Sweet or Spicy Summer Salads… Why Choose?

It’s not uncommon for a dairy farmer to begin milking at 5 AM and then again at 5 PM, but Beth Ingli of Spring Valley, Wisconsin, isn’t your typical dairy farmer. She rises at 5 AM to take care of calves and dry cows. Once the chores are done, she gets ready to work as Store Supervisor and Advertising Director for the Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery. After work, she heads back to the barn for evening chores.

“Dairying is in my blood,” says Beth, who has been living on a dairy farm for 49 years. For the past 29 of those years, she’s been working alongside her husband, Craig. The couple is the second generation to live on the family farm, which was purchased in 1957 by Beth’s father-in-law.

Beth and Craig’s four children – Kay, Celia, Rick and Erin – were active in 4-H. Beth credits that youth organization for helping her kids learn the value of keeping records and setting goals. She has served as a 4-H leader in Pierce County for the past 28 years. She started as a Foods project leader with the Olivet Otters 4-H club, which is the same 4-H club to which she belonged as a youth. Beth then became the club’s general leader. She’s currently serving on the Adult Advisor Council.

“I know from experience that 4-H teaches youth and families how to work together,” says Beth. “The county fair serves as a deadline to get projects, which you’ve been thinking about doing, actually completed. Kids learn to set goals and make a plan to achieve them. Plus, living on a farm teaches work ethic. You have to make sure the animals and crop are taken care of, and that’s a huge responsibility.”

At one time, the Ingli family had 250 entries at the Pierce County Fair! They showed cattle and hogs, as well as exhibited items like foods, photography, field crops, and ceramics. This year Beth is celebrating her 40^th year as an exhibitor by “cutting back” to about 10-15 food and photography exhibits.

Beth started showing cattle in 1974. Now her 4-year-old nephew is taking over the Raleigh show box and showing a calf in the “Little Dairyman” class this fall. She also has been bringing the same brownie recipe to the fair for the past 40 years. She has yet to receive a Champion ribbon on the brownies, but all of her children have! Guess Beth can take great pride in being a good teacher. J

In her “free time,” you’ll find Beth whipping up blue-ribbon recipes using dairy products. She’s created many of the recipes featured on the Ellsworth Creamery’s website. (SIDE BAR: My husband’s favorite appetizer is Bacon Wrapped Curds. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Be sure to also check out this recipe for Cheese Curd Apple Pie, which sounds perfectly patriotic and fitting for a Fourth of July picnic.)

Last fall Beth developed an apple turnover, which she says is just too good not to share! She’s sharing that recipe with us today on The Field Position. She’s also sharing links to a few summer picnic ideas, which she recently demonstrated during a television interview on Twin Cities Live:

• Grilled Chicken Taco Salad with Seared Cheese Curds
• Couscous and Mandarin Orange Salad with Havarti Cheese