Driftless Stories

As summer wanes and the goldenrods begin to flower, shortening days give rise to physiological changes in birds, too. Migratory species become restless, increase food…

Approximately 8,500 miles away from the Driftless Region sits a town called Ban Prue Yai in the Khukhan District of Thailand. It is home to…

Education naturally flows from the classes we attend and the books we read. But often, impactful life lessons also come from our favorite activities. That’s…

For me, fall feels like the most dramatic season shift of the year. From life to death. Colorful to drab. Warm to cool… all signaling…

If you’ve ever caught a sturgeon in the Mississippi River or seen a Mudpuppy salamander swim by, chances are it was born nearby at the…

One of the most beautiful things about life is that you evolve as you grow. Jamie Heiden, a Holmen, Wisconsin-based photographer, has seen this firsthand…

Spring is on its way! The sounds and sights of migrating warblers and other songbirds make it hard to stay inside. Once the ground is…

In mid-March, as longer days herald the onset of spring, an aquatic miracle unfolds. Small ponds, buried for months under ice and snow, begin to…

Rural Iowa has much more to offer than endless corn fields and gravel roads. Near Decorah, an unexpectedly vibrant source of creation and community lives…

There is beauty in the world, even when it feels so dark we can’t possibly see it. Radical inspiration – our theme for this issue…

Northeast Iowa artist and flower farmer Jen Opheim knows the power of new beginnings.  “I don’t sit still for very long,” she says. “I think…

When we switched printers in 2023, we decided to start featuring local photographers’ work in the Center Spread spot in each Inspire(d) Magazine. We wanted…