glacial lake cranberries harvest tour

Wisconsin harvests 65% of the nation's cranberries. I learned how cranberries grow and are harvested at the Glacial Lake Cranberries Visitor's Center where Mary Brown told us how her family started the farm four generations ago and why central Wisconsin is prime real estate for cranberry growing. Then we boarded the Berry Bus driven by her husband Phil. He took us all around the marshes where workers were harvesting the berries in front of our eyes! It was fascinating to see the process—from berries on the vine to being flooded to loaded in the trucks—which created the most beautiful vivid red and blue visual of any landscape I've ever seen. Tours go out Monday-Friday (and some Saturdays) from late Sept. through most of October. Call for times: 715.887.2095. #wiscran #cranberrylink

Glacial Lake Cranberry is located in the hot bed of cranberries in the US. It has been a family owned farm for years, and the family is involved in all the daily operations. They offer a one hour tour that starts out in the visitor center where a video explains the history of cranberry processing and the owner gives understanding to latest process of raising the cranberry crop. You then get on a bus and tour the marshes and observe the process for yourself. While on the tour we were blessed to see Trumpeter Cranes and Sandhill Cranes enjoying the water of the marshes. All the while on your tour the owner is explaining just what you are seeing.The tour is open for just so many days and closes at the end of October. The cost of the tour was $20 which I though high, but it was worth it, learning and enjoying experience

My husband and I wanted to see the cranberry harvest marshes and decided to do a mini Fall road trip to include this experience. After much research, Glacial Lake Cranberry Farm was a must on our list of "to do" while in the are since our focus was to see the brilliant red cranberry marshes at their prime! We are so delighted and pleased with our tour of Glacial Lake Cranberry Farm! I spoke with Mary personally twice, and she is such a friendly and helpful lady! I was glad I was able to meet her. The drive from Sparta, where we were staying, was a easy trip, taking us about an hour through the beautiful Fall countryside. We also toured Tomah. The tour on the "Berry Bus" was outstanding and Phil was the best in expelling the cranberry harvest process and stopping along the tour for us to get out and close to the marshes. We saw the workers with their high boots harvesting the bright red cranberries! Turns out that Mary and Phil are the owners of Glacial Farms, and along with their children, do a wonderful job in running the cranberry farm. The tour was OUTSTANDING and MEMORABLE!!! You must have reservations and tours books quickly during cranberry harvesting. If you see no other cranberry harvest, you will see everything here! We were so delighted with our experience and shared with our family when we got home what we had seen at Glacial Lakes and now, we are planning a family trip next year just to visit Glacial Farms and take the tour. You may purchase cranberries to take home, jams, cranberry gift items, and don't leave town before purchasing a cranberry pie to take home from Babcock Cafe down the road.Thank you Mary and Phil for a fun time and also, the weather was perfect for our tour!marge and gus

Thank you for wanting to learn more about Wisconsin's #1 Fruit Crop and for sharing your beautiful photos. We are glad you enjoyed your tour!