As the sun drops over Norm E-Lane Dairy on a mid-August evening, families settle into lawn chairs and blankets spread across the grass. Kids run between yard games, parents unpack coolers and snacks, and a giant inflatable movie screen stands ready in the middle of the dairy.
For fourth-generation dairy farmer Emmet Meissner, movie night was a chance to turn the dairy into a gathering place for the community.
“I don’t even remember exactly how the idea came about,” Meissner says. “We had access to one of those big inflatable screens, and I had the crazy idea of setting it up and showing a movie. It was as simple as that.”
This summer, the Chili, Wis., operation hosted its second annual movie night, giving families a chance to spend an evening at the dairy without the structure of a traditional farm tour.
Guests bring their own food, drinks and lawn chairs, while the dairy handles the movie setup. As the evening unfolds, the grass fills in and the dairy takes on the feel of a makeshift outdoor theater.
“We have this big inflatable screen meant for outdoor movies,” Meissner says. “We use a projector, and I hire a sound guy to come in and handle the audio.”
With the movie ready to roll, the evening is less about putting on a production and more about giving people a place to gather.
A Free Movie and a Cause to Support
There is no ticket booth or admission fee at Norm E-Lane. The movie night is open to anyone who wants to come, giving families a chance to spend an evening together while supporting a cause in their community. Guests can enjoy the night for free or bring along a donation if they choose.
“You don’t have to pay to get in,” Meissner says. “Every year, we have a donation system for whatever the cause may be.”
The first year, donations went to the Boys and Girls Club. This summer, the dairy collected school supplies and monetary donations for a local back-to-school drive.
“This year we gathered school supplies for kids in our area,” Meissner says. “A bunch of people brought monetary donations or items for the classroom. If you want to come for free, go ahead. If you want to donate, that’s awesome. Every little bit helps.”
About 200 to 250 people have attended the movie nights each year. The turnout gives the evenings the energy of a community event without making them feel overwhelming to organize.
“I’m not sure we could 1,000 people – this size feels right for us at the moment,” Meissner says. “It lets us do something fun for the community without adding a lot of extra work for the farm.”
Guests bring their own food and drinks, while the dairy handles the rest.
“I tell people to bring lawn chairs, blankets, snacks and coolers,” Meissner says. “We want to make it a relaxing night where people can come out, get comfortable and enjoy a movie together. We provide the movie and the space, and everyone can make the evening their own.”
A small concession stand, raffles and yard games give families plenty to do before the movie begins.
“Before the movie starts, families can play some yard games spread around the farm or take part in the raffles we have going on. We also open the farm up for tours, so people can walk around, see the dairy and learn a little more about what we do,” Meissner adds.
Picking a Film Fit for the Farm
Choosing the right movie is part of making the night feel special. The farm looks for movies people will enjoy coming together to watch, whether it’s a classic everyone knows or an inspiring story with a connection to farming.
“For our first movie night, we picked Field of Dreams,” Meissner says.
This summer, the dairy went with Green and Gold, a movie centered around Wisconsin, agriculture and the Green Bay Packers.
The biggest challenge with an outdoor movie in late summer has little to do with the screen or projector. It is waiting for the sun to go down.
“I do wish we could have the event earlier in the year,” Meissner says. “Unfortunately, in the heat of the summer, it doesn’t get dark until around 9 p.m. It needs to be dark to play the movie. Otherwise, you can’t see the screen.”
The late start can be tough for a family event.
“I think that’s part of why we don’t have more people there,” Meissner says. “It’s geared toward kids, but it gets to be a late night,”
Still, once the screen lights up, the smiles across everyone’s faces make those late-night memories worth it.
Movie Night Opens the Dairy to the Community
While movie night is designed as a community event, it also gives people a chance to see the dairy.
Norm E-Lane offers informal tours during the evening. Visitors can stop into the parlor viewing area, ask questions and get a look at the operation.
“If people want to see the dairy, we are happy to show them around,” Meissner says. “It hasn’t been a scheduled thing yet, but we have the parlor set up really nice for viewing. It’s right next to the movie, so people come and go. I think it’s important for people to be able to see where their food comes from.”
Opening the dairy to the public is not new for the Meissner family.
Norm E-Lane hosts an annual fourth-grade field trip in partnership with area FFA chapters. The event brings about 500 students to the dairy each year.
“It’s a fun day for us because the kids get to see the different parts of the farm and learn more about dairy,” Meissner says. “When you have 500 kids here, it’s a pretty busy day, but it’s fun to see how excited they are to be on the farm.”
For Meissner, movie night is another way to invite people onto the dairy and give them a reason to spend an evening at Norm E-Lane.
The movie may be what brings people to the dairy, but the conversations, donations and time spent together make the night more than a showing on a giant screen. It gives families a chance to experience the farm and meet the people behind. For Meissner, opening Norm-E Lane to the community is a way to build connections and give people memories they can take home with them.
For more human interest stories, read:
- A Year Away from the Dairy Sparked a New Beef-on-Dairy Business for this Young Farmer
- A Robot in a Tie-stall Barn, a Rural Farm Store and an Iowa Dairy that Took a Different Path
- 150 Water Buffalo, 3 Robots and a Different Kind of Dairy
- Life After Cows: One Family’s Decision to Choose a Different Future
