Mary Lewandowski works on her family’s dairy farm in Wisconsin. Her great-great-great-grandparents founded the farm more than a hundred years ago. Today, the farm has some fifty cows that must be fed, milked, and kept happy and healthy. Corn and alfalfa need to be planted and harvested for their feed. It’s all a lot of work for Mary, but she loves her cows, and they provide us with milk to drink, cheese and ice cream to eat, and many other delicious dairy treats.Welcome to My Farm is a fun and illuminating look at farm life in the heart of America’s Dairyland. Presenting a day in the life of a small dairy farm, the book shares fascinating facts about dairy cows and the crops that farmers grow. Readers will also meet cuddly kittens and Mary’s two collies, Buffy and Buddy! Kiley Allan visits with the author about what she hopes kids take away from the book.

Another morning of frost statewide.  Soil temperatures are becoming a worry for farmers that already have seed in the ground.  Stu Muck says the sun today should help that situation, but overnight lows will continue to bring frost.

Wisconsin’s potato industry is facing market pressure despite planting season being underway.  Ben Jarboe talks with Tamas Houlihan, executive director of the WI Potato & Vegetable Growers Association.  Global changes are forcing a reassessment of WI potatoes.  Houlihan says western U.S. potato exports have declined as countries like China and India increase competition.  Key international markets such as Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia are no longer as strong for U.S. potatoes.  Much of the western potato supply is used for French fry production, which has been heavily impacted.  U.S. processors are cutting supply needs by 30–40%, reducing demand for grower.  That trickle down effect is forcing changes in Wisconsin's potato strategy.  Consumers will likely benefit from lower potato prices at the store.

Kudos to Mary Cooper, middle school teacher from Richland Center.  She's been named the 2026 WI Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.  Plus Bob Hagenow of Deforest is receiving the Guest of Honor award from the National Dairy Shrine this September.  Hagenow's been a long time fixture in Wisconsin's dairy industry.

Consumer's pocketbooks continue to constrict with escalating energy costs.  They're making changes at the grocery store and when they dine out too.  Mike North, dairy analyst with EverAg joins Pam Jahnke to explain how those buying patterns ripple through dairy pricing.  He also notes that milk production is not backing down.  The upside of all of this is that dairy plant expansion continues in Wisconsin and across the U.S.