You missed royalty traveling through Door County on Monday as Alice in Dairyland Taylor Schaefer visited the area before her reign is up at the end of the month.

The UW-Madison graduate visited four different Door County businesses as a part of her tour promoting agriculture. Schaefer talked strawberry and cherry production with Toni Sorenson of Soren’s Vahalla Orchards before moving on to visits to Wienke’s Market and Brey Cycle Farm. Her tour of Door County ended with a stop at Renard’s Cheese to visit with Chris and Ann Renard about the finer points of cheese production.

You will see plenty of Alice in Dairyland in the coming months, even if it is not Schaefer holding the title. Schaefer will be back in Door County on Sunday for the Sevastopol FFA Dairy Breakfast being held at the Valmy Thresheree grounds. Ashley Elizabeth Hagenow was crowned the 2023 Alice in Dairyland by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection earlier this year and will formally take over the role from Schaefer on July 5th. Hagenow will make monthly visits to Door County ahead of the 2024 Finals event to be held at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay May 2nd-4th. It will be the first time the finals will be hosted in Door County since 1983.

Pictures courtesy of Aerica Bjurstrom