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Crawford County Dairy Breakfast

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The Steger family includes Terry, Harley the cow, Emily, Jessica, Zeke the dog, Tim and Char. (Photo submitted)

 

Steger family to host 2017 

Dairy Breakfast on June 3

By Ted Pennekamp

 

Saturday, June 3 is the morning of the Crawford County Dairy Breakfast, and the Steger family is glad to welcome everyone to their farm once again at 60724 Irish Ridge Road about three miles north of Prairie du Chien on Highway 27. 

The Steger family has previously hosted the Dairy Breakfast four times: 1993, 2002, 2009, and 2013.

“I like giving people the opportunity to see a real farm,” said Tim Steger, who noted that as the years pass, people get more detached from what a dairy farm looks like. “We enjoy all of the questions and helping people to understand a farm’s operations.”

Approximately 2,500 people who like a great breakfast are expected to attend the event. Serving begins at 6 a.m. and goes until 10 a.m. Tim said the Dairy Breakfast started in 1981 and drew approximately 1,400. In 1993, when the Steger’s hosted the breakfast for the first time, it was a beautiful day and about 3,000 people  showed up.

Tim and his wife Char said they are hosting the Dairy Breakfast for the fifth time because they would like to help keep the event going strong. 

Twin brothers, Tim and Terry, started farming as third generation Crawford County dairy farmers in 1980 with their father, Louis. Over the years, the operation has grown and changed to the current 60-cow herd and 498-acre operation. The brothers plant corn, alfalfa, and oats on the 300 tillable acres. There are 20 Registered Holstein cows in the herd at the breakfast site. The Steger family also has a herd of 30 beef cows. 

Tim and Terry’s passion for agriculture is evident in the many awards and honors the two have received over the past 37 years. The awards include conservation farm family of the year, numerous milk quality awards, and Crawford County Honorary June Dairy Month Chairman. 

Tim and Char were married in 1994. They have two daughters, Jessica 20 and Emily 18. The girls are very interested in the dairy industry, and Tim is proud knowing they will be the fourth generation involved in dairy farming.

In addition to being educational and downright fun for all ages, at $2 per adult, the Dairy Breakfast is quite economical as well. The cost is only $1 for children ages 6 to 12, and kids younger than 6 eat for free.

“We are the least expensive breakfast in the state,” said Tim. “Nobody leaves Char’s stable hungry.”

“It’s our goal to have people come out and eat a good breakfast and have fun,” said Char, who noted that many are amazed at what a real farm is like. Tim said that children really enjoy sitting on a tractor, for example, and feel like they’re on top of the world. Ellen the cow will also be on hand, and many kids are curious as to the texture of her coat. 

The breakfast will be held rain or shine because everything is under tents or in the shed. Tim will have the barn open so guests can watch him milk and ask questions beginning at about 6:30 a.m. Young calves will be fed bottles of milk at about 8 a.m. Farm machinery will be on display as will a few vintage Minneapolis-Moline tractors that a neighbor will bring over.

Jessica said the Dairy Breakfast is quite an experience for all that she enjoys sharing.

“We live here and get to do things every day that other people don’t,” she said.

About 100 volunteers will help out at the Dairy Breakfast. This year’s meal will include pancakes, sausage links, cheese, cheese curds, cottage cheese, apple sauce, pudding, and Culver’s shakes and custard.

About 320 pounds of sausage, 225 pounds of curds, 180 pounds of cottage cheese, 40 gallons of pudding, 30 gallons of shake mix, 280 to 300 pounds of cheese, 3,200 pats of butter and 2,500 cartons of milk will be served.

There should be plenty of parking, but Tim and Char also wanted to remind all prospective Dairy Breakfast goers that there will be shuttle buses running between the Blackhawk Junction Mall in Prairie du Chien and the Steger Farm for those who don’t want to drive.

“We hope everyone enjoys this year’s Dairy Breakfast,” said Tim on behalf of the Steger family and all those who support the event.

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