BYRON — Picking pumpkins, making straw men and hanging up seasonal decorations have always been Gwenda Tiegen’s favorite parts of fall. Now, she is sharing that passion with visitors who return …

FOUNTAIN — During the third weekend of September, many southern and southeastern counties got hit with heavy rain and flash flooding, with some areas receiving around 6-9 inches of rain. For farmer …

ADAMS — Matt, Pat and Pete Thome work together as brothers at the helm of Thome Family Farms, a family-owned hog operation that stretches across rural Mower County and neighboring Iowa and …

RED WING — Ten years ago, Kirk Stensrud and his wife, Wendy, were restless. The couple — whose children had moved out and left them empty nesters — lived and worked in the Twin Cities. Yet, …

RUSHFORD — Paul Bartsh has led a life revolving around agriculture. Working with cattle is what he knows best thanks to the environment he was raised in. To this day, Bartsh remains an advocate for …

DEXTER — Rooted in faith, grown by hand and shared with community — this is how Christian and Abby Padilla sum up the homestead they have worked hard to create. Four years ago, the couple decided …

As some of you may not know, I also do sales for our publications in addition to reporting. When I’m out on my sales route, I often hear individuals say, “People don’t read newspapers …

PLAINVIEW — For most of Eric Hanlon’s life, he has been surrounded by grape vines and bottles of wine. His passion for winemaking began as a teen and has grown over time, evolving into Whitewater …

FALCON HEIGHTS — The new Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Jena Hanson, may not have grown up on a dairy farm, but that’s exactly the point. Hanson’s path into the dairy industry may be …

LAKE CITY — Firefighters walk into many different situations and need to know how to quickly assess the situation and get to work with life-saving actions. The Lake City Fire Department, in …

SPRING GROVE — With 131 years of legacy behind it, Spring Grove Soda Pop is continuing to serve up fizzy bottles of old-fashioned soda across the upper Midwest. The current owners, Bob and Dawn …

HAYFIELD — In modern times, it is special to have a farm family that stays close to the homestead with each generation. The Kramer family is one of these, with their fifth generation living and …