Tradition meets advancement for state’s farmers

Meghan Diemel

Contributor

June 8, 2026

STRATFORD – It’s no secret that Wisconsinites take farming seriously – and Wisconsin Farm Technology Days is bringing that legacy to Stratford in 2026, selecting No Joke Dairy as the host site.

Set for July 14-16 at the fifth-generation Redetzke family farm – located at 216601 Wescott Ave. and owned by Matt and Brittany Redetzke and Matt’s brother, Sam – organizers said the 72nd annual event will span more than 180 acres in Marathon County.

With the theme “We’re Serious,” Wisconsin Farm Technology Days General Manager Janet Keller said the event will highlight Wisconsin’s leadership in agriculture and innovation, while celebrating progress, people and pride across the industry.

Keller said attendees can expect to see hands-on demos of the latest in automation, robotics and precision agriculture, as well as live field demonstrations showcasing cutting-edge equipment in action.

Keller said there will also be an area specifically geared toward youth engagement, with interactive experiences for the next generation of budding farmers, as well as local food, entertainment and networking spaces for attendees of all ages.

Keller said dozens of local committees and volunteers have been working diligently behind the scenes to bring the event to life – organizing exhibitor zones, field demos and educational features they hope will inspire both farmers and consumers.

She said the Redetzke family has also been busy preparing for the event, adding acreage and carving out spaces across the property that will be used in July, all while continuing their daily farm work, including milking and planting. 

Known for their commitment to innovation and sustainability, Keller said the Redetzkes are looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors, exhibitors and ag professionals from across the Midwest to one of the region’s largest agricultural shows.

“We’re serious about agriculture, community and the future of farming,” Matt Redetzke said. “Hosting Farm Technology Days is an honor, and we’re building an experience that celebrates everything great about Wisconsin ag.”

New technology, farming methods, more take center stage 

Keller said Farm Technology Days has grown into the state’s largest outdoor agricultural trade show, drawing an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 farmers and ag leaders from across Wisconsin each year.

The event, she said, also features more than 350 companies and organizations showcasing new products and services.

About three years ago, Keller said they reorganized as a 501(c)(3) organization, a nonprofit dedicated to education for the agriculture industry in the state.

“As everyone knows, agriculture is a very dynamic industry in our state and an extremely important part of the industries within Wisconsin,” she said. “Not only are we feeding the world from Wisconsin here with our great dairy products and our specialty crops – such as ginseng and cranberry and potatoes and beans and other specialty crops – but we provide food, fiber and forest products and a whole wealth of information and resources for anyone in the agricultural sector.”

Keller said Farm Technology Days is geared toward both experienced farmers with decades in the industry and younger generations entering agriculture.

Because of that mix, she said organizers aim to offer a balance of educational resources for all attendees, highlighting new products, emerging methods and ongoing agricultural research.

“The Tent City will host displays, education and demonstrations,” she said. “There will also be field demonstrations with equipment, practicing things like tillage and hay harvest.”

Keller said attendees will be able to see live animals, including a beef tent featuring cattle on display, along with livestock husbandry demonstrations.

“You’ll be able to see horses at our events, and the list just goes on and on,” she said.

Keller said advancements in technology, applications and methods need to be shared across the agricultural industry.

“A lot of neat topics will be covered at the event…,” she said. “Agriculture has certainly changed and changed rapidly in the last 50 years, but it will continue to evolve, and that’s a healthy industry when it continues to evolve and improve.”

Keller said she hopes the showcased items, demonstrations and educational presentations will provide farmers with new ideas they can bring back and adapt to their own operations.

Growing a strong sense of community

Keller said agriculture is a major segment of Wisconsin’s business economy, but continued growth depends on farmers and others in the industry being able to quickly and easily access a wide range of resources and knowledge.

“Their time is probably the most precious asset they have on the farms,” she said. “So, if we can bring together all of these new agricultural products and services and technologies and innovations into one event that’s a family-friendly event – it allows them to do that.” 

Keller said they also partner with local, county, state and federal agencies – including the Department of Agriculture, collegiate educational partners, the USDA and the Department of Natural Resources – to provide informational sessions and seminars on a range of topics, including emerging trends and key agricultural issues.

“That is perhaps the most powerful reason to have an event like this – the networking capability for our farmers and our agricultural industry friends and partners, too,” she said. “Let’s not forget those people sometimes go through highs and lows as well.” 

Keller said with fuel and fertilizer prices impacting agriculture and weather remaining a constant concern, the event also plays an important role in supporting mental health.

She said farming can feel isolating, and gathering with peers in the industry helps reduce that sense of loneliness.

According to data from the American Farm Bureau Federation, farm and ranch families make up just 1.3% to 2% of the American public.

A single U.S. farm, the bureau reports, feeds an average of 169 people annually across the country and overseas.

That’s quite the burden to carry upon one’s shoulders, Keller said.

“There [is] certainly a larger percentage who are involved in agriculture, in the food business in general, but it’s a very small group of very dedicated people who do give of their whole life, basically, to make sure they can feed the world,” she said. “And that does come with a fair amount of responsibility and a fair amount of work – mentally and physically.”

Generations of progress on display

Matt said No Joke Dairy is operated by four generations of the Redetzke family, along with one employee.

Dating back to 1911, when Otto and Ottelia Redetzke built the original barn, Matt said the farm is now home to 400 head of cattle, including young stock.

He said the family currently milks in the original tie-stall barn and plans to expand with a new facility featuring six robotic milkers.

Matt said though his parents sold their cows in 2011, a neighbor kept heifers on the farm for a couple of years afterward.

At the time, he said he was working as an over-the-road stainless steel welder and realized that though his career provided a good life for his family, his true calling was in farming.

Raised in Marshfield, Brittany said she was a self-professed “city girl” who now learns something new on the farm every day.

Matt jokingly said he “tricked” her.

Though not involved in farming when they first started dating, he said over time, calves replaced snowmobiles, four-wheelers and weekend recreation. 

“We started buying calves to raise to milk cows, and when we started milking cows, we just grew it to where it is now,” he said. “I mean, a lot of the buildings that were here – except for the original barn and one pole shed – everything else we’ve taken down and rebuilt, essentially.” 

Matt said the farm has embraced technology to reduce manual labor wherever possible.

He said the cows are now fed using skid steers and mixers, and the operation also uses automatic alley scrapers and a robotic feed pusher.

In the fields, Matt said they rely on drones for crop spraying and GPS-equipped tractors for fieldwork.

He said they’re also working toward becoming a “robot barn.”

“We’re not there yet,” he said. “We started this with one cow, 10 years ago, and we’re building toward that.”

Though the farm’s generational legacy is important to the family, Matt said it wasn’t the primary factor guiding their decisions.  

“We don’t feel any pressure from our parents, or Grandma either, that we have to do this,” he said. “It’s just what’s in our blood, and we enjoy doing it.”

Cultivating a bright future for farming 

Keller said the host committee for each event – which consists of about 25 people – is in charge of the planning, ensuring it has a flair that is local to the area in which it’s hosted. 

“Most importantly, we have [more than] 300 volunteers,” she said. “We’re probably the only volunteer trade show in the United States we’re aware of that runs almost entirely on a volunteer force.”

Keller said those individuals help bring the event to life, with work beginning about a month in advance for setup and continuing through the show itself and into post-event cleanup.

“That’s really unique, and that shows the community support for this event moving forward,” she said.

Keller said she believes Wisconsin Farm Technology Days is the perfect avenue for the agriculture community to spread their wings, share their story and take a few days away from the farm to embrace being a part of their extended farming family. 

Matt said every time he attends the event, it renews his drive to continue doing what they’re doing on No Joke Farm. 

He said there are many takeaways for other operators as well, noting that attendees can return home, discuss what they saw and learned with their teams and use those insights to explore new approaches on their own operations.

Agreeing, Keller said the event is a way for attendees to not only gain knowledge and expertise, but also to spark ideas for the future at the farm level.

“[It’s important] to get together in a celebratory way, to celebrate Wisconsin, to celebrate the farm families of Wisconsin and all of the supporting partners…, the agencies and the important industry providers that work with these people daily,” she said. “We’re all a bit like one big family in agriculture, and that is the neat part about it.”

For more information about this year’s event, visit wifarmtechdays.org.