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Pittsville, WI High School Auditorium
Pittsville High School offers the only science course in the country dealing with cranberries, and as part of the curriculum, the teens act as guides to welcome visitors and escort them during a 2-1/2 hour tour of cranberry marshes, a laboratory facility, and storage warehouse. They even include a prepared lunch, which as expected featured a delicious Wisconsin cheese soup, sandwiches with cranberry trimmings, and student prepared sweet treats.
Cranberry Tour Presentation at Pittsville HS
Orientation for the tour participants about the Wisconsin Cranberry Industry
Boarding Buses for “Splash of Red Cranberry Tour”
“Splash of Red Cranberry Tour” School Buses with about 15 participants on this day in October,2016.
Harvesting Cranberries from Bog on Wayne Gardener’s Property
The harvesting experience included a stop at the conveyor belt, which brings them to the trucks and a visit to the refrigerated storing warehouse. The cost for the tour was only $20 a person, with the money going towards student programs and scholarships.
Pittsville HS Student Tour Guide (Todd Parker) Explaining Harvesting Methods
It was really thrilling for us to visit the flooded beds and actually hold those fresh berries in our hands. In fact, I never even realized that one could eat raw berries before I found myself testing out the deepest red one I could find. Those dark ones are actually a little sweeter than the pink or white ones. Those berries have air chambers inside that allow them to float on top after the “ruby slipper” removes them off the vines
Unloading Trailer Load of Cranberries at Wayne Gardeners’ Cold Storage Facility
Unloading and Washing Bins for Fresh Cranberries before Entering Cold Storage Facility
Quality Control Laboratory that Determines Juice Content and Payment to Growers for Cranberries as Delivered by Truckload Samples
Loading of Totes Preparing Fresh Cranberries for Loading into Cold Storage Facility
Lift Truck Transportation of Fresh Cranberries into Cold Storage Facility
Storage of Fresh Cranberries in Cold Storage Area for 1 Year
Mini Cranberry Bog at Local Kroger/Pay Less Supermarket in West Lafayette, Indiana
Marketing technique (we have fresh cranberries) used at local supermarket to bring attention to patrons as they entered the store prior to Thanksgiving to eat those fresh cranberries, with a pallet load of bagged product on display for their purchase.
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