Wisconsin Love

Kissing cow salt and pepper shakers, held together magnetically, on display in the store area at Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain, Wis., Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011.

Les Thimmig

Les Thimmig, professor of saxophone at University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Music, at the Mosse Humanities Building in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011.

 

Wisconsin 49, Northern Illinois 7

 Bucky high-fives the University of Wisconsin Marching Band before the start of a football game against Northern Illinois at Soldier Field in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011.

 Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle Patrick Butrym (95), safety Aaron Henry (7), quarterback Russell Wilson (16) and running back Bradie Ewing (34) stand in the tunnel, preparing to take the field against Northern Illinois.

 Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson (16) rushes past Northern Illinois Huskies linebacker Jordan Delegal (29) for a first down in the first quarter. 

 Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Chris Borland (44), linebacker Ethan Armstrong (36) and defensive back Antonio Fenelus (26) celebrate Armstrong's sack of Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback Chandler Harnish (12) in the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jeffrey Lewis (22) runs the ball towards Northern Illinois Huskies defensive back Jimmie Ward (15) in the fourth quarter.

 Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Joe Brennan (11) crosses the goal line on a scramble play in the fourth quarter.

 Wisconsin Badgers head coach Bret Bielema and Northern Illinois Huskies head coach (and former Wisconsin defensive coordinator) Dave Doeren meet at midfield after Wisconsin defeated Northern Illinois.

Library sale

Dennis Trudell of Madison pores through hundreds upon hundreds of VHS tapes on sale at the Madison Public Library's Central Library in Madison, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 14, 2011. Trudell, who bought five tapes, said he collects them and has a couple thousand at home. "My basement's like a video store," Trudell said.

Wisconsin 35, Oregon State 0

 Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Ethan Armstrong (36) flattens Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Brandin Cooks in the first quarter forcing a incomplete pass at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011.

 Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Nick Toon (1) catches a pass in the endzone for a touchdown over Oregon State Beavers cornerback Rashaad Reynolds (16) in the second quarter. The touchdown brought the score to 13-0.

 Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle Patrick Butrym (95) disrupts the throw of Oregon State Beavers quarterback Sean Mannion (4) late in the second quarter.

 Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball (28) and running back Bradie Ewing (34) celebrate Ball's touchdown in the third quarter. The touchdown and extra point made the score 28-0. 

Wisconsin Badgers defensive end David Gilbert (11) puts pressure from the blind side of Oregon State Beavers quarterback Sean Mannion (4) in the third quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle Beau Allen (96) sacks Oregon State Beavers quarterback Sean Mannion (4) in the fourth quarter.

City Slickers

Mike and Linda Hellenbrand left New York City (and their successful careers there) after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and relocated to nearby Cross Plains to start a high-genetic-value cattle breeding business.

City Slickers Farm's sign shows a scene of the New York City skyline in Cross Plains, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 7, 2011. 

 Month- to two-month-old calves at City Slickers Farm in Cross Plains.

 Veterinarian Dr. Mike Keiler prepares to perform ultrasounds on surrogates to determine the sex of the calves they're carrying.

 Norm, a cat at City Slickers Farm known for being friendly with the cows, gets sniffed.

 Linda and Mike Hellenbrand.

 

 City Slickers Farm raises a variety of cattle breeds.

 A newborn guernsey calf is transported to a nursery area by Mike Hellenbrand, center, and Daniel Brunner.

A Wisconsin family business

When you hear the word, "start-up" these days, it's usually in the context of technology.

But you better start thinking, "butter."

Al Bekkum is a world class cheesemaker who found that butter would be his niche. He and his family just started a butter-making – and butter-making only – operation on their family farm in the heart of Wisconsin's "dairyland" near Westby. It's the first of its kind in the state.

For a couple years, Bekkum – on a weekly basis – drove two-hours east to Columbus to make 50-75 pound batches of butter at Sassy Cow Creamery. No longer. His new production center and store on the farm will keep him home more. That means more time with his wife and their six children. It will let them raise their own herd of cows.

Spend a little time with the Bekkums and you'll sense something special brewing: a true family business. It would be great to get out to the farm in the winter to continue documenting the family doing their first milking.

 

 A family photograph of the Bekkum family sits in a windowsill of their store during a grand opening at Nordic Creamery near Westby, Wis., Friday, Aug. 19, 2011. 

 Torger, left, and Dusty Bekkum, 13 and 11, respectively, sons of Al and Sarah Bekkum, handle Rose, a pony, during the grand opening of Nordic Creamery's store. In the background is the family border collie, Biscuit. 

Workers behind the counter wore novelty t-shirts during the opening.

 Al Bekkum wraps up an interview with a local television station in his butter production area.

 A selection of artisan butters made by Nordic Creamery: clockwise from left, garlic and basil butter, summer butter, maple syrup butter, and cinnamon sugar butter.

 The opening.

 Al Bekkum and his wife, Sarah, share a laugh after being presented with a special recognition from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture during the grand opening celebration.

Wisconsin 51, UNLV 17

 Wisconsin wide receiver Manasseh Garner (19) and teammates run onto the field before their season-opening game against UNLV at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Thursday evening, Sept. 1, 2011.

The UW student section cheers before opening kickoff.

 Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis (4) breaks the tackle of UNLV's Chase Lansford (39) on a punt return in the first quarter.

 Wisconsin wide receiver Nick Toon (1) is brought down by UNLV defensive back Sidney Hodge (23) after catching a 39-yard pass in the first quarter. Hodge was called for pass interference on the play. 

 Wisconsin running back Montee Ball (28) breaks a tackle in the first quarter for touchdown.

 

 UNLV quarterback Caleb Herring (8) eyes a bobbled snap in the second quarter. 

Wisconsin defensive end Louis Nzegwu (93) celebrates his tackle of UNLV quarterback Caleb Herring (8) for a loss in the second quarter.

 Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson (16) rushes for a touchdown in the second quarter. 

Wisconsin defensive end Louis Nzegwu (93) gets a hand on UNLV quarterback Caleb Herring (8) before sacking him in the third quarter near the goal line.

 Wisconsin running back Montee Ball (28) rushes for a touchdown in the second quarter as quarterback Russell Wilson (16) signals the score.

The 'geese guardian'

From our story by Doug Erickson: "Under a large white oak tree, William Watson feeds a flock of domestic geese — and other waterfowl — at Babcock County Park in McFarland. He has fed the geese daily for 26 years, but a new Dane County ordinance will prohibit him from continuing."

Mid-Continent Railroad Museum - A restoration

From our story by Barry Adams: 

"The '1385' has seen better days. The 104-year-old steam engine has traversed the country pulling freight and passengers, been in movies and shuttled colorful wagons from Circus World Museum in Baraboo to Milwaukee for the Great Circus Parade.

Led by a $250,000 matching grant from the Wagner Foundation, a fundraising campaign is under way to cover the costs of a restoration for the 1385 that is expected to cost an estimated $1.2 million. If completed, it would be the largest restoration project in the museum's history but less than the estimated $2 million it is taking to restore the museum following the floods of 2008.

"When I look at it, I know what (it) can be and that's the drive to keep it going," said Don Meyer, [above] project director of the 1385 restoration effort. "I know the impact that it has on the general public."

 The builder's plate of Chicago & North Western No. 1385, a steam engine under restoration at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wis.

 

Children mill-around Copper Range No. 29, a locomotive on display at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wis., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2011. Children and other visitors to the museum may someday be able to ride the rails driven by the old steam technology if the Chicago & North Western No. 1385 is successfully restored.

Wisconsin Badgers Media Day

Media day was – for the most part – all about Russell Wilson, the new quarterback at Wisconsin. Assignment: make a few nice portraits of Wilson for our season preview tab insert, and get a photo showing the media pack constantly surrounding the poor guy.