SDBII Wisconsin Experiential Learning Course October 2 - 5, 2023
FOREWORD
Welcome to the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative’s Wisconsin Value-Added Experiential Learning Course!
This educational experience has been developed especially for value-added dairy producers from the southeastern United States including Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Over the next four days, we will embark on an exciting journey across the Madison area visiting a number of unique agricultural operations. The following booklet has been prepared for you in order to provide additional information on the Madison area, the World Dairy Expo, and each of the operations that we will encounter this week
This guide was developed for use both during the course and after its conclusion. There is a section for each operation detailing their efforts and contact information, as well as a notes page for each section.
We look forward to our trip this week and encourage you to refer back to this booklet as we move around the Madison area.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This tour is made possible thanks to a collaborative effort between many individuals and organizations, including the following:
Primary Funding Source
Funding for this course was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grants AM20DBITN002, AM21DBITN005, AM21DBITN1008, and AM22DBITN1013. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
Farm Sites
University of Wisconsin-Madison Dairy Cattle Center
Babcock Hall Dairy Store (UW Madison Campus)
UW Center for Dairy Research
Hinchley’s Dairy Farm
Schuster’s Farm
Crave Brothers Cheese
Sassy Cow Creamery
Kelley’s Homestead
Kelley’s Country Creamery
LaClare Creamery
Four Winds Farm
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This tour is made possible thanks to a collaborative effort between many individuals and organizations, including the following:
Program Planning
Dr. Elizabeth Eckelkamp, UT Animal Science
Shepherd Stearns, UT Animal Science
James Harlan, UT Center for Profitable Agriculture
Alaina Boyd, UT Center for Profitable Agriculture
Megan Leffew, UT Center for Profitable Agriculture
Participant Materials
Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association
University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture
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SPECIAL THANKS
A special thanks is being extended to the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association and WATA Executive Director, Sheila Everhart.
Sheila was instrumental in the planning and coordination of this educational program.
The Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association is a non-profit organization serving agricultural tourism ventures and farms across Wisconsin.
WATA is open to growers, farmers, bakers, cheesemakers, farmers markets, wineries, breweries, distilleries, corn mazes, wedding venues, historic agriculture, petting farms, farm stay vacations, and orchards.
WATA members also Wisconsin fairs and festivals, convention and visitor's bureaus, chambers of commerce, grower associations, and ag service businesses.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
WELCOME TO MADISON
AREA MAP
COURSE ITINERARY
PARTICIPANT LIST
FARM DIRECTORY
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WELCOME TO MADISON
Madison is the second-largest city in Wisconsin (after Milwaukee) with a population of 243,344.
The Dane County Farmers’ Market (located on Capitol Square) is the largest producer-only market in the U.S.
Madison serves as the seat of government and is home to the state's largest university campus, the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Madison has one of the highest numbers of PhDs per capita in the country.
Madison is nestled between lakes Mendota and Monona - one of two major U.S. cities built on an isthmus.
Madison was incorporated as a city in 1856 and is named after James Madison, the fourth U.S. President.
Madison is home to a total of five lakes: Lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa.
TOUR ITINERARY
Day One: Monday, October 2nd
University of Wisconsin Dairy Cattle Center
University of Wisconsin Babcock Hall Dairy Store with lunch
University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research
Dinner on your own
Day Two: Tuesday, October 3rd
World Dairy Expo at Alliant Energy Center visit and lunch
Hinchley’s Dairy Farm tour
Schuster’s Farm tour and dinner
Day Three: Wednesday, October 4th
Crave Brothers Cheese tour
Sassy Cow Creamery tour and lunch
Dinner at Quivey’s Grove
Day Three: Wednesday, October 4th
Kelley’s Farmstead tour
Kelley Country Creamery tour
LaClare Family Creamery tour and lunch
Four Winds Farm tour and dinner
Complimentary breakfast each day at hotel from 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM * Please see complete itinerary for exact departure times and travel estimates * 7
MADISON, WI AREA MAP
1) Madison
2) Fitchburg
3) Cambridge
4) Deerfield
5) Waterloo
6) Columbus
7) Fond du Lac
8) Malone
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UW DAIRY CATTLE CENTER
The campus Dairy Cattle Center is used for both teaching and research and is located just one block away from the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. The Dairy Cattle Center houses 84 milking cows in a tie-stall barn. There is a classroom attached to the facility, which allows students to have hands-on access to cows during all lab practical sessions.
The facility also employs students, providing them with a convenient opportunity to gain practical experience and earn some income while attending classes.
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CENTER FOR DAIRY RESEARCH
The University of Wisconsin’s Center for Dairy Research is housed on the campus of the University of WisconsinMadison campus inside Babcock Hall in Madison, Wisconsin.
The CDR offers training, support, and innovation in dairy research. The CDR also assists in product development and projects that benefit both the dairy industry with a team of more than 30 researchers.
The CDR is primarily funded through the Wisconsin Dairy Farmer Checkoff program, as well as by the state’s dairy industry.
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BABCOCK HALL DAIRY STORE
Housed on the campus of the University of Wisconsin, Babcock Hall’s Dairy Store is a favorite stop for both students and locals.
Babcock Hall is named for chemist Stephen M. Babcock who helped pioneer key scientific research for the dairy industry at UW Madison in the 1880's and beyond.
Visitors to Babcock Dairy can enjoy lunch, ice cream, and a trip to the observation deck to view the work taking place inside the creamery during the “observation experience”.
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WORLD DAIRY EXPO
The World Dairy Expo is held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. It is the largest dairy trade show in the world. WDE celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016. The World Dairy Expo is described as the “must-attend event for everyone in the global dairy industry.”
World Dairy Expo, Inc. (WDE) was established in 1970 and instated the first Board of Directors that same year.
The World Dairy Expo Board of Directors consists of both industry professionals and producer-processors representing a variety of industry organizations.
Livestock shows, commercial sales, youth, and intercollegiate contests, as well as the trade show, are available for attendees each year.
This year’s theme for Expo is “Dynasty in Dairy”.
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HINCHLEY'S DAIRY FARM
Hinchley’s Dairy Farm is a working dairy operation boasting over 400 head of registered dairy cattle. Hinchley’s milks approximately 240 cows daily.
Duane and Tina Hinchley own and operate the farm alongside their two daughters. The Hinchleys purchased the farm in 2000 from Duane’s parents, Keith and Ruth. While the cows were originally milked by hand, the Hinchleys have now progressed to utilizing robotic milkers.
The Hinchley family provides farm tours of their operation, as well as various events such as farm-totable dinners.
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SCHUSTER'S FARM
Don and Theresa Schuster operate Schuster’s Farm in Deerfield, Wisconsin alongside their children. The farm was purchased in 1990, and pumpkins were added to the operation in 1994. Don built a hay wagon for the farm, and school tours began shortly afterward that same year.
Don retired from UW Madison, and now he and Theresa both work full-time on the operation. Their daughter Sarah and son-in-law Mitchell also work full-time on the farm.
The farm offers both summer and fall activities including a seasonal “Fright at Night” and “Blooms on the Farm” in the summertime.
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CRAVE BROTHERS CHEESE
Crave Brothers Cheese is operated by brothers Charles, George, Tom, and Mark Crave. Along with their families and their father Bob, there are a total of three generations of Crave family members helping to own and operate Crave Brothers Farm and Farmstead Cheese.
All Crave Brothers cheese is handcrafted on the farm utilizing milk from the farm’s cows. They have received numerous awards and accolades for their recipes.
Crave Brothers Cheese is made with renewable energy. The operation boasts utilizing 100% “Green Power” and is a carbon-negative operation.
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SASSY COW CREAMERY
Sassy Cow Creamery is a joint venture between brothers James and Robert Baerwolf. The brothers operate two farms housed on more than 2.5 square miles of acreage with a total of 1700 acres farmed. The farm produces corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and wheat. Sassy Cow Creamery is situated between the two farms, and 100% of the milk utilized in the creamery comes from Baerwolf cows.
Two distinct herds produce milk for Sassy Cow: one traditional and one organic herd.
The traditional dairy operation boasts 600 cows and a rotary parlor built in 2017. The organic herd has grown to 250 head and is fed using grass grown on the Baerwolf pastures.
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KELLEY'S FARMSTEAD
Tim and Karen Kelley, along with their five children, own and operate this historic dairy farm with more than 220 acres. Kelley’s Farmstead is home to 65 Holstein cattle and is situated on Kelly Road near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
The farm itself has been “home” for 39 Kelley families for more than 160 years and has a rich Irish heritage.
Kelley’s Oak Lawn Farm dairy farm along with Kelley’s Country Creamery has shifted focus towards fall agritourism. To commemorate this new venture, the moniker of “Kelley’s Farmstead” was born.
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KELLEY COUNTRY CREAMERY
Kelley Country Creamery is an extension of the Kelley’s Farmstead operation based in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin run by the Kelley Family.
Kelley Country Creamery offers a viewing window in the ice cream parlor so visitors can watch the ice cream being made in real time. The creamery also offers an oldfashioned sun porch as an area for visitors to relax.
The creamery offers 22 flavors available daily inside the shop. Seasonal and specialty flavors rotate as available. The creamery also offers sundaes, ice cream cakes, and pies.
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LACLARE CREAMERY
LaClare Family Creamery gets its unique name from its founders, Larry and Clara Hedrich. The duo purchased a “hobby farm” in the late 1970's in Wisconsin, and inherited two goats along with the property along with some other farm animals.
Goats eventually became the focus of LaClare Creamery. Their physical location now boasts a cafe and shop, a garden center, and a visitor center open to the public.
LaClare is home to both the LaClare Family Creamery and Saxon Creamery cheeses where over 15 different types of cheeses are made on-site.
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FOUR WINDS FARM
Four Winds Farm is a working farm and event center located in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. The farm focuses on permaculture and maintains a hops operation. First established in 2018, Four Winds Farm grows and sells a variety of hops to both the Wisconsin Hop Exchange and local breweries.
Four Winds Farm hosts a “Pizza on the Farm” night where visitors can walk through the hop fields at their leisure.
The Four Winds Farm hop fields are on display along S. Fish Hatchery Road
between Lacy Road and County Road M. 31
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FARM DIRECTORY
University of Wisconsin Dairy Cattle Center (UW Madison Campus)
1815 West Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin, 53706
https://andysci.wisc.edu/about-us/facilities/
Babcock Hall Dairy Store (UW Madison Campus)
1605 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin, 53706
608-262-3045
dairystore@babcockdairy.wisc.edu
https://babcockdairystore.wisc.edu/ice-cream/
Center for Dairy Research (UW Madison Campus)
Babcock Hall Rm 245
1605 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin, 53706
608-262-5970
communications@cdr.wisc.edu
https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/
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FARM DIRECTORY
Hinchley’s Dairy Farm
2844 WI-73
Cambridge, Wisconsin, 53523
608-764-5090
tina@dairyfarmtours.com
https://www.dairyfarmtours.com/
Schuster’s Farm
1326 US Highway 12 and 18
Deerfield, Wisconsin, 53531
https://schustersfarm.com/
Crave Brothers Cheese
Waterloo, Wisconsin, 53594
920-478-4887
https://www.cravecheese.com/
Sassy Cow Creamery
W4192 Bristol Rd.
Columbus, Wisconsin, 53925
608-837-7766
info@sassycowcreamery.com
https://sassycowcreamery.com/
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FARM DIRECTORY
Kelley’s Farmstead
N4149 Kelley Rd
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, 54937
920-979-0955
kelleysfarmstead@gmail.com
https://www.kelleysfarmstead.com/
Kelley’s Country Creamery
W5215 County Road B
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, 54937
920-923-1715
kccicecream@gmail.com
https://kelleycountrycreamery.com/
LaClare Creamery
W2994 County Rd HH
Malone, Wisconsin, 53049
920-670-0051
info@laclarefamilycreamery.com
https://www.laclarefamilycreamery.com/
Four Winds Farm
5735 Adams Road
Fitchburg, Wisconsin, 53575
608-835-5834
info@fourwindsfarmfitchburg.com
https://fourwindsfarmfitchburg.com/ 35
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Scott & Emmy Armstrong
Horse Creek Farms & Little Lou’s Creamery
Chuckey, Tennessee
horsecreekfarms@yahoo.com
http://www.horsecreekfarmsdairy.com
Manjit & Colleen Bhatti Cruz Farm LLC
Knoxville, Tennessee
cruzedairy@gmail.com
http://www.cruzefarm.com
Alaina Boyd
UT Center for Profitable Agriculture
Columbia, Tennessee
acboyd@utk.edu
cpa.tennessee.edu
Christine Castile Windy Goat Farm
Fayetteville, Tennessee
christine@windygoats.com
Sarah Cornelisse Penn State University
State College, Pennsylvania
sar243@psu.edu
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PARTICIPANT LIST
PARTICIPANT LIST
Dr. Elizabeth Eckelkamp
University of Tennessee Animal Science
Knoxville, Tennessee
eeckelka@utk.edu
https://sdbii.tennessee.edu/sdbii/
Brendaliz Ferrer
Hatillo Nova Lact Inc
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
hatillonovalact@gmail.com
http://www.delacremapr.com
Jared Franklin
Middle Tennessee State University Dairy Farm
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
jared.franklin@mtsu.edu
https://www.mtsu.edu/agriculture/farm_labs.php
Julie Gunter
Victory View Farm
Woodbury, Tennessee
1victoryview@gmail.com
Sekayi Harris
One Meal A Day Farms
Jackson, North Carolina
onemealadayfarms@gmail.com
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PARTICIPANT LIST
Taylor Hayes
Ran-Lew Dairy
Snow Camp, North Carolina
ranlewdairymilk@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/RanLewMilk
Mack Haynes
Ocoee Creamery
Old Fort, Tennessee
info@ocoeecreamery.com
http://www.ocoeecreamery.com
Kristopher Lane
Sequatchie Cove Creamery
Sequatchie, Tennessee
kristopher@threedogsdairy.com
http://sequatchiecovecheese.com
Randy Lewis
Ran-Lew Dairy
Snow Camp, North Carolina
ranlewdairymilk@gmail.com
http://www.ranlewdairy.com
Wanda Otero & Carlos Rivera
Quesos Vaca Negra Inc.
Hatillo, Puerto Rico info@vacanegra.com
https://vacanegra.com/
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PARTICIPANT LIST
Dane & Jennifer Rafn
Pecan Hill Farms, LLC
Taft, Tennessee
pecanhillfarmstn@gmail.com
https://pecanhillfarmstn.com
Noemi Ramirez
Hatillo Nova Lact Inc
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
hatillonovalact@gmail.com
http://www.delacremapr.com
Carmen Rivera
Hatillo Nova Lact Inc
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
hatillonovalact@gmail.com
http://www.delacremapr.com
Nikki Roof
Hilltopper Creamery & Farm Market
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
hilltopper.creamery@wku.edu
https://www.wku.edu/hilltoppercreamery/
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PARTICIPANT LIST
Hollie Shepherd
Sequatchie Cove Creamery
Sequatchie, Tennessee
https://www.sequatchiecovecheese.com/
Shepherd Stearns
University of Tennessee Animal Science
Knoxville, Tennessee
https://sdbii.tennessee.edu/sdbii/
Ahmerah Thompson
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
authomps@ncsu.edu
Randall Tomlinson
Sequatchie Cove Creamery
Sequatchie, Tennessee
randall@sequatchiecovecheese.com
https://www.sequatchiecovecheese.com/
Jose Torrado
Hatillo Nova Lact Inc
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
hatillonovalact@gmail.com
https://delacremapr.com/
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ABOUT SDBII
The Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (SDBII) program is based at The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Animal Science Department. Key program collaborators such as the Center for Profitable Agriculture (CPA), NC State, the University of Kentucky, Kentucky Dairy Development Council (KDDC), and others, offer guidance and support to the program. SDBII’s mission is to spur growth for dairy producers and processors in the Southeast by helping them modernize and diversify through the production of value-added dairy products.
The Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (SDBII), with support from USDA AMS, offers a variety of free and low-cost instructional resources and grants to dairy businesses in AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, Tennessee, VA, WV, and Puerto Rico.
The program is funded by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In addition to the technical assistance and educational resources provided through SDBII, 50% of the program’s funding is awarded in grants made directly to dairy businesses to assist them in developing new and more profitable products and processes.
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Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and resource development University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U S Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating UT Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.