Breakfast offers dairy close-up

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From left, Joel Brunner, Mara Brunner and Mike Bauer will be hosting the 2025 Pepin County Dairy Breakfast.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

Mara Brunner plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville this fall to study dairy science as she continues her career at Brunner's Hillside Dairy.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

Calves on the Brunner farm are taught to lie in freestalls as soon as they are weaned.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

An older barn on the Brunner farm is put into use as a heifer facility. The original log cabin is still a part of the family home.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

Land on the Brunner farm ranges from sandy-irrigated to peat.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

Alfalfa is direct-seeded in spring and replenished as needed.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

The Brunner farm has some Red Holsteins in the herd. The owners say they like the looks of the animals and their milking qualities.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

The current barn is built in 1999 after Joel Brunner buys the farm from his uncle.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

Brunner's Hillside Dairy is a legacy from Joel Brunner's great-great-grandparents.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri-View

LeeAnne Bulman For Agri-View

DURAND, Wis. – It will be a busy day at Brunner’s Hillside Dairy as they host the Pepin County Dairy Breakfast. The day will also include a graduation party for the newest member of their team, Mara Brunner. She’s the sixth generation to work on the farm east of Durand. She plans to continue her agricultural education this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

LeeAnne Bulman new mug March 2025 — LeeAnne Bulman

LeeAnne Bulman writes about agriculture from her farm overlooking the beautiful Danuser Valley on Wisconsin’s west coast. Email genwim2@gmail.com to reach her.