Adventure in Dairyland

Saw this recently after I moved to Verona Wisconsin where the series was shot- the public library there has a copy in their circulating collection! You may be able to borrow it if you are in the southern Wisconsin central library system (as long as library loan remains funded) I live down the road from the farm and you can see the same hill in the opening credits though the old wooden fence has been replaced (and with cows on it except during winter- the farm is still a dairy farm)if you drive east on G towards Verona from Springdale township. A lot of locals from surrounding farms were used in various bit parts with many of the "children" now in their 70's. I remember seeing the series when I was 6- at age 50 it did not hold up as well- though it is an interesting example of early television and a whole different approach to stories and story telling. It also does a very good albeit melodramatic of depicting a working dairy farm in the 1950's. It is interesting to see modern children's reactions to it.

This was not an episode of the Mickey Mouse club but an 8 segment serial which played on the "Mickey Mouse Club" (like "Spin and Marty") during the 1956-57 season. It was produced with the cooperation of the American Dairy Association. http://www.annettefunicello.net/dairy.htm

Annette and Sammy spent two weeks on a large dairy farm in Wisconsin where they were shown the operation of the farm by actors playing the McCandless family.

The Sisk family, who actually owned the farm, continued living in the farmhouse, during filming; maybe this was the first Reality TV show. Without seeing it again I don't know to what extent (if any) the Sisks appear in the serial.

A"Spin and Marty" tie-in occurred after Sammy accidentally put the tractor in gear (while the engine was running) and it lurched forward and crashed into the barn doors. Disney then had his "Spin and Marty" character Joe do the same thing with the hot rod Spin and Marty had brought to the Triple R.

Toward the end the family leaves and Annette and Sammy are left to operate the farm. A lightning surge messes up the milking equipment and the family must return and save the day.

I hope that this Adventure in Dairlyland DOES become available as a Disney Treasure DVD, as I enjoyed it back in 1956-57. I do not remember a lot about it, save for Annette's and Sammy's being introduced to farm life, with the McCandless family in Wisconsin (including Moochie, played by Kevin Corcoran). One thing that REALLY stuck is its theme, similar to that of "What I Want to Be" (1955-56), which had an alma-mater type of pulse. Getting the DVD, when it is available, will bring back more memories for sure. There also was an episode in which the children were watching what seemed to be a regular Mickey Mouse CLub episode, involving learning to yodel, also in the last episode, the children showing resourcefulness in a thunderstorm. Again, I would LOVE to have DVD, when available.