Hub City Times

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • E-Editions
  • Subscribe

Main Menu

  • News
    • Around the County
    • Arts & Ent
    • Education
    • Government
    • Local
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Coming Events
  • Business
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
    • Place Ad
    • View Ads
  • Legal Ads
    • Our Legals
    • Statewide
  • Senior Photos 2021
  • Contact Us
  • E-Editions
  • Subscribe

logo

Hub City Times

  • News
    • Around the County
    • Arts & Ent
    • Education
    • Government
    • Local
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Coming Events
  • Business
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
    • Place Ad
    • View Ads
  • Legal Ads
    • Our Legals
    • Statewide
  • Senior Photos 2021
Opinion
Home›Opinion›A cran slam

A cran slam

By Hub City Times
November 7, 2016
647
0
Share:

Leading a recent Splash of Red Cranberry Tour


By Marv Kohlbeck

Columnist

The Splash of Red Cranberry Tours conducted by students enrolled in the cranberry science classes of Bill Urban at Pittsville High School have come to an end, and many students from other schools and tourists from other parts of the state — as well as other states and nations — now have a better knowledge about Wisconsin’s No. 1 fruit.

Acting as a tour leader while Mr. Urban and some FFA members were attending the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, I especially enjoyed a recent tour group that included 40 fourth-grade students from Athens and about 30 adults from scattered areas.

Initially, we showed the group an introductory film about the history of the cranberry industry. Then the tour group was loaded onto a bus, taken to a producing marsh, and shown the actual harvesting of the fruit. The group then followed a semi load of berries to the cleaning and cold storage plant in Pittsville. The two-hour tour was capped off with a hot lunch of soup, sandwiches, cranberry dessert, and a bagged sample of cranberry juice and dried cranberry fruit.

Following the tour a married couple from West Lafayette, Indiana, approached me to see about conducting an 18-minute interview they desired to add to their internet radio program.

Upon completing that, two young lads about the age of 30 approached me with other questions about Wisconsin being the No. 1 cranberry producing state and our boasting of Pittsville being the “cranberry capital of the state and possibly the nation.” I asked them where they were from, and they indicated Cambridge. I responded by saying that I know where that is in southern Wisconsin, but their quick response was, “No, Cambridge, England.”

Naturally my next question was, “How did you find out about this tour?” Their response was the same as the married couple from Indiana, “The internet.”

The twin brothers, Dan and Ben Ritsema, stated that they operate a liquor plant in their city and specialize in the production of a cranberry liquor, which they claim is becoming a popular drink in their pubs. As cranberries are not grown in England, they must rely on worldwide markets to obtain their primary ingredient. They hoped they could find better contacts by taking part in the Splash of Red tour in the small community of Pittsville, USA.

They seemed overwhelmed when asked if they would like to meet the owner of the operation they had just toured. When he was located at the local cranberry juice plant and an invitation to the brothers was extended, they were at a loss of words.

After a full tour of the juice plant, a discussion of possible business transactions followed along with an exchange of respective samples. Parting handshakes appeared to be the making of a newly developed business venture between the two companies, Cranes of England and Badger Fruit Co. of Pittsville — all because of a simple promotion on the internet. Behold the power of advertising.

TagsFeaturedMarv KohlbeckopinionPittsville High SchoolSplash of Red Cranberry Tours
Previous Article

Featured MAPS pet of the week: Candy

Next Article

Promoting literacy through Give a Kid a ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • LocalNews

    Marshfield man struck by train

    July 30, 2014
    By Hub City Times
  • Photo Gallery

    Photos from Relay For Life in Marshfield

    August 2, 2014
    By HubCityAdmin
  • News

    Cancer gets lapped at Relay For Life

    August 2, 2014
    By Hub City Times
  • Business

    Hotel Marshfield combines sophistication with comfort

    August 6, 2014
    By Hub City Times
  • Arts & Entertainment

    New Visions Gallery fundraises in style

    August 8, 2014
    By Hub City Times
  • BusinessFood

    Marshfield Farmers’ Market in full bloom

    August 9, 2014
    By Hub City Times

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About Us


Hub City Times is published by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981.

Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels, All Rights Reserved. Designed by MMC Team Awesome
×