Omro's Knigge Farms hosts 'The Bachelor'

OMRO – The call came out of the blue. "The Bachelor," a long-running reality show, would be coming to film an episode at Knigge Farms in Omro, and it would be coming soon.

With just 48 hours notice, "The Bachelor's" crew of three dozen arrived at Knigge Farms Oct. 2 and set to work, said Pete Knigge, owner of the farm. Without much time to prepare, Knigge's wife bought mums to pretty up the place in advance.

The team, wielding six cameras, arrived at about 10 a.m. that day, and left as the sun was setting for their next filming destination, the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh. The show whittles down a field of suitors for Wisconsin native Nick Viall this season. This episode featuring Knigge Farms and The Paine will air on Jan. 23 on ABC.

Now, the Knigge family is waiting to see the finished episode like everyone else.

“We’re a little apprehensive,” Knigge said. “We think they got the farm in a pretty good light.”

Knigge Farms has opened its doors to tours for years. The farm was the first U.S. dairy to use automatic milking machines 16 years ago, which brought plenty of visitors. Despite regular traffic, it’s a fully functioning dairy farm with about 300 cows, and fields of alfalfa, corn and other crops.

On the set, the crew prodded six contestants to milk cows, feed calves and shovel manure — that’s not typical for a tour, Knigge said; there’s a skid steer for moving unmentionables. "The Bachelor" crew left six manure shovels it bought for the shoot behind. To end the day, the contestants chased after a tumbling wheel of LaClare Farms cheese.

The crew of "The Bachelor" left behind a trail of interest in Knigge Farms. More people are now visiting their website and Facebook page, Knigge said.

In another stroke of luck, eight days after "The Bachelor" shoot, Knigge was featured again in a promotional ad profiling Green Bay, ahead of the Packers' game against the Chicago Bears in October. It's a bright and earnest spot, which features Knigge puttering through the rolling fields of his farm on a well-worn tractor, reveling at the freedom in his profession.

Knigge's hopes the show's feature of his farm offers a glimpse of what dairy farming is like, and helps to elevate the profession a bit.

"We just had a ball doing it," Knigge said. "It was a good experience, and a complete surprise."

Nate Beck: 920-858-9657 or nbeck@gannett.com; on Twitter: @NateBeck9