TAKE THE SURVEY HERE

By taking this survey, you will help us:

•  Identify popular outdoor activities and destinations
•  Understand the barriers and challenges that limit outdoor recreation access
•  Discover opportunities for improving outdoor recreation facilities and programs
•  Ensure that our outdoor spaces meet the diverse needs of our community

Agricultural enterprise areas, or AEAs, are community led efforts establishing designated areas important to Wisconsin’s agricultural future. More specifically, an AEA is an area of productive agriculture that has received designation from the state at the request of landowners and local governments. As a part of the state’s Farmland Preservation Program, AEAs strive to support local farmland protection goals.

Local communities can voluntarily pursue designation of an AEA by submitting a petition to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Through this designation, the community can encourage continued agricultural production and investment in the agricultural economy. Landowners within designated AE?As are eligible to enter into voluntary farmland preservation agreements?.

?The 2025 Agricultural Enterprise Area petition cycle is currently open. Petitions will be accepted until August 1, 2025...

Nordic Creamery offers small-batch, hand-made artisan dairy products...

WESTBY – A century-old family farmstead in West Central Wisconsin is home to Nordic Creamery, which has supplied artisan cheese and butter across the country for nearly two decades.

Al Bekkum – who founded and owns Nordic Creamery with his wife Sarah – said the facility currently sits on the land Sarah’s ancestors settled on when they immigrated to the dairy state in 1917.

“Her great, great grandfather came over from Norway and settled there,” he said. “The farm has been in our family for more than 100 years now.”

Eventually coming into ownership of her familial land, Al said he and Sarah decided to make it their own – and thus began Nordic Creamery.

Generational goals

Al said he’s been making cheese and butter for 30 years, while Sarah previously worked in the healthcare field...

COON VALLEY, Wis. – A vibrant new barn quilt is now proudly displayed in downtown Coon Valley, marking the first milestone in what is planned to be a bright new addition to many buildings in Vernon County. Hand painted by local resident, Debra Cuvar, the quilt is the first of what will eventually form the Vernon County Barn Quilt Trail, an initiative inspired by Debra’s love of barn quilts and her vision to see the beautiful and meaningful works of art displayed on barns, buildings, and businesses throughout Vernon County.

“I would love for The Vernon County Barn Quilt Trail to be an addition to other successful barn quilt projects across the nation,” said Cuvar. “I had the vision and then started my research. I looked up a map of Wisconsin to see who currently has a barn quilt trail in Wisconsin and noticed that Vernon County does not have one. I contacted other locations that have barn quilt trails, and they were more than happy to share their experiences. I have spoken to some of the nicest people who share an interest in barn quilts and am thankful for their input and help.”...

Hickory Hills Farm will soon enter its 47th year in business

January 25th, 2025
SPARTA AMERICAN LEGION
5 PM

TREMPEALEAU – Artsy couple Kyle and Caryn Breunig said most journeys in life are not linear – and for them, “that’s the best part.”

“I believe the curly-que’s of life’s path are really where the best stuff is,” Caryn said.

Those “curly-ques,” as she describes them, led her to husband, Kyle, to their family of furry babies and their now shared creative passion – Fat Duck Designs.

Hatching ideas

Though Fat Duck Designs started only about two years ago, Caryn said she and Kyle have always been creative souls...

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- A new shuttle service to the airport in Minneapolis from La Crosse has been announced.

Sun Country Airlines and The Landline Company will provide a motorcoach service starting on April 1 in partnership with the La Crosse Regional Airport. The coach runs to and from MSP for those who book through Sun Country Airlines.

DE SOTO, Wis. – Jerry Boardman doesn’t remember exactly when he started collecting acorns in the fall.

But the thousands upon thousands of them he gathers to share with people working to improve habitat along the Mississippi River makes the 81-year-old resident of De Soto, Wisconsin, a small village between La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, a pretty big deal.

“It’s like a myth or a legend,” Andy Meier, a forester for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who receives a portion of Boardman’s bounty, said of the integral role it plays in his work. “It just has always been that way.”...

RIVER FALLS — Lily Thai Restaurant, a restaurant serving authentic Thai food, opened its doors in River Falls in early December, looking to diversify the food options in the city.

The business’ owner, Li Ta, also owns Bimi Thai Restaurant in Hastings. Many customers were willing to make the trip from all over to enjoy the food, and that helped encourage a location in River Falls.

“I got a lot of customers from Red Wing and River Falls,” Ta said. “There’s no Thai food at all [in River Falls], two Chinese places and a bunch of bars.”...

The Wisconsin Bike Fed is proud to announce that registration is now open for the 10th Ride Across Wisconsin (RAW) on July 12, 2025.

The Bike Fed’s largest fundraiser of the year will kick off and conclude at Phoenix Park in downtown Eau Claire, WI.

Welcoming riders from Wisconsin, the United States, and internationally, RAW features a well-marked course, offering two route options: 180 miles or 100 miles, full-service ride support provided by Wheel & Sprocket and Compass Bike Lab, plus rest stops to refuel along the route.

ETTRICK, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – A new program in the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District is helping students solve real-world problems. Director of Instruction Sam Ruud says the STEAM Program helps students learn and prepare for the future in a lot of ways, “Each grade level comes in, and has the opportunity to partake in activities that involve science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. We give them challenges, and we give them the opportunity to problem solve.”

A big part of the program involves robots! Ettrick Elementary principal, Melanie Bawek, explains, “Putting them in front of these robots allows us to introduce technology and coding, while also building a lot of resilience in those problem-solving areas that they’re going to need.”...

Working together to make the Mississippi River Region a great place to live and work.

Buffalo County, WI

...

Crawford County Wisconsin

...

Jackson County, WI 

...

Home (lacrossecounty.org)

...

Monroe County, WI | Home

...

Pepin County, WI

...

Pierce County, WI

...

Trempealeau County

...

Vernon County, WI