Business & Work

Outdoor patio at Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, Minnesota, filled with people enjoying drinks and live music beside the brewery building, with umbrellas, flowers, and scenic bluffs in the background.

How a Small-Town Brewery Became a Regional Destination

Discover Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, a small-town craft brewery known for quality beer, community events and a welcoming “third space” atmosphere.

A low, modern brick building sits on a snow-covered slope under a bright blue sky. Large dark windows face outward, reflecting the light. Bare trees line the hillside behind the building, and a tall communications tower rises above the trees. An American flag stands on a pole near the right side of the building.

Coming Together to Keep the Branding Iron Open

When the Branding Iron Restaurant in Preston, Minn. faced closure, community members and former employees united to save the beloved small-town supper club.

Aerial view of container ships and cargo cranes at the Port of Santos in Brazil, a major global export hub handling a large share of South American soybean shipments.

How Tariffs and China’s Global Investments are Reshaping Farming

Tune in for a free virtual forum that will explore how tariffs and China’s global investments are reshaping Upper Midwest agriculture and soybean markets; in partnership with Mississippi Basin Ag & Water Desk.

Grand Meadow Artisan Creates Handmade, Permanent Leather Goods

Grand Meadow artisan Zech Sindt of Bluffland Leather Co. creates hand-stitched leather goods built to last a lifetime using traditional, sustainable methods.

Person wearing a knit hat and beige sweater stands on a snowy sidewalk in a small Minnesota downtown, with a local grocery store and historic brick buildings in the background.

Bluff Country Business Academy to Support Local Businesses

Preston and Lanesboro are partnering on the Bluff Country Business Academy, an eight-week program designed to help small businesses grow and thrive.

A slender woman in a green zip-up pullover, jeans, and teal stocking cap stands with her hands in her pockets in a snow-covered field beside a long plastic-covered high tunnel greenhouse, with rolling hills in the background on a winter day in southeastern Minnesota.

Featherstone Farm: Growing Organic Food Through Fair Labor

Discover Featherstone Farm, a Minnesota organic vegetable farm rooted in soil stewardship, fair labor and local food systems since 1994.

Wildlife rescuer wearing a brown jacket and yellow gloves carefully holds a large adult bald eagle inside a cluttered workshop, with shelves of tools, containers and equipment in the background. The eagle is looking back at the man.

Area Family Rescues Animals Year-Round

An injured juvenile bald eagle rescued near Spring Valley during a snowstorm sheds light on the work of The Rescue Connection, a family-run wildlife rescue serving southern Minnesota.

A combine harvester cuts through a field of mature soybeans while unloading grain into a tractor-pulled wagon beside it, creating a cloud of dust on a sunny day.

Regional Soybean Production: Understanding What Happens When the Top Buyer Stops Buying

An in-depth look at how halted Chinese soybean purchases, falling prices and a $12B relief fund are reshaping farming across the Midwest.

A full gymnasium filled with about 100 people seated in rows of folding chairs for a community meeting. The audience consists mostly of middle-aged and older adults, chatting and holding printed handouts. The room has basketball hoops, beige block walls, and fluorescent lights overhead.

Harmony Annexes 60 Acres for Possible Data Center

John Torgrimson and Julie Little report on community meetings surrounding a potential data center coming to Harmony.

three actors on state with deep blue curtains in background

In Rural Minnesota, this Resident Ensemble Model Thrives

Robert Hubbard takes us behind the scenes at Lanesboro’s Commonweal Theatre to reveal the secrets of its success as a professional theatre for nearly 40 years!

A classic small-town hardware store with a vintage gold-and-black sign reading “Hokah Hardware” painted across large front windows. The display window is filled with household items—glassware, pitchers, and metalware—while tables outside hold brightly colored bowls, tools, and small appliances for sale. The green storefront and wooden overhang evoke an old-fashioned Main Street charm.

Hokah Hardware Keeps Small-Town Spirit Alive

For 35 years, Carol Moore has made Hokah Hardware a Main Street gathering place alive with heart, history and hometown pride. Greg Lovell reports on the challenges this small town store faces.