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	Park Farm Winery Just west of Dubuque, Park Farm Winery is carrying on great wine making traditions and creating new ones of their own. Come with us on another stop along the Rive Road wine tour...... ...Click for the Full Story
	Breitbach's Mural Re-Created Visitors along the Great River Road who remember Breitbach's Country Dining -- just recently re-opened! -- will be happy to learn that a new version of the painted mural that depicted the scenic overlook just north of the restaurant has recently been recreated by painter Sarah Barnes of Mural Inspirations. Legend has it that the original mural was created years ago by itinerant Gypsies in exchange for meals. Rediscovered during a renovation, the mural was proudly displayed until the catastrophic fire that claimed the building on Christmas Eve of 2007. ... ...Click for the Full Story
	Galena Cellars Winery Christine Lawlor-White has done it again. Winemaker for Galena Cellars, Lawlor-White has earned the Lawlor family business another pile of medals for their consistently award-winning wines. At this summer’s Illinois State Fair, Galena Cellars earned 30 awards including the top award for their Vintage Red (for wines using non-Illinois grown fruit) and a Triple Gold medal for their Frontenac Port. Out of the total 267 commercial entries from around the state, Galena Cellars won 5 gold, 17 silver, and 8 bronze medals, as well as being voted 2008 wine maker of the year. “2008 was a great year for our winery!” Lawlor-White was quoted as saying in a recent press release. In fact, 2007 was pretty good too. At last year’s Illinois Wine Competition Galena Cellars was awarded both Best of Show and Best of Class for their Traminette taking home 6 silver and 10 bronze medals.... ...Click for the Full Story

Recent Features

Outstanding in his Field | Frank Fincel (pictured) is receiving about 40 calls a day from people asking when his famous Fincel’s sweet corn will be available for purchase. In normal years the first corn is available at Dubuque Farmer’s Market and Fincel’s West End market stand sometime around the Fourth of July, so fans are starting to get a little anxious. But this has not been a normal year. With a ridiculous amount of spring rain falling on ground saturated by a record winter snowfall, flooding stunted young corn or, worse, washed it out altogether. The rain has affected farmers of all types throughout Iowa, as well as Illinois and Wisconsin. Located in East Dubuque, Fincel estimates he’s lost about 60 percent of his sweet corn crop. The remaining crop is more than a little behind in its development. “With all the cold wet weather, we’re probably ten to twelve days behind a normal year,” estimates Fincel. “And with the rain, it will affect the first half of the corn season. The late corn looks real good though. It was the early corn that was most affected by the rain.” ...more
Getting Breitbach to Business | There is no need to convince Mike Breitbach of the power of community. He has seen firsthand what can happen when people come together for a common goal. Breitbach’s Country Dining, a Balltown landmark and the oldest continuously operating restaurant and bar in the state of Iowa, reopened Saturday, June 14. That’s just five and a half months after the devastating Christmas Eve 2007 explosion and fire that burned the beloved restaurant and community gathering place to the ground. ...more