I scream, you scream… and now, you can scream for lavender ice cream at Country Lavender and Orchard in Kiel, Wisconsin! We’re back with another episode celebrating Wisconsin’s specialty crop growers. Today we’re heading to a farm that smells like summer and feels like serenity.

Sandy Buchholz and her husband, John, started Country Lavender and Orchard in 2017 with a handful of fruit trees and a dream. Fast forward to today, and their retirement hobby has grown into thousands of lavender plants and a destination you don’t want to miss. Visitors can stroll through fragrant fields of fresh lavender, shop for handcrafted products like lotions, sprays, oils, and car fresheners — and, yes, try three brand-new lavender ice creams. You’ll also find hands-on classes like wreath making, painting workshops, and even yoga right in the lavender fields. 

Looking to plan your own rural getaway? Head to the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association website to find farms like Sandy’s. If you're a farmer dreaming of opening your gates to guests, WATA offers mentorship, marketing help, and licensing support to guide you every step of the way. 

This podcast series is brought to you courtesy of Specialty Crop Block Grant 23-10. Learn more about how to engage with Wisconsin's agricultural tourism industry at https://gowiagtourism.com/.

I scream, you scream&hellip; and now, you can scream for lavender ice cream at Country Lavender and Orchard in Kiel, Wisconsin!&nbsp;We&rsquo;re back with another episode celebrating Wisconsin&rsquo;s specialty crop growers. Today we&rsquo;re heading to a farm that smells like summer and feels like serenity.
Sandy Buchholz and her husband, John, started Country Lavender and Orchard in 2017 with a handful of fruit trees and a dream. Fast forward to today, and their retirement hobby has grown into thousands of lavender plants and a destination you don&rsquo;t want to miss. Visitors can stroll through fragrant fields of fresh lavender, shop for handcrafted products like lotions, sprays, oils, and car fresheners &mdash; and, yes, try three brand-new lavender ice creams. You&rsquo;ll also find hands-on classes like wreath making, painting workshops, and even yoga right in the lavender fields.&nbsp;
Looking to plan your own rural getaway? Head to the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association website to find farms like Sandy&rsquo;s. If you're a farmer dreaming of opening your gates to guests, WATA offers mentorship, marketing help, and licensing support to guide you every step of the way.&nbsp;
This podcast series is brought to you courtesy of Specialty Crop Block Grant 23-10. Learn more about how to engage with Wisconsin's agricultural tourism industry at <a href="https://gowiagtourism.com/">https://gowiagtourism.com/</a>.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

It's time to find your next ag-venture with the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association. Hundreds of Wisconsin specialty crop producers are eager to welcome you to their farms for food, recreation, and education. We're introducing you to these destinations courtesy of USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant 23-10. WATA is increasing the demand for and sales of specialty crops and agricultural tourism experiences through the 'Wisconsin, America's Agricultural Tourism Destination' campaign. Learn more at https://gowiagtourism.com/

It's time to find your next ag-venture with the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association. Hundreds of Wisconsin specialty crop producers are eager to welcome you to their farms for food, recreation, and education. We're introducing you to these destinations courtesy of USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant 23-10. WATA is increasing the demand for and sales of specialty crops and agricultural tourism experiences through the 'Wisconsin, America's Agricultural Tourism Destination' campaign. Learn more at <a href="https://gowiagtourism.com/">https://gowiagtourism.com/</a>

Exploring Wisconsin Specialty Crops With WATA

Daily audio and podcasts from the Mid-West Farm Report Madison!

Daily audio and podcasts from the Mid-West Farm Report Madison!

Bloom, Scoop, Repeat At Country Lavender & Orchard In Kiel

Wisconsin farms feature a lot of different crops and animals, but despite our diversity - it doesn't normally include reindeer.  Reindeer, otherwise known as caribou, take center stage for a lot of stories during the holiday season.  Ben Jarboe takes a fun adventure to find out more about what reindeer eat and need before their grand flight.  He gets the details from Jeff Phillips, owner of Reindeer Games in Erin, Wisconsin.  Phillips explains how the animals nutritional needs change from winter to summer, and how adapt they are to fit their conditions.

Winds have started to pick up around Wisconsin and that will be the story today.  Stu Muck says wind chills will be part of the conversation today with improving temperatures into next week.

There's a lot of conversations happening about buy local and knowing your farmer.  The Wisconsin Farmers Union committed to incorporating locally produced ingredients in their convention menu this year.  Not an easy feat!  Stephanie Hoff talks to Layne Cozzolino, director of special projects with the Wisconsin Farmers Union.  

The organization chose to "put their money where their mouth is" by reinvesting their convention budget directly into the hands of the family farmers they represent. For its 95th annual convention, one Wisconsin organization decided to transform the standard hotel meal into a direct investment in its own membership. They fed 280 attendees seven meals each. The event successfully sourced 70 local ingredients from 40 farmer members. Rather than asking the hotel to change its entire menu, organizers worked with Chula Vista’s chefs to swap local ingredients—like beef, eggs, and cheese—into the resort’s existing recipes to make the transition easier for the kitchen staff. By using "procurement partners" (such as Organic Valley and the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative), the organization was able to aggregate products from many small farms into fewer deliveries, making large-scale local sourcing more efficient. Despite the convention taking place in December, the meals featured a wide variety of local products, including storage crops (potatoes and garlic), frozen roasted vegetables, legumes, mushrooms, and diverse dairy products. Seeing their farm names and logos on event signage and knowing their products were being served significantly boosted member morale. 

Wisconsin farms feature a lot of different crops and animals, but despite our diversity - it doesn't normally include reindeer.&nbsp; Reindeer, otherwise known as caribou, take center stage for a lot of stories during the holiday season.&nbsp; Ben Jarboe takes a fun adventure to find out more about what reindeer eat and need before their grand flight.&nbsp; He gets the details from Jeff Phillips, owner of Reindeer Games in Erin, Wisconsin.&nbsp; Phillips explains how the&nbsp;animals nutritional needs change from winter to summer, and how adapt they are to fit their conditions.
Winds have started to pick up around Wisconsin and that will be the story today.&nbsp; Stu Muck says wind chills will be part of the conversation today with improving temperatures into next week.
There's a lot of conversations happening about buy local and knowing your farmer.&nbsp; The Wisconsin Farmers Union committed to incorporating locally produced ingredients in their convention menu this year.&nbsp; Not an easy feat!&nbsp; Stephanie Hoff talks to Layne Cozzolino, director of special projects with the Wisconsin Farmers Union.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The organization chose to "put their money where their mouth is" by reinvesting their convention budget directly into the hands of the family farmers they represent. For its 95th annual convention, one Wisconsin organization decided to transform the standard hotel meal into a direct investment in its own membership. They fed 280 attendees seven meals each. The event successfully sourced 70 local ingredients from 40 farmer members. Rather than asking the hotel to change its entire menu, organizers worked with Chula Vista&rsquo;s chefs to swap local ingredients&mdash;like beef, eggs, and cheese&mdash;into the resort&rsquo;s existing recipes to make the transition easier for the kitchen staff. By using "procurement partners" (such as Organic Valley and the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative), the organization was able to aggregate products from many small farms into fewer deliveries, making large-scale local sourcing more efficient. Despite the convention taking place in December, the meals featured a wide variety of local products, including storage crops (potatoes and garlic), frozen roasted vegetables, legumes, mushrooms, and diverse dairy products. Seeing their farm names and logos on event signage and knowing their products were being served significantly boosted member morale.&nbsp;

What's A Reindeer's Ration And By The Numbers - Feeding Local

"The number one issue that whenever I talk to farmers has always been labor," says Tyler Wenzlaff, director of national affairs with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. "We're not going to be able to survive if we do not have labor needs met."

Wenzlaff explains that the traditional model of family-run operations has been upended via economic pressure or lack of interest from younger generations. This has forced the industry to look toward comprehensive federal reform as the only path forward.

"The number one issue that whenever I talk to farmers has always been labor," says Tyler Wenzlaff, director of national affairs with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. "We're not going to be able to survive if we do not have labor needs met."
Wenzlaff explains that the traditional model of family-run operations has been upended via economic pressure or lack of interest from younger generations. This has forced the industry to look toward comprehensive federal reform as the only path forward.

WFBF Sounds Alarm Amid Labor Shortages

The Wisconsin Farmers Union concluded its 95th annual convention, celebrating a year defined by both legislative hurdles and significant internal growth. 

Executive Director Danielle Endvick, who took the helm in May, tells Mid-West Farm Report that despite a volatile federal and state landscape, the organization is "busting at the seams" with new energy.

The Wisconsin Farmers Union concluded its 95th annual convention, celebrating a year defined by both legislative hurdles and significant internal growth.&nbsp;
Executive Director Danielle Endvick, who took the helm in May, tells Mid-West Farm Report that despite a volatile federal and state landscape, the organization is "busting at the seams" with new energy.

Bloom, Scoop, Repeat At Country Lavender & Orchard In Kiel

Exploring Wisconsin Specialty Crops With WATA

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MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

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