Thank you to our loyal NHCC members, volunteers, cheese industry supporters, and friends of NHCC for making the year 2022 a most successful year! Looking forward to “Opening Day” May 4, 2023!
The volunteer of the year award for 2022 went to Jeanne Schwartzlow (left). The ‘Seppi’ award was presented to Jeanne by Asst. Director Deb Briggs. Jeanne joins an impressive list of hard-working volunteers at the Center.
It was the day before Christmas Eve and while helping out in the cheese store I heard a heck of a commotion out in the parking lot. I walked out in the driveway and here is Kris Kringle driving a 1949 bright red two door suburban. She was decked out with laker pipes that had quite a rumble!! I asked him what the heck he was doing out this close to Christmas. He told me they were right on schedule and his elves were working hard and he and Mrs. Claus wanted to do something nice for them!
A group of 20 friends, unexpectedly, arrived early one morning to tour our museum and were greeted by ”surprised” NHCC docents. For the last 17 years, the group has met in various places in the Midwest. This year they selected Monroe, New Glarus, and Mt. Horeb for their getaways. They were from Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota that met many years ago through a non-profit organization called “Quotes.” Quotes’ mission is to support and service programs to help the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as the elderly and disadvantaged persons in their communities. NHCC docents provided outstanding tours for the” unexpected” group!
Hans and Bobbie Bernet, shown with Executive Director , Donna Douglas, and Fritz Wenger, Jr. recently presented the National Historic Cheesemaking Center with an exquisitely detailed memorial bench on behalf of the entire Bernet families, to honor their deceased parents, Werner and Martha Bernet. The bench was designed and created by Fritz Wenger, Jr.
NHCC turned up the heat on Thursday, Jan. 14 for 10 exchange students from Argentina, accompanied by Juda High School English teacher, Jane Brewer. They had lunch at the famous Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Restaurant….with many eating grilled SWISS cheese sandwiches (no one “braved’ trying LIMBURGER!). The students informed Executive Director Donna Douglas that it was 105 degrees in their hometown of Buenos Aires, that day!
So, it was one sunny afternoon and this massive shiny red 58 Chevy Impala shows up in my driveway, and out pops Kris Kringle. He is laughing hysterically at the look on my face looking at his car. I asked him what he was up to on this fine fall day. He said he has had an issue that he thought he should bring to my attention. He said I have an uncle that I do not know about. He told me he is just an ornery old Koot and nothing Kris does cheers him up. I ask him who the heck it was, thinking I know all my relatives.
I remember my dad taking me to a nearby cheese plant when I was about five or six years old. It was a Swiss cheese plant, and I had a piece of that cheese. That’s back when they made the big 200-pound wheels, and it was like candy to me. I love that stuff.
Docent Virgil Leopold, left, a retired educator, kept a group of Rock County Home School students enthralled by the history of cheese when the group visited the National Historic Cheesemaking Center recently.
When the Frank Johansson’s (center) from near Tallahassee, Fla., made a late afternoon stop on Halloween to the Cheese Center enroute to their sunny state home, Docents Ken Klassey, left, and Jim Glessner, right, gave them the royal treatment. Besides a comprehensive tour, the couple walked out with gifts from the Center and best wishes for a safe journey home!
I recently visited the Dairy Innovation Hub (DIH) operations at UW-Platteville for an update on their projects and progress. As you may recall, I led a legislative effort to fund the DIH in the 2019-21 state budget. This innovative idea was developed by the Dairy Task Force 2.0 and is a top priority for dairy and agriculture in Wisconsin to remain a dairy superpower.
State leaders from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation visited the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Dairy Pilot Plant to see firsthand how the renovated plant will help cultivate the next generation of dairy processors. WCMA is a supporter of this important project, and of investing in the future of the dairy industry.
It has been an interesting and fun-filled couple of recent weeks. Your president just today completed a series of four presentations relating to the “Fascinating History of The Swiss Colony.” Backstory: About six weeks ago the local Monroe Library asked me to be part of their summer historical series of talks on the lawn. So yours truly did the first one at the Cheese Center, followed by two more at local retirement/nursing facilities, and one at a local service club.
Coplien Painting, Monroe, has finished giving the last remaining 1800’s era farmstead factory a new coat of paint. It had not been refreshed since moving here 11 years ago!
At a recent Executive Board meeting, director Steve Stettler kindly chided director Fritz Kopp into putting into words his life story. Well Fritz did and you will find interesting reading on Page 4. And wouldn’t you know it, Fritz, who is one of our lead docents, even made it to the new “Timeline of Cheesemaking” display in our museum.
Paul Vassalotti, our NHCC researcher of a couple years, points to an item on the brand new “Timeline of Cheesemaking” now featured in the museum. Vassalotti and MaryAnn Hanna, former NHCC executive director, collaborated to bring to life this informative and historical view of cheesemaking in Wisconsin. We invite all to come and see this spectacular addition!
Wow, the summer is speeding by, and NHCC continues to gather visitors from the USA and abroad. At latest count we have had folks from 38 states sign the guest register. And more telling are the numbers from abroad: We have had visitors from these countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, England, India, Japan, Mongolia, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, United
Kingdom.
This just illustrates our growing tourist choice of places to visit in Southern Wisconsin.
And we cannot let this opportunity go by without inviting our readers to Cheese Days here in Monroe on September 16-17-18. Having been negated by COVID for a few years, we are back in business. Come join the frivolity!!!!!!
We would like to congratulate all of our cheesemakers for a great showing at the 2022 Green County fair. Richard Buss Jr., (left above) of Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, was the Grand Champion
with his 40 lb. Baby Swiss with a score of 99.70.
The Cheese auction of 1st-3rd place entries took place at the Green County Fairgrounds on July 24. All auction proceeds go to charitable causes chosen by the Foreign Type Cheesemakers’ Board of Directors.
Fritz Kopp fertilizes the flowers in the cheese kettle at NHCC, which he volunteered to plant this year, and continues to nurture for all to enjoy. The copper kettle is a donation from Rita Purcell in memory of her three generation Swiss cheesemakers.
After the “Camp Dragon” group completed their tour, Director Donna escorted the anxious kids to Monroe’s Recreation Park where they enjoyed sack lunches, and then released their stored up
energy on the SWISS ALPS PLAYGROUND. The bus headed back to the big city (Milwaukee) filled with many “Monroe memories!” The Milwaukee Parks staff had the opportunity to meet some of the Monroe Park staff in the Shelter house as they were leaving here. It was a great day for all!
