WIS’18 Host Discusses Potato Oversupply

Andy Diercks, a fourth-generation farmer and part-owner of Coloma Farms, helps grow 800 acres of potatoes in Central Wisconsin, among other vegetables. In 2018, the Wisconsin Idea Seminar visited Coloma Farms and learned about the …

Roxbury Farm Emphasizes Adaptability of Dairy Products

Dispatches from Our Own Wisconsin: Mitch Breunig of Mystic Valley Dairy Mitch Breunig, owner of Mystic Valley Dairy, LLC, in rural Roxbury, near Sauk City, manages eight employees, oversees the breeding and healthcare of the herd, …

Seminar Collaborator Wins U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award

Rosy-Lane Holsteins, a 900-cow dairy farm in Watertown, is owned by UW alumni Lloyd and Daphne Holterman and their partners Tim Strobel and Jordan Matthews. They have hosted the Wisconsin Idea Seminar twice since 1993, …

Viroqua Restaurant Keeps Positive Attitude About Food, Quality Ingredients

Dispatches from Our Own Wisconsin: Dani Lind of Rooted Spoon Dani Lind, owner and head chef of Rooted Spoon, leverages her local agricultural connections to bring quality ingredients to the small town of Viroqua, Wisconsin. …

Door County Dairy Farm Continues Relationship-Driven Business Despite Supply Chain Challenges

Dispatches from Our Own Wisconsin: Brey Cycle Farms Lauren Brey, along with her husband Jacob, his brother Tony, and sister-in-law Moriah, own and manage a 600-cow farm in Sturgeon Bay. All four graduated from UW-Madison: …

Seminar Collaborators Discuss the Future of Farming

Mitch Breunig, third-generation farmer at Mystic Valley Dairy in Sauk City, and Kent Weigel, livestock geneticist and chair of UW-Madison’s dairy science department, passionately explained some current struggles associated with dairy farming in a recent …

Seminar Collaborator Elected as Council Chair of Dairy Innovation Hub

Mitch Breunig, third-generation farmer and UW-Madison alumnus, was elected as chair of the Dairy Innovation Hub advisory council. In this new position, Breunig will work to assemble the council, set agendas, and provide guidance to the …

Celebrating Rural Wisconsin Life through Food

Luke Zahm, owner and chef of Driftless Cafe and television host of Wisconsin Foodie, welcomed 2019 Wisconsin Idea Seminar participants to his restaurant last May. A UW-Madison ‘03 grad and La Farge local, Luke was …

Looking Back at Video Summary of 2019 Seminar

The Wisconsin Idea Seminar’s 2019 River Tour was five days packed full with so much learning about Wisconsin life. Rivers provided our narrative frame as we discussed and experienced the cultural, educational, industrial, social, and …

“Agvocate” Integrates the Wisconsin Idea into Her Farm and Career

Rosy-Lane Holsteins owner and partner Daphne Holterman will welcome the Wisconsin Idea Seminar in May and give a tour of their 900-cow operation. In advance of our visit–and in between a number of international speaking …