'THIS PLACE WAS JUST AN ABSOLUTE BLESSING'
Local family's dairy cows find barn damaged by July 3 storm
Rebecca Konkel feeds one of the dairy cows she is set to showcase during the Walworth County Fair. Kate Lewis allowed Konkel to house her cows at her farmette in Walworth after learning that party of the Konkel family farm had been damaged by a storm on July 3.
Rebecca Konkel is set to showcase several cows at this year's Walworth County Fair.
WALWORTH COUNTY FAIR| SEPT. 2-7
ELKHORN — After a July 3 storm damaged her family's farm, Rebecca Konkel wondered where she was going to house her six dairy cows ahead of this year's Walworth County Fair.
That is where Kate Lewis came in, allowing Konkel to house her animals at her farmette in Walworth. Lewis had learned from a friend that the Konkel's farm was damaged and decided to help.
"She called me up after the storm and said, 'People need some help,'" Lewis said. "I said, 'I think I have the pens that will work.'"
Konkel, 18, said she is grateful for the help. "We had our massive tree in our backyard completely crush our animal shelters as well as our feeding bunkers, and this place was just an absolute blessing," Konkel said.
Lisa Konkel, Rebecca's mother, said they did not have an alternate space on their farm to house the animals, appreciating Lewis' willingness to come to their aid.
"Kate had been great," Lisa said. "Walworth County people are always so willing to help kids get through whatever they need to get through to do their projects."
Rebecca visited the Lewis' farmette each day to feed, wash and clip the cows to make sure there were ready for the fair.
"We have to make sure the right details are being shown on the animals at the fair," she said.
Showing them
Rebecca will present her dairy entries at the fair on Sept. 4-5. Lisa said judges consider each cow's physical features to determine if they are able to reproduce adequately and if they are able to produce an acceptable amount of milk.
"We want them to have width and length because the more feed they can take, typically the more milk they produce," Lisa said.
In the past three years, Rebecca's fair entries have earned her a "Miss Quality" award at the fair for milk production.
She has also worked with pigs and chickens. She has shown dairy cattle at the Wisconsin State Fair and World Dairy Expo in Madison.
"Growing up, I was always surrounded by this kind of lifestyle," Rebecca said.
Lisa said Rebecca has worked with several generations of dairy cows.
"Every one of these animals comes from a mom that came from a mom that came from animals she started with," Lisa said. "None of them have been purchased from someone else. It's all stuff that she's bred to get to the next generation."
Rebecca said she has enjoyed working with her animals, because they each have their own personality.
"So getting to know each cow and how to handle each one in a specific way is fun," Rebecca said. "It's like trying to figure out one big puzzle."
Rebecca graduated from Big Foot High School earlier this year and plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study plant science.
Lisa recently retired from Big Foot High School after working there as an agriscience teacher and
FFA advisor for about 32 years. The family's now turned toward the fair, as well as repairing the storm damage on their farm.
"The big tree is being chunked up and the fence is being repaired," Lisa said.
The Walworth County Fair is scheduled to be held Sept. 2-7 at the Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St.. in Elkhorn.
