June is National Dairy Month in the United States, and that excitement is building again locally. Coronation of Crawford County Dairy Royalty is coming up in just a few weeks, Soldiers Grove will once again host its traditional June Dairy Days event on Father’s Day weekend, and the Crawford County Dairy Breakfast will be held on the Achenbach Farm in rural Eastman.
National Dairy Month is a month-long celebration of the dairy industry and its contributions. It's a time to recognize dairy farmers, and the many people involved in producing and distributing dairy products. The celebration also aims to highlight the nutritional benefits of dairy and encourage consumption of dairy products.
Coronation event
This year’s coronation will be held at the first annual Crawford County Coronation Banquet at the Eastman United Methodist Fellowship Hall on Monday, June 16. This first-of-its-kind event, will feature the coronation of the Crawford County Fairest of the Fair and Junior Fairest of the Fair, as well as the Crawford County Dairy Princess and Little Miss Squirt.
The night will kick off at 6 p.m. with a meet the contestants, cheese-and-cracker social. The current royalty will showcase their year with displays and welcome guests. A homemade dinner prepared by the Eastman United Methodist Church will follow at 7 p.m. The program’s guest speaker will be Melissa Oates, carrying her current title as 2025 Mrs. Badger State for American Royal Beauties.
Dairy Royalty candidates for 2025 include Hayven Smethurst for Dairy Princess, and Ashlin Nolan and Layla Brandes for Little Miss Squirt.
Hayven Smethurst
Hayven is a graduating senior of the Prairie du Chien High School, and the daughter of Chad and Teesha Smethurst of rural Eastman. Her activities include 4-H, FFA, PALS, SHARE, and Student Council. She enjoys showing horses, dairy cattle, rabbits, and pigs. Her work at Payne Rock Acres, Eastman, includes milking cows and calf caretaker, mixing rations, feeding cows and calves, and scraping the barns.
Hayven is currently serving as the 2024-2025 Crawford County Sr. Fair Ambassador and the Captain of the Crawford County Bold Blazers Equestrian Drill Team. Hayven plans to attend UW-River Falls in the fall, majoring in Animal Science.
Ashlin Nolan
Ashlin Nolan is the 10-year-old daughter of John and Carrie Nolan of Nolan Family Farms in Prairie du Chien. Ashlin is the youngest of eight, and has four brothers and three sisters. She is a 4th grader at Prairie Catholic School. Ashlin has been a member of the Eastman Cloverleaf 4-H Club for six years, and is in 4-H dairy project and shooting sports. Ashlin volunteers at St. Feriole Island Gardens, loves gymnastics, basketball, biking, and paticipates in little league softball. She likes to help her dad feed calves. The Nolans milk 190 registered Holsteins on their 1,200-acre farm. Ashlin’s favorite dairy product is chocolate ice cream.
Layla Brandes
Layla Brandes is the daughter of Nathan and Allie Brandes. She is nine years old, and attends Boscobel Elementary School. Layla lives on her grandparents 350-cow dairy farm in rural Wauzeka. She is a member of the Steuben River Runners 4-H group. Layla enjoys helping her parents with their beef herd, and working with her show cattle. In her free time, she enjoys hunting, softball, dance, and Taekwondo.
Advance tickets for the banquet are $12, and can be purchased by contacting Crawford County Extension Office, Jane Achenbach 608-412-1742, or Donna Hartley 608-604-9699, before the June 1 deadline.
Dairy Breakfast
The 2025 Crawford County Dairy Breakfast will be held at Achenbach`s Hy-View Farms, 29245 Highway 27, Eastman, from 6 to 10 a.m., on Saturday, June 7. Call 608-438-6537 for more information.
June Dairy Days
June Dairy Days will be celebrated in the Village of Soldiers Grove on Father’s Day Weekend, on Friday and Saturday, June 13-14. There will be a carnival in the Village Park all weekend, and an American Legion Chicken-Q on Friday and Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Soldiers Grove Fire Department, American Legion Post #220, and the Soldiers Grove Lions Club.
Things will kick off on Friday night with a South-west Pullers Truck & Trac-tor Pull at 6 p.m. On Satur-day, there will be a Black-horse Saddle Club Horse Show at noon, a Kid’s Kindschi Pedal Pull at 4 p.m., and Bean Bag, Vol-leyball, and Legion Softball tournaments. At dusk, there will be a light parade, and the Crawford County Line Band will play on Saturday night.
