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Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

A fishing boat on the waters of Pool 9 near Ferryville. More than 100 species of fish live in the upper Mississippi River.

A quiet goodbye to summer

Chris Hardie October 6, 2025

The towering bluffs were shrouded with fog and ribbons of lightning flicked across the dark sky as I said goodbye to the waning hours of the summer. It was the morning of Sept. 22 and I was heading...

Examples of stalagmites in the cave.

A fascination with underground life

Chris Hardie September 29, 2025

I’ve had a fascination with caves as far back as I can remember. My first recollection was when I was maybe 4 years old living near Milwaukee. Dad said we were going to meet some friends in the cavern....

The Thrune Center at Norskedalen includes historical displays and exhibits explaining the Norwegian immigrants who came to the region.

A visit to Norway close to home

Chris Hardie September 15, 2025

Be it for the good or the bad, we are from whom we descend. While our ancestors don’t define us, we wouldn’t be here without them. My descendants and their lives were on my mind recently when my...

Chris Hardie uses a walk-behind mower to tackle several acres of lawn.

Confused about Labor Day

Chris Hardie, Contributor September 7, 2025

Labor Day has come and gone, marking what many celebrate as the last blast of summer. Technically Labor Day is a holiday to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers and not...

Just not measuring up

Just not measuring up

Chris Hardie, Contributor September 1, 2025

A wise man once said “measure twice, cut once.” So let me tell you a tale about the fool who measured two times but then forgot the number. In fact, I can tell it from a first-person perspective. Recently...

Back Home by Chris Hardie

Memories of back to school

Chris Hardie, Contributor September 8, 2024

School is back in session, a sure sign that another summer season has flown by. This year all four of my grandsons will be in school, with the oldest in eighth grade and the youngest starting kindergarten. Seems...

: Chris Hardie used to camp by Beaver Creek the night before the opening day of trout fishing.

Driftless Area hooks anglers

Chris Hardie, Journalist April 28, 2024

“Time to catch some fish,” Grandpa whispered.   I jumped out of bed in my grandparent’s home in downtown Franklin in Jackson County. Downtown meaning it was at the corner of Highway N...

he field is now green and growing with the winter rye.

Cover crop springs to life

Chris Hardie, Journalist April 21, 2024

The lifebl ood of any farmer is the soil that provides their livelihood, so taking care of it has to be a top priority.   That care involves more than simply adding fertilizer and chemicals...

Spring captured in a flower

Spring captured in a flower

Chris Hardie, Journalist April 7, 2024

One certainty that I have learned over my long years is that nature moves at her own pace. Yes, we’ve done our worst to mess with the climate and destroy ozone, but nature slowly responds to the changes....

Back Home by Chris Hardie

The world of shrinkflation

Chris Hardie, WNA October 29, 2023

Let’s set the record straight – I am not an economist – which the Bureau of Labor Statistics defines as “an expert who studies the relationship between a society’s resources and its production...

Back Home by Chris Hardie

Building his own bridge

Chris Hardie October 15, 2023

Back Home by Chris Hardie Download this column as a Word document Download the photos that accompany this story Chris Hardie’s headshot   Last week I wrote about the remaining...

This gray tree frog recently emerged from hibernation on Chris Hardie’s farm.

A surprise spring lesson

Chris Hardie, Contributor April 30, 2023

I’m putting the blame squarely on Mother Nature’s shoulders, but it’s happening again this year, despite my best efforts to prevent it. This gray tree frog recently emerged from hibernation on...

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Founded 1901
Chris Hardie