FOND DU LAC COUNTY (NBC 26) — The last Sunday in June is Fond Du Lac County's day to host "Breakfast on the Farm," an event that invites people from all over Wisconsin to come out to appreciate their local agriculture.
But this year, the location of the celebration was a last-minute surprise.
On June 18, a devastating fire broke out at Forest Ridge Holsteins farm, and owners Kurt and Sarah Loehr were left scrambling to deal with the loss of four barns and an office building.
The Loehrs had initially been slated to host Breakfast on the Farm for 2023.
So, with just six days' notice, and hearts full of sympathy for their fellow farmers, John and Linda Diederichs offered their 3-D Dairy farm as an alternate location for hosting the annual tradition.
The Diederichs said they'd hosted the event before — ten years ago, in fact — but they had no idea they'd be doing it again in 2023 until Monday morning.
“Unfortunately the farm that was supposed to have it had a fire last Sunday, so the Agribusiness Council and Breakfast Committee needed another farm, so we stepped up," said John. "I call it a small inconvenience compared to [the fire].”
But even with the last-minute changes, it's estimated that thousands of people still made it out to the event, which featured live music, animals, and of course: breakfast.
“I think it's nice that they do this because I think a lot of kids, especially from a bigger city, have never been to a farm and they need to come out and see where dairy products come from,” said Connie Salzer, one of the event's visitors.
The Diederichs agreed.
“Anybody can come to the farm. Whether you are a farmer or a city person that doesn't get the chance to see what happens on a farm — they get to see how cattle are taken care of, and cows and calves are comfortable on larger dairy farms,” John said.
The day started off with a spot of rain, but that quickly passed, and sunshine covered the rest of the event.
The reason Breakfast on the Farm is held in June is because of "June Dairy Month," formerly known as "National Milk Month." The name was changed to expand and include more dairy products than just milk, like cheese and sour cream.
