Back again: Ruzic family to host Greenwood breakfast second time

By Cheyenne Thomas Nestled away on a one-lane road, traveling out to the Ruzic family farm southwest of Greenwood feels like taking a trip back in time. And, in a way, a person is. Or they will be when they travel out to the farm for the 28th annual Greenwood Dairy Breakfast on June 29. The Ruzic family first hosted the breakfast back in 2015 and now, 10 years later, Phil and Eliza Ruzic are inviting the public back again for a meal on the farm.

Things have changed for the Ruzic family since they last hosted the breakfast. Their children are older, and they added one more to their family. The cows that once were milked in the barn are gone. But they are still farming and eager to show the public what being a farmer is all about, continuing the tradition of bringing folks out to the farm during the month of June to celebrate June Dairy Month.

“I am a member of the planning committee for the (Greenwood) dairy breakfast,” said Eliza. “And we’re always looking for farms willing to host. The dairy breakfast is important for our communities and as less people have experience on farms, it is important for people to be able

Please see Greenwood breakfast, page 26

CHEYENNE THOMAS/STAFF PHOTO Greenwood breakfast, from page 1

to come to one and have the experience. Someone has to do it if we want to be able to keep having these events.”

The farm has long been a part of the Ruzic family. Phil, a native of the Greenwood area, purchased the property in 2004 and raised heifers for his parents who lived nearby. In 2007, Phil decided to start his own milking herd, and around the same time met Eliza. They were married in 2010 and started raising their family. They have three children, Lucas, who will be a freshman this fall at Greenwood High School; Jane, who will be entering sixth grade; and Lucy, who will be entering fourth grade. This time around, the kids have been able to help get the farm ready for the breakfast, which will see hundreds of people coming around for a nice meal.

“They have been a huge help,” said Eliza. “It’s been a lot of projects to make it look extra nice. And they have been so helpful in getting it all ready. They have been cleaning out the shed, washing things, fighting over who gets to mow the lawn. They have been a huge help and they are happy to be a part of it.”

Besides changes in the family, there has been one other big change at the Ruzic farm since the family last hosted the breakfast. Last year, they made the decision to sell their cows to a local farmer from Neillsville as they begin to shift focus as the family begins to enter the next stage of their lives.

“We had decided that when our oldest got into high school that we would not be milking cows anymore,” said Eliza. “When we decided that, we didn’t know if that would mean we would be hiring employees, having robots or what, but we wanted to be able to be involved with more of their activities in high school. With our oldest being a freshman at Greenwood this year, we decided to hold to the plan and shift our focus.”

These days, the Ruzics focus on growing and harvesting crops, with improvements made to the farm to reflect that change, such as purchasing a combine. It is something the family plans to continue to do as their family grows and changes over time. For Eliza and Phil, it was important for their children to grow up knowing where their food comes from and have an appreciation for it.

“We wanted to raise our kids so they appreciated the work farmers do when they went to the store and were able to buy food in abundance,” said Eliza. The Greenwood Dairy Breakfast will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 29. The cost will be $8 for adults, $5 for kids and children ages 4 and under are free. The meal includes pancakes, potato pancakes, sausage, eggs, cheese curds, applesauce, butter, syrup, soft serve ice cream, milk, juice, coffee, and water. There will be two serving lines. Events during the breakfast include a kiddie train, raffles, local crafters, a petting zoo, and a display by the antique tractor club.

Parking will be at Gingerich Mill Works N9126 County Highway O, Greenwood, with two shuttle buses taking people to and from the farm throughout the morning. Only handicap parking will be available at the farm at N9031 Sidney Avenue. To get to the site, from Greenwood, travel south on Highway 73. Turn right onto County Highway OO and travel west to County Highway O. Proceed north 2 miles to Gingerich Mill Works for parking, which will be on the right. The County Highway G bridge on the edge of Greenwood is closed for construction, so traffic coming from north of Greenwood will have to go around using the marked detours.