Marinette County Breakfast on the Farm hosts thousands

POUND – More than 4,500 people braved 95-degree heat on Sunday, June 22, for the 2025 Marinette County Breakfast on the Farm, hosted and sponsored this year by Zeitler Enterprises in Pound.

The crowd arrived steadily from 7:15 a.m. through noon. Organizers kept things running with the help of countless volunteers managing three food lines and numerous hydration and sanitation stations spread across the property.

“It was a very warm and wonderful day,” read a social media post from one event organizer. “We kept the fans blowing and the icy water flowing.”

Guests were treated to a full country breakfast featuring pancakes, sausage, eggs, diced ham, cheese curds, applesauce, milk, juice and coffee. Free ice cream sundaes, grilled cheese sandwiches and iced coffee drinks were also distributed across the farm site.

According to Corey Kuchta, chair of the Breakfast on the Farm Planning Committee, the event would not have been possible without the support of Hoppe Dairy in Marinette, which handled the extensive food ordering process.

Supplying the thousands in attendance took 16 cases of pancake mix, 23 gallons of maple syrup, 1,400 pounds of sausage, 1,350 pounds of eggs and 150 pounds of diced ham. More than 6,000 bottles of water and 3,200 iced coffees were distributed to help guests beat the heat, along with 1,500 gallons of vanilla ice cream, 3,500 cartons of chocolate milk and 2,200 cups of applesauce.

This event was about much more than food. Families enjoyed barn tours showcasing the Zeitlers’ robotic milking system and young calves, alongside a petting zoo, pedal tractors, sand piles, basketball with mounted feeding buckets for hoops, face painting and bounce houses. The children’s area was sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, who helped bring additional activities like a kids’ bouncy play area and Moo-Maniac comedy show.

Other attractions included exhibits from Master Gardeners, local trappers and beekeepers, as well as educational displays on cattle care, feed nutrition and farm veterinary practices.

Zeitler Enterprises, located at W8368 E 16th Road in Coleman, is a fourth-generation dairy farm currently operated by Jerry and Tricia Zeitler with their children Renee Seefeldt, Zach Zeitler and Michaela Zeitler. The family milks about 70 cows in their original stanchion barn, and in 2023, completed a major expansion that added a 175’ x 265’ freestall barn and four robotic milkers to accommodate 260 cows and youngstock. Their milk is shipped to BelGioioso Cheese for use in artisan products made in Pulaski and Chase.

Jerry and Tricia purchased the farm in 2014, continuing a legacy that began over a century ago with Jerry’s grandparents, Arthur and Esther Zeitler, and was carried on by his parents, Dan and Marge Zeitler. The newest generation is already finding their place in the operation, with Jerry and Tricia proudly watching grandsons Connor, Colton and Cullen grow up on the farm while looking forward to the arrival of the fourth Seefeldt this fall.

“This barn is designed for expansion as a fifth generation grows into the family business,” the family shared.

Sunday’s turnout was a testament not only to the event’s popularity but also to the strength and unity of Marinette County’s agricultural community, which continues to show up in force through rain, shine or sweltering sun.