In the category of educational, this is "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" However, I would never…read moreactually exclaim, "Woohoo!," I just would like to make this clear. This working farm is a little known MPS operation that is a good example of why we should be happy about paying taxes. It's a great destination for any children but especially edifying for those urban denizens who don't ever get to see where food comes from. Of course these farm animals are treated humanely so they 're not actually going to learn where their food comes from, so it might be more like a history lesson. There are dairy cows, calves, donkeys, horses, ducks, chickens, sheep, turkeys, farm dogs and farm cats. The classes are in an old farmhouse. The handful of underpaid and volunteer workers are friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, patient and wonderful. Call ahead to make arrangements via MPS, it's a group outing sort of place. Don't rely on GPS take 67 off I-94 - Go South on 67 (8.5 miles),North East (left) on Hwy C (1.3 miles) - there's a little sign. It is a working farm so you shouldn't just drop in.

Great service, fun atmosphere, fair prices!…read more We went to the pumpkin farm a few weeks ago. We arrived at 4:30 pm only to find out they closed at 5pm instead of 7 pm as the Google listing showed. The person working the stand was so friendly and accommodating. She said we were still welcome to walk around and try everything out, so we did. It was pouring rain and we ran around to all the activities - the pedal cart track, the corn maze, pumpkins bowling, the fishing pool, tic-tac-toe, and the lasso challenge - in 30 minutes and had a blast. We were the only ones there and it was way worth the $4 entry fee. We also bought some pumpkins on the way out. We appreciate the fun experience and the great attitude of the woman working the stand. We will definitely return another year! *The Pumpkin farm is opened until 5 pm and then there are night festivities starting at 7pm.

Our favorite place to get a tree each year. We usually go the weekend after Thanksgiving and have…read morealways been able to find something (though this year we settled for something much smaller, and still somehow more expensive than last year). Buffalo Bill's offers the option to explore and cut your own tree, or grab a pre-cut tree from a display area. They provide saws and sleds for cutting things down and transporting them, and the shaker which gets rid of all the loose needles, and they tie the tree up nicely. Workers are always super friendly (is it possible to be cranky when you work at a Christmas tree farm?). I love that you can walk around so many different areas of the farm and take photos and explore the trees. They have a small fire pit for warming up, and some playground equipment for the kids. There are tons of Christmas-y inflatables and cut-outs, and Santa is usually there. Lots of photo opportunities! In the trailer kids can grab cookies & hot cocoa or cider and also make a pinecone + glitter ornament. We skipped that part this year because of COVID and how crowded it was, but we've always enjoyed that in years past. You can also get natural wreaths and other greenery, and sometimes they've got fundraisers going on with food for sale like brats and such. We're regulars and will be back again next year!

What fantastic experience. Beautiful flowers and an exceptional host/owner-Melanie. My wife and I,…read morewill definitely be back.

What a delightful experience at a sweet farm. I just…read morevisited, very late in the season, though I was wanting to get there sooner. Most of the sunflowers were gone but I was able to cut a few for a vase at home. I can't imagine how pretty it was in full bloom. There were still raspberries to pick and beautiful wildflower fields to pick from. There is a corn maze, pumpkin patches and a fun enchanted garden to wanter through. Definitely on my list to revist next year!

This is one of my favorite market festivals all summer! Such unique, local crafts and more. Love…read morehow the food trucks have their own spot with ample seating and such quality throughout.

Date of visit: October 21, 2023…read more I did a fair amount of research on corn mazes; my mom said she wanted to do one and since this was her first--and likely only--corn maze, I wanted to make sure I found a good one. Schuett Farms did not disappoint! The price was good ($8, and they aren't cash only!), the staff was friendly, and the mini donuts were outstanding! We were all pleasantly surprised at how affordable everything here was, I appreciated that they were trying to keep things economical for families. The maze was quite challenging, with 10 checkpoints (we only found half of them) and miles of corn to navigate through. I do wish they had staff inside the maze helping ensure people did not trample the corn and it would be nice if they had some trash cans inside to help with the trash that garbage people left inside the maze. Another disappointment: There was an option to "play" on your phone but someone forgot to pay for the QR code and that portion of the game was not operational. Technology is great, but if you don't follow through, it ends up being worse than not having it at all.

Ok, so we were those parents with our tiny tot acting like the whole pumpkin farm was our personal…read morephoto shoot. But, it was so fun and such a great farm! For the fall, they have a hayride, corn maze, gourd launching (yes!), pick your own pumpkins, pick out your own pumpkins, caramel corn, cider, etc. Everything it should be for family fun day. The selection of squashes/gourds/pumpkins really impressed me. I'm certainly not a connoisseur, but they had pumpkins ranging from golf ball sized to approximately 300 pounds (not an exaggeration), all kinds of eating squashes, and piles of decorating gourds. They even had hay bales in both regular and mini sizes so you could really up your fall decorating game. The farm was surprisingly clean for being an actual farm, and everyone was friendly. There are wagons, but they are basically all always in use, so bring your own! I'm really excited to come back next year when tiny tot can walk!

First to review? How is that possible?…read more While I had some time on my own in Wisconsin, I decided to check out the Hoard Historical Museum (and National Dairy Shrine Museum). And even though I stopped by more than a few breweries in the four days I was there this stop was by far one of my favorites. First, the National Dairy Shrine Museum. I have a whole new respect for the dairy farmers after realizing how much I take for granted. For example, I never gave much thought to the fact that there are different breeds of cows. Or how much time, energy, money and science goes into their breeding. The National Dairy Shrine Museum displays not only these majestic creatures but the trophies and prizes that can be won through the dedication to the progression of the dairy farm. Upstairs there is a room of dioramas showing the history of the dairy farm and a detailed timeline along the walls. Downstairs there is a hall of fame where I learned about some of the pioneers in the field, pictures of champion cows and early equipment used in dairy farming. The Hoard Historical Museum features some great local history. There is the Lincoln room where I learned a bit about the Black Hawk War and how the Civil War affected Wisconsin. I was fascinated by the exhibit about the mounds left by early Native Americans and the efforts to preserve them. Part of the Hoard House is open as well. Very little is off limits here. You can sit in the parlor or the library and learn about the Hoard family (leaders in the field of dairy farming). Upstairs and through the kitchen I came upon a room full of taxidermy birds. Another room displayed dolls and figurines. One special room was dedicated to local poet Lorine Niedecker. Don't let this place fool you, there's more here than you might expect. I spent over two hours here and still felt rushed. The friendly and hands-on experience is always fun making this a good place for families and kids. I was greeted by Sandy and made a point of telling her how much I enjoyed the place. She was happy to hear it. I noticed several signs hanging up around the entrance for special gatherings and events held here. I also liked that many of the exhibits led to interest in other local historic places and parks. The Hoard Historical Museum seems to have a mutually beneficial relationship with the local community. Did I mention this place is free? Donations are of course accepted.

Great little museum in a great little town. They have a civil war era wing, part of the original…read moreHoard house, a dairy section, art work, a section devoted to indigenous people of the area and the mounds nearby, some wildlife stuff, just a really cool museum full of friendly people.

Let's start with a couple of housekeeping items that you need to know about. This is NOT the…read moreprehistoric Native American community of Aztalan. That state park is about a mile and a half south on County Highway Q. This museum is on the site of what is called Pioneer Aztalan, located on the southeast corner formed by County Highways B and Q. At one time, these roads were major routes, CTH B was the Milwaukee-Mineral Point territorial road. About 1918, it became Wisconsin 30 which was eventually replaced by I-94. CTH Q was the Fond du Lac-Janesville road that was eventually replaced by Wisconsin 26. (See Christopher Bessert's excellent "Wisconsin Highways" website for more about these roads. http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/index.html) Being on this important crossroads, by 1850, Aztalan had grown to become one of the most important towns in Jefferson County. It was the site of the first post office in the county, two blacksmiths, a shoe shop, two stores, a quarry, a sawmill, and a church. When the railroads came through and bypassed Aztalan, it became mostly a ghost town. The church is the only original Pioneer Aztalan building extant. In 1941, the Lake Mills Aztalan Historical Society was formed to preserve the heritage of the Pioneer Aztalan property, that borders the prehistoric Aztalan Native American state park. The restored church is the society's museum with an amazing collection of artifacts from 19th Century Wisconsin life. The society located other historic structures in the area and moved them to the site, including a Moravian church, the one-room John Petty Family log cabin (donated by a descendant of the Petty family) the Zickert log home (moved during the construction of I-94) and a granary that models a 19th Century wood wright's shop. (A house on the property is not considered a historic structure.) The society later purchased the one-room schoolhouse across the road - don't miss it! The school was built in 1917 to replace one that burned down, and it appears as it would have in the 1940s. It was used as a school until the 1950s. The Pioneer Aztalan site became a Wisconsin landmark in 1969 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Princess Mound on the grounds is a Native American burial mound, circa 1200. It is one of the thousands of mounds cataloged by Dr. Increase Lapham. The princess is not there, she was exhumed and moved to Milwaukee for preservation, research and security. The mound is considerably lower than its original six foot height, the soil was probably used for fill in the 19th Century. This is a can't-miss visit to see what life was really like around the time Wisconsin became the 30th state on May 29, 1848. Of all the small, volunteer operated museums in Wisconsin, this is one of the outstanding ones, with an amazing collection, and well worth your time to visit. It's open from Mid-May to the end of September every year, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Noon to 4 PM. Cash only, no plastic money accepted for a nominal admission fee. It's easily reached from Johnson Creek on the east and Lake Mills on the west. Just follow the signs on CTH B. Don't miss this one.

Small museum funded and operated by a private society with exhibits pertaining to the Aztalan State…read morePark Native American mound building society just to the south of the museum, and to life in the now-defunct pioneer village of Aztalan, which existed from around 1840 to the 1900s but has now completely disappeared except for a couple of old buildings maintained by the museum. Some nice exhibits of Native American artifacts, and some nice period pieces from the pioneer village. Some nice rebuilt actual log cabins of the time, old small log cabin Moravian Church built by the German settlers in 1861, old one room schoolhouse. Admission is $5, open Thursday-Sunday 12noon-4pm starting about the middle of May through September. If you are planning a visit in late September, be sure to call ahead, as their last day this year was 9/28/2014. They don't take credit cards, so have cash on hand for the admission fee. If you are interested in Native American mound building culture, they have some copies for sale of "Aztalan: Mysteries of an Ancient Indian Town" by Robert Birmingham and Lynne Goldstein, which does a nice job of describing the site and relating it to the Cahokia site near East St. Louis. A visit here nicely compliments a visit to the Aztalan State Park just to south of the museum. Website: www.orgsites.com/wi/aztalan/index.html

Pints and pups...pups and pints…read more What's not to love? Throw in support for an amazing animal rescue and you've got yourself a feel good party. This was my first year at Pints for Pups and what a turn out! Milwaukee definitely knows how to show up for the love for dogs, beer, and worthy causes. Held at Camp Bar Tosa, Pints for Pups has grown to the point that it's reached street festival status. There are plenty of fun vendors (beer, of course, but also fun doggie-centric businesses to explore) and, of course, a ton of dogs! We brought our girl, Scout (Irish Setter extraordinaire). We enjoyed sipping some amazing craft brews while Scout met all kinds of new canine friends. All the dogg-os that we came in contact with were incredibly well-behaved, not to mention adorable. I spent the afternoon cooing my adoration to canines while drinking craft beer. Not sure about you, but that's pretty much my definition of heaven. Get to it! (You know...next year)

Do you like dogs?…read more Do you like beer? Do you like supporting one of MKE's great animal rescues? If you say "no" to any of these questions, we can't be friends. Pints for Pups is an annual event hosted by Camp Bar Tosa and MKE Brewing - they block off the street and the area descends upon the bar with their cute dogs. Now, know that Pups are not allowed IN the bar because some assface complained a few years ago - it's not the bar's fault. Dogs are more than welcome on both patios and will be scratched and petted to infinity. Double B's serves up tasty food (along with Bar pizza by Cranky's). There are raffles and dog related vendors. $1 from every MKE Brewing beer purchased goes to MADACC. This event is personal for us - our beautiful GSD is a MADACC alum, so we know firsthand how much good they do. I love Camp, I love dogs and I love this event. Big ups to everyone at Camp and MKE Brewing for supporting rescues!