Open the door and they will come

WRENSHALL, Minn. — Despite the wet weather June has brought, the sun shone brightly on the morning of June 29 for the Carlton County Breakfast on the Farm.

Duane and Doreen Laveau hosted once again at their 52-cow dairy farm near Wrenshall. Duane and Doreen’s son, Paul, farms full time with them and Paul’s wife, Shelia, helps with evening milkings in addition to an off-farm job. Together, they farm 280 acres of corn, soybeans, oats and alfalfa.

“There were hundreds of little kids here that aren’t going to see the inside a barn unless we do this,” Duane said. “They are just amazed by it all. That is what makes the whole day worth it.”

Doreen agreed.

“I love seeing the little kids come in and be amazed by everything,” she said.

According to Duane, 800 people were fed the pancake and sausage breakfast and about 1,000 people attended the event in all.

Doreen said there was interest from parents and children alike about where milk comes from.

“They were curious about how long it takes to milk a cow; do we milk them 365 days a year; do they (the cows) get a two-week break here and there,” Doreen said.

Throughout the day, there were live milking demonstrations, a water simulator from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and a veterinarian in the barn to answer questions.

“We blocked the milkhouse door open so everyone could walk through and could get in there and see everything,” Duane said.

Duane’s brother, Matt, was on location near the 132 new solar panels installed on the Laveau farm to talk about how farmers are doing their part to protect the environment.

“We put solar in and we wanted to show the public that we are trying to reduce our carbon foot print,” Duane said.

The machine shed was filled with informational booths from the local soil and water conservation district, Minnesota Farmers Union and the Carlton County Dairy Association.

The Laveaus hosted breakfast on the farm for their county several times before the pandemic. This year was the first since 2019.

Planning for this years’ event started in late 2023 with most of the work happening in the two weeks leading up the event.

“It helps we have done this a few times now,” Duane said. “We know what to expect and where to get everything from.”

Duane’s children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren helped the family prepare and implement the breakfast on the farm. From washing tractors to cleaning out sheds and giving hay rides during the event, it was a family affair.

“I wouldn’t have done it without my family and friends,” Duane said. “Working with my nieces and nephews, they made this enjoyable.”

The extended family members helped give hay rides and shuttle back and forth from the hay field where guests parked.

Being only 15 miles from the city limits of Duluth, the Laveaus experience urban sprawl and are doing what they can to highlight the dairy industry.

“I want them to come and get a good impression when they come here,” Duane said. “I have had people come here and say that they were against farming, but, after visiting my farm, they aren’t against it anymore. That makes me feel good.”

There are also challenges that come with farming near urban areas.

“There are four new houses going up on my road this year alone,” Duane said. “Land is so hard to come by out here.”

As one of only a handful of dairy farms left in the county, the Laveaus understand the importance of events such as breakfast of the farm for the community. The feedback has been positive.

“We can’t keep our heads in the sand, we need to share about what we do,” Duane said. “Everybody’s already asking if we will do it again next year.”