(Revised 9-29-19)
The optional Thursday tours will load at the hotels at 7:45 AM and depart from the hotels promptly at 8:00 AM and are scheduled to return at 5:30 PM. Pre-registration is required using the Convention Registration form by September 30. Capacity is limited to 52 per bus. When the buses are full they will be full! Do not delay.

TOUR BUS "A" and "B" ARE SOLD OUT ... BUSSES ARE FULL.

Tour A

Tour A will start with a scenic drive through picturesque Jay Cooke Park on its way to Spirit Lake Maple Syrup and Wild Rice. Owner Bruce Savage will provide a fascinating tour of his sugaring facilities and wild rice processing operation. Bruce is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa and serves on the Tribal Advisory Council.

Next stop will be the Burgess Family Sugarhouse, a 2000 tap sugaring operation of Steve and Kathy Burgess. The Burgess family built/purchased all new sugaring facilities and equipment in 2017. After a tour of their sugaring operation the group will gather in their facility for a Cooking With Maple demonstration conducted by Chef John Plante, followed by lunch prepared by Chef John.

From there the tour will go to near-by Farmer Doug Hoffbauer’s local food operation. Farmer Doug has a small maple sugaring set-up and also raises “apples to zucchini with Christmas trees in the middle”. The operation should be in full swing assembling Christmas wreaths during the tour.

The last stop of the day will be at Simple Gifts Maple Syrup operated by Dave Rogotzke. They run 4000 taps, making syrup in a unique timber sugar house Dave designed after spending a sugaring season in Quebec. Dave is a commercial salmon fisherman in Alaska during the summer months.

Tour B

The tour will begin at Simple Gifts Maple Syrup operated by Dave Rogotzke. They run 4000 taps and make syrup in a very unique timber sugar house he designed after spending a sugaring season in Quebec. Dave is a commercial salmon fisherman in Alaska during the summer months.

The next stop will be Burgess Family Sugarhouse, the sugaring operation of Steve and Kathy Burgess. The Burgess family built/purchased all new sugaring facilities and equipment in 2017. After a tour of their 2000 tap operation we will gather in their facility for a Cooking With Maple demonstration conducted by Chef John Plante, followed by lunch prepared by Chef John.

Last stop of the day will be the historic Split Rock Light House at Two Harbors. The horrific shipwrecks of 1905 fueled demand for a lighthouse along Superior’s north shore. The amazing construction process was completed in 1910 and the light at Split Rock shone until 1969. Now a state park facility, the complex includes visitor center, exhibits, gift store and the original light house, fog signal building and lighthouse keeper’s residence and other buildings.

Both tour buses will join up for a combined Cooking With Maple demonstration at the Burgess Family Sugarhouse on the outskirts of Duluth.

Chef John Plante, dba Chef Cuisine, is from the Twin Cities of St. Paul-Minneapolis. John’s focus is on dishes “that all of us can prepare and serve at home”. Recipes for each dish will be available to all tour participants. The Cooking With Maple demonstration has been made possible through a generous grant from the NAMSC Research and Education Fund.

With maple syrup included in every recipe, the chef will prepare and demonstrate several delicacies including Chipotle Maple Pork Tenderloin, Bacon-wrapped Shrimp, Maple Orange Glazed Salmon, Maple Apple Chicken Breasts, Beet-Avocado-Goat Cheese salad with a maple balsamic vinaigrette dressing, Pear Salad with Pecans and Bleu Cheese.

Each bus will have a separate luncheon seating, one before and one after the cooking demonstration. The buffet lunch prepared by Chef John will include sandwiches, salads and desserts, featuring several items also using maple syrup.

Registration Form for Motor Coach Tours - Both Tours SOLD OUT