Buses to shuttle guests to Breakfast
NEW GLARUS - The Breakfast on the Farm offers free buses for those who wish to avoid parking and traffic.
There are three different communities that have bus rides to the Breakfast on the Farm this Saturday:
- Several banks in Monroe are providing buses to the event. The buses will be leaving Monroe High School every half hour starting at 5:30 a.m. and continuing through 9:30 a.m.
- The Bank of Monticello will be sponsoring a bus, and it will leave at 7 a.m.
- The Bank of Brodhead will be sponsoring a bus that will leave the bank at 7 a.m. 
NEW GLARUS - Green County Ag Chest's annual Breakfast on the Farm on Saturday, May 26 will be nestled among the picturesque hills of New Glarus at the family farm of this year's hosts, Don and Jane Elmer.
The hills presented a rather interesting problem for the Ag Chest's breakfast committee members: How do they set up their tents, feed an anticipated 5,000 people and provide parking, all on the sides of the hills?
"A few of us who have lived and worked in the hills find ways to do things," Don Elmer said.
Don Elmer, with his two sisters, grew up on the farm, begun in 1886 by his great grandfather, John W. Duerst. The farm was passed to his grandfather, Leon Durst, and then to his parents, Lucille and Henry Elmer.
Don and Jane Elmer married in 1982 and rented the farm until they purchased it in 1988. There, they also raised their children, the fifth generation, Kyle, 28 and Kelsey, 26.
The long history of the family on this enduring farm is one reason the Elmers agreed to host the Ag Chest breakfast.
"We've farmed in the hills a long time, and we're used to that," Jane Elmer said. "We wanted to show people you can farm in different areas of the county."
The Elmers milk 60-65 cows and raise mostly corn and alfalfa, along with wheat and soybeans, on the 340-acre farm. Unique to the farm is the red barn with white shutters.
Volunteers will begin serving breakfast on the top of one of the farm's hills, according to the Elmers. As the sun clears the horizon, the view promises to be spectacular.
The breakfast tents will look down on the farmstead and across the area hilltops, where visitors will be able to see contour farming and strip cropping, farming methods used to prevent erosion that create fluted and geometric designs across the landscape.
After breakfast, visitors can tour the homestead in the valley below, where the Ag Chest ice cream van, a petting zoo and the arts and crafts booths will be located. Don said there will be shuttles to take visitors to and from the farm buildings and the hayfield parking area.
Entertainment this year includes the New Glarus Alphorn Players, for a taste of traditional Swiss music that surely John W. Duerst himself enjoyed more than 125 years ago.
The Green County Ag Chest was organized in 1958 to promote Green County, its products, its resources, and its people, especially youth and youth activities involved with home economics and agriculture. The first Dairy Breakfasts were held at various churches and schools from 1961 until 1979, when Breakfast On The Farm began. The event is made possible by donations from numerous businesses in the county and volunteers.
About 1,800 dozen eggs, 1,300 pounds of sausage, 5,000 half-pints of milk, 126 gallons of ice cream mix, 3,500 cartons of orange juice, 200 coffee cakes, 13 lugs of fresh strawberries, 110 pounds of butter, 480 pounds of cheese, and 26 jars of coffee will go into making the breakfast.
The breakfast kicks off June Dairy Month.
The hills presented a rather interesting problem for the Ag Chest's breakfast committee members: How do they set up their tents, feed an anticipated 5,000 people and provide parking, all on the sides of the hills?
"A few of us who have lived and worked in the hills find ways to do things," Don Elmer said.
Don Elmer, with his two sisters, grew up on the farm, begun in 1886 by his great grandfather, John W. Duerst. The farm was passed to his grandfather, Leon Durst, and then to his parents, Lucille and Henry Elmer.
Don and Jane Elmer married in 1982 and rented the farm until they purchased it in 1988. There, they also raised their children, the fifth generation, Kyle, 28 and Kelsey, 26.
The long history of the family on this enduring farm is one reason the Elmers agreed to host the Ag Chest breakfast.
"We've farmed in the hills a long time, and we're used to that," Jane Elmer said. "We wanted to show people you can farm in different areas of the county."
The Elmers milk 60-65 cows and raise mostly corn and alfalfa, along with wheat and soybeans, on the 340-acre farm. Unique to the farm is the red barn with white shutters.
Volunteers will begin serving breakfast on the top of one of the farm's hills, according to the Elmers. As the sun clears the horizon, the view promises to be spectacular.
The breakfast tents will look down on the farmstead and across the area hilltops, where visitors will be able to see contour farming and strip cropping, farming methods used to prevent erosion that create fluted and geometric designs across the landscape.
After breakfast, visitors can tour the homestead in the valley below, where the Ag Chest ice cream van, a petting zoo and the arts and crafts booths will be located. Don said there will be shuttles to take visitors to and from the farm buildings and the hayfield parking area.
Entertainment this year includes the New Glarus Alphorn Players, for a taste of traditional Swiss music that surely John W. Duerst himself enjoyed more than 125 years ago.
The Green County Ag Chest was organized in 1958 to promote Green County, its products, its resources, and its people, especially youth and youth activities involved with home economics and agriculture. The first Dairy Breakfasts were held at various churches and schools from 1961 until 1979, when Breakfast On The Farm began. The event is made possible by donations from numerous businesses in the county and volunteers.
About 1,800 dozen eggs, 1,300 pounds of sausage, 5,000 half-pints of milk, 126 gallons of ice cream mix, 3,500 cartons of orange juice, 200 coffee cakes, 13 lugs of fresh strawberries, 110 pounds of butter, 480 pounds of cheese, and 26 jars of coffee will go into making the breakfast.
The breakfast kicks off June Dairy Month.
The 2012 Green County Breakfast on the Farm will be hosted by Don and Jane Elmer. The farm is located at W6408 County H, New Glarus
- Date: Saturday
- Time: 6 to 10 a.m.
- Cost: Ages 5 and under eat free; $3 for ages 6 to 10; $5 for ages 11 and up.
- Menu: Scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese, homemade coffee cake, milk, coffee, orange juice, and strawberry sundae.
- Date: Saturday
- Time: 6 to 10 a.m.
- Cost: Ages 5 and under eat free; $3 for ages 6 to 10; $5 for ages 11 and up.
- Menu: Scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese, homemade coffee cake, milk, coffee, orange juice, and strawberry sundae.