The word from south central Wisconsin Is that the wheat crop is looking good. It's the fall harvest that has folks more nervous. Pat Duffy is the merchandiser at Duffy Grain, serving about 400 farms around Columbus, Wisconsin. He’s gearing up for the corn and soybean harvest. Today, his farmer customers are about wrapped up with the wheat harvest. He says he’s happy about the quantity that’s coming in, and the quality of the wheat crop.

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The New Berlin Lions Club has been serving fresh roasted corn at the Wisconsin State Fair since 1959 and all of the corn is brought in fresh every evening. The Lions Club goes through about 100,000 ears of corn throughout the fair. Dave Abstetar, Director for the Wisconsin Lions Foundation, says it takes a village to make this possible.

The corn is served by volunteer organizations from various high schools, dance teams, and different youth groups. The stand is run by Lion's Club members who volunteer their time. It takes about 1,200 volunteers in addition to about 15 to 20 lions members a day to run the stand for the entire eleven days of the fair.

“The busiest days of the fair are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, where we sell over 10,000 ears of corn per day,” says Abstetar. “During the rest of the week, we sell about 6,000 to 7,000 ears of corn per day, depending on the weather.”

The Lions Club sources their corn from Alsum Farms out of Randolph, Wis. They offer corn on the cob as well as corn in a cup thanks to a stripping machine designed by the Milwaukee School of Engineering. They have their own seasonings for the corn and new this year created a street corn seasoning. 

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Bill Halfmen, UW Extension's Beef outreach specialist provides advice for how to care for your pastures in the drought. He says to be extra cautious with your grazing methods to prevent overgrazing.

Steffes Auction is full speed ahead as they have 50 auctions yet in August and another 52 set for September. They will have a lot of late model equipment for sale preharvest. Ashley Huhn with Steffes Auction gives Pam Jahnke an update on upcoming sales farmers can take advantage of to prepare for harvest.

If you've ever enjoyed a grilled cheese sandwich or a chocolate shake from the Wisconsin Products Pavilion at the State Fair, then you’ve helped make an impact in dairy education. The Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board raises funds during the fair and it all goes back into giving fairgoers an agricultural experience. Ann Schulz the coordinator for the Dairy Promotion Board explains more.

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The cream puff is a staple at the Wisconsin State Fair. It has been served at the State Fair for 99 years. Colton Grebe and his family run the Cream Puff Pavilion at the State Fair. He shares what goes into making a cream puff, the history of this delicious snack, and how many cream puffs are sold every year at the Fair.

Charitee Seebecker talks with Jen Puente, Chief Marketing Officer for the Wisconsin State Fair Park about  the daily deals and how to plan ahead to have the best experience at the fair. They have 105 new food items this year, and there is a new attraction called Circ at the Fair that is free with admission.

John Heinberg joins Charitee Seebecker for a preview on Friday's USDA crop report and export demand. He says the wheat market is helping out corn a little despite the action happening in Ukraine and bearish weather. 

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Wisconsin is a major player in the United States potato market. Wisconsin is ranked 3rd in the nation for shipping fresh potatoes and total potato production. This year, Potatoes USA is holding their annual conference in Milwaukee. Mark Klompien is the President and CEO of the United Potato Growers of America and was in attendance at the conference. He shares the impact Wisconsin has on the national potato market along with a general assessment of potatoes in the country. 

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If you've ever enjoyed a grilled cheese sandwich or a chocolate shake from the Wisconsin Products Pavilion at the State Fair, then you’ve helped make an impact in dairy education. The Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board raises funds during the fair and it all goes back into giving fairgoers an agricultural experience. Ann Schulz is the coordinator for the Dairy Promotion Board. She says the board is made up of folks passionate about promoting Wisconsin’s $45.6 billion dairy industry during the fair.

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The Mid-West Farm Report is honoring family farm and homesteads that have been a part of Wisconsin’s landscape for more than 100 or 150 years. These stories are brought to you courtesy of Compeer Financial. One of the families celebrating a Sesquicentennial Award from the state of Wisconsin belongs to Charles Larsen. His Brown County farm has a long history of tradition, both in farming and serving this country. He hopes the sixth generation continues the legacy, but says it's best not to push the next generation into the business. Today the farm near Denmark, Wisconsin is a cash cropping operation that utilizes no-till and cover crops, and makes hay for area farmers.

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The McNeill Farm has been in the McNeill family for 3 generations. John McNeill shares that a significant part of what makes this farm unique is it's location in the heart of the Brule River State Natural Area in Douglas County. The farm is about 2 miles south of Lake Superior. The McNeill family began by logging in the area and eventually turned to cash crops and milking cows. 

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Each fall, thousands of Wisconsin residents head outdoors with hopes of successfully outsmarting and capturing their prey. Wisconsin trappers often find themselves trying to ensnare nearly 10 different species of animal, from beavers to foxes and raccoons. The Wisconsin Trappers Association is dedicated to educating the public about how and why they trap. Allen Nickel, trappers education instructor says he was introduced to trapping at a young age.

Currently, there are around 2,500 members in the Wisconsin Trappers Association, with additional non-members who trap on their own. They utilize species-specific traps and test them to ensure they hold the animal securely and humanely while minimizing any harm.

Trapping in Wisconsin is regulated and has specific seasons for each species. Some species have year-round trapping available for landowners experiencing problems, but regulated trapping is also necessary to avoid interfering with breeding times. 

"To be a successful trapper you have to be outside scouting and looking for tracks and scat to get a better idea of their movements and how to effectively trap them,” says Nickel. “You really have to know your surroundings and their patterns.”

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Keeping a farm or homestead in the family for more than 100 or 150 years is truly a great accomplishment. On Tuesday August 8, families that have done just that will get together at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis for a celebratory breakfast. Jill Albanese with the Wisconsin State Fair Park shares more about the Century and Sesquicentennial Farm Program and what recipients can expect for Tuesdays breakfast. 

The Century Farm Awards Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the State of Wisconsin’s Centennial Celebration. There are currently nearly 10,000 Century Farms nestled throughout the Badger State.

“The Sesquicentennial Program similarly originated in 1998 as part of the State’s  sesquicentennial Celebration and has since honored over 980 properties,” says Albanese.

To qualify for the award, families are required to provide proof of continuous family ownership of a property in  the state of Wisconsin for either the last 100 or 150 years. Applications for the  Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Award will become available in November and are due March 1, 2024.

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