Breakfast on the Farm

I have always loved cows and dairy farms. My earliest recollection is visiting a family dairy in Connecticut as a child. Childhood memories make lasting impressions. I also heard stories about my grandfather, who had a dairy route in the late 1930s and 40s in Florida, when milking was done by hand. He had a small herd of Jerseys and delivered milk to his customers. I never knew him.

One of the many things I love about living in Wisconsin is the beautiful farmland that supports the dairy industry. In writing this blog, I learned a few facts by visiting wisconsinhistory.org. The early dairy farmers who settled in Wisconsin (1840-1850s) were from New York, known as the dairy state, before Wisconsin earned that title in 1915. The milk produced went into cheese-making when German and Scandinavian immigrants brought their skills. Wisconsin cheese has become a well-known tradition!

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin celebrate cows and farmers during June Dairy Month; thirty “Breakfast on the Farm” are held throughout the state.

When our children were young, we visited farm breakfasts in different counties. We also had the privilege of knowing several dairy farmers, seeing them milk their cows, and watching them care for their herd.

We realized it had been a while since we'd been to one. Today, we joined hundreds of guests who visited the Shallow Family Farm in Oconto County. Their front yard was filled with tents, and people lined up for a delicious breakfast of pancakes with local maple syrup, cheesy scrambled eggs, and sausage. We were also given a bag with yogurt, applesauce, and cheese curds for later.

We marveled at the number of volunteers who were there to make sure the event went smoothly. Volunteers cooked the food, served it, and cleaned tables. There were exhibits for gardening, maple syrup, and beekeeping programs. They hosted various children’s activities, petting areas, crafts, and haystacks to climb, and local firefighters brought their engines for hands-on fun. Parking for attendees and tractor rides took people back and forth, making it accessible for everyone!

There were also huge scoops of ice cream with chocolate syrup, strawberries, or both. We were sure to stand in line for that!

It was great to see so many young families enjoying themselves. Teenagers participated in the 4H events, and members of the FFA and Scouting also volunteered. We were on the receiving end of how the community came together to support the farm breakfast, countless hours of planning and organization with willing hands.

As I write, we are nibbling our squeaky cheese curds and anticipating Marinette County’s Breakfast on the Farm on June 23rd.

Have you ever been to a dairy breakfast? What was your favorite activity, food, or memory? I would love to hear your comments.

Check out the website below! There is still time to experience a Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin-sponsored “Breakfast on the Farm.”

https://www.wisconsindairy.org/june-dairy-month/Dairy-Breakfasts

https://www.wisconsinhistory.org

 

 

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