
A look into the outdoors, recreation, and agriculture of the Lower Wisconsin River Valley and the larger Driftless Area.

Local teacher brings winter fun to backyard
The swishing and icy-slashing sounds you’ve been hearing over near Hoxie Street in Spring Green just might be the sound of skates gliding over the ice as the Quigley family enjoys their homemade labor of love—a backyard ice rink.

RV Agriculture educator, FFA advisor elected vice president off NAAE
Shari Graffunder, agriculture teacher at River Valley High School, in Spring Green, Wisconsin, has been elected the Region III Vice President of the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) at the 2020 NAAE Virtual Convention after her service as NAAE Region III Secretary.

An Outdoorsman’s Journal: Sturgeon Spearing/The Big Chill
Follow along each week on the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman’s Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking. He currently writes for around 60 newspapers on a weekly basis. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!
This week I made my annual trek over to Lake Winnebago (Stockbridge on the east side) to camp on the ice and try to spear a sturgeon. As always there is plenty to say so here goes.

An Outdoorsman’s Journal: Late Season Squirrel Hunt
Follow along each week on the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman’s Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking. He currently writes for around 60 newspapers on a weekly basis. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!
Early this fall I decided that I was going to do a squirrel hunting story. I have been writing this column for almost 32-years and although I was an avid squirrel hunter as a kid growing up in Columbia County, I have not hunted squirrel since the 70’s.

Catch and release tips, winter fire safety and more
Whether you are fishing an open stream or in a shanty, remember to practice responsible catch and release. It’s important to reduce the stress on a fish after it has been caught.

Gov. Evers unveils historic agriculture investment proposal
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced Feb. 5 his 2021-23 biennial budget proposal will include a more than $43 million investment in Wisconsin’s agriculture economy and farm families aimed at expanding market opportunities, supporting new and innovative farming practices, strengthening the agricultural workforce, connecting local producers to foodbanks and pantries, and supporting farmer mental health and wellbeing.

Wisconsin’s Path Forward: Agriculture, Considine follow-up on Governor’s release
MADISON – Feb. 5 Governor Evers announced his budget priorities for agriculture. Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) is the ranking member on the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

Recapping Ag Forum: The economic outlook for agriculture has improved
MADISON— Each year, I eagerly await the Agricultural Economic Outlook Forum that is hosted by the Renk Agribusiness Institute at the University of Wisconsin Madison. This forum is always a terrific way to see the data side of agriculture in Wisconsin. It also provides a view of the potential for the future of this important economy. This year, the event was entirely virtual and I appreciate the Institute’s work to provide a high-quality program.

Winter scenes from Spring Green Natural Preserve
A prairie grass-lined path showing imprinted tracks in the many inches of snow the Valley has seen recently leading up to the hills of the Spring Green Nature Preserve.

An Outdoorsman’s Journal: Home on the Ice
Follow along each week on the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman’s Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking. He currently writes for around 60 newspapers on a weekly basis. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!
This weekend all of my immediate family and much of my extended family was supposed to be having a great time celebrating our Christmas together for two nights and days of being together while fishing, eating really good food, and laughing. Covid 19 put an end to that and so Michelle Chiaro and I along with my pup Ruby went on a four day winter camping and ice fishing trip on the Mississippi River near Buffalo City.

Wisconsin’s No. 1 mink farming industry now seen as a COVID-19 risk
State officials knew little about the secretive industry until the pandemic struck; now they are scrambling to keep mink farmers and their animals safe.

‘The happiness and joy has been sucked out of me’: Wisconsin dairy farmers face mental health crisis
It was Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. David Fischer had just arrived for work at his dairy farm in Rio, Wisconsin. A slight breeze punctuated the freezing, grey morning.

An Outdoorsman’s Journal: Eleven Christmas Trees
Follow along each week on the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman’s Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking. He currently writes for around 60 newspapers on a weekly basis. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!
This week I am writing to you about an annual trip to Sawyer County, where I ice fish and generally have a blast with six friends.

Eagle-Eyed Wisconsinites Report Dozens Of New Bald Eagle Nests
MADISON, Wis. – Eagled-eyed Wisconsinites reported dozens of new bald eagle nests in 2020, while volunteers from Madison Audubon Society monitored known nests from the ground in nine counties.

Prescribed Burns Spark A Better Future For Rare Ecosystems, Q&A: How prescribed burns, FLOW help the Valley
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) completed a record number of prescribed burns within state natural areas in the fall to maintain and care for some of Wisconsin’s rarest ecosystems and a site containing significant effigy mounds.
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