MONROE — Before cheese reaches the Cheese Tent at the Cheese Days Festival, the story begins on the farm.

Green County Cheese Days invites visitors to follow that story from herd to curd during its 2026 Farm Tours, featuring up-close visits to two working Green County family farms: Wegmueller Farm and DeVoe Family Farm.

These tours aren’t petting zoos. They are authentic agricultural experiences hosted by local farm families who are opening their gates to offer a behind-the-scenes look at animals, crops, traditions and everyday work behind the food we eat.

Farm Tours offer an opportunity to ask questions and gain a better understanding of modern agriculture. For anyone who would like to explore the origins of cheese and other dairy products, it’s an experience that connects what is served at the table with the people, animals and land that make it possible.

Kids will love the chance to be face-to-face with cows and calves, horses, pigs, goats, donkeys, chickens and peacocks.

“Cheese Days celebrates cheese, but the story begins long before the curds are stirred,” said Noreen Rueckert, Cheese Days Director. “Farm Tours are that herd-to-curd connection brought to life.”

Farm Tours have been part of Cheese Days since 1965, and the tradition has deep roots at Wegmueller Farm. Owners Dan and Ashley Wegmueller are the fourth generation to live and work on the farm. Dan’s grandfather, Ernest Wegmueller, hosted visitors to meet the cows during the first Cheese Days Farm Tours in 1965.

Today, the farm is also home to The Brumby Equine, Farmer Dan’s herd of horses. The Wegmuellers offer equine experiences, guided trail rides and a farm-stay vacation rental, giving them a unique perspective on both agriculture and agri-tourism.

At DeVoe Farm (home of the Happy Cow!), Alan and Yvonne DeVoe will introduce guests to dairy cows and calves, goats, chickens, peacocks and a donkey. The DeVoes began farming in 1987 and raised their three children on the farm. Their grandchildren now enjoy visiting and helping with chores.

The DeVoe family has welcomed many groups to the farm over the years and has also hosted Green County Breakfast on the Farm. Along with meeting the animals, visitors can learn about crops grown on the farm, including alfalfa, corn and soybeans.

Prior to the festival, a special Sneak Peek Farm Tour will be offered Sunday, August 30. The extended tour will visit both Wegmueller Farm and DeVoe Family Farm and will include special guests and surprises.

Local residents are especially encouraged to take the Sneak Peek tour if it works with their schedules. They’ll enjoy a more leisurely visit to both farms while keeping seats open on the September tours for visitors traveling to Green County.

Farm Tours during the festival will be offered Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19. Longtime Cheese Days volunteers Kris Winkler and Lynn Lokken will serve as tour guides.

Advance tickets will be available for the Sneak Peek Tour and Festival Tours 1, 2 and 3. Tickets may be purchased at the Cheese Days Store or online through the SHOP section at cheesedays.com. Tickets for Tour 4 will be sold only during the festival, giving out-of-town guests an additional opportunity to join a tour.

Participants must be able to climb several steps to board the bus and to stand and walk on uneven ground. No dogs or strollers.

Whether participants come from miles away or just down the road, Cheese Days Farm Tours offer something increasingly rare: the opportunity to step onto a working family farm, talk directly with the people who care for the animals and land, and meet the cows who play a starring role in the story of Green County’s award-winning cheese.

For tour times and ticket information, visit cheesedays.com/farm-tours.