Local family prepares to host Crawford County Dairy Breakfast, set for June 2
By Rachel Mergen
The Flansburgh family knows the farming business quite well. Alan Flansburgh, his wife Kathy, and their five sons Devin, Derek, Dalton, Dustin and Dylan were educated from a young age on what hard work and ambition can create—a life worth living and a farm beautiful enough to show to the entire county. The family is working now to teach others about the wonders of the farm, as they prepare to host the Crawford County Dairy Breakfast on Saturday, June 2, from 6 to 10 a.m.
In 1996, Alan and Kathy, already seven years into their marriage, bought the family farm from Alan’s parents. As the only son in his family and with a love for field work, Alan felt a responsibility to carry on the farm. With such a transaction, they became the third generation to cultivate the land they now call their home.
When purchased, the farm contained approximately 60 cows, but now is the residence to 120 cows, 150 heifers, 50 steers, and 20 beef cattle.
Their family grew quickly on the farm also. Their five children grew and learned how to work the land and care for the immense amount of animals, slowly preparing to one day take over the farm.
Today, even though only one still lives at home and attends high school, the sons are constantly ready to help out their parents and manage the farm. One of their sons is happy to visit every day to help Alan and Kathy complete chores and daily tasks.
According to the family, their day starts with milking, followed by chores at their two different locations, field work and then milking once more to close the day. Kathy especially finds delight in the time she puts toward caring for the calves.
“It’s a way of life that we grew up with,” Alan said joyously, reflecting on his developed passions for the industry.
The family looks forward to hosting the dairy breakfast for the second time, with the first time having taken place in 1998. Alan’s parents were the host for the second annual breakfast years ago.
Available at the breakfast will be pancakes, sausage, cheese curds, sliced cheese, pudding, applesauce, milk, coffee, milk shakes and Culver’s custard.
At the event, a petting zoo will be active, featuring heifers, cows, sheep, chickens, pigs, goats, a donkey and a pony. Machinery will also be displayed. A tour of the dairy operation will be offered throughout the morning as well.
The family is excited about “getting to see all the people happy” and hopes for “a good, dry day with a large turn-out.” They hope the event will help encourage locals to buy more dairy products and educate them on the work that is put in to producing the products they consume.
During the dairy breakfast, the family will be mingling and doing chores, including feeding the animals as attendees watch. There is even some interest from the sons in wanting to help cook pancakes.
The breakfast will not be located on the family’s main farm, but instead on that of their son’s. The breakfast is at 61341 Old State Highway 18 from 6 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 2. There is a small fee to enjoy the meal, with children under 5 eating free.
Parking is available, but it is recommended that attendees take the shuttle starting at Blackhawk Junction in Prairie du Chien. The buses, owned by Southwest Bus Services, will begin at 5:45 a.m. and run every 15 minutes until the last bus leaves Blackhawk Junction at 9 a.m. The last bus will leave the farm at 10:30 a.m.