Delores Fortuna is the third generation on her family's Centennial farm in Rusk County. In 1919, her grandfather, a Polish immigrant, traveled from a collapsed mine in Pennsylvania to northern Wisconsin and purchased the farm -- without looking at the full acreage. Delores calls the property a hardship farm with sandy soil and difficult terrain for raising crops and a dairy herd. While she and her sister did not carry on dairying, Delores is turning the land into a conservancy -- bringing back birds, marshland and hardwood trees to the area. 

Delores Fortuna is the third generation on her family's Centennial farm in Rusk County. In 1919, her grandfather, a Polish immigrant, traveled from a collapsed mine in Pennsylvania to northern Wisconsin and purchased the farm -- without looking at the full acreage. Delores calls the property a hardship farm with sandy soil and difficult terrain for raising crops and a dairy herd. While she and her sister did not carry on dairying, Delores is turning the land into a conservancy -- bringing back birds, marshland and hardwood trees to the area.&nbsp;

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

.In partnership with the Wisconsin State Fair, the Mid-West Farm report is highlighting Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Award winners. 

.In partnership with the Wisconsin State Fair, the Mid-West Farm report is highlighting Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Award winners.

Wisconsin Century & Sesquicentennial Farm Salute

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

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

Delores Fortuna - Rusk County

Wisconsin classrooms may have guinea pigs, hamsters or even geckos as classroom pets. But through a free educational program, students can welcome a much larger pet to the classroom: a dairy cow. Wisconsin dairy farmer and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board member Tasha Schleis and her family have been participating in the Adopt a Cow program for three years now. She says it's something they really enjoy doing.

Learn more: https://www.discoverdairy.com/adopt-a-cow/

Wisconsin classrooms may have guinea pigs, hamsters or even geckos as classroom pets. But through a free educational program, students can welcome a much larger pet to the classroom: a dairy cow. Wisconsin dairy farmer and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board member Tasha Schleis and her family have been participating in the Adopt a Cow program for three years now. She says it's something they really enjoy doing.
Learn more: https://www.discoverdairy.com/adopt-a-cow/

Adopt A Cow Goes Back To School

Nearly half of the state's ambulance services struggle with around-the-clock staffing.  Response times in remote areas can exceed 30 minutes, and over 78% of rural agencies rely heavily on mutual aid because local crews are unavailable or depleted.  This is the life of everyday emergency responders like Holly Ellickson.  Elllickson is the chief of the EMS for Cross Plains.  While considered a suburb of Madison, Ellickson still ends up responding to farm accidents.  In an effort to prepare for the fall harvest and potential farm calls, Ellickson is training her staff on how to respond.  She says things have changed in the last 20 years.  Now her volunteers seldom have had any exposure to a working farm.  That means she needs to train them on how to protect themselves from farm dangers, while they respond to injured people on that farm.  Pam Jahnke learns more.

Dry today but more showers are in the forecast.  Stu Muck says while temperatures may seem cooler for August, there is heat that will be rebuilding.

The 33rd Pro Farmer Crop Tour launches today.  Andy Peterson visits with Chip Flory, one of the agronomist' that will be hitting the trail to find out what the farm fields hold.  Flory says that he expects it could be difficult to see differences between non-irrigated and irrigated fields in some regions.

Ethan Fitzgerald from Holman is one of the inaugural recipients in the Youth Impact Grant program.  It launched at the WI State Fair's Governor's Blue Ribbon Livestock auction.  Fitzgerald tells Pam Jahnke that the $1,500 helped him expand his farming operation.  As a first generation farmer, he says any help is welcome.  He's getting plenty too.  Fitzgerald says that other farmers, university staff and breed organizations have all reached out to help him advance his farming operation.

Nearly half of the state's ambulance services struggle with around-the-clock staffing.&nbsp; Response times in remote areas can exceed 30 minutes, and over 78% of rural agencies rely heavily on mutual aid because local crews are unavailable or depleted.&nbsp; This is the life of everyday emergency responders like Holly Ellickson.&nbsp; Elllickson is the chief of the EMS for Cross Plains.&nbsp; While considered a suburb of Madison, Ellickson still ends up responding to farm accidents.&nbsp; In an effort to prepare for the fall harvest and potential farm calls, Ellickson is training her staff on how to respond.&nbsp; She says things have changed in the last 20 years.&nbsp; Now her volunteers seldom have had any exposure to a working farm.&nbsp; That means she needs to train them on how to protect themselves from farm dangers, while they respond to injured people on that farm.&nbsp; Pam Jahnke learns more. Dry today but more showers are in the forecast.&nbsp; Stu Muck says while temperatures may seem cooler for August, there is heat that will be rebuilding. The 33rd Pro Farmer Crop Tour launches today.&nbsp; Andy Peterson visits with Chip Flory, one of the agronomist' that will be hitting the trail to find out what the farm fields hold.&nbsp; Flory says that he expects it could be difficult to see differences between non-irrigated and irrigated fields in some regions. Ethan Fitzgerald from Holman is one of the inaugural recipients in the Youth Impact Grant program.&nbsp; It launched at the WI State Fair's Governor's Blue Ribbon Livestock auction.&nbsp; Fitzgerald tells Pam Jahnke that the $1,500 helped him expand his farming operation.&nbsp; As a first generation farmer, he says any help is welcome.&nbsp; He's getting plenty too.&nbsp; Fitzgerald says that other farmers, university staff and breed organizations have all reached out to help him advance his farming operation.

Rural EMS Continue To Struggle While Youth Impact Grants Boost Interest In Ag

AI isn't something you imagine banks are paying attention to - but they are!  Bob Bosold finds out why from Lyn Paulson from Bell Bank explains why they see artificial intelligence as a tool, not always a solution.  Paulson says it does require investment and that's why banks are monitoring the appetite for technology.

Weather stays calm today with a chance of rain creeping across the state.  Stu Muck gives us the moving patterns.

It's all about who shows up.  Ashley Huhn with the Steffes Group says that with online auctions, your audience grows exponentially.  He cites an example of a tractor sold to a WI operator.  Price was around $200,000 which was directly dictated by the open interest of others online.  Paid for by the Steffes Group.

Congratulations to all the award winners from the Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction at the WI State Fair.  Josh Hennings from Hennings Cheese in Kiel was named the Grand Master Cheesemaker!

Markets reacted to a less than rosy picture of what crops look like from day one of the ProFarmer Crop Tour.  John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing is monitoring those reports.  He says the market reacted immediately to news that yields were down compared to year-ago figures.  Heinberg says it's not just about the actual numbers, but instead the trends that are being revealed.  He also said the market is still very volatile after Tyson Foods announced a major plant closing in Illinois that will fragment cattle movement.

AI isn't something you imagine banks are paying attention to - but they are!&nbsp; Bob Bosold finds out why from Lyn Paulson from Bell Bank explains why they see artificial intelligence as a tool, not always a solution.&nbsp; Paulson says it does require investment and that's why banks are monitoring the appetite for technology.
Weather stays calm today with a chance of rain creeping across the state.&nbsp; Stu Muck gives us the moving patterns. It's all about who shows up.&nbsp; Ashley Huhn with the Steffes Group says that with online auctions, your audience grows exponentially.&nbsp; He cites an example of a tractor sold to a WI operator.&nbsp; Price was around $200,000 which was directly dictated by the open interest of others online.&nbsp; Paid for by the Steffes Group. Congratulations to all the award winners from the Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction at the WI State Fair.&nbsp; Josh Hennings from Hennings Cheese in Kiel was named the Grand Master Cheesemaker! Markets reacted to a less than rosy picture of what crops look like from day one of the ProFarmer Crop Tour.&nbsp; John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing is monitoring those reports.&nbsp; He says the market reacted immediately to news that yields were down compared to year-ago figures.&nbsp; Heinberg says it's not just about the actual numbers, but instead the trends that are being revealed.&nbsp; He also said the market is still very volatile after Tyson Foods announced a major plant closing in Illinois that will fragment cattle movement.

Delores Fortuna - Rusk County

In 2 playlist(s)

MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips