With your help the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers hopes to raise more funds and support for the next generation of farmer-stewards on Wisconsin’s working lands. Together we can ensure the availability of local food as well as the continued health and prosperity of rural communities throughout the state.
Whether you have participated in the “Ride to Farm” fundraiser previously or never heard of this event before, I welcome you all to visit our 2017 “Ride to Farm” website www.ridetofarm.dojiggy.com as Registration is now OPEN!
In short, this Century Ride (100K/62 miles and 2400ft climb) winds through scenic, rural roads in Green County this year, with farm stops along the way. There is also a less hilly (1800 ft climb) and shorter (50 mile) full-day option, as well as the option of just doing half the day and one farm stop instead of two. You can either do the morning half or the afternoon half of the ride (extra transportation needed!). See website for more route details and links to maps of the different ride options. Please email me with any questions.
Details on the ride….
(1) Riders can form teams or ride as individuals. Each team member or individual must raise at least $75/person to participate in “Ride to Farm”. We’ll have several prizes for both the teams and individuals who raise the most money – For example, top individual fund raisers may be able to win a road bike or $500 worth of Organic Valley product! Traveling Trophies will also be given out to individual and team top fundraisers.
(2) There is a General Donation page, where anyone can go to donate to the school even if they are not connected to a rider or rider team. Tax deductible donations of any amount are encouraged and greatly appreciated!
(4) Farm stops this year will be:
- Morning Dew Dairy – is a 100-cow certified organic grazing dairy near Argyle. Samantha, a graduate of the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy farmers, along with her husband Don, a second generation farmer, transitioned the farm to organics in 2007 and manage around 450 acres of crop ground and pasture. The milk is marketed through the Organic Valley cooperative.
- Green Fire Farm – is a 150-cow, sixth generation, 100% grass-fed beef farm in Monticello, WI. Father-son team of Jim and Jacob are transitioning their 400-acre, conventional dairy and row crop farm into a pasture-based, diversified livestock operation. Sheep, hogs, broilers, and laying hens are also raised with practices that mimic natural patterns and direct marketed.
- New Glarus Woods State Park – will be the starting and ending location of the ride this year! For more info on camping and biking there from Madison check out their website: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/
name/ngwoods/
Lastly, even though the minimum pledge to ride is $75, donations of any amount are welcome! If you have any questions or concerns about the ride in general or how to go about getting pledges please do not hesitate to contact me.
