AUXILIARY NEWS

from October 2022 Badger Common'Tater

NOW NEWS

By Datonn Hanke, vice president, WPGA

Hello, everyone, and

welcome back to Auxiliary News. Let’s chat about the State Fair.

The Wisconsin State Fair, August 4-14, 2022, was another success filled with family fun, animals, exhibits, and of course, baked potatoes! We experienced great weather and an impressive turnout this year, and it’s always wonderful to see how excited people get for their yearly baked potato. As in previous years, we had an extra special visitor in our booth, Alice in Dairyland. The 75th Alice in Dairyland, Taylor Paige Schaefer, swung by with her team to interview our State Fair coordinator, Jody Baginski, two of our Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary board members, Becky Wysocki and Heidi Schleicher, and grower Luke Wysocki. Schaefer took the opportunity to chat

Furthering the tradition of the Auxiliary running a baked potato booth at the Wisconsin State Fair every year, three generations from one family volunteered to help. From left to right are Hailey Kostuch, Catherine Kostoch and their grandma/mom, Carole Gagas.

Group 1 Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary (WPGA) State Fair baked potato booth volunteers, Linda Vollmar, chairwoman, and including the 75th Alice in Dairyland, Taylor Paige Schaefer Group 2 WPGA State Fair baked potato booth volunteers, Tara Jameson, chairwoman

with our members about the history of the baked potato booth and what causes proceeds from baked potato sales go toward. Schaefer even learned how to make her own baked potato and fearlessly chanted our “works” cheer with the group. She was a natural. You can

head over to the Alice in Dairyland Facebook page to check out the interview.

We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without our 11 wonderful groups of volunteers pictured herein, so thank you all for generously helping our industry. Another big thank you to Alsum Farms & Produce and Okray Family Farms for providing delicious potatoes. This was my fifth year returning to the baked potato booth, and let me tell you, it may be hard work, but we also have a blast. If you’re interested in helping down at the State Fair next year, reach out to the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association office, 715-623-7683, and we will get you more information. I hope you all have a great harvest season, and I’ll be in touch next month!