NACTA: Tours

NACTA Tour Descriptions

Tour A

• The Five Star Dairy Farm in Elk Mound, WI demonstrates a sustainable approach for a renewable energy technology that generates farm income while also reducing livestock waste problems. Five Star's owner acquired the benefits of anaerobic digestion, which provides Dairyland Power Cooperative a renewable energy source for their customers, and digested solids free to the community - which meets a growing interest in using compost for gardening, and reduces odor significantly.
  
• Fetzer Farms, in Elmwood, WI is a 1,500 cow dairy with 1,700 tillable acres. The cows are milked three times a day. The farm is managed by Steve, Paul and Joe; the three brothers are the fourth generation on a farm established by their great grandfather in 1914. They're happy with this 900-cow, cross-ventilated barn, deep-bedded with reclaimed sand. The added cow comfort has the cows averaging 85 pounds of milk per day.
• The dairy tour will end with a visit to the Cady Cheese Factory.
  

Tour B

• Since 1856, Star Prairie Trout Farm has commercially raised delicious cold water trout. Star Prairie's ice-cold spring water has provided an ideal natural habitat for trout. The 300,000 fish live their roughly two-year-long lives in fresh, cold, spring water that cascades from the side of a hill down through a series of ponds and finally out into the Apple River.
• The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway was established in 1968 as one of the original eight rivers under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Tour the upper St. Croix River on a paddle boat at Wild Mountain Paddle Boat. Your guide will point out unique geological formations left behind as the glaciers retreated. Among the most outstanding formation is the huge stone cross for which the St. Croix River was named and the world's largest glacial kettle moraines.
  

Tour C

• “From Field to Fork” for generations, Chippewa Valley Bean Company has grown kidney beans in the most natural way. Nestled in the rolling hills of Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley, their business has produced the highest quality dark red kidney bean in the United States.
• The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company is a regional American beer maker based in Chippewa Falls, WI. Leinenkugel is mainly distributed in the Upper Midwest, but is available in limited quantities throughout the United States. Its products are colloquially known as Leinies.
  

Tour D

• Big River Resources in Boyceville, WI is a grass roots ethanol organization that began in 2003 with a farmer-owned cooperative seeking the goals of adding value to agricultural production, improving rural community opportunity and providing local quality jobs. The facility incorporates a dry-milling process to produce fuel-grade ethanol, distillers grains feed products as well as industrial corn oil. Please note: No open toe shoes will be allowed on this tour.
  
• The Peterson's Valley View Farm in Glenwood City, WI is an exquisitely charming antique farm with a number of historical displays including: a renovated school house, farming museums, a restored 60 foot church steeple - over one hundred years old, llamas, beautiful rose gardens, a pond and fountain built (almost) in the cornfield. Wayne Peterson hosts free outdoor summer community band concerts at the amphitheater on his farm.
• Silver Bison Ranch is a 1000 acre ranch near the town of Baldwin. The North American Plains Bison is the largest land mammal in America. At Silver Bison Ranch, the bison are open range raised in as natural an environment as possible. The bison graze on native grasses, just as they did 200 years ago.
  

Tour E

• This tour will take you to Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins. The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded Target Field its Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for green operations and maintenance.
• Bailey Nurseries is a fourth-generation family-owned nursery serving customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. They are widely recognized as one of the United States' largest wholesale nurseries, with products distributed by more than 4500 independent garden centers, landscapers, growers and re-wholesalers. The main offices and growing fields are located in Newport, Minnesota.
  

Tour F

• Fairmount Minerals, is one of the largest producers of industrial sand in the United States. The Wisconsin Industrial Sand - Menomonie is located on approximately 365 acres. Since mining significantly impacts local habitats, the goal of each site is to return the land in better condition than when it was borrowed. As a new site, habitat enhancement projects are in the development stage. Please note: No open toe shoes will be allowed on this tour.
• Rush River Produce is a “U-Pick” farm. There are 14 different varieties of blueberries growing on nine acres at Rush River Produce providing an extended blueberry picking season. All their fruit and produce is raised in an environmental manner using sustainable agriculture methods. "We strive to grow clean, healthy whole foods."

Tour G

• The Academy for Sciences & Agriculture engages learners in academically rigorous student-centered learning experiences and leadership opportunities within a science and agricultural context. AFSA is a public charter school.  
• This tour will visit high school Agricultural Education programs in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul metro area.
  

While we will try to provide the tours as described, the NACTA 2012 organizing committee reserves the right to make changes based on availability, weather conditions or other factors that are beyond our control. We will notify participants of significant changes to arrange alternate selections.