Rebecca Wangen Kahn of Plainview, Minn., stands next to her brand new kayak she won in a recent contest. On June 30, 2019, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the second prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was a brand new kayak. As the magazine celebrates 34 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they will … [Read more...]
WWI Memorial renovation celebrated
Pictured above are Fillmore County Veterans marching across the bridge from the Preston Trailhead to the WWI Entrance at the fairgrounds. A few hundred people were in attendance on Tuesday night, July 16, 2019, for a historical event commemorating the celebration held 100 years ago on August 26, 1919, that welcomed home the soldiers from WWI. A bonus this time was a flyover of … [Read more...]
Camping skills and Girl Scout sisters make for excellent memories
LANESBORO, MN – Girl Scouts from Troop 47985 of Lanesboro were among the many thousands of Girl Scouts across the United States to find adventure in their local state park during the Girl Scouts Love State Parks Weekend July 13-14. Continuing a 107-year tradition of outdoor exploration and leadership, Girl Scouts Love State Parks is a national movement aiming to get all Girl … [Read more...]
Fountain to host party of the century and a half
The residents of the small town of Fountain, Minn., are preparing for a big party as the sesquicentennial celebration will take place July 26-28, 2019. “Fountain’s early history is very limited due to a fire that swept through the town in 1872,” states Fountain resident and history buff Paul Little. He says there is a lack of credible sources for history, explaining, … [Read more...]
Harmony Sings (and quite well!)
As a part of Harmony’s weeklong 4th of July celebration, the third annual Harmony Sings event was held on Sunday, June 30 at the Old Legion Hall in Harmony, with approximately 70 people on hand. The event is organized by the Harmony Chamber of Commerce, and is affiliated with a statewide competition known as Minnesota Sings. One of those on hand was Chuck Spavin, representing … [Read more...]
Relay for Life to be held in Lanesboro
It’s time to tie up your shoelaces and travel to Lanesboro for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Fillmore County fundraiser to be held on Friday, July 12, 2019. Relay for Life activities will be taking place in Sylvan Park and in the Lanesboro Community Hall throughout the day and late into the night. With this year’s Relay for Life theme being “There’s no … [Read more...]
Minnesota Groundwater Protection Rule regulations begin in 2020 Rule limits use of nitrogen fertilizer in areas with vulnerable soils
St. Paul, MINN. – The state’s new Groundwater Protection Rule (GPR) became effective June 24, 2019. The GPR will reduce the risk of nitrate from fertilizer impacting groundwater in areas of the state where soils are prone to leaching and where drinking water supplies are threatened. Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants in Minnesota’s groundwater; elevated nitrate … [Read more...]
AmeriCorps crews improve trout streams, gain work experience via Root River SWCD
BLACK HAMMER TOWNSHIP — A trout stream bank stabilization project that started as an experiment on a Root River tributary has become a tested conservation practice in Houston County’s bluff country. This summer, for the sixth consecutive season, a Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa crew will harvest invasive cedar trees from nearby bluffs, and then anchor them to … [Read more...]
You’re invited to a (big) Lanesboro party!
By Steve Harris When the popular American humorist Dave Barry turned 50 he listed 25 things he learned in his first five decades. Number 10? “There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.” Well, I don’t agree with Dave Barry. Most people don’t. Especially the good people of Lanesboro, Minn., who … [Read more...]
Chatfield pool opening celebrated
The new Chatfield swimming pool opened on June 7. On an unusually cool June 13 evening, Mayor Russ Smith stood before the new pool for a special dedication to celebrate the culmination of months and months of planning. He credited the Pool Committee (Julie Henry, Alesha Worden, Kari Fredricks, Greg LaPlante, Ed Harris, Kari Njos, Shari Harmann, Michelle Thompson, and Melissa … [Read more...]
Chatfield Brass Band celebrates 50 years of making music
It’s been 50 years since Jim Perkins started the Chatfield Brass Band with just 16 members. At the time, it was an all male brass band, but has since transitioned to a concert band that currently includes men and women of all ages. To celebrate the milestone, the Chatfield Brass Band will hold a special Anniversary Celebration Concert on June 29 at 2 p.m. in the Potter … [Read more...]
Arbor Day Foundation names Lanesboro Tree City USA
Lanesboro, Minn., was named a 2018 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. Lanesboro achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and … [Read more...]
ALS Golf Tournament one of longest running ALS events in Minnesota
When Lindsay Eide married her husband Chad, she knew she was marrying into a family that loved to golf. Since she also enjoyed golfing, it was a perfect fit. In 2010, Eide had an idea to turn the Eide family’s passion for golfing into a fundraiser for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative … [Read more...]
First winner of the summer!
Nikki van den Heever of Cresco, Iowa, stands next to her brand new kayak she won in a recent contest. On May 31, 2019, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the first prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was a brand new kayak. As the magazine celebrates 34 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they will be … [Read more...]
The Plant Lady
Jessi Jablonski Spring has finally arrived! April showers brought May flowers, along with some flooding. The intermittent stream in the back corner of my property has been bubbling along every time I walk by it. The natural landscape of this area is so interesting; gorgeous exposed bluffs telling their stories through erosion, rolling hills with both meadows and woodlands, … [Read more...]