2012 Fargo Marathon

The crew at the Maple River Winery and Distillery are always excited for the annual Fargo Marathon.  We see visitors from all over the world drop by to check out locally made Pride of Dakota products.  Everyone has to bring something back with them whether it is Dandelion Wine or Strawberry Rhubarb Wine or Chokecherry Jelly.  One trend we have noticed is that many of our visitors are in the 50 state club.  Runners trying to run a marathon in all 50 states.  I can't imagine running one marathon.....

Each runner brings new stories about fun, Fargo, and hospitality.  We enjoy doing our part by showcasing locally made products.  Their checked luggage always weighs heavier than when they arrived.   When that happens, it is a job well done for our staff.  As the Fargo Marathon continues to grow, we look forward to spending time with even more people from all corners of the world and all walks of life. 

Christmas Shopping Complete

December 19th and my Christmas Shopping is complete! All but 1 item was purchased either from a North Dakota company or at a Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcase. I can't say what that was so my wife won't figure out what she is getting.

This holiday season I have heard a lot more people say that they are buying local items for their loved ones. There are so many great North Dakota products out there. Almost something for everyone. From the wonderful Raspberry Vinegar that is made by Patrie's Raspberries in Bowdon, ND to the North Dakota dirt soap made by Pure Pleasures in Fredonia, ND, everything goes with a bottle of Maple River Wine.

If you get a chance, check out either the Pride of Dakota website at www.prideofdakota.nd.gov or our website www.northdakotawinery.com has many of the top unique and fun items from our North Dakota friends. Know of any other good products? Let us know!!

Fargo Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcase

Wow is all I can say. The Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcase in Fargo was unbelieveable. We had so many people come up to us and enjoy our wine. It seemed like Rhubarb, Bumble Bee Red, and Chokecherry were our top 3 wines. This was by far our biggest show. Bismarck usually is the largest of the 4 showcases. I am looking forward to it next weekend. We'll have 4 people working in our booth.

As I finish typing this, I am enjoying the smell of fermentation. Pear wine is something everyone is looking forward to. Words can't describe the wonderful aroma. Something you have to experience yourself.

Minot Pride of Dakota Showcase

Our family had a great time in Minot. My wife and I worked our booth at the Minot Showcase while our babysitter took care of our two girls (lots of swimming I would imagine). This was by far the busiest shows in Minot since we started in 2003. We had such a great day on Saturday, I had to drive to Bismarck to meet up with a couple of friends that met us with a van load of wine for Sunday. If Minot is any indication, I would imagine the Fargo and Bismarck show will be great as well! We have really noticed a lot of people promoting local products, whether it would be wine, crafts, sweets, or that famous soup that I can't stop eating. Remember, there is a coupon on our website for the Fargo and Bismarck showcase. You can print it out and bring a friend for free. We have heard a lot of our customers that have taken advantage of it. They are also commenting on the great reusable bags they are getting at the showcases. If you come to the show, make sure to thank the Pride of Dakota staff for the great job they are doing. It seems like when there is a problem they are always in the line of fire, but when things go great, they are usually overlooked.

Our topseller for the weekend: Rhubarb wine by a mile with Chokecherry and Bumble Bee Red tying for 2nd place. What will Fargo and Bismarck be like?

Grand Forks Pride of Dakota Showcase

It is that time of year again for our Holiday Showcases that we participate in. The North Dakota Agriculture Department has a terrific program called Pride of Dakota, which features products produced here in North Dakota. In November and December, there are 4 holiday showcases: Grand Forks, Minot, Fargo, and Bismarck. This weekend, we had a booth at the Grand Forks Holiday Showcase. Since our winery is only about an hour away from Grand Forks, we have many, many customers there. They stop by and sample our new wines and inform us how they enjoy going to their local retailer or visiting the winery. One thing we noticed this year was that a lot of comments were made regarding wanting to ship our Bumble Bee Red or our Prairie Strawberry to their relatives in California or other states. Our holiday website ordering has also picked up dramatically in the past couple of weeks. My wife also just redesigned our front page....I guess it is my turn to work on the other pages.