Kewaunee, WI (April 2, 2025) – Kewaunee County’s Annual Breakfast on the Farm is on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15th, at EL-NA Farms LLC, E4029 Pheasant Rd, Algoma, WI 54201. The dairy farm is a multi-generational family farm. Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion Committee oversees the event, organizing over 200 volunteers annually to provide a delicious meal, farm education, and an unforgettable dairy experience.
The event will begin at 7:00 a.m. with a church service. Volunteers will start serving breakfast at 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. During that time, families can take a farm tour and visit the educational area with equipment displays and a petting zoo.
“We are very excited here at EL-NA Farms to be hosting Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm.,” stated Lonnie Fenendael, a partner in the farm. “We last had [Breakfast on the Farm] in 2008 so it’s been a little while and a lot has changed at this facility.”
Spanning six generations and 167 years, EL-NA Farms first began in 1858 when the Fenendael’s ancestors immigrated from Belgium and purchased the current homestead from the State of Wisconsin. It wasn’t until 1969 that it became what it is formally known as today – EL-NA Farms – when it was purchased by the 5th generation, Eli and Nancy Fenendael, combining the first two letters of each of their names. In 2000, Eli and Nancy’s sons, Barry, Lonnie, and Shane Fenendael became the 6th generation and current owners when they purchased it from their parents with 100 cows and 240 acres.
Now consisting of 2,500 cows and 7,500 acres, the farm has seen much growth and expansion within the last 25 years. A few of their most notable accomplishments include the addition of a new 40-stall rotary parlor in 2008 (the first rotary to be built in Kewaunee County) as well as the purchase of an additional farm in 2022 – Sand Bay Dairy – located in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Their latest extension, a grain facility, is set to be completed this year.
These accomplishments certainly did not come without hardships. In 2010, a fire destroyed part of the original barn and parlor on the homestead. However, in 2022, the Fenendael family suffered their greatest tragedy with the loss of their beloved wife and mother, Nancy. A true matriarch of the family. She, alongside Eli, continued to help on the farm years after their sons took ownership, feeding calves and cutting the lawn. Nancy was the true foundation of the family and farm, loved by all, and will forever be dearly missed.
In addition to family, cow comfort and health have always been of the utmost importance to EL-NA. To improve their herd’s well-being and production, the farm transitioned from sawdust to sand bedding with the construction of a sand separation building in 2016. To ensure the best feed quality, EL-NA does its own planting, harvesting, and spraying, and in 2022, it upgraded its feed storage by building a feed center. Furthermore, the farm has embraced many technological advances along the way with the addition of cow collars to better monitor and be more proactive in their herd’s health as well as utilizing precision planting technologies to optimize their crop yield and soil health.
While EL-NA Farms takes great pride in their past accomplishments, they look forward to the future, with Lonnie’s son, Kurtis, and Shane’s son, Jordan, preparing to become the 7th generation to take over the farm. Although the farm has grown and adapted throughout the years, their priorities of family, herd and environmental health, and food safety remain the same. As for their future, their goals are to produce the highest quality product, maintain optimal cow health, embrace technological advancements, practice environmental sustainability, and see the farm thrive for generations to come.
About Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion: The Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion is a non-profit organization of agriculture professionals and dedicated dairy farm families in Kewaunee County. The organization partners with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin to positively promote the dairy industry and products through events like Breakfast on the Farm. Dairy Promotion also supports dairy tours, the Dairy Ambassador educational program, and supplies milk, ice cream, and cheese for various activities and events throughout the county. Learn more at www.DairyPromo.com.
Comments