Wisconsin’s easternmost county, the “Cape Cod of the Midwest,” and the county with the honor of naming the 77th Alice in Dairyland has been so much fun to visit throughout the past year. Door County was home to the 2024 Alice in Dairyland Finals the first weekend in May, where Wisconsin’s next agricultural ambassador was named. Leading up to the occasion, I visited Door County to learn about their local agriculture industry and to grow excitement for the finale. Some highlights from these visits are outlined below, but you can see photos and more details from every visit, including the finale, on the Alice in Dairyland Facebook page!
My first ever trip to Door County was a special experience, and I got a great overview of the diverse commodities and people there. After a ferry ride to Washington Island, we first visited Henriksen Fisheries, a proud wholesaler of signature whitefish fillets and other healthy, sustainable, local, and fresh fish products to more than 30 local restaurants and smokehouses. Our next stop was to Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm and Shop, the largest single-site lavender grower in the Midwest. They grow 14 different varieties of lavender that are distilled into oils and used primarily in food and beverage products. A ferry ride back to the peninsula was the perfect finish to an amazing first visit!
Soaking in more of the summertime in Wisconsin’s naturally air-conditioned peninsula, our August visit was a fun one! After arriving, I had the opportunity to talk with Let’s Go Door County and the Sturgeon Bay Rotary Club. Then, we ended our day at Cheeseheads, The Musical! at Northern Sky Theater! The next morning, we headed to Wood Orchard and Market, a third generation farm growing fruits on 200 acres. I also met with Jacob VandenPlas of DC Farm for Vets to learn more about his rehabilitation farm that provides education and services to Veterans entering into agriculture.
What’s a tour of Door County without at least one cherry orchard stop? At Seaquist Orchard, I toured the production facilities, orchard, and farm market. The farm consists of approximately 1,000 acres of tart cherries and over 50 acres of apples and sweet cherries, and those fruits can be found in many products available in their store. My third trip wrapped up at the Door County Farm Bureau Meeting to share more about Alice in Dairyland and my adventures in Door County.
In October, my visit spilled into neighboring Kewaunee County so that I could view another important part of Wisconsin agriculture at the Langer Fur Farm. Langer Fur Farm is a fourth generation family-owned business which plays a role in our state’s mink industry, helping Wisconsin remain the number one producer of mink in the United States.
Each holiday season, Alice in Dairyland cuts down the first official Christmas tree of the holiday season in the host county. This year’s tree cutting brought me to Krueger Tree Farm in Sturgeon Bay, where we were joined by members of the local media to capture the special event. After some tips from Randy Krueger and lots of muscle, our tree was ready to display in the community for the season. Of course, we wrapped up the visit with hot chocolate and cookies shared over great conversation.
My December adventures in Door County included participating in a wreath workshop at Anchored Roots Vineyard & Winery in Egg Harbor, hosted by Lucky Stars Flowerfarm; attending the Door County Christkindlmarkt in Sister Bay; and visiting the Merry-Time Festival of Trees at the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. in Sturgeon Bay.
I started out my 2024 visits with some more unique aspects of Door County agriculture. Salmon’s Meat Products started in 1915 to offer smoked meat products to the local community. The Ebert family purchased the business in 2020 and are carrying on the tradition of producing high-quality meats. The Ebert family of Ebert Enterprises also raise dairy and beef at the highest standard of care as sixth and seventh generation farmers. Afterwards, we traveled to Forestville to tour Country Ovens, LTD. In operation since 1987, they are especially well known in the Door County area for their Cherry De-Lite Natural Dried Tart Cherries, and other products such as their chocolate covered dried cherries!
FFA week brought me to Door County in February, visiting several schools to celebrate. Southern Door Elementary School students learned about Wisconsin specialty crops while making homemade butter. In addition, high school FFA members offered some activities and treats during the lunch hour while I answered questions students had about Alice in Dairyland and Wisconsin agriculture. My visit ended at Sevastopol Elementary School, where I read I LOVE Strawberries. This book focuses on how students of all ages can grow their own foods like strawberries, and there were many connections students made with specialty crops in the Door County area that they can grow.
The March visit to Door County was a special one, as the 77th Alice in Dairyland Top Candidates joined me for the press briefing, introducing themselves to the public for the first time! Before the candidates arrived, I visited Henschel’s Maple Syrup and Country View Farms Maple Syrup to tap my first tree of the season and learn more about maple syrup production! After the briefing, the Top Candidates and I traveled to two local businesses: Door County Coffee and Door Peninsula Winery. Both companies do a great job of honoring their home county and its agriculture.
These official Door County visits wrapped up in April, where we saw some great examples of local ingredients available for Wisconsinites. Door Karma Farms is a local source of high-quality beef, lamb, chicken, pork, vegetables, micro-greens, and eggs, plus cherry trees and other types of produce. Owner Chris is very passionate about cattle genetics, and he currently raises Red Wagyu cattle.
Thank you to Door County for hosting an unforgettable 77th Alice in Dairyland Finals! To see more about my Door County tours or highlights from the Finals, check out the Alice in Dairyland social media pages!
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