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 …

SPRING VALLEY — For Jim and Janet Kappers, farming has always been more than milking cows and working the land. It has been a way of life centered on family, community and helping the next …

GOODHUE — Both hailing from family farms in Wisconsin, Bruce and LeeAnn Waugh have always had a lifelong dedication and passion for the agriculture industry. As they moved to their first farm in …

CALEDONIA — What began as a simple farm stand run by Kevin and Kristi Schuldt has evolved into Heartland Blooms-n-Berry Farm — a thriving operation dedicated to seasonal flowers, bushels of …

AUSTIN — Darrell and Joy Oudekirk began dairy farming in 1971 with 12 cows and milk cans. Today, the Oudekirk family has 4,000 acres of corn and soybeans, and the farm is operated by Darrell and …

ROCHESTER — Sixteen years after moving to the countryside, the family of Dean and Tonya Sanner of Firefly Berries is being honored as the Olmsted County Farm Family of the Year — and it is far …