Gertrude Basse the Cow

Outside a kefir plant in Waukesha stands a fiberglass Guernsey that has outlived the dairy she was built for. The Freeman reported in March 2024 that Gertrude Basse is 12 feet tall and weighs 500 pounds, and stands just inside the fence line of the Lifeway plant at 2101 Delafield Street, easily visible from the roadway. According to the same article, Golden Guernsey Dairy had her constructed in 1972 by Sculptured Products Co. of Sparta for $2,800. The Freeman also reported, citing newspaper clippings held by the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum, that she was originally named Bossy; roadside attraction websites and recent articles use Gertrude Basse. In 1977 a car drove into her and fractured two legs.

The dairy closed suddenly in 2013, leaving more than 100 employees without a job, according to Patch. That May, FOX6 reported that Lifeway Foods had placed the winning bid of more than $7.3 million for the bankrupt plant. Asked by Patch whether the cow would stay, Lifeway's chief executive replied: "I have a strong affinity for that cow. It's staying". The Freeman noted she is sometimes dressed for the season, wearing a Santa hat at Christmas and a face mask during the height of COVID-19, and in November 2025 Lifeway announced a ribbon cutting for the second phase of a $45 million Waukesha expansion in front of Gertrude the Cow, calling her a beloved Waukesha landmark.