Wisconsin Rapids - After breakfast at the bus, we depart the Milwaukee area and head north. Enjoy the fall color as we make our way to Heartland Farms, a 14,000-acre potato and vegetable farm in Central Wisconsin. With roots dating back to 1863, Heartland is the largest potato grower in Wisconsin and a key supplier to Frito-Lay. We'll learn about their operations and the ways they use innovative technologies, such as low pressure irrigation systems, to minimize their environmental impact. Our next stop, the Hancock Agricultural Research Station, is run by the UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It was opened in 1916 to help farmers manage the dry, sandy soil conditions of the area and evolved into a center for irrigation research. The most common phrase heard from visitors to the research station is "I didn't know that." Lunch, featuring local fare, is included today. After lunch, we'll visit the Russet Potato Exchange (RPE), Wisconsin's largest fresh potato packer/shipper. RPE has one of the most advanced potato packing operations in the nation and serves all sectors of the potato market from restaurants to grocery, convenience and warehouse club stores. You will be amazed at how much attention they give each potato to bring the best products from their fields to your plate! We'll then check in to the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids for a two-night stay. The hotel features two restaurants, a quaint tavern, an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool and sauna, and a fitness facility. What a perfect place to relax and enjoy the evening!

Wisconsin Rapids - After breakfast, we will visit Glacial Lake Cranberries. This working cranberry marsh is truly a remarkable sight during the harvest season. Our hosts will take us on an up close and personal tour of their cranberry growing operation. You won't want to miss this unique opportunity. Then it's time to "mooooove" on to our next stop, the UW Ag Research Farm. Here we'll tour the farm, which is a center for research on environmentally sound dairy herd management, and learn about the dairy industry from the past to the future. Our included lunch features local fare. Next we'll stop at the Gardner Cold Storage & Juicing Facility which stores 30% of the state's cranberry crop. They receive berries for several commercial processors who package them into hundreds of private label and store brands. In addition, Gardner's produces cranberry juice concentrate for several companies including Ocean Spray. After our tour, we'll return to the Hotel Mead where you'll have to time relax. We have a special treat in store for you this evening. Dinner features a culinary presentation by the chef from the Hotel Mead who will create a delicious meal using local products.

Home - Enjoy your included breakfast at the hotel this morning. After checkout, we'll learn how the new environmentally friendly Ocean Spray plant in Wisconsin Rapids has expanded and is now the largest production plant for cranberries in the world. To maximize their contribution to the environment, Ocean Spray fuels the entire operation with methane gas captured from the nearby Cranberry Creek Landfill. Our step-on guide will take us through the landfill where we'll view the entire operation. Our next stop is a bit of a diversion from our tour theme, but well worth the visit. Corenso North America is one of the world's leading producers of high performance cores and tubes and high-quality coreboards. We will tour the Core Converting Mill to learn about the production process of manufactured spiral wound cores with applications from small rolls of medical tape all the way up to large paper mill cores. Following our tour, we'll board our coach for a short drive to Rudolph, one of the best dairy areas in Wisconsin. Here we'll visit the Wisconsin Dairy State Cheese Company, which is known throughout the United States for the over 100 varieties of delicious cheeses it produces. View the master cheese makers and learn about the cheese making process. We'll then have time to do a little shopping - what a great treat to bring back home! All too soon it will be time to board the coach and return home with a new appreciation for all that goes in to producing some of our favorite foods.