Spring has sprung, and everything’s coming up green – from the newly planted vines at the cranberry marshes to the renewable energy that could be powering your home.

Did you know that Wisconsin farmers are growing an amazing crop that has the ability to both feed and fuel the world? It might sound kind of “corny” – but it’s true! Plus, there’s this tiny fruit being grown right here in the Badger state, and it’s packed full of not only health benefits, but history as well. Finally, it’s a field day – every day – for kids at one northwoods school.

Better grab your energy bars, extra water, sunblock and adventure gear if you hope to keep up with our ITO kids as they embark on one of the biggest adventures of their lives in The Amazing Eco-Trek Race. Josh, Caroline, Emma, and Jacob begin a gauntlet of physical and mental tests where they are scored on how they face challenges in four environments across Wisconsin. From paddling, to caving, to archery, and biking, they discover new things about their physical limitations while learning many of nature’s secrets in some wild places. Their amazing race offers some unexpected twists and turns as fear, doubt, and fatigue creep into the competition. See who makes it to the finish line and what they learned along their remarkable journey.

Lace up your hiking boots as our adventure team explores the mysteries both big and small along Wisconsin’s scenic Ice Age Trail. From east to west, they hike with experts on different sections of this 1000-mile trail to discover glacial mysteries such as drumlins, moraines, eskers, kames, potholes and kettles. They also find some surprises along the way that hiss and croak, while uncovering some truly weird science about what glaciers did to the land some 13,000 years ago. And of course they also reveal interesting history from prehistoric to present and how it impacts everyone who lives in the badger state and treks…Into the Outdoors!

Hang on as our adventure team zip lines their way through the trees and science of understanding forest management and related ecosystems. They explore from high canopies all the way to the leaf litter to uncover the lifecycle or Wisconsin’s recyclable forests. Along the way, they team up with experts who manage, harvest and produce the various forest products that we use every day. But beware of venturing into strange places… like the weird world without forest products, as we head …Into the Outdoors!

Join our adventure team as they explore the science and technology of today's dairy farming. Spanning the history of old-time milking to the hi-tech present, the ITO hosts discover how the dairy industry has changed dramatically in the past 100 years from raising cows to milking them. So come on, it's time to milk the science out of this topic and head Into the Outdoors!

Join our adventure team as they wade into the murky science of understanding our wetlands workings and ecosystems. They paddle, splash, and probe their way across various wetlands to discover the water cycles, ecology, and human influences that impact Wisconsin wetlands. So come on, it's time to roll up your pant legs and leap-frog into your knowledge of these wet and wild places as we head...Into the Outdoors!

Did you know that Wisconsin farmers are growing an amazing crop that has the ability to both feed and fuel the world? It might sound kind of “corny” – but it’s true! Plus, those kernels are grown right here in the Badger state, and they’re packed full not of only health benefits, but fuel as well. You’ll see how corn is doing big things! So come on, it’s time to head …Into the Outdoors!

Join our adventure team as they dive into the science and real life farming practices of Wisconsin’s beef industry. From nutrition to cooking, they explore fun and useful information that will help make you beef savvy in the store, on the grill, or at the farm. So come on, it’s time to beef up your knowledge and head....INTO THE OUTDOORS!

So what’s the big news with such a little bean? That’s exactly what the team explores as they unravel the history and mystery of this little legume. In revealing the historic roots of the soybean, the ITO kids uncover the secret within the plant’s roots of converting atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen in the soil – which naturally fertilizes the plants. They also explore how this nitrogen link benefits all kinds of creatures in our food chain – including humans. But perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of this little bean is how it’s used in all kinds of industries – from food production to making bio-fuels and plastics.

It’s another wild winter in Wisconsin, and it’s “berry, berry” cold outside! Find out why chilly weather is actually good for cranberry production! Plus, have you ever had a conversation with a bird or held a chinchilla? We’ll take you to a place where you can do just that! Then, our show is going to the birds – but in a way that our feathered friends will love! Finally, we’ll get up close and personal with the prickly prince of the wilderness!

Did you know that our great state of Wisconsin is being invaded by one of the most serious environmental threats we’ve ever seen? Exotic plants and animals are trying to take over our forests, our waterways, and even our backyards, but we’re fighting back, and you can help.

On this episode, we’re taking a ride through Wisconsin’s waterways. During our journey, we’ll encounter some things that just don’t belong. Sea lamprey, anyone? How about Eurasian water-milfoil and purple loosestrife… what is all this?

We’re taking some big steps toward saving energy on this episode of Into the Outdoors. First, find out how the choices you make everyday affect the environment. Next, help us analyze the energy efficiency of compact fluorescent light bulbs. Then, we’ll put our personal habits under the microscope. Finally, we’ll meet some kids that are taking their lesson in energy conservation – outside the classroom.

Get ready for another power-packed episode of Into the Outdoors! First, we’ll check out a couple of cars that can run on empty. Watch out – they just might be the wave of the future! Next, coal isn’t just for making electricity anymore. Find out how it was used to build some of your favorite sports venues – like Lambeau Field and Miller Park. Then, come along as we tour a power plant with a unique attachment to Wisconsin’s forestlands. Finally, picture a bird’s nest that’s big enough for a grown man to stand in. Now imagine moving that nest to another location, while keeping it fully intact.

For some people, green isn’t just a color – it’s a way of life. It’s all about making choices that are good for the environment. First, we’ll find out how electricity gets to your home. Did you know it always takes the same path, even when the electricity is made the “green” way? And, when it comes to “green living,” recycling is probably the first thing you think of. We’ll take a look at how the recycling process works by following a newspaper from your home, to the recycling center, and back to your home as a whole new product. Plus, some kids are already living the green way. We’ll check out a competition that puts their “solar skills” to the test. Finally, we’ll meet a family who lives in a “green” home.

It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it! And in this episode, our Adventure Team is sniffing out the truth about garbage and cow manure. Would you believe both can be used to make electricity?

Wisconsin is full of natural resources, especially trees. In this episode, we’ll learn how to use some of the neat gadgets some of the people in the forestry industry use every day. Then, get out your shovels – we’ll give you some tips for planting trees. Plus, we’ll take a tour of a paper mill (where we’ll also do some exciting experiments)! Besides trees, Wisconsin has a lot of corn, too. And that corn has a lot of uses – in fact, some people are using the sugar that comes from corn to make electricity! Hard to believe? It’s really happening.

More and more people are looking for alternative ways to power their homes and businesses, using energy sources that are less harmful to the environment than traditional sources like coal or natural gas. Many of those people are giving renewable energy a try. Renewable energy comes from sources that will always be around, like the sun, the earth, the wind, and water.

Do you like spending time outdoors… and in the woods? Well, then this episode of Into the Outdoors is for you. We get to learn all about the men and women who work in our forests and with our trees. We start with a forester who plans where to build logging roads and how to protect our beautiful lakes, streams and rivers. Then we get to ride on a harvester which is a machine everyone should see, it’s awesome! We also jump inside a log hauler and find out all about how they get those big heavy logs on the trucks. Finally, and you won’t believe this, we meet a chemist who shows us how the sugar in wood is used to make things like toothpaste and chewing gum… Not