Aryn Henning Nichols

As we wrap up winter, let’s embrace the new season upon us with a refreshed weekend itinerary. Join the area’s artists, farmers, and fest-goers for fun-filled events, both indoors and out. From its beautifully blooming flora to its lively city streets, the Driftless is ready for exploration! Here are eight cool activities to fling yourself into this spring. 

1. Pick pretty flowers

Spring means flowers and the Hidden Springs Peony Farm in Spring Grove, Minnesota has flowers aplenty! Pick your own peonies for a bouquet or plan a picnic among them.

A Picnic at Hidden Springs Peony Farm!

Details: Charcuterie boxes from Hunt + Gather Grazing (no outside food permitted). You may choose one non-alcoholic drink option. If you choose, you may (responsibly) bring your own alcoholic beverage of choice. Picnic blankets supplied or bring your own. Closed-toed shoes are recommended. Service animals are welcome but please leave pets at home. 

Peonies aren’t the only plants on the farm, you can also make your own succulent planters, an activity that’s available year-round. 
hiddenspringspeonyfarm.com

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2. Sample maple syrup

Spring also means that maple syrup season is upon us. Head to B&E’s Trees, a farm in Cashton, Wisconsin where Embark Maple Syrup is made. An extra cool way to experience the farm is via the Ramp Romp, a biking adventure through the property. You’ll get to forage, eat, and even camp, if you’d like. bandestrees.com | embarkmaple.com/farm-events

Green’s Sugar Bush in Castalia, Iowa, is also in the business of maple syrup. Every spring they host a pancake breakfast where you can sample the delicious syrup they’ve been perfecting since 1851. Check Greens’ Sugar Bush Facebook for dates and details, and read more about the Greens’ long history of syrup-making in this issue’s Sum of Your Business interview. 

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3. Explore a state park

For example, Wyalusing State Park near Bagley, Wisconsin, is a great spot to get out into the fresh spring air. One of Wisconsin’s oldest and most well-loved state parks, you’ll find no shortage of fun, including two mountain bike trails, a six-mile canoe trail through the Mississippi River backwaters, a fishing pier, and 14 miles of hiking trails featuring caves, waterfalls, and amazing bluff views. 

Come back in late spring or early summer for an astronomy program at the Huser Astronomy Center, which features several high-powered telescopes in an ideal location for observing the night sky. Check your state’s DNR website for listings of State Parks near you (IA, MN, WI).

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4. Shop the farmers markets

Even before the snow melts, you can get your farmers market fix at the Justin Trails Makers Market in Sparta, Wisconsin. This indoor market takes place on Saturdays through March. Sample homemade goods, buy cool decor, and even enjoy breakfast on site at The Lodge. justintrails.com

And in communities across the Driftless, early May marks the month when you can grab your reusable bags and make your way to your local farmers market, where you’ll find an abundance of agricultural goodies grown and produced by your neighbors and friends. Check with your local chamber for farmers market dates and details. 

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5. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Put on your green attire and head to Waukon, Iowa, for one of the liveliest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the Driftless. Go for the parade (generally held at 1 pm on the Sunday closest to St. Patrick’s Day, which is March 17), and then stick around for the live music and dinner specials at local hangouts.  allamakeecounty.com

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6. Listen to local artists

Experience the eclectic sounds of the area by checking out Midwest Music Fest in Winona, Minnesota, held annually in May. Artists like Charlie Parr and The People Brothers Band play different locations around town for two whole days, giving attendees the opportunity to hop around and find their favorite vibes and venues.
midwestmusicfest.org

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7. Stroll through the Shrine

There’s no better time than spring to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. Nestled in the bluffs, the beautifully landscaped grounds are a great place for a stroll. Admire the flowers, sculptures, and buildings that adorn this world-renowned location. guadalupeshrine.org

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8. Get festive with Syttende Mai

The Driftless has a rich Norwegian heritage that’s celebrated each spring in the form of Syttende Mai. This festival takes place on or around May 17th in honor of the day Norway ratified its constitution in 1814. 

If you’re interested in some delicious Norwegian foods, crafts, and a hunt for trolls, head to Westby, Wisconsin to immerse yourself in the culture. syttendemaiwestby.com

Or join the proud folks of Spring Grove, Minnesota for similar festivities, including a 5K adorably dubbed “Running with my Gnomies.”
sgsyttendemai.com

In Decorah, Iowa, the Vesterheim Norwegian-American museum celebrates the holiday with free admission on the celebration day, a Children’s Parade throughout Vesterheim Heritage Park, a performance by Decorah’s Nordic Dancers, hands-on crafts, and more. vesterheim.org/events/category/annual-event/list/

Sara Walters

Writer Sara is a mom and writer living in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She has been an Inspire(d) contributor since 2018.

Allison Thomley

Illustrator Allison Thomley is a junior at Luther College studying Visual Communications and Art. Originally from Madison, WI, she loves listening to music and playing Mario Kart in her free time.

Annie Coleman never forgot the summers she spent growing up at her grandparents’ Golden Horse Ranch resort in Westfield, Wisconsin.

Situated about 60 miles north of Madison, the ranch hosted guests for a full week. Days were filled with horseback riding, archery, and boat races, with evenings saved for square dancing and campfire songs. “It was a very community- and family-oriented experience. There were fourth and fifth generation families that had been coming since the late 1940s and early 50s,” says Annie, who currently splits her time between Chicago and the Driftless. “It was a really special place.”

The closure of Golden Horse Ranch in the 90s was heartbreaking for the guests, Annie, and her family. “I always had in the back of my mind that it was something I wanted to recreate. At first, I wanted to rebuild the exact same place. But, as time goes on and you live your life, you become more developed as an adult and human… the idea shifted and changed.”

The first step in turning her dream into a reality was finding the perfect location. After years of searching Annie finally found it: 79 acres of land near Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. 

“I was living in New York City and I drove up to upstate New York. I thought, ‘If this was just in the Midwest this would be a dream!’ When I moved back to Chicago, I started searching – I would look in Michigan and Indiana. But I wasn’t looking in Wisconsin because I thought I knew Wisconsin,” Annie says. “I remembered my grandmother saying that the artists lived over in the west part of the state. So, I went over to visit western Wisconsin which, of course, is a part of the Driftless area. I immediately fell in love!”

Annie purchased the property in 2009, but it would be years before Red Clover Ranch would open for guests as a retreat center and event space. They officially started construction in 2020 and hosted their first season in 2023.

“It still took me quite a while to figure out what it was exactly I wanted to do, position myself to be able to do it, and finally, to face the fear of taking on the task,” Annie says. “I always felt compelled to create some sort of retreat center – sharing our space with other people and showing them how beautiful it is to be close to nature. That was one of the experiences that my family’s ranch provided. It’s really powerful.”

Inspiration for the name was rooted in Annie’s memories of the Golden Horse Ranch, where her grandparents, who were both blind, bonded over their creative out-of-the box thinking and the joyful freedom of horseback-riding. The beloved horses at the ranch grazed in red clover pastures and her grandparents’ initials are both RC: Robert and Ruth Coleman.

“It was a seed that was planted so long ago. When the ranch closed, I took a bunch of pictures of the red clover as a reminder,” Annie says. “I also discovered red clover is such a wonderful medicinal herb. Now that the name has been out there, people are like, ‘do you know red clover is really good for hormones? Red clover is really good for this! Red clover is really good for that!’” 

Building Red Clover Ranch

Of course, building this creative space in the Driftless would take more than just a little bit of magic. Annie laughs as she reflects on the sheer number of obstacles she encountered along the way.

 “I think a lot of people have dreams of doing something like this. And any dream that you have is challenging – especially when you’re creating something new,” Annie says. “Financing was challenging. Construction was challenging. Making all the decisions was challenging. Keeping my enthusiasm up and figuring out how to make it all happen while also working a full-time job was challenging. But, you know, things that are worth doing are really challenging!”

Her goal was to create a place that honors and protects the land, fostering a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. During construction, they had to clear some planted pine trees. A neighbor milled the trees so Red Clover could repurpose them for siding on cabins and the bathhouse that were built in that same area. And the old barn on the property was lovingly restored to become a spacious yet intimate event space for up to 75 guests, with a full-commercial kitchen, a brick oven, a bar, a screened-in porch, and two spaces for gathering.

Their cabins and bunkhouse provide lodging for up to 19 guests. The Japanese- and Scandinavian-inspired shared bathhouse features an outdoor shower and sauna, as well as a screened-in porch with a summer kitchen and lounge area – the perfect place to sip a coffee or watch a sunset.

“The Driftless Region is endlessly unique, making our valley and ridge tops one-of-a-kind. We created our buildings to be in harmony with the land, with a balanced mix of rustic and modern amenities,” Annie says. Red Clover Ranch runs operations on 97 percent electric, using very little gas, with the hope to move away from dependence on fossil fuels and convert to solar-powered energy in the future.

The Ranch Experience

Folks can come to Red Clover Ranch for a variety of holistic health, creative, and nature based Driftless experiences, like yoga retreats, biking, business, art, or writing workshops, and more. They also offer collaborative dinners with guest chefs, dance parties with live bands, company offsite events, and a few weddings, too! 

In addition to all of this, people can simply come for the “Weekend at the Ranch” cabin package, inspired by Annie’s grandparents’ week-long stay at Golden Horse Ranch. The Red Clover Ranch team provides meals and some onsite activities, a list of fun things to do in the area, or guests can simply spend their day hanging on the screened-in porch, playing games, taking naps, picnicking in the high pasture, sitting in the sauna, making a campfire, or hiking on trails.

One of the main goals of any Red Clover Ranch events is to highlight the many talented farmers, makers, and artists in the area. 

The kitchen and food program at The Ranch is run by local chef Dani Lind of Rooted Spoon Kitchen and Table. Dani is an expert in local and seasonal farm-to-table cuisine – committed to sourcing at least 75 percent of her ingredients from nearby farmers and producers.

“Dani has formed really great relationships with these farmers. It is incredible to have this connection and network, because it is so inspiring for guests when we can say, ‘almost everything on this table is local!’” Annie says. They also strive to use Wisconsin-made beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. “The fact that we have access to that level of expertise and industry in this area – it blows peoples’ minds!”

“And Dani’s food is just so memorable,” Annie continues. “She is such a treasure to the Driftless Region and to Red Clover Ranch.”

First Year Reflections and Faith in the Future 

After a year of welcoming guests to Red Clover Ranch to form unique and lasting relationships with not only one another, but also with the environment around them, Annie expresses gratitude for all the help she got along the way. And she realizes sometimes you just have to jump in and have faith.

“Faith in yourself. Faith in your belief system. Faith in making it all happen and getting to the end. It truly takes an act of faith to believe in your idea and build on it… You really have to stoke that faith – it is powerful,” says Annie. “You don’t know if anyone is going to believe in it or show up and then you have all these wonderful people not only show up, but also bring their talents, their kindness, and their support. I would not have gotten this done alone. I really would have run out of steam if I didn’t have all of these amazing friends from Wisconsin and Chicago pushing me forward – they knew how exhausted I was. I have a really deep sense of gratitude for them.”

As they move into their second season, Annie reflects on one of her favorite experiences of their first year – a memorable night featuring one of her favorite bands: “There was this moment as the music started fading out, you could hear the frogs, an owl hooted, and we started hearing the nature surrounding us. I get shivers just thinking about it again,” Annie says. “Community, creativity, and nature. I think those three things together create a certain kind of magic.”

Lynsey D. Moritz

Lynsey D. Moritz is a Decorah, Iowa native who has planted roots in rural Southwest Wisconsin. She is a graphic designer, freelance writer, and budding herbalist. Lynsey enjoys learning traditional skills, adventuring with her husband, and being a part of this inspiring Driftless community! lindenfern.com – Instagram: @LindenFern

Check out upcoming retreats and learn more about Red Clover Ranch at redcloverranch.com

Nature and community come alive in the spring. There is so much beauty in bloom, the palpable buzz of growth can create an infectious energy of abundance.

Yet, just like no two flowers bloom the same, your growth will not look like that of another. Comparison will only stall your progress. It’s important to remain centered.   

To do this, we need to settle into a place of self-awareness, identifying the unique sources of nourishment that allow us to feel most radiant. Then, we can develop a life aligned with those sources. Let this season of your life become less about blooming and more about growing.

The Danger of Comparison and Competition

Life doesn’t come with a roadmap, and it’s easy to get lost on the ever-changing path to what we call “success.” Finances, relationships, work, responsibilities – it can feel impossible to manage it all. 

From this perspective, it’s easy to feel like a failure. We look around and think everyone else has figured it out, and falsely believe they’re managing it all with ease. This is the danger of competition and comparison. 

Comparison requires that we are better or worse off than someone else. When we view others from this vantage point a natural competition emerges. We need the best job, salary, family, car, house. . . whatever it is, we need it to win. And in highlighting only our successes, we struggle to express our vulnerabilities. This mentality harms everyone involved and prevents us from truly knowing and being known by others. 

Zoom out for a moment. Tap into the humanity of it all. Look at the role every person plays. In this way, we can start to see the importance of each individual in the collective. We can view our own success within the context of our community, state, nation, and even world. Each of our contributions matter. We all make an impact, period. We are a piece of the larger whole. 

Aim for Contentment 

Discontentment thrives off the process of comparison and competition. It’s driven by a feeling of never being good enough. It tells us that to be happy we need to achieve, a belief that only leads to deeper discontent. 

Contentment does not come from success. It stems from a practice of gratitude and a feeling of having enough. When all our basic needs are met, we can find contentment in the present moment. 

It is easy to find contentment when we are living in alignment with our purpose. We do this when we strike that delicate balance between living in the present while holding a vision of our future. Our enjoyment comes from the process, not the outcome. 

Visioning a Purpose 

To escape the trap of comparison and competition we need to get clear on our purpose.

Your purpose will call to you like a beacon. Each time you get close you will feel it – in the joy it brings, the warmth it spreads, the impact it makes, or the passion it inspires within you. No one else gets to decide what that is. It might not even be the thing you are best at. Perhaps, it is something you’ve felt a yearning to cultivate. Maybe it’s something you have not even discovered yet. No matter what it is, it is impossible to miss. 

To start aligning with your purpose (even if you’re still finding exactly what that means to you) you need two things: vision and values. 

Your vision is an image of your life that inspires you. What lifestyle would allow you to feel the most secure, free, happy, or alive? It’s greater than a goal or acquisitions, and can be both aspirational and realistic, including things you have experienced and things you are working toward. Turn to this vision when you feel hopeless or uninspired. 

Your values will guide you like a compass. When you are feeling lost in life, they will provide direction. Just like your purpose, only you can decide what matters most. It could be family, love, responsibility, freedom, leadership, security, or something entirely different. You decide. 

Your values can act as an antidote to comparison and competition. When people unintentionally (or intentionally) push their values on you or you find yourself feeling the itch of competition, re-center by reminding yourself what is most important to you. Move forward, holding steady to your own values and vision of success.

Hone in on Your Habits 

When we start to get clear on what truly matters most to us in life, we need to allow other things to fall away. We all accumulate mindsets, responsibilities, and habits that distract us from our true purpose. These things can stick with us unconsciously, and if we want to make room for things that are more aligned, we need to learn to clear them away. 

Of course, we all have some responsibilities we do not enjoy. But not everything we do should feel like a chore. Find a way to derive pleasure and meaning from your responsibilities whenever possible. See the worksheet following this article for ways to align your life with your visions, values, and purpose. And remember, change takes time. Little by little we can realign mindsets, habits, and responsibilities.

Bloom in Your Own Time 

Contentment requires an acceptance that we will not always be at our peak. Instead, we might think of life like a cycle. Consider the flower. It begins buried as it germinates. This is when we start to develop our vision. Then, the seed begins to sprout. Yet, that growth remains hidden beneath the surface. Consider that much of your growth in life will remain hidden at first. However, if we are patient some (but not all) of that growth begins to surface. 

As our growth becomes visible, our roots grow stronger. You might think of your values, vision, and purpose like those strong roots. 

Just like the flower, we will bloom. We will have periods of outward growth that others will marvel at. It’s important to appreciate moments of being in full bloom while remaining connected to our deep roots (values, vision, and purpose). 

Then, there is a natural cycle of death and rebirth. We will accomplish some goals, revisit others, and cut some out completely. This is part of the process. It allows us to reflect, redirect, and begin again. Your growth is perennial. 

Accept Where You Are 

You are exactly who and where you are meant to be. You don’t need to be moving at any other pace. Your timing is exactly right. 

Believing in some pre-destined goal or milestone is just another comparison trap. No matter where you are, you have achieved many goals and learned valuable life lessons. You get to take those things with you, and they will propel you on your journey. Those things you are less proud of? You can choose to leave them in the past, but honor that they made you into the person you are today. 

We all make mistakes but that does not mean we need to live with regret. Every day is an opportunity for greater growth. Self-acceptance allows you to take what you’ve gained and leave the rest. 

If you struggle to practice self-acceptance a therapist can help. They can also help to identify unconscious mindsets, habits, or patterns that hold you back in life, and help as you explore your values, vision, and purpose. 

No matter who you are or what you have done, your time to bloom will come. There is always greater growth than what appears on the surface. Perhaps your roots are just buried deep. Nourish them. 

Olivia Lynn Schnur

Olivia Lynn Schnur is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She is also a certified yoga teacher and reiki master. Olivia’s writing is infused with her mental health and yoga training with the goal to inspire, educate, and uplift others. To learn more, or to book a yoga or reiki session, visit oliviaschnur.com.