The popular Pierce County Dairy Breakfast is back from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 19 after a year hiatus. If you’ve been craving Belgian waffles or deep-fried cheese curds, get ready to indulge your taste buds at Mark-Ridge Farm (N4620 County Road CC, Elmwood).

This year’s first-time hosts, the Todd and Billy Jo Mark family, had some unwanted excitement when a vicious wind storm ripped through the area on Friday, June 11. According to Billy Jo, a corner of their 48×96 machine shed/workshop caved thanks to fierce winds.

“The whole east end was wiped out,” Billy Jo said.

Todd and their son Bryce had ironically moved their vehicles into the shed just moments before the storm hit, expecting the black clouds to produce hail. Suddenly, the big shed door started to flex in the strong wind. Todd and Bryce began to walk out the service door when Todd was knocked over by debris. Bryce had to lift parts of the shed off of Todd, so he could roll out, Billy Jo recounted.

“The wind was so strong,” she said. “They ended up in the little calf barn.”

Todd told his wife he didn’t feel good about that, considering the big shed had just been torn to shreds, but they had little choice. The wind was so strong they couldn’t make it to the house.

Luckily, Bryce had no injuries and Todd just had bruises.

The wind blew tin and wood straight west, all the way to the Mark’s woods, Billy Jo said. Three chopper boxes were blown around, one of which hit the LP tank line and snapped it. Corn bins were damaged and the roof of one totaled, she said.

A bright spot, however, was the outpouring of help. The builder of the shed came out right away and is optimistic he can rebuild the damaged portion of the shed before Saturday’s breakfast. The shop end, where the waffles will be cooked, is still intact, but the machine shed end, which was to be full of seating, needs some help.

“He said if he can get the trusses,” Billy Jo said. “But we might just need a bigger tent.”

History

Billy Jo said she and her husband have been married 30 years this summer. She met Todd, who grew up on a farm near Beldenville, a few months after he bought her parents’ farm (she was away at college). They are the proud parents of four children: Jordyn, who lives in Madison with husband Nick and sons Markus, 4, and Reid, 2; Cole, who raises calves and sells steers on his own farm 7-8 miles away; Natalie, the Class of 2021 valedictorian at Plum City High School; and Bryce, who is a sophomore at PCHS. All the kids have helped out on the farm and showed cows at the Pierce County Fair, Billy Jo said.

They currently milk 130 dairy cows (mostly Holstein) and own 160 acres, though they farm rented land as well.

Admission is $7 for ages 12 and older; $4 for ages 5-11; and free for those 4 and younger. Dad’s Belgian waffles, Culver’s custard, deep-fried Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery cheese curds, sausage, water, coffee, and of course milk, are on the menu. Get ready for farm tours and learning about agriculture and the importance of the dairy industry.

For more information, visit “Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee” on Facebook.

Photo courtesy of Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee

Photo courtesy of Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee

Mark-Ridge Farm, owned by Todd & Billy Jo Mark, will host this year’s Pierce County Dairy Breakfast on Saturday, June 19. The address is N4620 County Road CC, Elmwood.