For Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD — The host families of this year’s Wisconsin Farm Technology Days are involved in several different enterprises — all of which are related to the dairy industry.

For visitors who want to learn more about these operations, the show’s Publicity Committee has produced a series of ‘Virtual Tour’ videos which will take show-goers behind the scenes of Weber’s Farm Store, Heiman Holsteins and Nasonville Dairy. There will also be a video presentation on D&B Sternweis Farms, in addition to an on-site bus tour of the the Sternweis’ dairy near Marshfield during the show.

Owned by Ken & Joellen Heiman and Kelvin & Marilyn Heiman and their families, Weber’s Farm Store is a small milk processing and bottling facility that offers farm-fresh milk to consumers in the area. All of the milk comes from Heiman Holsteins, a 475-cow dairy operation located several miles away.

Ken, Kelvin, and a third brother, Kim, also own Nasonville Dairy — a world-renowned cheese manufacturing plant that ships its products to all 50 states and to many other countries overseas.

D&B Sternweis Farms, owned by Daryl & Brenda Sternweis and their children, is a 450-cow dairy farm. Both dairy operations milk their herds on 40-cow rotary milking parlors.

The Virtual Tours will be played continuously on large screens in the University of Wisconsin-Extension Tent. Members of the host families will also be available each afternoon to answer questions about the different businesses.

Farm Technology Days will be held in Wood County on July 10-12, just west of Marshfield.