June Dairy Month

Growing up on a farm in Wisconsin meant that June was my favorite month of the year. It wasn't because school was out. (That happened in May when I was in school.) It wasn't because we made hay. (Hot, sweaty and itchy. But there was the occasional ice cream treat or popsicle afterward.) It was because June is Dairy Month.

For those of you unfamiliar with this wonderful tradition, June is the month we celebrate farmers and all things dairy. It meant our local bank always was stocked with cups of ice cream, so we begged to go to the bank. It also meant that on weekends, we went to a dairy breakfast if there was one in the area. A dairy breakfast is, quite simply, breakfast served at a local farm. Usually a shed for equipment is emptied, and tables are set up inside there for people. Breakfast could include any of the following: pancakes, eggs, sausage, cheese curds, cheese cubes, yogurt, applesauce, cinnamon rolls, juice, coffee, milk (including chocolate, of course) and ice cream. The really good breakfasts offer root beer floats or sundae toppings. The sketchy ones make you pay an extra dollar for your ice cream . The ones not worth going to don't have ice cream.

Yes, ice cream for breakfast. Welcome to Wisconsin in June. (Or my house on any given day ... kidding, of course.)

Funny story: AJ loved the eggs and asked to make them at home ... until he realized they were eggs.

Often, there's animals for children to pet, coloring books or activities, tours of the farm, wagon rides and such. It's an opportunity to support our dairy farmers while educating a bunch of town folk who might otherwise not experience a bit of farm reality.

And all this background leads to what we did last Sunday. We went to a dairy breakfast. Teddy thought the tractor ride was pretty cool. He thought the pancakes were delicious and thoroughly enjoyed his ice cream. (He ate his ice cream while AJ and their friend dug through a pile of sawdust for 18 minutes digging for change. AJ made a whopping $0.96, and their friend found $1.36.) He really liked petting the soft pretty lamb and the fuzzy bunny who shared the same name: Teddy.

Carrying on these traditions with my boys is pretty fun. I mean, who doesn't want ice cream for breakfast?

Seriously, farmers are pretty creative. They wanted the back where it bounced around the most.