Have you picked up a copy of the 2021 Green County Visitor + Activity Guide?

One thing missing this year is the printed county-wide calendar of events. With planning still uncertain at this time, it makes more sense to direct people to the online calendar at www.greencounty.org, where instant updates can be made as needed. The four pages normally devoted to the calendar were repurposed for additional feature articles and photos.

My favorite piece to work on was a two-page salute to some of Green County’s signature flavors. Local copywriter Kareesa Wilson crafted the inspirational text for “Foodie Finds” with featured tastes like Tomato and Basil Feta from Klondike Cheese in Monroe, Goody Two Shoes from Hawk’s Mill Winery near Browntown, Stettler Swiss Spread from Decatur Dairy near Brodhead, and Edelweiss Wine from Bailey’s Run Vineyard, New Glarus.

A piece about the Green County Dairy Queens was a natural fit to go along with some of the images taken by local photographer Brenda Steurer at a photo shoot last fall at Brodhead’s Ten Eyck Orchard. You often see these agricultural ambassadors in dresses and crowns, but the photo people are talking about shows them lined up at the edge of a cornfield, wearing jeans topped off with matching red “Support Your Local Farmers” t-shirts.

I was very pleased to include the article “Flying Back in Time” by Ami Eckard-Lee. It’s all about Kelch Aviation Museum at Brodhead Airport, which is set to open to the public this summer. Ami, who serves as Collections Manager and Archivist, offers a visual sneak peek into the museum by inviting you to “imagine the biggest garage you’ve ever seen, but it’s been furnished by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Smithsonian Institute.” She also hosts a highly entertaining series of virtual aircraft tours. Check out “Airplanes with Ami” on the Kelch Aviation Museum’s Facebook page.

Green County’s Hollywood connection comes to life with a story about movie mogul Paul Feig and his Artingstall’s Gin. If you don’t recognize Feig by name, you’ll surely know him by the blockbusters he has directed — Bridesmaids and Ghostbusters, to name a few. He’s also directed television episodes for Mad Men, 30 Rock, and The Office. Feig says he never met a gin he truly loved…until he made his own. It happens right here in Monroe at Minhas Distillery, through collaboration with distillery owner Ravinder Minhas and local master distiller Mike Connelly.

Make sure to check out the back cover of the guide for a fun photo of the Green County Dairy Princess, Ellie Eichelkraut, juggling apples. The moment was captured perfectly by Brenda Steurer, who was behind the camera on many of the engaging photos you’ll find in the guide. 

Green County Tourism would like to thank all of the advertisers, as well as the communities of Albany, Brodhead, Monroe, Monticello, and New Glarus for financial support of the publication, which is one element of the marketing initiatives planned for 2021.

— Noreen Rueckert is director for Green County Tourism and Green County Cheese Days, and helps out with Main Street Monroe’s Concerts on the Square. Her favorite cheese is rumored to be Feta. She has the best office in the county — overlooking Monroe’s Square from the tower of the Historic Green County Courthouse. She dabbles in photography and graphic design, adores cats and iced coffee, and secretly loves the Cheese Days Song.