CALEDONIA — On her first visit to the Racine County Fair, Taylor Schaefer walked through the pig barn and saw exhibitors smiling and having fun getting ready for their big moment.
Then a third-grader, Schaefer turned to her father and told him that she wanted to be just like those people.
“The happiness and the environment was something I wanted to be a part of,” she recalled.
So began a career in Wisconsin agriculture that has led Schaefer, now 21, to assume one of the state’s most high-profile roles as an advocate for farming: Alice in Dairyland.
Starting July 5, the Caledonia woman will spend the next year spreading awareness of agricultural issues in public appearances and promotions throughout the state.
For 75 years, the Alice in Dairyland contest has selected one woman to serve as a statewide farming ambassador through the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
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Schaefer, who was selected from among six finalists last month at a ceremony held in Madison, becomes the first Racine County woman to hold the Alice in Dairyland title since 1978.
Those who know Schaefer say she won the contest because she possesses strong communication skills and an ability to connect with people on a personal level.
Shelly Mayer, owner of a Washington County farm where Schaefer spent last summer as an intern, said Schaefer demonstrated her talents while planning special events for the business and participating in area farmers markets.
“Taylor has a very outgoing and magnetic personality,” Mayer said. “Everywhere she goes, she makes her next best friend.”
Schaefer, the daughter of Darrell and Carolyn Schaefer, grew up on a farm in the Franksville area of Caledonia. After her first county fair experience in third grade, she joined 4-H and became a regular competitor at the county fair.
After graduating from Franklin High School in Milwaukee County, she enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduated last month with bachelor’s degrees in animal sciences and life sciences communication. She was active in the Association of Women in Agriculture and the Badger Dairy Club, and she landed a job with the Mid-West Farm Report, a radio program originating in Madison.
Mid-West Farm Report director Pam Jahnke said she and her colleagues were abuzz on the night they heard Schaefer had been named the next Alice in Dairyland.
“We’re super proud and excited for her,” Jahnke said. “We think she’s going to do a great job.”
predecessors
The last Racine County woman to be Alice in Dairyland was Laura Jean Oldenberga home economics teacher who held the role in 1978. After being tabbed, Oldenberg said, according to a Journal Times report from the time, “The 18-year-old who left Burlington seven years ago would never be up on this stage. She would be out there in the audience wondering how that girl had the nerve to stand up there.
At least three Burlington women had won the title before Oldenberg: Merrie Jule Barney in 1959, Beth Bartosh in 1964 and Janice M Findlay in 1976.
In 1986-87, Liz Cunningham-Henrywho had previously lived in Racine, which was Alice.
Oldenberg
Following her one-year assignment as Alice in Dairyland, Schaefer is uncertain what career path she will take. But she has definite plans to remain active in agriculture, and she hopes serving as Alice in Dairyland will lead to new opportunities.
“This position really opens a lot of doors,” she said. “I just want to learn, and I want to be involved in agriculture.”
The role of Alice in Dairyland is a contract position with the state agriculture department that pays $45,000 for the year.
Applicants must be women, at least 21 years old and residents of Wisconsin.
Candidates are judged on their abilities in public speaking, communication, partnering with others in the agricultural community, developing informative campaigns about ag, and their understanding of or experience in farming.
Schaefer captured the title by defeating other applicants from Mauston, Antigo, Coon Valley and elsewhere.
Schaefer embarks on her year as Alice in Dairyland with an understanding that she will, in a sense, be representing Racine County as she travels the state.
Coming from Racine County, she said, means that she understands how agriculture co-exists alongside urban areas like Racine, and how farmers can interact with neighbors who have never set foot on a farm. She hopes to embody that spirit and carry that rural-urban message with her.
“My heart is in Racine County,” she said. “I owe a lot to Racine County for who I am today. That’s definitely a message I will take with me.”
Photos: Apple Holler marks its 35th year with hard cider beverages and other new features
Apple Holler owner Dave Flannery prepares for his 35th year in business
Apple Holler owner Dave Flannery looks ahead to his 35th year in business with the Racine County attraction, which began as a restaurant in 1987 and today draws about 150,000 visitors a year.
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Apple Holler orchard, restaurant, bakery and farm celebrates its 35th year in business
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Manager Elyse Flannery shows where new picnic pavilion is coming to Apple Holler
General manage Elyse Flannery shows the location of a picnic tent that has proven so popular that officials this year are replacing it with a permanent wooden picnic pavilion large enough to accommodate 350 people.
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Apple Holler hard cider selection inside restaurant and gift shop
In partnership with Von Stiehl Winery in Algoma, Apple Holler in Yorkville is using its own fresh-grown apples to produce a variety of hard cider fermented apple beverages.
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Apple Holler restaurant and bakery reopening after closing during COVID crisis
The Apple Holler indoor restaurant, bakery and gift shop all are reopened to the public after being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic when most food and retail operations were moved to an outdoors market site, which also is being maintained.
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Submitted photo
Employee Theresa James wraps up baked goods inside Apple Holler restaurant
Employee Theresa James wraps up baked goods inside the restaurant at Apple Holler, which grows its own apples, peaches and pears, and uses the fruit to make pies, jams, salsas and much more.
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Hard cider on display inside Apple Holler as the orchard introduces adult beverages
Hard ciders displayed inside Apple Holler include some that are produced in tequila-aged or bourbon-aged barrels to deliver a distinctive taste and a bit more alcohol content.
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Elyse Flannery and Theresa James pour hard cider samples at Apple Holler
General manager Elyse Flannery, left, and employee Theresa James demonstrate their pouring techniques with hard cider now available at the popular Apple Holler pick-your-own orchard in Yorkville. For additional photos from Apple Holler, go to JournalTimes.com/gallery.
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Apple Holler a ‘happy place’ for adults and children seeking a rustic farm-style attraction
A sign greets visitors inside the restaurant at Apple Holler, which attracts about 150,000 people a year and is introducing new features as it embarks on its 35th year in business.
Scott Williams
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