Bakken Crude Oil Shipped Through Wisconsin, Former Enemies Build Peace Together, Celebrating Fall In Wisconsin

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• Blogger Gives Tips For Celebrating Autumn, Wisconsin Style

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  The date of Sept. 23 marks the first full day of autumn, heralding a turn toward shorter days, crisp nights and beautiful color. In Wisconsin, while letting go of summer can be bittersweet, fall traditions make the transition easier and something to enjoy.

  Julie Henning, the founder of the website wisconsinparent.com and the Midwest editor of roadtripsforfamilies.com, said she keeps tabs on family-friend activities in Wisconsin and said there’s no shortage of great ideas to keep us busy in the fall.

  “I love this time of year when the weather is perfect,” Henning said. “It’s not humid. The leaves are changing but they’re not gone yet. It’s a great time of the year to get out with your family to create some memories around picking pumpkins and having cider.”

  To make those memories, Henning has a list of recommendations for festivals and farms celebrating foods of the autumn harvest, like apples, pumpkins and cranberries. For leaf-peepers, there are opportunities to get a fall color fix from in the air or on the ground. And other seasonal events in the fall are abundant, and often, free.

  Here are some of Henning’s top picks:

  Leaf Peeping

  Fall color in Wisconsin can be among the most spectacular in the country. Here are some Henning’s suggestions for getting out to enjoy the seasonal color.

  • Zip lines, which take travelers at high-speed through the treetops. Available in the Wisconsin Dells and Door County.
  • Hiking. Henning’s personal favorites include the Northern or Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. “It’s very hilly, of course, and I like that you have a good vantage point of the fall colors,” said Henning.
  • A Fall Color Train Ride on the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway or the Pumpkin Train that runs Oct 17 to Oct.19.

  Fall Foods

  From apples to pumpkins, celebrations of the fall harvest abound in Wisconsin.

  • Apple Picking in the Chippewa Valley, with a stop at Leinie Lodge and Leinenkugels Brewery Tour.
  • The 53^rd Annual Bayfield Apple Festival runs Oct. 3 through Oct. 5, which features a twilight in the cemetery walk on Friday and Saturday evenings.
  • Pumpkin patch experiences, with events at local farms, like Treinan Farm in Lodi. Many farms around the state offer opportunities to pick out your Halloween pumpkin, drink cider and maybe take a hayride along the way. At Treinan, Henning says they have pumpkin chucking. “You put a pumpkin in giant rubber band and you sling it into a lake,” said Henning. “It’s a satisfying feeling.”

  Seasonal Fun:

  • Oktoberfest U.S.A is going on in La Crosse from Sept 25 to Sept. 28. Expect parades, performers, bands, a fun run/walk, and the Lederhosen Luncheon.
  • Corn Mazes can be found throughout the state. Henning says one worth mentioning is Meuer Farm near Fond du Lac. This year’s maze is a 25^th Anniversary of “The Simpsons,” Marge’s hair is the longest obstacle.
  • The Ghost Boat: Journey into Haunted Canyon haunted ghost boat tour in the Wisconsin Dells on the Wisconsin River through the Dells Boat Tours. Not recommended for kids age 10 and under. “You travel in a boat,” Henning said. “And hear spooky stories and take a walk through a tight cavern and hope no one lurches out at you.”

• Wisconsin Lawmakers Write A Letter About Crude Oil Rail Transport

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  Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressman Ron Kind are writing a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation expressing concerns about the rail transport of Bakken crude oil in Wisconsin. A WPR news reporter discusses how much of this material makes its way through the state and how dangerous it actually is.

• Students and teachers from around the world took a unique twist on summer camp this year–building connections between people in some of the world’s most conflict-torn regions. An organizer of Seeds of Peace explains the group’s mission–and why person-to-person contacts may pave the road to peace.

• Celebrating Fall In Wisconsin

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  Tuesday marks the first full day of fall. From hiking through rolling hills of changing leaves, to getting lost in corn mazes and eating apple fritters and hot cider, fall can be a beautiful time in Wisconsin. Central Time explores what the state has to offer.