Wisconsin is known for its dairy cows, its cheese, its potatoes and much more related to agriculture.
On Sunday, more than 2,500 people got to see up close and personal the animals and the land that provide the food that many folks take for granted.
Shawano County’s 32nd annual Brunch on the Farm at the Beran Dairy in Birnamwood featured several delicacies representative of Wisconsin farm products, including cheese curds and cottage cheese from milking cows and hash browns from Wisconsin potatoes.
For many visitors, it was their first time seeing a farm in operation. For others, it was continuing an annual tradition.
Pat Hesseltvandinter, of Shawano, has gone to seven brunches.
“I like participating and honoring the farmers, taking in all that nice food and those products they make for us,” Hesseltvandinter said. “I also enjoy going someplace and wondering who you’re going to know. I’ve done that already a couple of times.”
Shawano and Bonduel FFA members were busy all morning preparing the food. Shawano FFA president Meghan Hoffman volunteered for the event for the first time.
“Last year, everyone was saying, ‘Oh, it’s so fun. You have to help out,’” Hoffman said, noting that she started out the morning helping to park cars. “Once I was elected president, I figured I should crack down and see how many more members we could get to come out.”
Volunteering was nothing new for Bryce Stomberg, who will be a freshman this fall at Shawano Community High School. His father, Steve, is the Shawano FFA adviser, and Bryce has tagged along for several years.
The younger Stomberg said the brunch helps educate visitors about the role of agriculture in their lives.
“I think it’s pretty important, because there are some people that sit in school and say that farming and stuff is stupid,” he said. “I really like doing this. Many people don’t realize how much comes from farmers and what they actually do and how much work they put forth feeding us.”
Education took many forms at Sunday’s brunch. Keith Wilson, an Antigo resident who conducts the Farm Safety 4 Just Kidz program, described for visitors the risks farmers and their families take each day to grow and raise food.
“Every day, many of these farmers take for granted that something’s not going to happen to them, and (accidents) can happen to anybody from 80 way down to 3 years old,” said Wilson, who has been speaking on farm safety for 22 years. “The reason I do this is that if I can save a life, I’m going to try and save a life.”
