Celebrating National Dairy Month with June Dairy Day
Family activities planned at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center
Manitowoc, WI – Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center celebrates National Dairy Month with its June Dairy Day event this Saturday, June 10. The family-friendly event will take place from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., and will include activities for all ages educating on Wisconsin’s most well-known area of agriculture: the dairy industry.
At June Dairy Day, visitors will meet and learn about different dairy breeds, including a Brown Swiss and Red and White Holstein. Guests will have the chance to speak with the experts who are raising these heifers and will be able to learn how to care for them. Which breed of dairy cattle are known for being stubborn? And which breed is the newest to be recognized as its own breed of cattle? Answers to these questions and more can be found at the event.
In addition to the animal visitors, author Corey Geiger will be present at the event from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm for a signing of his new book, The Wisconsin Farm They Built. Geiger is a well-known Wisconsin based author with titles focused on all aspects of Wisconsin agriculture.
The US Dairy Forage Research Center will also be joining the June Dairy Day event. Guided by professionals in the field of dairy cattle nutrition, guests will be able to take a deep dive in to the world of a cow’s stomach. A microscope will be on hand to look closely at the important microbes necessary for a cow’s largest stomach compartment, the rumen, to function. The US Dairy Forage Research Center is a segment of the US Department of Agriculture and focuses on providing solutions for the dairy industry.
Guests will find several activity stations throughout the center educating on all aspects of Wisconsin dairy. Guests will also have the opportunity to sample different dairy products. All Dairy Day activities are included in the price of regular admission to the discovery center.
“There is truly no better time to shine a spotlight on Wisconsin’s cornerstone industry – the dairy industry – than during National Dairy Month,” shares Abigail Winkel, Farm Wisconsin program manager. “June Dairy Day will allow guests to use all five senses as they connect with our state’s dairy community.”
National Dairy Month began as a way to distribute surplus milk in the warmer months. In 1937, it was established by grocer organizations as National Milk Month. Just a couple of years later, in 1939, the celebration was expanded to National Dairy Month. Today, National Dairy Month hosts many celebrations in honor of the dairy industry.
Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center
The Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center is an interactive agricultural education center located in Manitowoc County. Farm Wisconsin connects visitors’ curiosity to the wonder of Wisconsin agriculture and provides guests with a better understanding of their food sources and their importance.
Regular Farm Wisconsin admission rates are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors 62 and older, and $10 for youth 3-18. Children 2 and younger are admitted free of charge. More information can be found at farmwisconsin.org.
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