Ninety dozen cookies is just one way farmers like Dairy Dreams owner Don Niles are trying to connect with their neighbors. It has been over two years since Niles, the late John Pagel of Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy, and Lee Kinnard of Kinnard Farms took some responsibility for groundwater concerns in Kewaunee County with hopes of finding ways to fix it. One way has been working with organizations like UW Discovery Farms and hosting field days at area operations to show off some of the new practices potentially available. Niles believes the tenor of the conversation is changing as more people see farmers trying to do their part.

As for the cookies, Niles says the almost-two decade practice is just one example of what people can do to have a conversation with others and address concerns face-to-face.