MONROE — Excitement is in the air at the Green County Ag Chest in advance of the 41st annual Breakfast on the Farm. The event will run from 6-10 a.m. May 29. Tickets are $7 per person or free for children 5 and under.
The popular event has become a tradition in the county, but it will look a bit different this year.
Because the breakfast takes months of planning on the part of the host, the Ag Chest decided to hold it at the Green County Fairgrounds, as it was unsure if the breakfast could even take place due to COVID-19.
“We wanted to really focus and not put a farm family out,” Breakfast on the Farm Chairperson Janelle Massey said. “By the time this year we really got the all good as far as holding a gathering, it was just too late for us to ask them to take a year’s worth of planning on their part and push it into three months.”
The location will still be outdoors and allow for social distancing, but also opens the door for new ways to serve the meal.
“We had to become pretty creative as far as trying to meet everybody’s needs and concerns,” Massey said.
To ensure safety and provide an at-home alternative to customers, there will also be a drive-out option at this year’s event.
Patrons hoping to take advantage of the drive-out option can enter the fairgrounds at the west 10th Street entrance. They can drive up and order meals which will be brought directly to the vehicle.
The east 10th Street entrance will be for dine-in customers and parking will be available onsite.
“People have different levels of comfort regarding the pandemic and so by doing this, we can still serve people who love the dairy breakfast, who love the fun and love the tradition of it, but they can still feel comfortable while doing that,” said Green County Dairy Queen Marissa Vosberg.
Vosberg said that, though the event will look a little different this year, it will still be the dairy breakfast that the community knows and loves.
“Even though we’re not on a farm this year, it’s still the same fun, it’s still the same festivities it’s still the same great food,” she said. “It means a lot to be able to bring that fun back to the community so people can kind of let loose and enjoy the tradition that we’ve had for so long after such a tough year.”
Patrons will be able to enjoy meals of coffee cake, scrambled eggs, sausage and more.
One extra safety precaution this year is that the coffee cakes, which are typically made and donated by community members, are all being made in commercial kitchens. However, the same recipe will be used.
There will also be a corn box, petting zoo, live music from Soggy Prairie Band, the Big Radio, and the Ag Chest trailer selling soft serve ice cream.
“There’s something for everyone to do all morning,” Vosberg said.
The Dairy Breakfast is the Ag Chest’s largest fundraiser each year, and it is also what helps the organization to give back to the community via scholarships.
This year, they’re hoping to bring even more than that to the table.
“Green County is resilient, we’re strong, but the world really had to take a step back from community and events and a sense of togetherness and connecting with friends last year and it really impacted a lot of families. It impacted a lot of farm families,” Massey said. “The threat is not gone completely, but people are starting to be vaccinated more and more and there’s a sense of a light at the end of the tunnel. We really hope that we’re bringing that to this community with this event going on.”
Those looking to volunteer at the event can sign up at https://www.greencountyagchest.com/breakfast-on-the-farm or learn more at https://www.facebook.com/Green-County-Breakfast-on-the-Farm-587276711282752.
