SPOONER — A little bit of rain decided to drift over the Washburn County Fairgrounds on Saturday morning, June 8, just about the time people were arriving for the Tri-County Dairy Breakfast.
It didn’t matter. Nobody complained. People just kept showing up. A little rain wasn’t going to keep people away from the Dairy Breakfast event that many consider one of the best mornings of the year.
In fact, reported Pete Hubin of the Dairy Breakfast Committee, hungry breakfast-goers arrived in near-record numbers, totaling 1,990 served. It was just shy of the 1982 record of 2,000 people, and well ahead of the total of 1,800 served last year.
In 1982, the Washburn County Dairy Breakfast was served at the Degner Farm. The family-friendly farm breakfasts have long been an iconic part of Wisconsin’s June Dairy Month. Today, the Tri-County Dairy Breakfasts have been moved to the Washburn County Fairgrounds, with plenty of parking, a place to prepare and serve the meal, barns for baby animals, picnic tables and that same family-friendly atmosphere.
The Dairy Breakfast is still a lot of work to put together, a task undertaken by a small army of dedicated volunteers.
“The committee very much wants to thank the 120 volunteers who helped put it on,” said Hubin. “People were served very quick; it was easy to get around. The kids enjoyed the barrel train and the baby animals. It was a wonderful event, an outstanding family event. It was really fun for the family and the entire community.”
The Tri-County Dairy Breakfast, reports Hubin, is a branch of the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.
“The whole idea is to promote dairy products,” he said. “Debbie Allen is the committee chairman, and she is assisted by Tammy Schultz. They do a great job.”
The Tri-County Dairy Breakfast is a bit like a Norman Rockwell painting brought to life. The heart of the event is simple — neighbors and friends get together for a big, delicious outdoor breakfast, much of it prepared and served by a lot of the same area farmers who produce the tasty dairy products.
The menu consists of pancakes, cooked on the spot on a large griddle. There are delicious, sizzling sausages, also prepared as people pass through the serving line. Breakfast also includes tasty cheese curds, ice cream and strawberries, maple syrup and homemade honey butter, an incredible pancake topping unique to the breakfast served in Spooner.
At the Dairy Breakfast, one is sure to hear the “putt, putt, putt” sound of old-time tractors as farmers line them up for the antique tractor show. Some of the farm machinery has worked Washburn County fields since the early 1920s.
Another sound heard at the Dairy Breakfast is the laughter of happy children as they ride in the popular barrel train. Nearby, youngsters and their parents can also pet baby farm animals in the Petting Zoo. The kids can enjoy seeing and petting calves, piglets, baby goats and lambs and learn about their place on the family farm.
After enjoying a second or third helping of pancakes and sausages, many friends old and new sit for a bit, enjoying conversation with old friends they might not have seen for a while. Volunteer servers make sure there is plenty of hot coffee to help pass the morning.
Nearby, local favorite Tommy Ray plays music, old-time favorites sparking memories of days gone by for many. And a few are even moved to get up and dance now and then, reliving the good old days. It is a snapshot of small-town country Wisconsin at its very finest.
“Everything went so well this year,” said Hubin. “We ran out of chocolate milk and cheese curds. The handicapped parking worked well this year, and we opened up the Oscar Johnson building for people. We are trying hard to have this be an outstanding event. And again, we just want to say thank you to the volunteers and the community. We will aim to break the record next year.”
So thanks to all, including the hard-working farmers who are the heart of it all. Thanks to them, we can look forward to another great breakfast. Pass the coffee; it’s time to eat!
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