All Aboard the Grain Train: Ferguson’s Orchard Offers New Ride

this ride around the orchard can be the apple of your eye

The new grain train ride at Ferguson's Orchard in Eau Claire is the apple of our eyes – especially for kiddos. Ferguson’s Orchard (6470 Balsam Road) has added a new attraction for the 2021 season ...

Chilly Air, Warm Soup

Chicken and Lentil Soup a perfect fall recipe

As we begin to leave the heat of summer behind and feel the crispness of fall in the air, our cooking often changes along with the weather.

Tracking Autumn Online

let the Wisconsin Fall Color Report be your guide to fall’s finest

Interactive technology too often keeps kids (and – let’s be honest – grownups as well) sedentary and glued to their screens. But it can also be helpful in getting us into the great outdoors. If you need motivation ...

To Spice or Not to Spice

love it or hate it, ’tis the season for this controversial flavor

Whether you love it or hate it (and no one is in the middle), pumpkin spice is making its annual appearance. It’s about way more than just pumpkin spice lattes now. Seemingly every company tries to get in on the action ...

Fall for Some Good Scents

local candlemakers make seasonal aromas

If there’s one thing that Kenna Smith-Hoff and Doug Hoff have found  is pretty nice about owning a candle-making business, it’s that their house always smells nice – particularly with the autumnal and holiday candle scents ...

These Pumpkins Will Give You 'Pumpkin' to Talk About

local giant gourd grower starts a community of giant pumpkin growers, one pumpkin at a time

The first giant pumpkin that shannon engel ever grew was classified as a “squash” because it was looking a little too green. “From that day on,” he said, “I vowed I would never grow an ugly pumpkin again.” ...

The Glass Orchard Is Exactly What It Sounds Like

Nestled on the south side of Eau Claire on four acres of land is The Glass Orchard. Owners Jon Chapman and Dawn Passineau bought the property in 2017 with plans to open a glass studio. They both have an ...

What’s the Buzz?

local beekeepers keep bees in business

According to Don Hauser, the president of the Chippewa Valley Beekeepers Association, the Chippewa Valley is a “sweet spot” for beekeepers, since folks ...

Planting a Community

a bird’s eye view of a local community garden & the people that make it grow

Gardening in a porch pot can be satisfying and yield an acceptable harvest, but there’s nothing like sinking your hands into the earth itself, sowing seeds, and watching green things ...

Winter Storage for Garden Vegetables

creative ways to keep your harvest fresh for months

One of the joys of summer is walking through the garden in late afternoon and planning the evening meal around whichever produce is ready to pick. With September’s shorter daylight and cooling temperatures ...