By: Rick Pedersen – The rise of small-batch distilleries has pumped new life into the small towns they have set up their operations in. Such is the case of Harmony Spirits located in Harmony, MN, where they have sourced local grains that are artfully distilled with care by Larry, Andy,Continue Reading
What is your best childhood memory here in the Driftless.I remember going to Whitewater State Park while in daycare. All of us daycare kids would go on a hike followed by a swim. We’d always have a picnic lunch. Just thinking of those days makes me smile. I can justContinue Reading
First, a little history … Katie Lange is Farm Operator and manages all aspects of the farm. Katie will be taking over as Owner as Jim and Joyce retire. She is learning numerous aspects of the farm from pest control to customer service. Katie was born and raised in WinonaContinue Reading
Tough Mudder Chicago – 2019The Driftless Area Magazine participated as both participants and press in this awesome event! WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE THE RUSH OF ENERGY, JOY, AND PURE EMOTIONS THAT THE TOUGH MUDDER CHICAGO HAS PLANTED INTO OUR HEARTS AND SOULS! A special thanks goes out to Kyle and allContinue Reading
What made you choose this type of business?When my late wife, Adrianne, passed in 2006, Havencrest Castle became dark and quiet. She had always given wonderful events for our anniversaries, birthdays, and Christmas. I don’t have her talent for such things, but when friends encouraged me to open my homeContinue Reading
By Nolan Arentz – Kombucha … Maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe you haven’t. Technically speaking, this simple tasty drink consists of tea, fermentable sugar, a colony of bacteria and yeast working together, and whatever kind of natural flavors one so desires. For ex-Engineer Jake Haneman, and now owner of BootleggerContinue Reading
So, what’s your story? Where were you born? How long have you been here in the Driftless, What keeps you here? Bree and Eric (The B and E of B&E’s Trees) were both born in the Driftless. Although Eric left for college and then a job, the long-term goal, fromContinue Reading
By Keewaydin Farms – If you would have told me I would become a farmer when I was younger (or even live in the country for that matter), I would have laughed in your face. My father can confirm this. Born in Driftless dairy country, I couldn’t wait to driftContinue Reading
Driftless Music Gardens, was created in the fall of 2015. It was created out of the concept of turning a hobby into a possible passionate career.Continue Reading
Sean Brown – Impact CoffeeA Driftless Interview What is your best childhood memory?Canoeing the Upper Iowa or taking the pontoon out on the Mississippi If you had a chance for a “do-over” in life, what would you do differently? That’s tough. I would probably pick a different college besidesContinue Reading
Toppling Goliath Talking with Sarah Hedlund – Marketing Director of Toppling Goliath So, what’s your story? How long have you been here in the Driftless, Were you born in the Driftless, What keeps you here in the Driftless? I grew up in southeast Iowa, went to the Minneapolis College ofContinue Reading
By Matt Schumann – Let’s widen the focus way back before we zoom in on Emma Big Bear. Trying to describe the life of a centuries old Ho-Chunk woman, through a web essay – to generations B, X, Y and Z – is perhaps an exercise in folly. We inContinue Reading
Carl’s earliest memory of being in a canoe was on the Sugar River, near Brodhead Wisconsin sitting on the bottom of his family’s first canoe, just a little in front of his Dad, who was paddling stern. his brother was in front of the center thwart and Mom was paddlingContinue Reading
By Rick Pedersen – Growing up as a kid, I always thought I was invincible and never gave thought to the possibility of contributing to my own demise. As an adult, I think back to past deeds and have second thoughts about invincibility. I consider myself a spiritual person, andContinue Reading
By Nolan Arentz – Sculpting the Next Generation of Driftless Music Nope, not the place where you go to get an oil change or where a guy disappears for hours at a time. This Garage is a little bit rowdier and for a crowd where most of the attendees aren’tContinue Reading
By Rick Pedersen – “Ahoy me hearties” and gather round while I spin the tail of Skeleton Crew Brew. It’s a hideaway containing the most excellent ale, a buccaneer can get his hands on, along with as many fine wines a lad or lass dares to ever dream of drinking.Continue Reading
So, what’s your story? What keeps you here in the Driftless?I am from a small town called Walker, IA. My first real experience of the Driftless Area was when I went to Luther College for my undergraduate degree. Since graduating in 2008, I’ve been scheming ways to return. I nowContinue Reading
I was 31 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. “You are young and healthy; you’ll handle the treatments well” the doctors said. But you just said I had breast cancer I would think to myself, how could I also be ‘healthy.’ It was hard to believe, meContinue Reading
Stories from the Driftless By Mike Byrne – In the late spring of 1976, after graduation from college, I moved from my small town apartment to rural Wisconsin. College seemed like only a dream a few weeks later. I settled on a piece of mother earth and tamed an acreContinue Reading