Posted: 04.28.2011

The 8th annual Ride to Farm is coming back again - focusing attention on the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers (WSBDF).

Retiring farmers are leaving farming at a much faster rate than new farmers are starting. The school meets the critical need to train, mentor and support Wisconsin’s next generation of dairy and livestock farmers. The program emphasizes low-capital, environmentally friendly, grass-based dairy farming. About 300 students have attended the school and more than 75 percent of its graduates are farming.

The annual "Ride" allows bicyclists to not only support the school - but enjoy some beautiful scenery in southern Wisconsin and hear testimony from previous students of the course.

There is no entry fee for Ride to Farm. However, all riders age 12 and older are required to raise at least $50 in order to participate in this event. IF YOU DO NOT MEET THIS GOAL BY JUNE 4, 2011, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RIDE. We strongly encourage riders to exceed this fundraising goal. We have fabulous prizes for our top fundraisers, including two tickets to any show at American Players Theater.

Faith Technologies will host rest stops on two grass-based dairy farms: the Tom Grady dairy farm near Oregon (morning) and the Tim Pauli dairy farm near Belleville (afternoon). On both farms, you can snack on local cheese made from the farms' milk. Tom Grady, a 2001 graduate of the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers, sells his milk to Roth Kase in Monroe. Tim Pauli is a charter member of Edelweiss Creamery in Monticello.

For more details on the route - and what physical challenges you should consider for the day - go to ridetofarm.dojiggy.com/pages/index.cfm

« back to news articles