BROWNTOWN — It was a coordination of travel plans.
The oldest son, Jeremy, planned to drive with his wife and two small children from his home in Glendale, near Milwaukee. The youngest, Jeff, was flying to the Milwaukee airport from Seattle, but weather was looking dicey. The shortest trip would be for middle child Steven, who lives near Monroe Middle School, but that included wrangling four children.
All of this planning was a tradition for the Guth family; attending the Green County Breakfast on the Farm. In its 40th year, Jerry Guth, his wife, Candy, and his three sons have been to about 30 of them, visiting a variety of farms throughout the county as the children were growing. Now, Jerry gets to watch his grandchildren take in rural life as well.
“It’s always fun to see the kids and their interaction with the animals,” Guth said.
They all made it to the event, though they missed the Soggy Prairie Band, Jeremy Guth said. Both Jeremy and Jerry admitted that added travel times pushed their arrival later than it had been when the boys were growing up. Still, the family was able to grab some food and interact with the variety of displays and animals available for visitors to learn more about farm life.
Jeremy said his 3-year-old daughter has been to each of the events in her short lifespan.
“I think this is the first year she could really appreciate it,” he said. “She could check out the animals in person. She can connect the live animals with the photos and sounds in books.”
His wife, Maureen, grew up in Brookfield. When she first attended the county breakfast, Jeremy said it was “an eye-opener” because she grew up with few people celebrating rural life and dairy farming. Maureen enjoyed the visits as she returned with Jeremy. He said they plan to continue the cycle of tradition by bringing their children back annually, with the added bonus of seeing his parents and the “gorgeous landscape” of Green County.
“We tried going to other breakfasts in the area here,” Jeremy said. “I guess I’m biased, but we think the Green County one is the best. … It was fun for us when it was just us, but now as my daughters are old enough to enjoy it, we’ll just keep coming back.”
The tradition began with Jerry, who was raised on a dairy farm in Racine County. He moved to Monroe in 1973 for a teaching job and after marrying Candy in 1974, the couple resided in a home near the Monroe High School, where Jerry Guth taught social studies, history and political science for 36 years.
While Jerry was no longer residing on a farm, he took the proximity to the school as an opportunity to visit one at least once a year; the shuttle buses to the breakfast events previously left from the high school.
“It’s so much fun to get back, see the tractors,” Jerry said, remarking on his affection for John Deere machinery. “It’s always nice to have the friendly debates about which equipment is better.”
Jerry added that observing farms over the years has helped him appreciate the hard work farmers undertake in modernizing their operations.
“It’s interesting to see how farms have adapted with fewer people,” he said.
The visit to Minder Farms was especially notable for Jerry. He not only taught the two oldest Minder children, he coached one in wrestling. He and Jeremy credited the Minders for how much work they put into their farm.
“It’s a good family,” Jerry said. “They are hardworking people. … It’s a tough situation for family farms, for all the farms, but particularly family farms. You have to respect and thank them for their work.”
That work ethic was put on display by the Minders as well as hundreds of volunteers on the morning of May 25. Board co-chair Judy Gill said roughly 3,700 people were served. Organizers used 1,125 eggs, 72 pounds of butter, 5,000 containers of milk, 3,744 containers of orange juice and 60 gallons of strawberries to make the meal. New Glarus and Monticello FFA members spent time setting up the site. Volunteers spent a portion of the evening beforehand cracking eggs. They grilled sausages and scrambled eggs as the event began at 6 a.m. just west of Browntown.
Jerry said he knows there are a lot of people involved in ensuring the event happens. He said he has a great appreciation for the volunteers and those who donate to the event. Local farmers opening up their homes and businesses has made a particular impact on him, and that “it means a lot going back on the farm.”
