Community Voices

A close-up of an old arched window framed in peeling white paint above a weathered wooden door. Bare tree branches partly obscure the view, and sunlight highlights the cracked glass and faded blue-gray siding.

Essay | Haunted by Time: Southeastern Minnesota’s Forgotten Schoolhouses and Farmsteads

John Weiss explores Fillmore County’s time-haunted schoolhouses and farmsteads where fading paint and sagging walls still teach lessons.

A glowing autumn sunset fills the sky with brilliant shades of orange and red above a wooded bluff. Below, a black steel railroad bridge spans a calm river that reflects the sunset colors. The trees along the water’s edge are beginning to show fall hues of gold and brown, creating a tranquil, scenic view.

Autumn Life in the Driftless

Root River Current photographers capture autumn activities in the Driftless.

A clay pot with the word "mosquito" and a circle with slash through it handdrawn on the pot. A light blue watering can spout is in the right half of the photo.

Essay | Look Up in the Sky! It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No . . . It’s a Mosquito!”

Steve Harris laments the recent hordes of unusual visitors we’re all battling in many parts of the Driftless.

two kids playing in muddy water

Essay | Creative Skills and Kids

Essayist Renee Bergstrom’s formula for a “lifetime of joy” includes being creative – and it begins in our youth.

The garden in full bloom, ready for pollinators. (Photo by Loni Kemp)

Essay | Less-Work Gardening

Loni Kemp shares her tips and tricks to growing, maintaining, and, most importantly, enjoying your garden.

An illustration of two large horses pulling farm equipment through a brown field with a dark gray and yellow cloudy sky behind them.

Essay | A Teacher, a Rooster and an Outhouse

An essay from the book “A Teacher, A Rooster and an Outhouse” tells the story of young boy shenanigans while entertaining their teacher.

A book cover with a closeup image of wood planks showing the grain. One end grain looks like a five-petaled flower. The words on the cover are in a grainy type of red and white and say "A Good Sauna Always Burns Down".

Poetry | Finnish-American Heritage Reflected in New Collection

From back roads and wasp nests to shamans and lutefisk, regional poet Jim Johnson shares excerpts from his latest collection.

man looking at gathered people in community setting

Root River Diary | An Extraordinary Kindness

Just how special can a delivery person be? Steve Harris and Diane Knight share observations from a community sendoff to UPS driver Josh Merchlewitz.

A dark brown snapping turtle lays on the lower bottom half of a skateboard. His tail is on the asphalt and the front end of the skateboard is pointing up.

Root River Diary | How Did the Turtle Cross the Road?

Joyce Roffler finds a unique way to help a snapping turtle across the road.

sunsetting photo

Bluffland Sunsets, Moonrise

Root River Current photographers capture twilight scenes in this series of “sunset, moonrise” photos.

puppy sitting in yard

Settling in for Another Season

Root River Current photographers capture critters welcoming another season.

A robin stands in a pile of brush on the edge of a stream.

Essay | Celebrating Blossoming Ephemerals, the Return of Birdsong and Earth Day

An excerpt on Spring from Nancy Overcott’s book ‘At Home in the Big Woods.’

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