Get The Scoop

By Samantha Georgson

Summer’s not over yet! If you’re looking for a special way to spend some quality time with your little tykes before they head back to school, consider these fun, low-cost family outings.

SASSY COW CREAMERY TOURS

Pack the car and prep the kids for a day on the dairy farm. You’ll wind through beautiful backcountry roads before reaching the signature big red barn that marks Sassy Cow Creamery. There, you can get a feel for the pleasures of rural life—complete with a complimentary pint of Sassy Cow “milk with an attitude,” as farmer James Baerwolf puts it.

Sassy Cow Creamery is a farmstead milk bottling business located on the Baerwolf farm, just north of Sun Prairie. This family-owned and operated business has been supplying Wisconsin families with high-quality dairy products since opening in 2008. With its store located within the creamery, visitors can enjoy fresh milk, delicious ice cream and other locally sourced dairy products while getting the inside scoop on how all of these Wisconsin treasures are made.

Sassy Cow Creamery offers many fun and educational events that are perfect for the whole family. Not only do the dairy farm tours turn parents into more informed consumers, but they also provide an awesome learning opportunity for kids, who get to interact with the farmers, learn more about the dairy industry and even engage with the cows in the barn.

Sassy Cow hosts public tours of the farm and creamery every Friday throughout the summer. The tours are $4 per person, beginning at 2 p.m., with the last tour of the day finishing around 5 p.m. Each tour begins at the farm, where guests can explore the parlor and see the milking process before heading back to the creamery to learn more about how ice cream is made and watch the milk being bottled.

Oh, and don’t forget to grab a pint of your favorite fun flavor. Whether it be a traditional favorite like cookie dough, or one of many seasonal summer flavors like s’mores, be sure to treat the whole family to some of the best ice cream in Dane County before heading home. sassycowcreamery.com.

Here are a few more opportunities for fun family outings in the Madison area throughout August.

CONCERTS IN THE PARK

If you’re looking to enjoy a night out with the kids, bring the family to the park for an evening of music. The Capitol City Band, led by Madison’s own renowned musician, James Latimer, is proudly celebrating its 50th season of concerts in the park this summer, with shows every Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. Latimer and the band play all genres of music, from pop to polka, so everyone is sure to hear something that gets their toes tapping.

This summer music series is free and open to all, so pack a picnic and head down to Rennebohm Park, equipped with a huge playground and located on Madison’s West Side, for an evening full of music. mmqccb.org

BIRD AND NATURE WALKS

Here’s an informal outing that’s perfect for kids of any age. Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve put together a wide array of fun, family-oriented day trips and this year they’ve added a new monthly event, a Bird and Nature Walk. This field trip invites participants to discover the gentle trails that wind through the prairies, woods and wetlands along Lake Mendota’s shoreline as the group heads toward the scenic Picnic Point peninsula.

These excursions provide an opportunity to learn more about nature, and walk leaders and participants alike are encouraged to share their knowledge of the birds, animals and plants they encounter along the way. The walks are every fourth Sunday, so Aug. 25 is your next opportunity. friendslakeshorepreserve.com

SWEET CORN FESTIVAL

If you’re looking for another opportunity to indulge in summer treats, drive out to Sun Prairie and spend the day at the city’s annual Sweet Corn Festival. The event begins Thursday, Aug. 16, with a parade down Main Street, and continues through Sunday, Aug. 19, with the rest of the festivities taking place in Angell Park. The event offers an array of activities, including an antique car show and quintessential crazy carnival rides.

Saturday and Sunday make up the bulk of the festival and for just $1 admission, attendees can enjoy free entertainment, children’s activities and as many ears of steamed corn as their hearts’ desire. sunprairiechamber.com