Farm Meets Fork Gala: Connecting Our Community to Dairy Farming

On August 11, Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy had the honor of hosting the Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion Committee’s 11th Annual Farm Meets Fork Gala—an evening designed to bring people together around food, agriculture, conservation, and a better understanding of where our food comes from.

The evening welcomed business leaders and community members from across the area, many of whom work outside of the dairy industry. Each table sponsor was given eight seats to fill, creating an opportunity for guests to invite friends, colleagues, customers, and business partners to experience the farm and learn firsthand about modern dairy farming.

An Evening That Started Around the Table

Guests kicked off the evening with local wines and beer while enjoying an impressive giant charcuterie board created by Ron’s Wisconsin Cheese. The board featured an assortment of Wisconsin favorites, including cheeses from Ron’s Wisconsin Cheese, Krohn Dairy Store, and BelGioioso Cheese.

It was paired with meats from Salmon’s Meat Products, Otto’s Meats, and Konop Meats, along with salmon and salmon spread from LaFond’s Fish Market.

The meal continued with a prime rib dinner prepared by Executive Chef Aidan Wienke of Stella’s on Main in De Pere, featuring prime rib generously provided by American Foods Group – Green Bay.

Milk toast for the evening was sponsored by Don and Ann Niles, and dessert was made even sweeter with cookies provided by North Water Bakery and Deli in Algoma.

Taking the Gala Beyond the Dinner Table

While the food brought everyone together, the heart of Farm Meets Fork is education and connection.

Guests had the opportunity to tour Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and see firsthand the practices farmers use every day to care for their cows, protect natural resources, and responsibly manage the land.

One of the stops on the tour featured a soil pit, where representatives from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Barry Bubolz and Jamie Patton, discussed the partnership between NRCS and Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and the goals they are working toward together.

Standing in a soil pit may not sound like the typical evening event activity, but it provided a valuable look beneath the surface—literally—at how farmers and conservation partners work together to understand and improve the health of the soil.

The tour gave guests an opportunity to see that environmental stewardship on a dairy farm is not simply something discussed—it is something farmers work on every day.

Technology on the Modern Dairy

The evening’s keynote presentations focused on another important part of modern dairy farming: artificial intelligence and technology.

Taylor Wittmus with Ever.Ag and Emily Skowronski with Cattle Care highlighted how AI technology is being used at Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and how these tools can help farmers monitor their cows, identify changes, and make more informed management decisions.

Technology continues to change agriculture, but the goal remains the same: caring for the animals, producing quality food, and being responsible stewards of the resources that make farming possible.

Connecting People to Agriculture

The evening was emceed by Nick Frimuth of Let’s Go Door & Kewaunee County, who helped guide guests through an evening filled with food, conversation, education, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Guests also had the chance to connect with Alice in Dairyland and the Kewaunee Fairest of the Fairs, who were available throughout the evening for networking and conversation.

That opportunity to connect is one of the most meaningful parts of Farm Meets Fork.

For many guests, the gala provided a chance to step onto a working dairy farm, talk with farmers and agricultural professionals, see modern dairy practices up close, and ask questions they may never have had the opportunity to ask before.

A Special Thank You to Our Table Sponsors

A very special thank you goes to the businesses and organizations who sponsored tables for the 11th Annual Farm Meets Fork Gala. Their support made it possible to welcome guests from outside the dairy industry and invite them to experience the farm, enjoy an evening of Wisconsin food and hospitality, and learn more about modern dairy farming.

Our 2026 table sponsors included:

Each table sponsor helped fill eight seats with guests, creating a tent full of business leaders, community members, agricultural partners, and friends who may not work in dairy but were willing to spend an evening learning more about it.

We are incredibly grateful for their commitment to bringing people together and helping us share the story of modern dairy farming.

Thank You for Helping Us Tell Agriculture’s Story

An event like Farm Meets Fork does not happen without an incredible network of sponsors, food providers, conservation partners, speakers, volunteers, and community supporters.

We are grateful to everyone who helped make the 11th Annual Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion Farm Meets Fork Gala such a memorable evening.

And, of course, thank you to everyone who came to Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy, asked questions, toured the farm, shared a meal, and took the time to learn more about the people behind the food on their table.

We hope you left with full plates, new connections, and a better understanding of the care, technology, teamwork, and conservation that go into modern dairy farming.

Because when we bring the community to the farm, we create an opportunity to connect people with the people, animals, land, and stories behind their food.

A special thank you to Miller Highlights of Kewaunee for capturing the evening through photographs and helping us preserve the memories of this special event.

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