08/14/2026
On Tuesday, August 4th the 55 passenger bus pulled out of Mt. Gilead headed for Wisconsin with some stops in Indiana. We had a long bus ride, busy week, a lot of memories and laughter.
As we turned the corner on August 7th to return to Mt. Gilead, tired eyes and tired feet began to wake up to the scene of Home!!
Enjoy the pictures...feel free to tag anyone you know or add your own photos in the comments.
Thank you to all who participated, we enjoyed our time together.
DAY 1- White Oaks Bison Farm - Fulton County MSWCD Board Member and Owner - Terry and family are self-sustaining Bison Farm operating with rotation grazing with 12 pastures. We enjoyed lunch on the farm served by Fulton County SWCD Staff and Board.
Fair Oaks Dairy- This fully automated dairy is the largest dairy in Indiana with approximately 30,000 - 36,000 herd size. This dairy is like no other and the ice cream is definitely worth the trip.
House of Gerhard - Kenosha, WI. - Our dinner experience for night 1 was authentic German Schnitzel or Bavarian pot-roast with homemade chicken dumpling soup and rolls. The family came from Germany and opened in 1964. Today, House of Gerhard is owned/operated by their daughter Angie with most of the original staff still serving the family recipes with a smile and a dash of love.
DAY 2- CASE/IH World Headquarters - they did not permit pictures during the factory tour, but this place was incredible.
Mandaamin Institute- The research this group is doing for raising organic corn is un-believable. They do everything by hand with absolutely no chemicals. The trial plots are hand graded and they welcome weeds as a natural polinator to the corn.
AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD - Brewers vs Pirates - Brewers won 4-2. FUN EVENING, GREAT GROUP, LOTS OF LAUGHTER!!!
DAY 3- Carr Valley Cheese Factory - This family operated cheese factory started in 1902 with Sid Cook as owner. They produce cheese by using locally sourced goat, sheep and cow milk and have won many awards with their cheeses.
Milwaukee Pretzel Company - If you have an authentic "Bavarian Pretzel", more than likely it came from this company. All pretzels are made fresh and the larger pretzels are still being hand rolled. This tour again, did not allow pictures but we snapped a couple outside while enjoying our complimentary tasting.
Lakefront Brewery - Dinner and tour at this brewery was very entertaining. If you ever get the chance to go to Milwaukee, this would be worth your time to stop in and take a tour.
DAY 4 - Purdue University Aqua Culture Research Lab
Purdue University Agriculture Student Farms
We were guided through the lab to see how they were raising and releasing Hellbenders, Tilapia and Bass. On the student farms, they explained how they are raising produce year-round and distributing it to the Purdue Community. Making a difference!!
