because it happened.”

Today is the day I welcome Cheryl O’Brien as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland! I cannot believe how fast this year has gone and am grateful for the many great experiences I have had.

Thank you the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for the financial and educational assistance to reach over 11,000 students this year.

Thank you to the Kettle Moraine Mink Breeders Association for my beautiful mink coat I will treasure.

Thank you to the Wisconsin Jeweler’s Association for the beautiful amethyst pendant and allowing me to wear the tiara this past year.

Thank you the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board and GM – Chevrolet for the Flex-Fuel Tahoe. I am sad to hand over the keys to this amazing vehicle that I drove 45,025 miles in this year!

Thank you the Wisconsin Beef Council for funding the industry poster and allowing me to promote the livestock business of the state.

After hundreds of speeches, media interviews, and blog entries, it is time to say THANK YOU to the many family, friends, and fans that made this year possible. I have learned an enormous amount about our state and plan to continue to work in agricultural communications in Wisconsin. I look forward to seeing you all again and staying in touch.

I am honored that I had the opportunity to represent our Wisconsin’s thousands of producers and be the source of information for millions of consumers. This year I truly found my dream job.

THANK YOU, and all the best to Cheryl O’Brien, our new Alice. I am confident you will leave a tremendous impact on our state and the Alice program by doing an remarkable job!

I hope you all continue to learn more about Wisconsin agriculture and continue to support this business that is part of my past and my future! THANK YOU, and all the best!

First Official Day as Alice in Dairyland
Jun. 01, 2009

Since being selected as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland back on May 15th, I have been waiting for this day, the first official day as Alice in Dairyland. And now it’s here! My name is Cheryl O’Brien, and I am honored to serve as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland. I grew up on my family’s dairy farm in southwest Wisconsin near the village of Eastman. I have been following Alice since I was about 10-years-old and the 50th Alice Courtney Booth spoke at the Crawford County June Dairy Month Kick-off Banquet that year. As a young girl, of course I was wide-eyed when I saw a beautiful woman in a shiny tiara. And as I grew up and learned more and more about Alice, I learned how important her role is in promoting Wisconsin’s $51.5 billion agriculture industry.

On my first day as the 62nd Alice in Dairyland, I spent most of my day with the 61st Alice in Dairyland, Ashley Huibregtse, as she helped me learn all the details of my new role. Ashley gave me a tour of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection office, showed me the various school visit displays I’ll be using, showed me how to keep track of everything I do as Alice, and turned over the keys for the E-85 Flex Fuel Chevy Tahoe that I will be driving more than 40,000 miles across the state over the next year. I’ll be fueling up at over 130 E85 stations around Wisconsin that sell E85 which is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. I’ll be learning more about ethanol in the coming weeks from the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board who is a great partner to Alice in Dairyland. Driving the Tahoe and filling it up with E85 was definitely a highlight on my first day as Alice!

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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