Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater FFA Reporter Katie Gillette.

On July 24th, the Whitewater FFA officer team kicked off their annual officer trip excursion.

Our trip started out with a scenic drive from Whitewater to Monroe, WI. Our first stop was Alp and Dell Cheese Factory. Our amazing tour guide gave us much knowledge about the history and process of how cheese is made. Alp and Dell can make up to 38,000 pounds of cheese in just one day! We all enjoyed the opportunity to eat 23-year-old cheese.

Our journey continued to Yellowstone Lake State Park. Along the way, we saw many different areas of agriculture, endless acres of crops, and many species of wildlife. After settling in our team hit the water. We all enjoyed skiing, tubing, and swimming. We also saw many species of fish.

On July 25th, our team made a short trek to Belmont, where we enjoyed a scenic lookout. Throughout our trip, we enjoyed the vast Amish and Mennonite communities, along with the different groups and departments of agriculture. Our next adventure took place at Crystal Lake Caves in Dubuque, IA. We were given the amazing opportunity to go down over 45 feet and explore the caves. We learned the history and artifacts behind the caves that first originated in 1868. The atmosphere was incredible. Oohs and Ahhs could be heard throughout the cave.

Following our cave adventure we headed to the heart of Dubuque. We arrived at Eagle Point Park to enjoy some sightseeing of the majestic Mississippi River. We continued later that evening with more water fun and team bonding.

On July 26th, our trip concluded with our FFA team working together on our yearly planning and discussions which will be the foundation for the upcoming year.