The Osthoff Lake Resort and Spa

The last leg of the trip was a scenic drive from central Wisconsin over to Elkhart Lake, a small resort town located toward the east side of the state. While my stay was short, this little town and the Osthoff Resort itself was nothing short of magical. The scenery, the colors, the charm. Everything was picture perfect, and I cannot wait to come back.

The Aspira Spa

This is the kind of spa you'd expect to find in big name resort towns like Palm Springs, Miami, and Sedona. But this hidden gem is tucked away unassumingly in Wisconsin. The facilities, range of treatments, and staff are all top notch. I was thoroughly impressed and lucky enough to enjoy a cranberry inspired pedicure and a divine back massage. You can find out more about this wonderful slice of Heaven here.

Osthoff Resort

Postcard, anyone? This resort has so much history behind it which only adds to its charm. Not to mention it is lake front and the perfect place to take a memorable nature walk. And although I don't have a picture of it, the beds in the room were how everyone hopes their vacation bed would feel.

Star trails at Elkhart Lake

This night was the ultimate set up for star trails: clear skies, no wind, barely any light pollution, and only a sliver of a moon in the night sky. These may not be my favorite star trail images I've ever created in a technical sense, but I definitely created my favorite memories of the trip while doing these star trails. Let's just say it involved a group of new friends, a golf course, and a really bad bottle of cranberry wine.

Thank you so very much to the generosity of the infamous and wonderful Lola of the Osthoff Resort, the Aspira Spa for letting me capture images of your wonderful services when it is normally not allowed, and Geiger PR for making it all happen in the first place!

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Part of my trip to Wisconsin was spent in the small college town of Steven's Point. Here were some of the highlights:

Central Rivers Farm Shed

Farm shed is a non-profit based in Stevens Point whose mission is to "expand the connection between local residents and their food by providing opportunities for participation, education, cooperation, and action to support a local food economy in Central Wisconsin." In other words, they are awesome, and Layne Cozzolino's passion for this organization is contagious. They're still on the up and up, and plan to complete many more projects at the facility in the future, including a commercial grade kitchen and a massive green house, so they need your help. To find out way to support this organization, visit their website through the link above.

The Main Grain Bakery

Quaint, rustic, and yummy pretty much sums it up. I'm personally obsessed with the recipe cards that wallpaper the main wall as you walk in. What is more creative and personal than that? Main Grain has some amazing and unique freshly baked breads, including: asiago thyme, cranberry vanilla, spiced rye, and sesame semolina. Not to mention a whole slew of muffins and pastries. In short, come here. And grab a coffee next door at Emy J's while you're at it.

 

Tortuga Express Food Truck

A food truck. Serving tacos. In Wisconsin? Yes, Yes, and Yes! It's a wonderful combination of a chef who actually understands what a taco should taste like (he spent most of his life in the southwest), along with the wonderfully fresh, flavorful ingredients that Central WI has to offer and BAM....you're left the best surprise your taste buds will encounter while in the area.

Chef was nice enough to take into consideration my gluten intolerance and swapped out my tortillas for blue corn (although I was enviously eying the homemade flour tortillas). Definitely go for the trifecta taco plate (chicken, sweet potato, and brisket) accompanied by the three fresh salsa options (special emphasis on the cranberry salsa!)

Special thanks to all of these wonderful places/vendors for their generosity and hospitality with our group. And of course, Geiger PR for allowing me to tag along in the first place. ;)

The Wisconsin Cranberry Highway

I'm always up for an adventure, and adventures are even more enticing to me when they sound zany and a little off-the-wall. So, when Geiger & Associates PR invited me to go on a last minute press tour to take photographs of the central Wisconsin cranberry farms, I naturally couldn't resist.  Afterall, there are no autumn colors or changing leaves in Los Angeles. Not to mention my lungs wouldn't mind a little fresh air every now and then.

 Anyway, I found myself days later on a flight to a place I had never been before (the state of Wisconsin), to learn about a fruit I apparently knew nothing about (I didn't know Wisconsin was the top producer of the little red gem), to meet up with a bunch of journalists and photographers from around the country. The ensuing experience was nothing short of incredible, and I am so blessed to work in a profession that takes me on such crazy adventures.

Here are some images from the first full day of the trip, where we visited Glacier Lake and Elm Lake Cranberry Farms on the "cranberry highway" in central Wisconsin. Special thanks to Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association, Glacial Lakes Cranberry Farm, and Elm Lake Cranberry Co for making this experience possible.

 

Wild cranberries growing in a field. (No, they do not grow underwater).

Metal ramps placed into the flooded cranberry fields for the tractors to enter

After the fields are flooded with approximately 4 feet of water, the tractor agitates the cranberry bushes under water to loosen them from their branches and make the cranberries float to the surface

My point of view while wading in the cranberry marsh

The best way to describe what it feels like to walk through a flooded cranberry marsh: like walking through a pool of floating jellybeans.

Workers gently push the cranberries towards the mechanism that pushes them up the ramp and into the truck

Cranberries being dumped into truck from the marsh

Truck full to the brim with cranberries

Cranberries being dumped at the processing plant to be later turned into frozen or dried cranberries

 

Cranberry holding tanks at the processing plants

Frozen cranberries

Their are numerous cranberry varieties, including the incredibly tart "yellow bell"

Fresh cranberries, straight from the field

 

More posts to come! Check back for images from day 2, 3, and 4 of my trip. Now go drink some cranberry juice!

Images will be available for license on Alamy.com. All other inquires please contact me directly at kailey@kaileyflynnphotography.com.