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Putting Wisconsin's Wine Country on the Map |
Wine guru Steve DeBaker with map of the Wisconsin Ledge Wine Trail
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Various Watersheds that Supply the Green Bay Estuary
WISCONSIN LEDGE NEWS
Read Steve's article, Various Watersheds that Supply the Green Bay Estuary, here.
Steve DeBaker AKA TV's Retired Rambler
Watch Steve talk about Wisconsin Ledge related topics and sights of interest on his monthly Retired Rambler segments on WFRV-TV's Local Five Live.
Oct. 21, 2025 ... Hear About the Living Ledge-nds November Fundraiser
In this segment find out what you can expect at the Living Ledge-nds: Driving our Missions Forward dinner, but also what else the event will offer, including games, raffles, and a special guest speaker, former Green Bay Packer and NFL legend Harry Sydney. Watch here.
Sept. 16, 2025 ... Changes are Coming, and We're Not Talking About the Seasons
In this jam-packed edition, find out about new editions to the winery--including two new wine releases--an Airbnb, how this year's grape cropping is doing, and if that's not enough, Jeremy Haese from Silarian Vineyards joins the gang! Watch here.
Aug. 19, 2025 ... It's a Trap
Steve relays the importance of fur trappers on the Wisconsin Ledge and shares his own experience with predators in the hatchery and vineyards. The segment also features Becca Van Lanen from Wisconsin Women’s Trap Camp who talks about how her interest in trapping began and what women’s trapping in Wisconsin will look like in the future. Watch here.
July 15, 2025 ... Who Doesn't Love a Good Fish Fry?
Steve discusses the importance of commercial fishing on the Niagara Escarpment and his experiences with commercial fishing. A special shout-out to Jaimie Miricque and the legendary Miricques Bar in Green Bay. Watch the segment here.
June 17, 2025 ... Unique Climate + Geography = Great Grapes
That sums up the Wisconsin Ledge and why it's one of the premier wine-making areas in the country. In this segment, State Senator André Jacque talks about what the Ledge does for our state economically. Watch here.
May 20, 2025 ... This Weekend's Wine Run Benefits Breast Cancer
Hear more about the event and our featured charity, the Ribbon of Hope Foundation, with special guest Tom Rueckl, past president and current board member of the foundation. Watch here.
April 15, 2025 ... Japanese Beetle Battle
This month's topic is the destructive insect known as the Japanese beetle and how to tell them apart from the ladybug and Asian lady beetle. Steve also provides a recommendation for getting rid of these harmful bugs without using harmful chemicals. Watch here.
March 18, 2025 ... Ice Ice Baby
In this segment, Steve and Don Chilson from the Cornerstone Community Center in Ashwaubenon discuss how ice was harvested from lakes before refrigerators. You will also find out how a Zamboni ice resurfacer works. Watch here.
Feb. 18, 2025 ... Saving the Weis Earth Science Museum
The renowned Weis Earth Science Museum is the Official Mineralogical Museum of Wisconsin. But with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Fox Cities Campus in Menasha closing in June, the future of the Museum, which is located on the campus, is up in the air. To learn more about the Museum and what you can do to help watch this month's segment here (or email Don Mikulic at [email protected]).
Jan. 21, 2025 ... Getting Christmas Trees Ready for Next Christmas Already
Most folks won't think about Christmas trees again until November. In this segment Steve shares what he learned from his trip to Whispering Pines Tree Farm and why Christmas trees need to be cared for all year long. (Did you know Christmas trees grow a foot a year?) Watch here to learn more.
Dec. 17, 2024 ... New Protection for the Green Bay Watershed
This month's guest is University of Wisconsin--Green Bay's Emily Tyner, the lead for the new National Estuarine Research Reserve designation for the Green Bay watershed. Emily and Steve discuss how the new efforts will provide additional protection for the bay, its environment, and its wildlife. Tune in here to find out how many billions of gallons of water enter the bay daily.
See 2021-2024 segments here.
Read Steve's article, Various Watersheds that Supply the Green Bay Estuary, here.
Steve DeBaker AKA TV's Retired Rambler
Watch Steve talk about Wisconsin Ledge related topics and sights of interest on his monthly Retired Rambler segments on WFRV-TV's Local Five Live.
Oct. 21, 2025 ... Hear About the Living Ledge-nds November Fundraiser
In this segment find out what you can expect at the Living Ledge-nds: Driving our Missions Forward dinner, but also what else the event will offer, including games, raffles, and a special guest speaker, former Green Bay Packer and NFL legend Harry Sydney. Watch here.
Sept. 16, 2025 ... Changes are Coming, and We're Not Talking About the Seasons
In this jam-packed edition, find out about new editions to the winery--including two new wine releases--an Airbnb, how this year's grape cropping is doing, and if that's not enough, Jeremy Haese from Silarian Vineyards joins the gang! Watch here.
Aug. 19, 2025 ... It's a Trap
Steve relays the importance of fur trappers on the Wisconsin Ledge and shares his own experience with predators in the hatchery and vineyards. The segment also features Becca Van Lanen from Wisconsin Women’s Trap Camp who talks about how her interest in trapping began and what women’s trapping in Wisconsin will look like in the future. Watch here.
July 15, 2025 ... Who Doesn't Love a Good Fish Fry?
Steve discusses the importance of commercial fishing on the Niagara Escarpment and his experiences with commercial fishing. A special shout-out to Jaimie Miricque and the legendary Miricques Bar in Green Bay. Watch the segment here.
June 17, 2025 ... Unique Climate + Geography = Great Grapes
That sums up the Wisconsin Ledge and why it's one of the premier wine-making areas in the country. In this segment, State Senator André Jacque talks about what the Ledge does for our state economically. Watch here.
May 20, 2025 ... This Weekend's Wine Run Benefits Breast Cancer
Hear more about the event and our featured charity, the Ribbon of Hope Foundation, with special guest Tom Rueckl, past president and current board member of the foundation. Watch here.
April 15, 2025 ... Japanese Beetle Battle
This month's topic is the destructive insect known as the Japanese beetle and how to tell them apart from the ladybug and Asian lady beetle. Steve also provides a recommendation for getting rid of these harmful bugs without using harmful chemicals. Watch here.
March 18, 2025 ... Ice Ice Baby
In this segment, Steve and Don Chilson from the Cornerstone Community Center in Ashwaubenon discuss how ice was harvested from lakes before refrigerators. You will also find out how a Zamboni ice resurfacer works. Watch here.
Feb. 18, 2025 ... Saving the Weis Earth Science Museum
The renowned Weis Earth Science Museum is the Official Mineralogical Museum of Wisconsin. But with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Fox Cities Campus in Menasha closing in June, the future of the Museum, which is located on the campus, is up in the air. To learn more about the Museum and what you can do to help watch this month's segment here (or email Don Mikulic at [email protected]).
Jan. 21, 2025 ... Getting Christmas Trees Ready for Next Christmas Already
Most folks won't think about Christmas trees again until November. In this segment Steve shares what he learned from his trip to Whispering Pines Tree Farm and why Christmas trees need to be cared for all year long. (Did you know Christmas trees grow a foot a year?) Watch here to learn more.
Dec. 17, 2024 ... New Protection for the Green Bay Watershed
This month's guest is University of Wisconsin--Green Bay's Emily Tyner, the lead for the new National Estuarine Research Reserve designation for the Green Bay watershed. Emily and Steve discuss how the new efforts will provide additional protection for the bay, its environment, and its wildlife. Tune in here to find out how many billions of gallons of water enter the bay daily.
See 2021-2024 segments here.
Nature Created the Niagara Escarpment,
Steve DeBaker Created the Wisconsin Ledge
Steve's winery, Trout Springs Winery (TSW) is the birthplace of the Wisconsin Ledge.
Long story short, TSW is located in Greenleaf, Wisconsin (south of Green Bay, west of Lake Michigan), where the area’s temperate climate rivals that of some of the best grape-growing regions on earth. Like Napa Valley. The Federal Government officially identifies prime grape-producing locations as American Viticultural Areas (AVA).
Steve figured wine lovers should know about the pedigree of his grapes. So, with proof and paperwork in hand, he went to the Fed. In the winter of 2005 just after opening the doors at TSW, Steve petitioned the Federal Government to establish just under 2.5-million acres to be designated a prime grape-growing region based upon the Niagara Escarpment. After several years of numerous evaluations, more paperwork, and persistence, a petition was passed in 2012 establishing the Wisconsin Ledge, a bona fide AVA—just like Napa Valley.
And for that TSW was named the 2014 Winery of the Year by the Wisconsin Grape Growers Association. (For a more detailed account about how Steve established the Wisconsin Ledge AVA, read the article in his own words here.)
Long story short, TSW is located in Greenleaf, Wisconsin (south of Green Bay, west of Lake Michigan), where the area’s temperate climate rivals that of some of the best grape-growing regions on earth. Like Napa Valley. The Federal Government officially identifies prime grape-producing locations as American Viticultural Areas (AVA).
Steve figured wine lovers should know about the pedigree of his grapes. So, with proof and paperwork in hand, he went to the Fed. In the winter of 2005 just after opening the doors at TSW, Steve petitioned the Federal Government to establish just under 2.5-million acres to be designated a prime grape-growing region based upon the Niagara Escarpment. After several years of numerous evaluations, more paperwork, and persistence, a petition was passed in 2012 establishing the Wisconsin Ledge, a bona fide AVA—just like Napa Valley.
And for that TSW was named the 2014 Winery of the Year by the Wisconsin Grape Growers Association. (For a more detailed account about how Steve established the Wisconsin Ledge AVA, read the article in his own words here.)
A Great Place
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St. Croix
Marquette
Frontenac
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Steve Talks About the Birth of Trout Springs Winery,
the Wisconsin Ledge, Grape Growing, and More
During His Sources of Knowledge Presentation
the Wisconsin Ledge, Grape Growing, and More
During His Sources of Knowledge Presentation
Wisconsin Ledge
* The Ledge is currently home to 24 bonded wineries.
* The land on the peninsula slopes gently upward from the shores of Lake Michigan to the top of the Ledge, before dropping sharply off into Green Bay.
* The Ledge covers 3,800 square miles; it's 138 miles long and 55 miles long.
* Most of the vineyards lie on eastern-facing slopes that benefit from constant air movement from Lake Michigan, which stores warmth during the summer.
* The Ledge is the Wisconsin section of the Niagara Escarpment (below), a prominent rock ridge that spans nearly 1,000 miles in an arc across the Great Lakes region, forming the ancient “backbone” of North America. It runs from Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, through southern Ontario to New York State, where Niagara Falls cascades over it, giving the escarpment its name.
* The land on the peninsula slopes gently upward from the shores of Lake Michigan to the top of the Ledge, before dropping sharply off into Green Bay.
* The Ledge covers 3,800 square miles; it's 138 miles long and 55 miles long.
* Most of the vineyards lie on eastern-facing slopes that benefit from constant air movement from Lake Michigan, which stores warmth during the summer.
* The Ledge is the Wisconsin section of the Niagara Escarpment (below), a prominent rock ridge that spans nearly 1,000 miles in an arc across the Great Lakes region, forming the ancient “backbone” of North America. It runs from Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, through southern Ontario to New York State, where Niagara Falls cascades over it, giving the escarpment its name.
Niagara Escarpment
Video from the 8th Annual Wisconsin Ledge American Viticultural Area Celebration Aug. 15 at Trout Springs Winery
Watch Steve get the proclamation plaque from Sen. Andre Jacques.
Watch Steve get the proclamation plaque from Sen. Andre Jacques.