Grilled Cheese Life

Store fronts. Farmers Markets + Entrepreneurs.

Mircogreens?
5th grade entrepreneur?
The Star & Stripes…as window dressing.

Yep!

Found in the ‘old’ downtown of Sun Prairie.
On Market Street!

Garlic butter…
Free ice cream…
Single-serve meals…

Delightful.

And a fixture of the community.
The Bank.

All together.
Saturday morning.
8am at Farmers Market.

Now in 7th grade.
Tuti’s Salsa.
Started to make money for herself.

Mark got bored one winter.
No ice on the lake yet.
Grew broccoli microgreens…
For his SPAM sandwiches!

Royal Guernsey Creamery.
Jen & Julie. Flavored butters. Inspired.
From learning. To celebrate the “Royal Breed.’
On their 7th generation farm.

Mom, Nancy a farm kid.
Alissa and she create homemade frozen meals.
Discovering…in their nine years so far…
They meet the need of many Seniors.
Single-serve meals. Complete.

A young girl.
Retired man.
Two farm kids.
A mom and daughter.

Entreprenuers.
With storefronts.
Others?
Just a space at the Farmers Market.

Today.
The cornerstone.
On Main Street and at the Farmers Market.
The Bank of Sun Prairie.

‘Dairy Day’ this June morning.
Serving free scoops of Ice Cream.
From the entrepreneurs from Beans N’ Cream…
Who just opened Asteria Ice Cream.

Communities & Farmers.

Growing.
Grounding.

Goodness.

# # #

See photo captions for the page or link to these businesses.

THANKS.

Pete
Author of the book, The DirtKeepers, releasing November 2026.

Saturday & Sunday morning: Watertown Father’s Day Dairy Breakfast. McFarlandale Dairy. Bring your family to this family farm run by 5th & 6th generations. Three girls represent the opportunity for this dairy to continue operation with a 7th generation.

There’s nothing like a dairy farm family!

This dairy focuses on Cow Comfort…come take a tour to hear about the technology that goes into today’s dairy industry.

The ‘Who’ of agriculture is in all our roots…tell an 8th grader about the farmer in your DNA.

I’ll look for you on Sunday. I’ll be one of the tour guides.
Pete Curran



Watertown Agri-Business Club
Jefferson County Agri-Business Club
Jefferson County Fair

“Someone, should!”

Restore that barn.
Fix that decaying farmhouse.
Save the family farm.

Sentiments.
Connected.
To people. Our hearts.

Moms.
Uncles.
Cousins.

Who built a life.
Around.
A scale of living.

Gone.

So loved.
We say out loud.
“Someone, should!”

Rachel.
Gilbertson's General Store, Keyeser, WI

“She did!”

Kenny retired.

“I’m kind of serious…I’d like to take it over.”

Same old facade.
Reflecting.
A rural destination.

For goods.
For God. (Church catty corner)
For goodness.

Freshly painted storefront windows.
Shout. A. Spirit.
Of a place.
Of a family.
Saying out loud.

“Still standing!”

Why?
For her family.
For the community.
For our souls.
One year anniversary.
Approaching.

Since 1894.

Asked Rachel:
“What does the store need?”
A new septic system.

Reality.

The floors still creek.
Tables & bar stools still remain.
Time almost stands still.

Local vendors.
Nostalgic candy.
Youthful outlook.

“The next 100 years!”
Never happen?
Never know!

Rachel.
Entrepreneur.
Historian.
Mom.

Proprietor.

Take your heart inside.

“You, should.”

Restock your panty.
Refill your glass.
Rekindle the romance.

Of a place.
Of a time.
That actually.

Still exists.

# # #

Gilbertson’s General Story, Keyeser, WI: N498 County Rd C, DeForest.

Find these local vendors and more: Heartland Craft Grains, Country Castle Limburger Cheese, Wells Farm Beef Sticks, Custom engraved wood pieces by Rachel & husband, Bristol Valley Farm wooden untensils, Jerald’s County Basket soaps, Stinger Baits fishing lures (made by two 16-year old boys), Classic Farmhouse Candles, St. Clair Tea & Coffee…

Join their Anniversary Party on Sunday, June 28th. Open at 9am.

Find signed copies of my book for sale that day, When I Listened to a Farmer.

Pete Curran
Grilled Cheese Life

AgDay

Hoard Historical Museum

RURAL MOM

Which image reflects a favorite Fair memory?

Rural Wisconsin:

Some still remain. The Markers of the best practices for living. Well.

Thank You Kutz Dairy LLC. Your family, friends, co-workers and everyone else that helped serve a wonderful breakfast. You did a great job showcasing…the ‘spirit of community’ of Wisconsin Farmers! (There are so many other volunteers…I only captured those around where I volunteered.)

Pete Curran