MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Sheep and wool enthusiasts are bound for the Jefferson Co Fair Park this weekend for the annual WI Sheep & Wool Festival.  Hedger Becker is a relative newcomer to the event, but has been engaged with the industry for years.  She explains to Pam Jahnke how rapidly interest in fiber arts has energized this event.  Attendees from Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison have already caused many fiber art sessions to already be booked solid.  Sheep breeds continue to maintain their place in the show, as do the herding dog demonstrations.  Becker says that the demographics of attendees keeps telling the story of how sheep fit in a families plans.  They don't require a lot of land, and offer kids a great "first time" hands-on learning experience.  The show offers a fair-like atmosphere with world class information.  The event runs Friday through Sunday in Jefferson.

Rain has already been falling in some areas of Wisconsin this morning.  Stu Muck says this is a pattern that will repeat itself through the rest of this week.  Temperatures will stay on the moderate side.

Corn silage harvest has begun in certain areas of the state John Osterhaus, president of the WI Custom Operators Association says yields so far have been so-so.  Expectations are changing from one field to the next because of rain patterns that missed some of the state.

Corn fields may not look so hot, but many gardens look fabulous this year.  Wrapping your mind around trying to save all that goodness is a challenge for some gardeners.  Marissa DeGroot, Marketing & Operations Coordinator at Vitruvian Farms & Pickle Party Coordinator says a "pickle party" for family and friends has turned into a teaching tool.  She tells Kiley Allan that teaching food preservation techniques—including water bath canning, drying mushrooms, and lacto-fermenting—in a fun, social environment draws people in. While modern year-round produce availability has made food preservation a "lost skill," hosting a group event helps overcome barriers like lack of knowledge, equipment, or confidence through shared effort and accountability.  DeGroot says this isn't limited to people with gardens.  She's finding shoppers at farmer's markets buying in bulk, or people using "seconds" to fill their freezer and pantry by pickling and preserving the nutritious produce that's available now.

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Wisconsin Custom Operators President John Osterhaus discusses crop conditions and silage chopping so far, along with the ongoing merger between the WCO and the Professional Nutrient Applicators Association.

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Secretary John Miller with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation discusses how the organization teams up with others to help new businesses get started, including food production and new farm enterprises.

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Joining us today is Dr. Jill Soderstrom, a dairy young animal solutions specialist with Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Solutions. Dr. Soderstrom has a passion for improving animal well-being and performance by supporting animal health and optimizing the gut microbiome. She’s especially interested in calves because those early-life stages provide an important opportunity to influence the future health and performance of the dairy cow. 

In today’s conversation, we’ll take a closer look at the calf’s gut microbiome, why it’s so important to early-life health and how milk replacer and management practices can influence gut health. We’ll also discuss practical steps producers can take to support a healthy microbiome and give their calves the best possible start.

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Corn silage harvest will likely begin this week around Wisconsin.  The dry weather in some areas means yields are projected to be down, and the harvest window moved up.  That's what  Ronald Lubeck with General Farm Supply in Marshfield is noticing. He tells Larry Lee that yields are changing every few miles. That means it'll take until the harvest is all wrapped up to get an actual average on yields.

Wet weather will make its way across some of the drier areas of Wisconsin today. Stu Muck says temperatures will stay moderate and that rain will hang around until later this week.

There are plenty of tools available to help people manage the tax implications of an auction. Ashley Huhn with the Steffes Group explains how they help in that area. Paid for by Steffes Group.

Burrata is an Italian style cheese that's getting a Wisconsin spin thanks to Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese in Waterloo. Teri Barr learns about the challenges this variety brings from Deb Crave, one of the farmstead operators.

Today with more consumers looking to bridge the food retail gap by knowing their farmers, a new problem's emerged. Once they find a farmer and purchase the goods - who's going to process them? That's a big issue for people looking to buy meat locally. Kiley Allan finds out about "meat processing deserts" in the state. Kelly Maynard, Cooperative Development Specialist for UW Center for Cooperative says it started during the pandemic, and continues as an issue today.

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Ashley VandenBush didn’t grow up on a farm. But she’s helping her Green Bay students discover where their food comes from through cows, chickens, cheese, and hands-on agriculture lessons.

The third grade teacher tells Teri Barr how it started with her own interest in learning more about Wisconsin agriculture. And as she welcomes a new group of students to school, you may be surprised to find out why they are excited about learning more, too. 

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Finding a way to motivate busy farmer growers to attend events is a challenge.  It's a challenge being faced by almost every avenue of Wisconsin agriculture.  Associations, events, educational venues - they all struggle to get their target audience - farmers - to show up!

Pam Jahnke visits with Whitney Prestby about how some conservation staff in Wisconsin are taking a different approach to reaching their audience.

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Fairs.com was founded in 2023 in Columbus, OH by people who have actually worked a fair gate — and got tired of watching fairs get squeezed by generic ticketing platforms. That simple motivation has morphed into a business model that's helping fairs of all sizes across the United States - including here in Wisconsin.

Pam Jahnke visits with Fairs.com founder/CEO, Scott Hillyer about how they got started, and where they hope to take the service.  Hillyer and his team were special guests at the 2026 WI Fair Association's Annual Convention.

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Agronomist Ronald Lubeck shares his field observations about this year's corn crop with Mid-West Farm Report's Larry Lee.

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The U.S. is seeing a drastic shift in milk composition as consumer demand for protein rises dramatically. Cory Geiger, a Dairy Economist with CoBank, sits down with Larry Lee. They discuss the "double-edged sword" producers face in the quest for more protein.

Stu Muck brings our Compeer Financial Ag Weather Update and says that the Labor Day weekend will be highlighted by some high September temperatures.

Let's talk technology on a Friday! Tyler Walker of Walker Cranberry Company is a 6th generation cranberry grower and in the 5th year of his transition of using drones on his operation. From precision application to inspecting irrigation and monitoring frost protection, he has seen increased efficiency and yield!

Teri Barr gives us a 60 second recap of the questions consumers and farmers are asking about imported beef.

150 years of a family farm is certainly something to celebrate!  Jason Baroun tells us the story of his family's Manitowoc County Sesquicentennial Farm. What began as a beef & swine operation has converted to a 130-cow dairy. They utilize robotic milking technology. While the expansion and success of the farm is critical to Jason, his pride and hopes for the next generation take an even greater importance.

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