Weekly Rural Wisconsin
Community Digest

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Weekly Rural Wisconsin Community Digest. I am Erica Lawton, your Farm Gal Realtor, covering Adams, Clark, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Claire, Juneau, Polk, Price, St. Croix, Waushara, and Wood counties across central, west central, south central, southern, and southeastern Wisconsin. Every week I round up what is happening across this part of the state, from cattle auctions and county fairs to hunting season countdowns and timber workshops.

This is the last full week of August. The Central Wisconsin State Fair opens Tuesday in Marshfield. The Crawford County Fair opens Thursday in Gays Mills. Corn is denting across the state, and the USDA's latest report shows Wisconsin corn rated 75% good to excellent despite a dry stretch that has left over 40% of cropland short on moisture. Soybeans are finishing pod set, and third-cutting hay is wrapping up across the dairy counties.

One week from today, September 1, the early teal, early goose, and mourning dove seasons open. Archery and crossbow deer season follows on September 12. If you are a hunter, this week is go time. More on that below.

Cattle Industry News and Auctions

This Week's Sales

Fennimore Livestock Exchange holds its regular slaughter and replacement sale on Wednesday, August 26 at noon. Fennimore serves the Driftless counties including Crawford and the southern parts of our coverage area. Consistent demand through August, and the Wednesday sale this week should be well attended as fall preparation buying picks up.

Premier Livestock & Auctions, LLC in Withee (Clark County) runs cattle auctions Monday through Thursday every week. This week's sales include the regular Dairy Auction on Wednesday, August 26 at 11 AM, plus the regular beef and feeder cattle sales Tuesday and Thursday. Premier serves Clark, Wood, Price, and Taylor counties, and with fall weaning season approaching, their feeder cattle specials are worth watching.

Richland Cattle Center (Stade Auction) in Richland Center runs its weekly dairy auction on Wednesday, August 26 at 11:30 AM CDT. If you are in Crawford or the surrounding counties with dairy cattle to sell, this is a steady regional market. Their regular schedule is solid through the summer and into fall.

Oberholtzer Auctions in Loyal (Clark County) has feeder cattle and market cow sales running regularly. Oberholtzer serves the Clark, Wood, and Marathon county region with weekly livestock auctions alongside their equipment consignment sales. Check their website for the specific lineup this week.

Feeder Cattle Market Outlook

Feeder cattle prices remain steady across the upper Midwest as we head into the final week of August. Fall weaning is about 4 to 6 weeks out for most spring-calving herds in our coverage counties. If you are a cow-calf operator in Dunn, Polk, St. Croix, or Clark counties, now is the window to finalize your fall vaccination protocols and preconditioning programs. Calves that hit the fall special feeder sales with a full preconditioning program consistently bring a premium at the scale. The extra work in August pays off in October.

Livestock Shows at County Fairs

The Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield (Wood County) opens Tuesday, August 25 and runs through Sunday, August 30. The Junior Fair Market Animal Sale is a highlight of the fair's ag programming, with 4-H and open class livestock including hogs, sheep, beef cattle, and goats. This is one of the larger fairs in the state, with a full midway, grandstand entertainment, livestock shows, and a rodeo. If you are in Wood, Clark, Waushara, Adams, or Juneau counties, this is the fair to hit this week. Senior Citizens Day is Tuesday, August 25.

The Crawford County Fair in Gays Mills opens Thursday, August 27 and runs through Sunday, August 30. This is the 167th annual edition of the fair in the heart of the Driftless Area. Livestock shows, 4-H exhibits, midway rides, and the kind of small-town community atmosphere that makes Crawford County special. The bluff country around the Kickapoo and Wisconsin rivers is absolutely beautiful this time of year, and if you have been looking at rural property in Crawford County, fair week is the perfect time to experience the community.

The Grant County Fair in Lancaster wraps up its run this week, closing on Sunday, August 23. The Junior Livestock Auction was Saturday, August 22. Grant County is one of the strongest ag counties in southern Wisconsin, and their fair always draws a strong crowd.

Equine Events, Horse Shows, and Rodeos

WSCA Pleasure Show

The WSCA Pleasure Show runs Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23 at the Eau Claire Bit and Spur Foundation grounds. This is a Wisconsin Saddle Clubs Association pleasure show that draws exhibitors from across western Wisconsin, including St. Croix, Dunn, Polk, and Eau Claire counties. If you ride western pleasure, this is a good late-summer show to close out the season.

Rodeo at Central Wisconsin State Fair

The Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield features a rodeo as part of its grandstand entertainment during the fair run August 25 through 30. Check the fair schedule for specific rodeo nights. The fair is at the Marshfield Fairgrounds on East 17th Street in Marshfield.

St. Croix Riders Saddle Club

The St. Croix Riders Saddle Club in Baldwin (St. Croix County) had a successful weekend on August 22 with their Fun Show and Open Ranch Horse Buckle Series Pleasure Show. If you missed it, the club maintains an active schedule through the fall. St. Croix Riders is one of the most active saddle clubs in western Wisconsin, with a strong following from St. Croix, Polk, and Dunn counties.

Trail Riding

Wild West Campground in Amherst continues offering daily guided trail rides through the end of August at 10 AM, noon, 2 PM, and 4 PM. $45 per person for a 45-minute ride. A good option if you want to get in a late-summer ride but do not have your own horse on the property.

Hunting Seasons, Regulations, and Wildlife Updates

One Week Until September 1 Openers

We are exactly one week out from the September 1 opening of early teal, early goose, and mourning dove seasons. Here is the full rundown.

Early teal season opens September 1 and runs through September 9. Blue-winged teal are the primary target, and the flowages in Juneau, Adams, and Wood counties can provide excellent early-season action on warm September evenings. With the dry conditions across parts of the state, the remaining water on managed flowages and impoundments will concentrate birds. If you have not scouted your teal spots yet, this week is the time. The teal migration typically peaks in early to mid-September in Wisconsin, so the early nine-day season can be fast and productive.

Early goose season opens September 1 through September 15. The resident Canada goose population is strong across all our coverage counties. Field hunting in Dunn, St. Croix, and Polk counties is some of the best early goose hunting in the state. Wheat harvest is wrapping up if not already complete, and the wheat stubble fields are drawing birds. With the early corn harvest still a few weeks out, the stubble fields are the primary draw. Now is the week to get permission locked in if you have not already.

Mourning dove season opens September 1 and runs through November 29. Dove hunting continues to grow in popularity across Wisconsin. The ag areas in Waushara, Adams, and Juneau counties provide excellent field hunting for doves on sunflower, wheat, and oat stubble. Sunflower fields are especially good early in the season. If you have a managed dove field, top it off now.

Squirrel season also opens September 1 for gray and fox squirrels, running through February 28, 2027. This is a great season to introduce a young hunter to the field before the big game seasons get busy.

Bear Season Prep

Black bear season opens September 9 for hunters hunting over bait in Zones A, B, and D, through September 15. In Zones C, E, and F, the bait season runs September 9 through October 13. If you drew a bear tag for Price, Clark, or Wood counties, your bait sites should be set and running by now. Baiting is legal in all bear zones, and the DNR recommends using natural baits. I have been hearing from landowners in Price and Clark counties that bear activity has been solid this summer, with regular trail camera photos coming out of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest border areas. If you are evaluating hunting land with bear potential, late summer is the time to walk it.

Archery Deer Season Countdown

Archery and crossbow deer season opens Saturday, September 12. Fall turkey season opens the same day. For bowhunters, this is the most important date on the calendar. Late August is the final window to hang stands, trim shooting lanes, and pull trail camera cards. If you are still deciding where to hang a stand on a new property, now is the time to get in there and figure it out. The cover is at its fullest right now, which is both good and bad: good because deer feel secure, challenging because visibility is limited. Walk your property this week before the leaves start to thin.

If you are evaluating a hunting property for purchase, now is the best time to walk it end to end. You can see exactly where deer are bedding, where they are feeding, and how they move between the two. Reading how deer access, trails, and terrain work together tells you whether a property holds game year after year.

CWD Surveillance and Fall Prep

The DNR fall CWD surveillance program is now active. CWD-affected counties in our coverage area include Wood, Crawford, and Adams counties. If you are hunting in these areas, plan to have your deer tested. Sampling is free to hunters at DNR sampling stations and participating taxidermists and meat processors. Carcass movement restrictions apply in CWD-affected counties. The rules change depending on whether you hunt in a CWD-affected county or outside one, so review the DNR's carcass movement guidelines before you tag a deer outside your home county.

Timber and Forestry Activities

Pyrosilviculture Workshop

The Pyrosilviculture: Integrating Fire and Silviculture for Resilient Oak Ecosystems workshop is Tuesday, August 25 from 8:30 AM to 4 PM at Black River State Forest in Black River Falls. This in-person workshop covers how prescribed fire and silvicultural practices work together to maintain healthy oak ecosystems. If you manage oak timberland in the Driftless or central Wisconsin, this workshop is worth the drive. Black River State Forest is in Jackson County, just south of our coverage area but within easy reach for anyone in Wood, Clark, Juneau, or Adams counties. Pre-registration was recommended through the Wisconsin Forestry Center.

Oak Wilt Management Resources

Following the Oak Wilt Biology and Management Workshop on August 18 in Stevens Point, the DNR's Forest Health team continues to urge private landowners to identify and manage oak wilt infections before the fall season. Wisconsin has one of the highest concentrations of oak wilt in the upper Midwest. If you own oak timber in Wood, Clark, Adams, or any of our coverage counties, late summer is the final opportunity to identify infected trees before fall color makes them harder to spot. The DNR Division of Forestry has downloadable oak wilt identification guides on their website.

Fall Timber Planning

Late August is the window for final summer timber stand assessments. County foresters in Wood, Clark, Price, and Adams counties are wrapping up their summer evaluations. If you own timbered acreage and are thinking about a fall or winter harvest, now is the time to get a forester out to mark your stand and run a cruise. Hardwood and aspen prices have held steady through mid-2026, and fall typically brings active buying from regional mills in Clark, Wood, and Price counties.

The Managed Forest Law (MFL) program remains open for new enrollment. If you own 10 or more acres of woodland in counties like Price, Clark, Wood, Waushara, or Adams, MFL can reduce your property tax burden significantly while keeping your timber managed sustainably. Your county forester can tell you the latest entry deadlines and eligibility requirements. I wrote a full guide on what your timber is worth if you are trying to understand the value of your wooded acreage.

ATV and Trail Riding

This Weekend's Rides

The Trempealeau County ATV Club has its scheduled two-day ride on Saturday and Sunday, August 29 and 30, with a rain date of September 12 and 13. Trempealeau County's coulee terrain makes for some of the most scenic ATV riding in the Driftless Area. If you ride in western Wisconsin, this weekend ride is the perfect way to close out the summer riding season. The club typically posts meeting points and route details on their Facebook page.

B Bad Adventures of Mercer has a UTV ride scheduled for Saturday, August 29 in the Mercer area (Iron County, north of Price County). If you are up in the Northwoods or willing to make the drive from Price County, this is a well-organized group ride that draws a good crowd.

Trail Conditions

Summer ATV season is in its final stretch. Trail conditions are generally good across our coverage counties. The Wild Rivers State Trail (Polk County) and the Red Cedar State Trail (Dunn County) remain open and well maintained. In Clark and Wood counties, the county forest roads and ATV routes are in decent shape for late summer. The recent rains have helped with dust, but some trails may have soft spots after heavy storms. As always, check county trail status pages before you head out. The late-August weekday riding is especially nice when the trails are less crowded.

Snowmobile Club Summer Work

Snowmobile clubs across our coverage area are wrapping up summer maintenance. Trail clearing, bridge repair, and sign replacement done now means a smoother start to the season when the snow flies. If you belong to a club in Clark, Price, Dunn, St. Croix, or Polk counties, check with your club officers about any remaining summer workdays. The Trailmates Snowmobile Club (Wausau area) had their annual Chicken Dinner on August 22, marking the end of their summer meeting schedule. Most clubs hold their fall organizational meetings in September, so watch your club's calendar.

Farming, Crop Reports, and Ag Events

Crop Conditions: USDA Report for Week Ending August 23

The USDA NASS Wisconsin Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending August 23 shows Wisconsin averaged 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. The big story is the dry conditions. Over 40% of Wisconsin's cropland is facing short or very short topsoil moisture, with 58% adequate and the remainder short. The northwestern part of the state has seen D2 (severe) drought expand, and D3 (extreme) drought has been added in the Northwoods.

Despite the dry conditions, corn condition statewide is still rated 75% good to excellent. Corn has moved into the dent stage across our coverage counties. Earlier-planted fields in Crawford, Grant, and the southern part of the state are further along, while fields in Clark, Price, and Wood counties are at the dough to dent transition. Soil moisture has been adequate through most of the growing season, but the dry August weather has stressed crops on lighter soils and hilltops.

Soybeans are finishing pod set across Adams, Waushara, Wood, and Juneau counties. The USDA report shows 91% blooming and 73% setting pods by mid-August, and the late-August update will likely show pod set nearing completion. The dry August has been a concern, but the recent rains that arrived late last week provided a late-summer lifeline to many fields, especially on shallow ground that had been hit hardest during the six-week dry spell.

Third-cutting alfalfa hay has reached 92% completion, with some growers starting a fourth cutting. Haylage and hay continue to move in the dairy regions of Dunn, St. Croix, and Polk counties. Oat harvest is at 83% complete statewide. Wheat harvest is mostly wrapped up.

Corn Silage and Harvest Outlook

Corn silage harvest typically begins in late August in the southern part of our coverage area, with the rest of the state following in early to mid-September. The dry conditions have pushed some fields toward silage harvest earlier than normal. If you are a dairy operator in Dunn, St. Croix, or Polk counties, start checking your corn moisture levels now. Good silage starts with harvest timing, and the window can be narrow in a dry year.

Farmers Markets

Late August is peak produce season. Sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, melons, and early apples are all coming in strong across our coverage area. Here are the markets running this week:

• Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market — Saturdays, 7:30 AM to noon, Phoenix Park. One of the best in western Wisconsin.
• Menomonie Farmers Market — Dunn County. Saturdays, 8 AM to noon, Wilson Park.
• Baldwin Farmers Market — St. Croix County. Wednesdays, 3 PM to 6 PM.
• Wisconsin Rapids Farmers Market — Wood County. Saturdays, 7 AM to noon.
• Adams Friendship Market — Adams County. Saturdays, 8 AM to noon.
• Phillips Farmers Market — Price County. Thursdays, 2 PM to 5:30 PM.
• St. Croix Falls Farmers Market — Saturdays, downtown St. Croix Falls.
• Mauston Farmers Market — Juneau County. Saturdays through the growing season.
• Wautoma Farmers Market — Waushara County. Saturdays through the season.
• Neillsville Farmers Market — Clark County. Saturday mornings through fall.

Other Notable Rural Community Events

Wood County and Central Wisconsin

The Central Wisconsin State Fair runs August 25 through 30 in Marshfield. With livestock shows, a rodeo, grandstand concerts, a full midway, and the Junior Fair Market Animal Sale, this is the premier event in central Wisconsin this week. The fairgrounds are at 513 East 17th Street in Marshfield. If you are in Wood, Clark, Waushara, Adams, or Juneau counties, make the drive.

Lunch by the River continues at Veteran's Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids with live music and food vendors on the Wisconsin River waterfront. The summer riverfront series is winding down for the season, so this is one of the last opportunities to catch it.

Crawford County

The Crawford County Fair in Gays Mills runs Thursday, August 27 through Sunday, August 30. The 167th annual edition in the heart of the Driftless Area. Summer trout fishing on the spring-fed streams of Crawford County is excellent through October 15. The bluff country around the Kickapoo and Wisconsin rivers offers some of the most scenic rural property in the state. If you are looking at rural land in the Driftless, late summer at fair time is the perfect moment to experience the community.

Polk and St. Croix Counties

The St. Croix River Valley is beautiful in late August. Labor Day weekend is coming up, and the river corridor from St. Croix Falls down to Prescott will be busy with boaters, anglers, and paddlers. If you are looking at recreational or residential property in Polk or St. Croix counties, this weekend is the best time to see what the area looks like during peak usage. The river towns of Osceola, St. Croix Falls, and Hudson all have community events and live music scheduled for the long weekend.

Eau Claire and Dunn Counties

Eau Claire's summer concert and event series continues along the riverfront. The Chippewa River State Trail from Eau Claire through Dunn County to Durand is in great shape for biking and hiking as the fall color begins to show in the hardwood bottoms. The Menomonie Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings at Wilson Park through the growing season.

Juneau and Adams Counties

Castle Rock Lake and the Wisconsin River flowage are busy with Labor Day weekend approaching. This is one of the busiest recreational periods of the year. If you own or are looking at recreational property near the lake areas, late August shows you exactly what peak-season usage looks like. The Adams County Fair is September 10 through 13 in Friendship, so that is coming up in a couple of weeks.

Clark County

Clark County continues to see active interest in its affordable hunting land and timber tracts heading into the fall market. Premier Livestock in Withee has its regular weekly auctions, and Oberholtzer in Loyal serves the ag community with livestock and equipment sales. If you own property in Clark County and are thinking about selling this fall, now is the time to get it prepped.

Waushara County

Waushara County's lake country draws seasonal residents from across the Midwest. Labor Day weekend marks the traditional end of the summer cottage season, and the demand for recreational and seasonal properties around the county's many lakes continues to be strong. If you are considering selling a lake or recreational property, Labor Day weekend is the last big showing opportunity before the fall market shifts to hunting and timber buyers.

Price County

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is in peak late-summer condition. Dispersed camping, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing are all excellent right now. The North Country National Scenic Trail through Price County offers some of the best hiking in the Northwoods. If you are looking at timber or recreational land in the Northwoods, late August is prime scouting season. The dry conditions have made fire danger a concern in the national forest, so check for any burn restrictions before heading out.

Archived: Past Events Now Complete

The following events from previous weeks have now passed. These are noted here so the site stays current and you know what is behind us.

• Dunn County Fair — July 22-26, 2026, Menomonie (completed)
• Polk County Fair — July 23-26, 2026, St. Croix Falls (completed)
• Clark County Fair — August 5-9, 2026, Thorp (completed)
• Eau Claire County Fair — August 6-8, 2026, Eau Claire (completed)
• St. Croix County Fair — August 5-9, 2026, Glenwood City (completed)
• Wisconsin Valley Fair — August 6-9, 2026, Wisconsin Rapids/Wood County (completed)
• Wisconsin State Fair — August 6-16, 2026, West Allis (completed)
• Grant County Fair — August 16-23, 2026, Lancaster (completed)
• Juneau County Fair — August 19-23, 2026, Mauston (completed)
• Waushara County Fair — August 20-23, 2026, Wautoma (completed)
• Price County Fair — August 20-22, 2026, Phillips (completed)
• Governor's Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction — August 12, 2026, State Fair Park (completed)
• GLKDA Kiln Drying Short Course — August 11-13, 2026, Antigo (completed)
• Oak Wilt Biology and Management Workshop — August 18, 2026, Stevens Point (completed)
• St. Croix Valley PRCA Rodeo — August 21-22, 2026, Glenwood City (completed)
• WWHSA Speed Show — August 18, 2026, Galesville (completed)
• WATVA Northwest Region Workshop — August 22, 2026, Almena (completed)
• Trailmates Snowmobile Club Chicken Dinner — August 22, 2026, Wausau area (completed)