Farmer Brandon came to Wisconsin to meet Grace's family on 'Farmer Wants a Wife.' So, what did they think?
Warning: Spoilers ahead from Episode 11 of Fox's "Farmer Wants a Wife" Season 2 that aired Thursday, April 25.
Farmer Brandon Rogers — and the world — got a glimpse of dater Grace Girard's homestate of Wisconsin on "Farmer Wants a Wife" this week:
Caledonia farming fields, acres of green grass, beautiful homes, ponds and big blue skies.
Rogers also met his potential future-in-laws, Girard's parents. Oh, and Grace revealed she's "falling in love" with him. NBD.
But, the thought of her leaving behind her family and moving more than 1,000 miles away remained heavy on her heart.
This season's four farmers are down to their two final daters. On Thursday's episode, the farmers each visited one of their daters' hometowns and met their loved ones for the first time.
Girard and her crew, who live in Caledonia, were up first for Rogers.
"He loved Milwaukee and Wisconsin," Girard told the Journal Sentinel after the episode aired. "He was like all the rage about it. So that was really fun. It was great to show him around, and it was super-emotional actually just to be like, 'This is my world.'"
But before the visits, the daters spent their last day on the farms with their farmers.
Here's a recap:
The 'Farmer Wants and Wife' daters' last day on the farms
While Rogers and Girard sat on the back of his truck in a field, he asked her how she was feeling about it being the last day at the farm.
"Sad," she replied.
"I've been very blessed and lucky and happy to have you on the farm," Rogers told her. "And, very excited to meet your family."
"Yeah! I'm really excited to see them," Girard said.
With Girard's potential move to the farm — a potato and barley operation in Center, Colorado — she told him she's worried about how far away it is from her family. Rogers said he understood her concern.
"I've heard about her family from the beginning," Rogers said in a confessional. "Asking someone to move away from their family and move to the farm, I think that's a big step."
Rogers and his other remaining dater, Emerson, spent their time together that day gathering eggs from Rogers' chickens.
"The thing about Emerson, she understands farming," Rogers said in a cutaway. "Our lifestyles seem to be a really good match."
Later that day, the daters said goodbye to their farmers and farms.
Rogers and his dog watched as they drove off.
"Are we gonna be sad?" Rogers asked his four-legged friend in a baby voice. "Should we go back in the house? Let's go."
The doggo let out a whimper. And now we're holding back tears.
In a cutaway, Rogers said he hoped he would get some clarity in the upcoming days, and that the family visits would help him determine his person.
As Farmer Brandon drove to Caledonia, he talked about his thoughts going into meeting Grace's family
Viewers got to see the landscapes of Caledonia as Rogers drove into town. Nettles described the village's location as "a stone's throw" from Milwaukee. We concur.
"It's been a while since I have met a girlfriend's family, so there's definitely some nerves coming back up," Rogers said.
As some of the couple's memorable moments played, Rogers said it's very natural with Girard. He called her "very" sweet, pretty and smart.
"She's obviously pretty comfortable on the farm, and there's definitely a lot of possibility there," Rogers said. "But, Grace is very involved with her family. So, is she really ready to give that up and possibly live in the middle of nowhere?"
Dater Grace's family meets Farmer Brandon for the first time
"My connection feels really, really strong with him," Girard said in a confessional. "So, it's everything to have my family's approval."
Inside the Girards' breathtaking home, Grace, her parents, two sisters and aunt were in the kitchen, preparing for Rogers' visit.
"It's important to us that we like him too, because we want to know that you're happy," Girard's aunt said.
Girard called her family "the most important part" of her life as Rogers rang the doorbell.
"Hi, Farmer Brandon," Girard said as she opened the door.
The two hugged while Girard told him she missed him.
"I missed you, too," he said, bashfully.
Then it was time for the grand reveal.
"Here's Farmer Brandon!" Girard said as she brought him in to meet her family.
Rogers hugged the ladies, then went in for a handshake with Girard's dad, Sam.
"That's one hell of a belt buckle," Sam told Rogers as the room burst into laughter.
"I don't know how it's gonna go with my family," Girard said in a confessional. "It's kind of just like a big test if I see myself with him long-term."
As they all sat in the living room, Girard asked Rogers how his drive was. He said it was good and that "it's beautiful out here." You know it!
It only took him around 20 minutes to get to Girard's house from the airport as opposed to the four hours — through mountains and valleys — it takes him to get to an airport from his farm.
In his neck of the woods, rush hour is at 3:30 p.m. when school gets out and consists of only about 15 cars, he said.
That made Girard's mom wonder how many students were in Rogers' high school. He said there were about 90 students total from kindergarten through 12th grade, and that he graduated with 23.
Then, Sam got down to business.
"So, you've known Grace now for that brief period of time," Sam said. "What have you learned about her that you like?"
Rogers said "obviously" her personality and how she's very funny and genuine.
"And, what have you learned about yourself as you've gone through this process?" Sam, with another good one.
It's been "eye-opening," Rogers said, and he's learned that it's nice to have someone around the house, as well as learning different perspectives.
Remember back when Girard asked Rogers' dad a juicy question about Brandon when she first met him? Now we know where she gets it from.
Was Rogers single for five years on purpose? That's what Girard's aunt asked him.
"Dating in the valley is hard," Rogers explained. "It's not like you can go out to the bar and meet someone new ... I definitely live in an extremely remote area. But, I do love what I do — in the field, taking care of something that's alive."
In a confessional, Sam said he thinks Rogers is "very honest." But, his daughter is used to being 19 minutes from a big city and enjoys her friends, groups and going out.
"There's not as much of that in the middle-of-nowhere Colorado," Sam said. "So that is my biggest worry."
Dater Grace's sisters pull Farmer Brandon aside for a chat
Girard's sisters — Natalie and Abby — pulled Rogers away for a little chat.
"Well, this escalated quickly," Rogers said.
"Let me know if you need another drink," Sam replied.
"I might," Rogers said.
"My sisters very much want to make sure that I end up with the right person," Girard said in a cutaway. "They know I have strong feelings for him. Hopefully, he performs well."
Once they got settled in the basement, Rogers asked Girard's sisters if they had heard a lot about him. Answer? YUP.
"From what Grace has told us, she like really likes you," Natalie said.
"I feel like we make a good connection, and there is kind of hope there," Rogers told them.
Natalie wanted to know if he thought their personalities and lifestyles would mesh well long-term. With Girard being more of a "city girl" and Rogers living in such a remote spot, Rogers said they'd have to try to see.
"And, she loves you guys," Rogers told them. "So, I worry about taking her away from you guys."
Natalie thought everything he said was "spot-on" and said he and Grace would have to talk and figure it out together.
"Maybe that's what it comes down to, a deep discussion with Grace," Rogers said.
Abby asked Rogers when he'd have that discussion with her sister. Cue the suspenseful music.
The three started laughing as Rogers fired a finger gun and let out a "Dang!"
"I thought he was super-nice, like a very genuine person," Abby said in a confessional.
"But, we're definitely protective of Grace," Natalie added.
"Grace moving out there, I think she would have to be 100% sure that she thinks that Brandon and her could go the distance," Abby said.
What else Grace's family had to say about Farmer Brandon
Rogers gave the Girard family a few minutes alone to share their thoughts with Grace.
"What do you guys think of him?" she asked them.
Grace's aunt thought Rogers was a "really nice guy." Sam called him "a good genuine person and a good spirit."
"I could see you with him," Natalie said. "I think my only worry, too, is like different lifestyles. Will you miss your life here? And, figure out how that would work."
While Girard wants to end up with Brandon, she said in a confessional, she revealed that she's been homesick since she's been in Colorado.
"Meeting Grace's family was, you know, that was the cherry on top," Rogers said in a cutaway. "Because Grace is such an amazing woman. Getting to see where that stemmed from is really awesome."
If the roles were reversed, though, he said he might have a really hard time leaving his family.
Grace took Farmer Brandon on a walk through her neighborhood and things got deep
Girard took Rogers on a walk through her neighborhood, which he called "very pretty."
And, we have an answer for Abby as to when Rogers will have that deep convo with her sister. Literally, right now.
Seeing how close Girard is to her family and how much they love each other, it "hyped the pressure up" for him, he told Girard.
"Life's good. You like being close to the city. At what point does that become possibly troublesome?" Rogers said.
"Yeah, you're kind of far away from things," Girard said. "But, the No. 1 thing for me is finding my person. And, I do feel like I have significant feelings for you. I'd want to see where that goes."
Rogers called her an "amazing woman" and said he finds himself missing her when they're not talking.
"Grace and I have this really good emotional connection," he said in a confessional. "I'm really looking forward to now seeing where things might go."
"If You Love Her" by Forest Blakk started playing as Rogers said he should probably get back on the road.
"Aww, man, so sad," Girard said.
"Are you going to be able to handle being away for so long?" he asked her.
"No," she replied.
The two shared the longest embrace and the sweetest kiss.
"I'm feeling bubbly about Brandon right now," Girard said in a confessional. "I think I definitely am falling in love."
What else dater Grace and Farmer Brandon did during the Wisconsin trip
At the time of the Wisconsin trip, Girard hadn't seen her family or friends since she left for filming.
"Getting home, I was just so grateful to see them for the first time after like, you know, it was like six weeks at that point," Girard told the JS. "That was awesome. It was really cool to see them all interacting."
While in town, Girard got to get together with all of her friends in Milwaukee. They had dinner at San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana, then were off to Nashville North.
"I was like, 'We need to go a country bar,' " Girard said. They also went to Wolski's Tavern, one of Girard's go-tos.
And, Rogers got to catch a Bucks game while he was here, Girard said.
How to watch 'Farmer Wants a Wife' Season 2
"Farmer Wants a Wife" Season 2 airs at 8 p.m. CT Thursdays on Fox.
If you miss an episode but still want to see it — or you want to watch it again, no shame — it's also available on Hulu the day after it airs.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Farmer Wants a Wife: Brandon visits Wisconsin, meets Grace's family