Folks around the country have a lot of stereotypical notions about what Wisconsin and its inhabitants are like, but we’re here to clear up some of those misconceptions.
Sure, we do love our cheese and beer, but there’s so much more to the Badger State that you really should know.
- We Don’t All Own Cows …
Flickr/Earl Wilkerson … or ride cows. Or go cow tipping. Frankly, the State or County Fair is the closest most of us have been to actual cows.
- Our Cheese Really is That Much Better
Flickr/Wisconsin DNR Look, we know we’re a little nuts about our cheese (and butter. And ice cream. And all dairy-based things). But it’s for good reason. Those of us who have been unfortunate enough to move away have learned. There’s a reason Wisconsin cheesemakers are the only ones from the US to have won the World Cheese Championship.
- We’re Not Just Farmland
Flickr/Paul Frederickson From Milwaukee to Madison to LaCrosse and from Kenosha up to Green Bay, there are cities and towns all over our state.
- But We’re Not Ashamed of Our Farms
Flickr/William Garrett You can call it flyover country all you want, but we’ve got access to the best and freshest produce, meat and dairy. You keep flying, we’ll keep eating well.
- How to Pronounce Bratwurst
Flickr/David Wright It’s not the word you call your kid when they’re being sassy. It’s Brahht.
- Forget Our Neighbors, We’ve Got All the Lakes
Flickr/PJ Nelson Minnesota says they’re the land of 10,000 lakes, but we’ve got more than 15,000 registered lakes, plus those two Great ones. I once had someone ask me if I’d ever been to a beach or gone swimming when they heard I was from Wisconsin. We’ve got a ton of awesome, gorgeous lakes to enjoy in the summer and ice fish on in the winter.
- Our Summers Are As Hot and Humid As Some Places Down South
Flickr/Teresa Shishim It might be the thing that makes us the most bitter. Not only do we deal with below zero temps in the winter, but we are also 85 and humid - or more - in the winter. All those aforementioned lakes mean it’s much more humid than you’d think it would be.
- We Aren’t Kidding About it Being Colder By the Lake (or Lake Effect Snow)
Flickr/StephanieOnderchanin Having Lake Michigan hug our whole eastern border has a huge effect on our weather. The water takes longer to get cold in the winter and longer to get warm in the summer. If you’re headed to Summerfest or Door County in the summer, you’re going to want to bring long sleeves. In the winter, it might be warmer, but you’re just as likely to encounter snow or other weather that’s not happening just a few miles inland.
- Our Winters are Awful and We’ll Judge the Rest of You When You Complain About Cold or Snow
Flickr/Emily Mills Lately we’ve had more days off of school and work due to extreme cold than due to snow. The rest of you think you know cold, but how often has the meteorologist told you not to leave the house with exposed skin? When you’ve lived here long enough, you learn how to take winters in stride. In fact, a lot of us revel in it. When you’re covered in snow and cold for five or six months of the year, you have to make the best of it.
- It’s Not Just All Flatland
Flickr/Kenneth Casper There’s an awesome variety of landscape across the state. The Wisconsin Glaciation had a huge effect on our geography - and left all kinds of interesting stuff in the driftless area as well. The bluffs along the Mississippi River, the billion-year-old mountains that remain around Baraboo and the Northwoods all make up the gorgeous scenery of Wisconsin.
- You’re Buying the Wrong Beer
Flickr/Tyle_r Listen, Spotted Cow is a perfectly good beer, but if you’re crossing the border to buy New Glarus, there are so many better options. First and foremost, fill your car with any of the fruit beers. The Belgian Red is the reason the brewery was formed. They’re some of the best fruit beers made by anyone, anywhere.
- We Lead the Country in Cranberry and Ginseng Production
Flickr/Linda You know us for Beer and Dairy, but Wisconsin is the nation’s leading producer of cranberries, harvesting more than 60% of the countries crop. We also produce most of the ginseng in the US and about 10% of the world’s supply. There’s so much more to Wisconsin than cows and breweries.
- There’s No Place Like Home
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM For all the above reasons and so many more, we are proud to be Wisconsinites.
While we’re clearing up some misconceptions and confusion, check out 18 Things People From Wisconsin Always Have To Explain To Out Of Towners
Flickr/Earl Wilkerson
… or ride cows. Or go cow tipping. Frankly, the State or County Fair is the closest most of us have been to actual cows.
Flickr/Wisconsin DNR
Look, we know we’re a little nuts about our cheese (and butter. And ice cream. And all dairy-based things). But it’s for good reason. Those of us who have been unfortunate enough to move away have learned. There’s a reason Wisconsin cheesemakers are the only ones from the US to have won the World Cheese Championship.
Flickr/Paul Frederickson
From Milwaukee to Madison to LaCrosse and from Kenosha up to Green Bay, there are cities and towns all over our state.
Flickr/William Garrett
You can call it flyover country all you want, but we’ve got access to the best and freshest produce, meat and dairy. You keep flying, we’ll keep eating well.
Flickr/David Wright
It’s not the word you call your kid when they’re being sassy. It’s Brahht.
Flickr/PJ Nelson
Minnesota says they’re the land of 10,000 lakes, but we’ve got more than 15,000 registered lakes, plus those two Great ones. I once had someone ask me if I’d ever been to a beach or gone swimming when they heard I was from Wisconsin. We’ve got a ton of awesome, gorgeous lakes to enjoy in the summer and ice fish on in the winter.
Flickr/Teresa Shishim
It might be the thing that makes us the most bitter. Not only do we deal with below zero temps in the winter, but we are also 85 and humid - or more - in the winter. All those aforementioned lakes mean it’s much more humid than you’d think it would be.
Flickr/StephanieOnderchanin
Having Lake Michigan hug our whole eastern border has a huge effect on our weather. The water takes longer to get cold in the winter and longer to get warm in the summer. If you’re headed to Summerfest or Door County in the summer, you’re going to want to bring long sleeves. In the winter, it might be warmer, but you’re just as likely to encounter snow or other weather that’s not happening just a few miles inland.
Flickr/Emily Mills
Lately we’ve had more days off of school and work due to extreme cold than due to snow. The rest of you think you know cold, but how often has the meteorologist told you not to leave the house with exposed skin? When you’ve lived here long enough, you learn how to take winters in stride. In fact, a lot of us revel in it. When you’re covered in snow and cold for five or six months of the year, you have to make the best of it.
Flickr/Kenneth Casper
There’s an awesome variety of landscape across the state. The Wisconsin Glaciation had a huge effect on our geography - and left all kinds of interesting stuff in the driftless area as well. The bluffs along the Mississippi River, the billion-year-old mountains that remain around Baraboo and the Northwoods all make up the gorgeous scenery of Wisconsin.
Flickr/Tyle_r
Listen, Spotted Cow is a perfectly good beer, but if you’re crossing the border to buy New Glarus, there are so many better options. First and foremost, fill your car with any of the fruit beers. The Belgian Red is the reason the brewery was formed. They’re some of the best fruit beers made by anyone, anywhere.
Flickr/Linda
You know us for Beer and Dairy, but Wisconsin is the nation’s leading producer of cranberries, harvesting more than 60% of the countries crop. We also produce most of the ginseng in the US and about 10% of the world’s supply. There’s so much more to Wisconsin than cows and breweries.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM
For all the above reasons and so many more, we are proud to be Wisconsinites.
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