John Torgrimson

John Torgrimson

John Torgrimson is managing editor and co-publisher of Root River Current.

Author's Archive

A family explores Cave of the Mounds, located in Dane County Wisconsin (link in article below). Cave of the Mounds takes its name from the Blue Mounds, two large hill landmarks. The main cavern began forming over a million years ago as water dissolved the limestone bedrock below the surface. (Photo courtesy of DARK Trail)

Explore the Driftless Area Via the DARK Trail

John Torgrimson looks into the DARK Trail connecting 69 dramatic landscape and discovery sites in the Driftless Area.

Furniture and home décor designer TiAnna DeGarmo is remodeling an old feed mill to accommodate more seating and a new commercial kitchen at Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro. (Photo by John Torgrimson)

In Praise of Wood

John Torgrimson profiles artist and businesswoman TiAnna DeGarmo.

If a picture can tell a thousand words, this is it! John Weiss captured the perfect picture to accompany his story about special needs fishing put on by the DNR. Pictured is Nancy Qual of Austin being assisted by Conservation Officer Annette Kyllo. (Photo by John Weiss)

Pitch a Story | Community Voices Make a Difference

Root River Current’s co-publishers write about the first six months of this eMagazine, its initial impact and contributors–and how YOU can help the team!

Delia Bell (left) and Mary Denzer in the Seven Bridges Pottery studio near Houston. (All photos courtesy of Mary Denzer)

An Artisan and the Apprentice

John Torgrimson visits Seven Bridges Pottery near Houston to meet an artisan and the apprentice.

Amish oat shocks. Amish farmers cut oats, shock them, and leave them in the field to dry. (Photo by John Torgrimson)

Late Summer Scenes

John Torgrimson and Renee Bergstrom capture some scenic sites in Fillmore County.

PHOTO 1 GIRL

Essay | The Boys and Girls of Summer

John Torgrimson writes about the national pastime.

Located in a former Presbyterian church, Mainspring serves as an event space, bringing a community of people together over art. (Submitted photo)

Mainspring, Building Community Through Art

John Torgrimson visits with Melissa Wray, the director of nonprofit Mainspring.

Contempo Physical Dance, directed by Marciano Silva dos Santos, performs in the barn at DreamAcres. (Photo by Jeff Brechlin)

DreamAcres, Where Performing Art Meets Agriculture

John Torgrimson visits DreamAcres near Wykoff where art meets agriculture.

Walker’s route through Fillmore County took him from Pleasant Grove in Olmsted County to Jordan, Fillmore Village, Carimona, Waukokee, Big Springs, Greenfield, and Eliotta, before crossing into Iowa at Burr Oak. Waukokee was a swing station and post office south of Preston and Eliotta was located on the Minnesota – Iowa border in present-day Canton Township. (Map courtesy of Fillmore County Historical Society)

Dubuque-St. Paul Territorial Road Opened Up Area to White Settlement

The Dubuque – St. Paul trail opened up the Minnesota Territory to white settlement. John Torgrimson writes about the role the stagecoach played in that development.

The Fillmore County Board recently expanded the animal unit cap for livestock from 2,000 to 4,000, sparking debate over the balance between farming and the environment. (Submitted photo)

What Happens When Feedlots Get Bigger in Karst Country?

Fillmore County changed its Feedlot Ordinance in 2023 to allow for up to 4,000 animal units despite concerns about sinkholes, porous bedrock, and water quality. John Torgrimson follows the story.

Minnesota law requires that all slow-moving vehicles display a fluorescent orange-red triangular sign. This law was challenged on religious grounds by a group of Amish men in 1988 before the Minnesota Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled that the Amish could use white bars on the back of their buggies instead of the “too worldly” triangular sign. (Photo by Renee Bergstrom)

A Slow Moving Vehicle

Henry Hershberger, a 15-year-old Amish boy, was killed on a summer night in 2021 when his buggy was rear-ended by a pickup truck near Preston. Legal proceedings carried into 2023. This is what happened.

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