Podcasts about Great Plains

Rural Route with Trent Loos is a television program on BEK TV that carries forward the mission of Trent's long-standing radio show: connecting rural and urban America. Airing weekdays at 7 a.m. CT, the show dives into the critical issues that impact our ability to access safe, reliable food and energy. From agricultural policy and food production to energy independence and rural livelihoods, Trent brings decades of experience and honest, boots-on-the-ground insight to every episode. Broadcasting from the heart of the Great Plains, Rural Route is a trusted voice for those who understand that the strength of a nation begins with its land, its producers, and its commitment to self-reliance.

Rural Route with Trent Loos is a television program on BEK TV that carries forward the mission of Trent's long-standing radio show: connecting rural and urban America. Airing weekdays at 7 a.m. CT, the show dives into the critical issues that impact our ability to access safe, reliable food and energy. From agricultural policy and food production to energy independence and rural livelihoods, Trent brings decades of experience and honest, boots-on-the-ground insight to every episode. Broadcasting from the heart of the Great Plains, Rural Route is a trusted voice for those who understand that the strength of a nation begins with its land, its producers, and its commitment to self-reliance.

(00:00-18:38) Not just anybody can call in and get on the air. The Crown Jewel of the Great Plains. People are buzzing after Paper's visit to Healthcare Evolution. Doug couldn't believe what he was seeing last night in the Cards game. Mr. Ass. Homage to DX. Audio of the TV call of the happenings. Shades of Nyjer Morgan.(18:46-42:05) Doug's worried last night's Cardinal team is who we were going to see all season. 5-9 in the lineup is a real liability. Cube nose diving with 10 losses in a row. Audio of Uribe's comments thru a translator in the post game. Just protecting his guys. Pat Murphy's comments on Uribe's actions. Ivan Herrera talking about pitchers throwing up and in. Just kind of a clown show.(42:15-1:00:04). Can't rap about things and then go to a prostate exam. Triple Stacks and the flute. The torso of a normal sized human being. Will May send a message toay? The Toyota Camry of trousers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not just anybody can call in and get on the air. The Crown Jewel of the Great Plains. People are buzzing after Paper's visit to Healthcare Evolution. Doug couldn't believe what he was seeing last night in the Cards game. Mr. Ass. Homage to DX. Audio of the TV call of the happenings. Shades of Nyjer Morgan.Doug's worried last night's Cardinal team is who we were going to see all season. 5-9 in the lineup is a real liability. Cube nose diving with 10 losses in a row. Audio of Uribe's comments thru a translator in the post game. Just protecting his guys. Pat Murphy's comments on Uribe's actions. Ivan Herrera talking about pitchers throwing up and in. Just kind of a clown show.Can't rap about things and then go to a prostate exam. Triple Stacks and the flute. The torso of a normal sized human being. Will May send a message toay? The Toyota Camry of trousers.Sax Boy Billy. Where does Captain Hook get his hooks? Audio of Mike Francesa and he's really unhappy with this year's Mets squad. Natitude is raking.Maybe today is the start of a winning streak, Doug. Lars Nootbar on track to be back soon. First time in Yankees history that everyone in the lineup at 2 hits or more. Memphis Redbirds down there raking still. Talking roster and potential moves. Work stoppage looming.SEC coaches meetings in Florida this week. Audio clips of Eli Drinkwitz talking about the ever changing landscape in college football and what fixes need to be implemented. Piglet, that's you, Tim. Service dogs in restaurants. Barrel rolling home. Air Bud version of The Bear. Jackson on the side of the dogs. Chairman's arms are frozen off. Katty Bates.Left Eye would have been 55 today. Mt. Rushmore of TLC songs. Jeffrey Tambor is one of the funniest people of the 21st century (per Papers). Doug's not interested in investing in LIV golf. The Beercats family has been activated. Uribe's aggressive crotch chops. Rubbing your crotches together isn't showing up the other team.Bring back the McDLT. Paying to watch people play cards. Adult autograph seekers. Boyish charm overload.Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTDLineups are out for the Cards and Brewers today. Surprisingly big game for early in the season. Pony weather this weekend. Bin cleanings. Audio of the SNY broadcast criticizing the Mets for a lack of accountability. We're big in Nicaragua and Vietnam.A rare Sadie Hawkins for Doug in the 10:00 hour. Downtown market to hide speakeasy behind ATM? When's the last time you went to a mixer? Need time off from life. Adult gap years. I am unhappy, and I am safe to leave. Boomer Island.And the winner of the Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTD is...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota!Join us for service at: 500 14th Ave NW, Watertown, SD 57201 https://goo.gl/maps/WgUmDc1iH7jB8za98Our Service Times: Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 am CDT Sunday Main Service at 11:00 am CDT Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm CDTYou can find us online at: Website: https://jesuschurchsd.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusChurchSD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuschurchsd/

Welcome to the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota!Join us for service at: 500 14th Ave NW, Watertown, SD 57201 https://goo.gl/maps/WgUmDc1iH7jB8za98Our Service Times: Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 am CDT Sunday Main Service at 11:00 am CDT Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm CDTYou can find us online at: Website: https://jesuschurchsd.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusChurchSD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuschurchsd/

Welcome to the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota!Join us for service at: 500 14th Ave NW, Watertown, SD 57201 https://goo.gl/maps/WgUmDc1iH7jB8za98Our Service Times: Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 am CDT Sunday Main Service at 11:00 am CDT Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm CDTYou can find us online at: Website: https://jesuschurchsd.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusChurchSD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuschurchsd/

Welcome to the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota!Join us for service at: 500 14th Ave NW, Watertown, SD 57201 https://goo.gl/maps/WgUmDc1iH7jB8za98Our Service Times: Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 am CDT Sunday Main Service at 11:00 am CDT Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm CDTYou can find us online at: Website: https://jesuschurchsd.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusChurchSD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuschurchsd/

Welcome to the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota!Join us for service at: 500 14th Ave NW, Watertown, SD 57201 https://goo.gl/maps/WgUmDc1iH7jB8za98Our Service Times: Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 am CDT Sunday Main Service at 11:00 am CDT Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm CDTYou can find us online at: Website: https://jesuschurchsd.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusChurchSD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuschurchsd/

Welcome to the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota!Join us for service at: 500 14th Ave NW, Watertown, SD 57201 https://goo.gl/maps/WgUmDc1iH7jB8za98Our Service Times: Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 am CDT Sunday Main Service at 11:00 am CDT Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm CDTYou can find us online at: Website: https://jesuschurchsd.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusChurchSD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuschurchsd/

This week we had the exciting opportunity to travel to Anchorage, Alaska, to participate in the Fifth Annual Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. The conference convenes researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors to discuss the future of energy development, infrastructure, technology, and resource leadership across Alaska and the broader global energy landscape. We had the honor of moderating a discussion featuring Governor Mike Dunleavy and Chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. Given Alaska's strategic importance across energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, and geopolitics, it was a fascinating and timely discussion. In our conversation, Governor Dunleavy emphasizes the dramatically improved partnership between the federal government and the State of Alaska under the current Administration, contrasting it with prior years when Alaska faced significant federal restrictions on development. Drawing on their experiences leading major energy-producing states, Governor Dunleavy and Secretary Burgum reflect on the operational, economic, and political realities of energy development and infrastructure investment. They walk us through renewed lease sale activity, rising investor interest in Alaska, and the broader role Alaska could play in supporting U.S. energy dominance and Western Hemisphere energy security. We explore the increasing importance of affordable, reliable, and secure energy in attracting manufacturing, AI infrastructure, and industrial investment, as well as the rapidly growing electricity demand tied to data centers and advanced technologies. Secretary Burgum provides an overview of the Administration's efforts to accelerate permitting reform and reduce regulatory bottlenecks, including examples of projects receiving approvals in weeks rather than years. We touch on domestic mining and critical mineral development, LNG exports, the role of nuclear, hydro, geothermal, and natural gas in future energy systems, and the Administration's broader push to accelerate infrastructure and resource development across the United States. We cover the transformational potential of the Alaska LNG project, the growing energy needs of U.S. allies across Asia, the importance of codifying regulatory and permitting reforms for long-term investment certainty, and why Governor Dunleavy and Secretary Burgum both believe Alaska is entering a new “golden age” of development and opportunity. Thank you to Governor Dunleavy for inviting us and to Secretary Burgum for joining us for a thoughtful discussion on the future of Alaska, energy, and American economic development and energy security. About Governor Mike DunleavyGovernor Mike Dunleavy arrived in Alaska in 1983 as a young man looking for opportunity, and he found it. His first job was working in a logging camp in Southeast Alaska. Later on, Governor Dunleavy earned his teacher's certificate, and then a Master of Education degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He spent nearly two decades in northwest Arctic communities working as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. Governor Dunleavy and his family moved to Wasilla in 2004, where he owned an educational consulting firm and worked on several statewide education projects. Dunleavy served on the Mat-Su Borough School Board, with two years as Board President, and then as a state senator for five years. Dunleavy was first elected Governor in 2018 and then again in 2022. Governor Dunleavy has kept the health of the economy and jobs at the forefront of his Administration's policy setting initiatives and has been a true champion for the Alaskan business community. Governor Dunleavy's wife Rose is from the Kobuk River Valley community of Noorvik. Together, they have three children who were raised in both rural and urban Alaska. Governor Dunleavy is focused on moving Alaska forward and believes that our greatest years are yet to come if we work together to maximize our potential. About Secretary Doug BurgumDoug Burgum is the 55th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Raised in Arthur, North Dakota, Burgum worked as a chimney sweep to help pay his way through North Dakota State University before earning an MBA from Stanford University. In 1983, Doug literally “bet the farm” to provide seed capital for a software startup called Great Plains. Doug led Great Plains through a successful IPO and grew the company to over 2,000 employees before its acquisition by Microsoft. Burgum remained with Microsoft for six years as the Senior Vice President of Business Solutions. Doug later co-founded Arthur Ventures and served as chairman for international software companies including Atlassian, SuccessFactors, and as a board member for Avalara. In 2016, Burgum was elected to serve as North Dakota's 33rd Governor. In 2020, he was re-elected in a landslide. Under his leadership, North Dakota passed the largest tax cut in state history and dramatically reduced red tape. As a testament to Burgum's leadership, Forbes named him “America's Best Entrepreneurial Governor.” During his tenure, North Dakota experienced the highest growth in real GDP and had the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Burgum has three adult children. He is married to Kathryn Burgum, a nationally recognized advocate for addiction recovery. We hope you enjoy today's discussion as much as we did. This certainly won't be our last trip to Alaska. Our best to you all!

For this episode, we're joined by Jesse Nippert, Professor in Biology at Kansas State University, and Chris Helzer, Director of Science and Stewardship for the Nature Conservancy in Nebraska. They were on the show to discuss their recent BioScience article "Rethinking grassland management in the Great Plains during the era of woody plant encroachment."

NOTE: This episode was originally released in July 2025. Once nearly wiped out, the plains bison, or buffalo, as they are often called by Native Americans, are returning to the Great Plains — and with them, a powerful story of cultural renewal, ecological restoration, and Indigenous leadership. In this episode of Nature Breaking, WWF's Heather Dawn Thompson (a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe) shares how Native Nations are leading efforts to restore buffalo populations, reclaim food sovereignty, and heal the land. From spiritual connections to practical conservation, this interview explores how buffalo are more than just wildlife — they are relatives, providers, and symbols of resilience. Links for More Info: Heather Dawn Thompson bio Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration WWF's Plains Bison page Chapters: 0:00 Preview 1:13 Intro 2:57 Heather Dawn's background and role at WWF 8:45 History of buffalo and connection with Native Nations 11:19 Role of Heather Dawn's family in conserving buffalo 13:44 What's it like to see a buffalo in real life? 15:18 Buffalo harvest story 16:47 Connection between buffalo and healthy grasslands 21:05 Buffalo and food sovereignty for Native Nations 24:07 Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration 29:20 Biggest challenges to buffalo restoration

Winter wheat crop condition improvements nationwide to start May.

The U.S. Department of Interior just canceled grazing leases for hundreds of bison on federal land in Montana. The action halts the progress of a well-funded private group, American Prairie, that has been buying up land and acquiring leases in an ambitious conservation plan. The group often provides bison to tribes that work to revive bison herds. The canceled leases also indicate a change in federal policy away from accommodating bison in favor of domesticated cattle to make federal lands more agriculturally productive. Many tribes say such actions jeopardize efforts to restore the animal that is intrinsically associated with Native Americans from the Great Plains. GUESTS OJ Semans Sr. (Rosebud Sioux), executive director of the Coalition of Large Tribes Heather Dawn Thompson (Cheyenne River Sioux), vice president of Native Nations Conservation and Food Sovereignty at the World Wildlife Fund Dallas Gudgell (Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes), vice president of the Buffalo Field Campaign Keegan King (Acoma Pueblo), founder and CEO of the Native Land Institute Scott Heidebrink, director of landscape stewardship at American Prairie Break 1 Music: Buffalo (song) Algin Scabby Robe (artist) Along The Way: Round Dance Songs (album) Break 2 Music: Traditional Side Step Song (song) Little Otter (artist) Side Step Songs (album)

In this episode, co-hosts Dr. Davina Two Bears and Dr. Farina King speak with Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover about how Indigenous scholars are reshaping archaeology from within. Carlton reflects on his journey into a field long seen in Native communities as a “colonial science,” and how he now practices what he calls American Indian archaeology, which is centered on tribal sovereignty, government-to-government relationships, and the specific histories and priorities of Native Nations such as the Pawnee Nation.A citizen of the Pawnee Nation, Carlton is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Assistant Curator of Archaeology at the University of Kansas, with affiliate appointments in Museum Studies and Indigenous Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Colorado-Boulder, where his dissertation, "The Seeds of Ethnogenesis," examined the formation of Central Great Plains Villages through Indigenous perspectives and advanced chronological modeling. His research focuses on Great Plains archaeology, Indigenous/American Indian archaeology, and the integration of oral traditions with archaeological science.The conversation highlights how treating oral traditions as rigorous historical records, combined with tools like radiocarbon dating, can overturn long-standing academic narratives about migration, corn agriculture, and the deep homelands of Native Nations. Carlton, Davina, and Farina also discuss the emotional and spiritual realities of working in museum collections, the importance of NAGPRA and tribal cultural centers, and why public-facing work like the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast is vital for sharing knowledge with Native communities and inspiring the next generation of Indigenous archaeologists.Resources:Carlton Shield Chief Gover official University of Kansas Department of Anthropology faculty webpageGreat Plains Archaeology PodcastA podcast hosted by Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover on the Archaeology Podcast Network, focusing on the archaeology, histories, and communities of the Great Plains region.NAGPRA and Tribal Sovereignty in PracticeFor listeners interested in the legal and ethical context Carlton discusses (sovereignty, compliance, and NAGPRA), see the U.S. National Park Service's official NAGPRA page.Indigenizing Archaeology: Putting Theory into Practice (University Press of Florida)

Nebraska's grasslands are shrinking and that's creating challenges for some producers. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Rangland Ecologist Dirac Twidwell says working with landowners across the Great Plains is key to developing solutions to protect these critical resources.

This week on the show we talk with Ken Meyer of Complete Hemp Processing in Winfred, South Dakota. As of last week, Meyer is also a co-founder of Renewabuild Great Plains — the first U.S.-licensed manufacturer of structural hempcrete blocks. We've been telling the story of these structural blocks for a long time on the podcast. We first encountered them back in 2019 — they look like giant Lego blocks and work much the same way — at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, where the Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council had them on display. Back then, the blocks were made by a Canadian company called Just BioFiber in Alberta. Today, the technology is licensed and administered by another Canadian company, Renewabuild Field to Form, which has made improvements to the original design of the block. The structural hemp blocks differ from traditional hempcrete construction because their internal frame makes them load-bearing in a way that spray-applied or cast-in-place hempcrete cannot offer. "It has a frame inside it. It's a glass-filled biocarbonate frame ... and then the hempcrete is pressed around it," Meyer said. "And that frame provides a structure in the wall. So that makes the block a structural block, and the block itself in a wall system replaces the sheet rock, the insulation and the timber." The story of the blocks continues now, as the first U.S. company prepares to manufacture them at a plant in Rock Valley, Iowa. "At Complete Hemp Processing in Winfred, South Dakota, we decorticate hemp stocks. And we need a place to sell the hemp hurd. And our farmers need us to have a place to sell hemp hurd so they can put hemp in rotation with corn and soybeans," he said. This is how an industry scales. Dedicated, passionate people working tirelessly to build a supply chain. Learn More Renewabuild Great Plains Complete Hemp Processing Dakota Hemp South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association Renewabuild Field to Form The Harmless Home Sponsors HEMI - The Hemp Education and Marketing Inititive hempinitiatives.org Forever Green hempcutter.com The Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast returns this week with an interview featuring Ken Meyer, owner of Complete Hemp Processing in Winfred, South Dakota, and one of three co-founders of Renewabuild Great Plains — the first U.S.-licensed manufacturer of structural hempcrete blocks. Host Eric Hurlock sits down with Meyer to discuss the new hempcrete block factory being built in Rock Valley, Iowa, the long journey of the structural hemp block from Canada to the United States, and what this milestone means for the American industrial hemp industry, hempcrete construction, and the future of sustainable building materials. Renewabuild Great Plains is the first U.S. company to license the structural hempcrete block technology developed by Just BioFiber of Alberta, Canada, and now administered by Renewabuild Field to Form. Unlike traditional hempcrete construction methods — including spray-applied hempcrete and cast-in-place hempcrete — the Renewabuild block features an internal glass-filled biocarbonate frame, making it a load-bearing structural wall component. A single block replaces sheetrock, insulation, and timber framing in one product, offering builders, architects, and engineers a scalable, lower-carbon alternative to conventional wall systems with improved fire resistance, durability, and building-envelope performance. The new Rock Valley, Iowa hempcrete block factory is scheduled to receive its equipment in December 2026 or January 2027, with the capacity to produce two blocks a minute, more than 900,000 structural hempcrete blocks per year running three shifts. At full production, the facility will manufacture enough wall material for roughly 500 perimeter walls of 2,000-square-foot homes annually. The factory's entire production equipment fits inside two shipping containers, making the model regionally scalable across the United States — a key part of Renewabuild's strategy to support local farmers, local hemp processors, and local hempcrete construction supply chains. Meyer is joined as co-founder by John Peterson of Dakota Hemp and Bill Brehmer of Renewabuild Great Plains, alongside a group of Iowa farmers who have invested in the project. This episode of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast also revisits archival audio from January 2019, when Pennsylvania hemp historian Les Stark first introduced the Just BioFiber structural hempcrete block at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, alongside the original podcast interview with Just BioFiber co-founder Michael D. Champlain. Listeners will also hear from David Geertz of Renewabuild, recorded at the International Hemp Building Symposium at Kansayapi in Minnesota. Plus, host Eric Hurlock follows up on last week's interview with Pennsylvania farmer Steve Groff with a statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture regarding agricultural innovation grant reimbursements. Subscribe to the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast for in-depth coverage of industrial hemp, hemp farming, hempcrete construction, hemp processing, and the people building the American hemp supply chain.

Uncle Si skipped prom for an unusually raucous but memorable night at home with his parents, leading to him sleepwalking straight through his sister's goodnight kiss to sprint down the highway in nothing but his underwear. Godwin nearly misses the episode completely after Hunter's autocorrect disaster sends him the wrong recording day, while John-David considers launching a brand-new career that could seriously test his intestinal fortitude. Plus, Martin admits he'd gladly accept an invitation to go storm chasing across the Great Plains if anybody's brave enough to take him along. Duck Call Room episode #551 is sponsored by: https://myphdweightloss.com — Find out how Godwin is losing weight! Visit the website or call 864-644-1900 and mention "Godwin" to get 2 weeks free in the program! https://trybeef.com/duck — Get 10% off your first TriTails box straight from their ranch to your door. https://fastgrowingtrees.com/duck — Get 20% their first purchase when using the code DUCK at checkout. https://helixsleep.com/duck — Get 27% off sitewide all through May. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you! - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a live episode recorded at the 2026 Great Plains Stakeholder Workshop, hosted by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The workshop brought together many of the country's leading grasslands conservationists, scientists, funders, and policy experts to tackle a huge question: what would it look like to create a bold, practical, long-term plan for conserving North America's grasslands over the next 30 years? My guests are two people helping to lead that effort: Dr. Holly Bamford, Chief Conservation Officer at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (known as NFWF for short), and Marshall Johnson, Chief Conservation Officer for the National Audubon Society. Both have spent years working at the intersection of science, conservation, agriculture, and partnership-building, and both bring a realistic but hopeful perspective to the future of the Great Plains. In this conversation, we dig into the current state of the Great Plains and grasslands conservation more broadly– from grassland loss and declining bird populations to the creative partnerships helping ranchers, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies work together toward solutions. We discuss the importance of voluntary conservation, the complicated economics facing ranching communities, the role of programs like the Farm Bill, and why grass-based agriculture and healthy wildlife habitat are far more interconnected than many people realize. Holly and Marshall also share stories from their own lives that explain how they each became so deeply connected to these landscapes– from prairie chicken blinds in Minnesota to the wide-open grasslands of the American West. More than anything, this conversation is about long-term thinking. What does it look like to create a 30-year vision for one of the most ecologically important and underappreciated landscapes in North America? What gives these conservation leaders hope? And what keeps them up at night? There's a lot of realism in this discussion, but there's also a surprising amount of optimism, practicality, and momentum. I learned a ton from this conversation, and I think you will too. Be sure to check out the episode notes for links to the organizations, initiatives, and resources we discuss throughout the episode. Thank you again to the amazing team at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for inviting me to moderate this discussion. --- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Audubon Society Dr. Holly Bamford Marshall Johnson Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/great-plains --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Freeflow Institute, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and the Well Done Foundation for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Introducing a live convo 3:25 - Looking behind instead of ahead 5:40 - Why grasslands 6:57 - The state of grasslands today 10:22 - The meadowlark 12:47 - Rancher relationships 22:41 - Money is the key 25:20 - Farm Bill feelings 29:15 - Prairie potholes 36:20 - Voluntary conservation easements 39:24 - Accounting for change 43:41 - Data collection 48:40 - The next 30 years --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

When settlers arrived on the Great Plains, communication was slow. Mail was delivered by stagecoach and took days to arrive. Mail arrived faster by Pony Express than by stagecoach. Riders galloped from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, making the journey in ten days. The Pony Express did not do well on the northern Great Plains. In 1860, the route ran from Grand Portage in Minnesota through Fargo and out to Medora. It came to a quick end when severe winter weather made the journey virtually impossible.

Two conferences of regional scholars, one in Lincoln, Nebraska, the other in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, have taken the future of the Great Plains as their theme this spring. This sort of thing makes me uncomfortable. I can mouth off about the future like anyone else, but when I take up my tools as a historian, I have to say, the future is not my business. Heck, I'm not even sure the present exists.

Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower led the 1919 Transcontinental Motor Convoy, a venture designed to test whether military units could move across the United States using motor vehicles. The convoy crossed the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, completing the 3,251-mile journey from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco in 62 days but not without difficulty.

How do "terms" get in the way of promoting or implementing better farming practices? Where did this idea of regenerative agriculture come from? Where is it headed? What role do Soil Conservation Districts play? Is there a time and place for conventional practices?-Join Hannah Nordby with NDSU Extension, along with Helena Agri-Enterprises Ron Kessel out of New England, and Burleigh County SCD employees Jay Fuhrer & Darrell Oswald as they discuss the evolution of conservation agriculture from conservation tillage to soil health and more!-Go ahead, grab a cup of joe and settle in as we converse about serving, preserving and conserving across the Great Plains. You don't want to miss out!

 Chapter Breakdown with Timestamps:00:00 - Intro & Spearfish: The 2-Minute Miracle01:12 - Eyewitness Accounts and Temperature Crash02:15 - Double World Records & Chinook Wind Explained03:20 - Historical Documentation & Local Events04:05 - North Dakota: Extreme Temperature Swings04:55 - South Dakota & Montana's Record-Breaking Events05:55 - Amarillo, Texas: Hot Summers, Cold Winters06:30 - Rio Grande Village: Texas's Hottest Outpost07:33 - The Common Thread: Extreme Environments08:39 - Conclusion: Nature's Unpredictable PowerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/weather-with-enthusiasm--4911017/support.This episode includes AI-generated content.

Table of Contents: STRATEGIC WARFARE PRAYER Trump Administration Fast Tracks the Digital Control Grid: Biometric Surrender or No Bank Account – Bankers' Perfect Tool for Total Digital Enslavement!!!!  The ‘age verification’ bill is a Trojan horse for a REQUIRED national digital ID and CBDC system AI Data Centers–Something HUGE Is Happening In Louisiana And It’s SCARY ‘Smart Dust’ Warning: Wells Fargo Patent Lets Them Launch BIOMETRIC SURVEILLANCE & PAYMENT TRACKING “WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL RESET!” Trump Makes Cryptic Post That Points to ‘Great Reset’ Event President Trump says now is the perfect time for Congress to immediately approve the FISA domestic spying program for national security reasons because the ‘military really needs it.’: THIS IS YET MORE BETRAYAL OF HIS PROMISES DURING HIS CAMPAIGN  Trump Fakes Another Assassination Attempt At White House Dinner–So if you want to know just how fake this is just listen to what Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said just a couple of hours before the supposed shooting: ‘There will be shots fired!’  Karolyn Levitt Flashes 666 Sign Right Before She Says: “There Will Be Some Shots Fired Tonight” — Reporter Was Warned Before Shooting, Cole Allen Iran War Headlines & Updates Secret Executions of Christians Reported in #Iran–Underground church leaders are being taken in the night, accused of crimes against Islam, while families are left without answers. Ministry leaders are calling on believers worldwide to pray for their protection!  Washington DC National Guard “Quick Reaction Unit” Activated Europe Begins Energy Rationing as the Crisis Moves Into Daily Life: THE POLITICOS ARE HAPPY TO MAKE THE PEOPLE RATION AND SUFFER BUT THEY DIDN’T WANT TO LIFT A FINGER TO OPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ? SICK! AND YET THE PEOPLE TAKE IT!  US Wheat Crops Wither & Cattle Herds Thin as Spring Drought Deepens–Farmers across the Great Plains are confronting an intense drought that threatens winter wheat harvests and is pushing cattle producers toward costly feed purchases  Palantir Inks Deal With USDA To Manage Farmland And Control America’s Agriculture Data–Taking Over The Nation’s Food Supply! This is now the 27th US Department that has contracted Palantir–This data will eventually be tokenized and tracked on blockchain  US Homestead Data Collection By Palantir – Shocking! “We’re On Borrowed Time”: The Coming ‘Food Price Shock’, Drought Chaos Plagues America’s Breadbasket A MASSIVE FOOD SHORTAGE HAS BEGUN – Things you Can Do Now! 13 Items That Will Disappear When The Grid Goes Down PDF: Emergency Freedom Alerts 4-27-26 Click Here To Play The Part 1 Audio Source

Your Nebraska Update headlines for today, April 28, include: county election officials outline how they staff more than 1,000 polling sites while meeting legal requirements, University of Nebraska at Omaha leaders prepare for impacts from projected $632 million state budget shortfall, Nebraska Supreme Court hears arguments in ongoing medical marijuana case, landowners weigh wildfire risks as hot and dry conditions persist across the Great Plains, Central Community College adds women's beach volleyball and flag football programs.

There is this group of people that gathers now and then in a converted gas station in Rapid City for what they call the Morning Fill Up. The agenda is to have a conversation with some interesting thinker with ideas about life in rural America, to have a “national conversation” within the context of the Great Plains. Now and then the contributions are gathered into a book and published by North Dakota State University Press. So now we have Rethinking Rural, Volume 2, with the subtitle, Reflections on Changing Communities.

Summer Miller joins us for a fun "Foodie Friday" chat - Her first book, New Prairie Kitchen: Stories and Seasonal Recipes from Chefs, Farmers and Artisans of the Great Plains, was noted as a “need to read” cookbook by Epicurious, featured on NPR’s The Salt, and won The Nebraska Book Award for non-fiction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the stories on today's show include:-Iran's foreign minister announced Friday morning that the Strait of Hormuz has reopened for commercial ships.-The CEO of an ethanol plant in southern Minnesota anticipates Congress passing year-round nationwide E15 legislation this year.-A pair of farmers in the Great Plains say planting conditions are all over the board.-A pair of Illinois farmers say many in the industry are fully embracing the practice of planting soybean acres before corn acres.-Minnesota 4-H is partnering with the Minnesota State Fair to renovate the 4-H building on the fairgrounds.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, Carlton speaks with Christopher Nicholson, Director of the Center for Digital Antiquity, about the role of digital archives in preserving and accessing archaeological data. In the first half, Chris introduces tDAR (the Digital Archaeological Record) and explains how it serves as a centralized repository for archaeological reports, datasets, and other research materials. He discusses the challenges of inaccessible or “lost” data, especially gray literature, and how tDAR helps ensure that valuable information from past projects remains available for future research. In the second half, the conversation turns to the relevance of tDAR for Great Plains archaeology. Chris highlights the types of regional resources available on the platform and how researchers, students, and professionals can use these materials to support new research and teaching. He also reflects on the future of digital archaeology and the importance of long-term data preservation and open access for the discipline. Transcripts For rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/great-plains-archaeology/40 Links Dr. Chris Nicholson ASU Profile tDAR Website The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains by Douglas B. Bamforth (2021) Archaeology on the Great Plains Edited by W. Raymond Wood (1998) Carlton's KU Anthropology Faculty Bio Contact Instagram: @‌pawnee_archaeologist Email: greatplainsarchpodcast@gmail.com APN APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oregon State University's In the Woods podcast host Jacob Putney interviews OSU Extension regional fire specialists Chris Adlam (southwest Oregon) and Micah Schmidt (northeast Oregon) about Prescribed Burn Associations (PBAs) and their role in expanding prescribed fire on non-federal lands. They describe how fire suppression became dominant over the past century despite long Indigenous burning traditions, and how PBAs re-emerged in the 1990s in the Great Plains and later spread to California and Oregon. PBAs are community networks where neighbors and partner organizations share labor, equipment, planning, and training to conduct safe burns, often with volunteers and sometimes paid coordination. Guests discuss Oregon PBAs' growth and accomplishments, benefits like changing public attitudes and building social license, and barriers including capacity, permitting, funding, liability concerns, and limited region-specific research. They share ways to get involved via OSU's Extension Fire Program resources, trainings, and documentaries. 00:00 Podcast Intro00:32 Meet The Hosts01:21 Chris Fire Ecology Path02:22 Micah Prescribed Fire Work03:32 What PBAs Are03:52 Prescribed Fire History05:11 PBA Origins And Growth06:47 How PBAs Form Operate09:49 Who Can Participate12:58 Oregon PBAs Impact17:22 Changing Fire Relationships20:48 Extension Role In PBAs24:01 Barriers And Challenges26:14 Prescribed Fire Roadblocks26:27 Landowner Research Gaps27:39 Permits And Capacity Fixes28:36 Future Of PBAs30:34 More Fire And Youth Training31:39 How To Join Or Start35:39 Volunteer Skills Needed37:20 Parting Thoughts And Tribal Roots38:57 Training And Broad Support41:45 Lightning Round Micah45:33 Lightning Round Chris50:00 Wrap Up And Credits

“Politics is the systematic organisation of hatreds.” — Henry Adams, quoted by Don Watson America is celebrating its 250th anniversary this July. In The Shortest History of the United States, Australian writer Don Watson has squeezed these 250 years into 60,000 words. Beginning with Mad King George, he ends with Mad King Donald. In between: the Puritan North, the plantation South, the miracle of the Constitution, the nightmare of slavery, the Civil War, the Gilded Age, two world wars, and the long arc from republic to empire that Americans have never quite admitted to themselves. Watson argues that America is a profoundly idea-driven place — unlike any other country on earth. The Bible and the Enlightenment documents of the revolution set the bar impossibly high. The Declaration of Independence, the preamble to the Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, the Second Inaugural: these are documents of aspiration that no group of people could ever live up to. Which is precisely why the American moral minefield has never been cleared. The greatest American politicians — Lincoln, FDR — are those who managed to cobble together the most improbable coalitions. The most profound American contradiction — building a country of liberty on the backs of 600 slaves — is one they were always aware of but could never move on from, because the republic couldn't survive without the South. The republic always came first. Even Calhoun, ardently pro-slavery, said he would hang any man who tried to split it. Is Trump different? Watson doesn't think so — not fundamentally. Trump is a chip off the old American block: a huckster, a Roy Cohn-formed Queens opportunist, playing the same game of racial pot-stirring and imperial presidency that has always lurked beneath the surface. The US was founded out of the overthrow of a mad, tyrannical king. From one mad king to another. Six words. The shortest history of America. Five Takeaways •       Eden with Savages to Remove: Watson begins in Australia, where he lives, to establish a point of contrast. Every new-world country has an appalling history of violence toward indigenous peoples. But America is different in one key respect: it found extraordinary land. Lewis and Clark head west and discover the Great Plains, cross the Rockies, see the great rivers, and return to the Mississippi. There is always somewhere to push west. It's Eden — with some savages to remove, who are easily accounted for in biblical terms. This is the first and most consequential American story: a cornucopia that licensed everything that came after. •       The Bar Was Set Impossibly High: America is exceptional in being an idea-driven place. The Bible is there. The Enlightenment documents are there: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, the Second Inaugural. These are documents of incredible aspiration that no group of people is ever going to live up to. “A more perfect union” drives them on and damns them simultaneously. Watson's formulation: America is a moral minefield precisely because it set the bar so high. Every infraction of that rhetorical overlay becomes a scandal. Tocqueville grasped it in the 1830s, having barely left the East Coast. His observations are more relevant now than when he wrote them — which means either he was a genius, or America hasn't fundamentally changed in two hundred years. Probably both. •       The Republic Always Came First: A crucial distinction Watson draws: the Civil War was not fought to preserve democracy. It was fought to preserve the republic. Even Calhoun — ardently pro-slavery — said he would hang any man who tried to split it. Manifest destiny, Watson argues, lies latent within the founding: Jefferson and Madison both said the republic couldn't survive without pushing west. West takes you to the Pacific, and beyond. It's an empire from way back — but one that has never recognised itself as an imperial power. And a republic, Watson notes, that has always been an elected monarchy: the powers of the American executive exceed those of any existing European monarchy, and can be expanded, as recent events demonstrate, pretty much at will. •       Trump Is a Chip off the Old Block: The question: is Trump different, or has he always existed? Watson's answer: he's a profoundly American individual, a huckster shaped by Roy Cohn and Queens, who is playing an old game. The US was founded out of the overthrow of a mad, tyrannical king. The “no kings” rallies of recent times are interesting precisely because the struggle against a monarchical presidency has been perpetual. Watson's Gatsby comparison: Trump is Gatsby without the romance — born to be a huckster, not a dreamer. Henry Adams wrote in the 1880s that politics is the systematic organisation of hatreds. That has not changed. Nor has the deep-sea-fish quality of ordinary American life, insulated from the world beyond its own provincial borders. •       Mark Twain, FDR, and the Miracle of Cohesion: Watson's favourite American: Mark Twain. Beautiful voice. The irony. Huckleberry Finn as a seminal novel. Anti-imperialist in the end. Got his politics pretty much right. Among presidents: FDR, who saved and modernised the United States, who believed political leaders can't afford to stand still — you have to stay ahead of the regressive and self-interested forces. Watson's broader verdict: American history is a miracle of cohesion. You can read it as wild turbulence, or you can marvel that it holds together at all. Filaments of goodwill. Recognition of the necessity of holding together. Always threatening to fall apart. Never quite does. About the Guest Don Watson is an Australian author and screenwriter, former speechwriter to Prime Minister Paul Keating. He is the author of The Shortest History of the United States (The Experiment, 2026), American Journeys, Recollections of a Bleeding Heart, and many other books. He lives in Melbourne. References: •       The Shortest History of the United States by Don Watson (The Experiment, 2026). •       Democracy: A Novel by Henry Adams (1880) — “Politics is the systematic organisation of hatreds.” •       Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville (1835) — still the most quoted work on how American democracy works. •       Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson — the argument that American political life is a caste system. •       Episode 2871: Beverly Gage on This Land Is Your Land — road-tripping through America for the 250th anniversary. About Keen ...

Send us Fan MailA river can look calm and still be a trap. We drop into the Solomon River valley in 1857, where the U.S. Army launches what many consider the first true campaign against the Plains Indians in this series: the Cheyenne Campaign of 1857, better known as the Battle of Solomon Fork in northwest Kansas. The stakes are bigger than a single clash. This is the collision between a mobile Cheyenne world built on buffalo hunting, raiding, and shifting boundaries and a United States determined to impose fixed lines, enforce policy, and protect overland migration routes. We walk through the pressure cooker that builds after the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851, when rising immigrant traffic and wagon-train attacks trigger reprisals and then retaliation. With Secretary of War Jefferson Davis demanding punishment, Colonel Edwin V. “Bull” Sumner takes a stripped-down “scout in force” into Cheyenne country, leaning on speed, discipline, and a mix of units that includes 1st Cavalry, infantry support, prairie howitzers, and Indigenous scouts like Pawnee and Delaware trackers. The heart of the story comes from soldier Robert E. Peck, whose eyewitness detail turns a textbook campaign into a lived experience: night fires, exhausting trails past abandoned villages, and the moment Cheyenne warriors mount and form a bold line across the valley. Then Sumner makes the choice that defines the fight, ordering a saber charge that stuns opponents who expected a gun battle at distance. We end with the brutal intimacy of close-quarters combat and the unanswered question of what “success” even means in a frontier war built to terrify and control. If you care about U.S. Army history, the Cheyenne Indian Wars, and the real mechanics of conflict on the Great Plains, listen now, then subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review. What part of Peck's account changed how you picture the Plains wars?Support the showIf you'd like to buy one or more of our fully illustrated dime novel publications, you can click the link I've included. 

The church is the people, but we tend to latch onto the buildings that identify us as a congregation. But some churches across the Great Plains are putting unused portions of their often-larger-than-needed structures to use in new and creative ways. One example is First United Methodist Church in Wichita. It is coming up on a May 1 closing date for the sale of the Wilke Family Life Center, one-quarter of the church's large building in downtown Wichita. What once was home to a number of ministries that no longer require such a large space will be home for The Pinnacle — a nonprofit set up by the Wichita Metro Crime Commission — to provide space for physical and mental health programs for first responders throughout Sedgwick County. The project includes space for therapists and partner organizations to help with physical and mental health therapy for first responders, training rooms, a full gym with workout equipment, athletic courts, and spaces dedicated to cancer and heart screenings. The sale will allow the church to put money toward needed ministries in its mission field while putting the building to use for people who help so many in times of crisis. Rev. Amy Lippoldt, lead pastor at Wichita First UMC joins Todd for an episode dedicated to this subject. 

Send us Fan MailMud, rain, and a riverbank so soft every step sinks, that's where Fort Dodge begins. We rewind to April 10, 1865, and follow Captain Henry Pearce and a tired group of soldiers as they plant a military post on the Arkansas River while most of the country's attention is fixed on the war's end in Virginia. This is Kansas frontier history at ground level, where “progress” sounds like shovels scraping clay and feels like cold water pooling on the floor.We talk through what the earliest Fort Dodge actually looks like: no stone walls, no neat pine barracks, not even easy access to wood. Instead, survival means digging shelters into the high riverbanks, creating cramped, damp rooms that smell of wet earth and wool. With spring storms rolling in, sickness and exhaustion become part of the daily routine, yet the garrison keeps watch because the stakes are bigger than any one soldier's comfort.The real power of this story is the geography. Fort Dodge sits where the Santa Fe Trail splits, one route tracking the river and another cutting into the uplands. That crossroads turns a miserable patch of mud into a strategic gateway to the Southwest, protecting wagon trains, supporting mail routes, and giving settlers a safer shot at moving west. We also connect these early choices to the long-term arc of the Great Plains, including the transportation networks and economic forces that help fuel the American cattle industry.If you care about Kansas history, the Santa Fe Trail, frontier military posts, or how the American West was built in small, gritty steps, this one's for you. Subscribe for more, share it with a history-loving friend, and leave a review telling us what detail stuck with you most.Support the showIf you'd like to buy one or more of our fully illustrated dime novel publications, you can click the link I've included. 

The current state of preparedness in the United States is critical, as evidenced by the National Interagency Fire Center's designation of preparedness level 2, with over 51 uncontained large fires actively threatening various regions. This episode delves into the multifaceted hazards facing the country, particularly the elevated tornado threat spanning several states, including Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, amidst extremely dry conditions that exacerbate fire risks in the Great Plains. We examine the ramifications of a severe weather outbreak that is anticipated to unfold, potentially leading to significant tornado activity and damaging winds throughout the Midwest. In addition, we discuss the ongoing drought conditions in Florida, which represent the worst in a quarter of a century, and the implications of these environmental crises on state resources and emergency responses. Furthermore, we highlight FEMA's reopening of applications for disaster mitigation funding, emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure in light of these escalating risks.Takeaways:* The National Interagency Fire Center has reported 51 uncontained large fires currently burning across the nation.* Severe weather warnings have been issued for several states, highlighting the potential for significant tornadoes and severe wind gusts.* FEMA has reopened applications for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, with $1 billion in funding available for hazard mitigation projects.* Florida is facing its worst drought in 25 years, prompting emergency measures and burn bans across numerous counties.* The State Department has elevated its travel advisory for the United Arab Emirates due to escalating security threats following regional conflicts.* A tornado watch is currently in effect for large portions of Oklahoma, indicating a significant risk of severe weather events.SourcesNIFC / Wildfire* NIFC — National Fire News* NIFC — IMSR Wednesday April 1, 2026 (PDF)* NIFC — Monthly/Seasonal Outlook, April 1, 2026 (PDF)NWS / Severe Weather* NWS Storm Prediction Center — Convective Outlook* NWS SPC — Day 1 Convective Outlook Apr 1, 2026* NWS SPC — Day 2 Convective Outlook Apr 1, 2026 (April 2 threat)* Cabarrus Weekly — Iowa/IL/WI/IN/MO EF2+ tornado threat April 2* Cabarrus Weekly — KS/OK/TX/KY/VA/MD/NJ severe setup April 1* OKC Fox — Tornado Watch issued for majority of Oklahoma* Newsweek — Tornado map, risk level across TX/KS/OK* WTRF — Flood Warning portions of Ohio ValleyTexas* TDEM — Governor Abbott activates state emergency resources (March 4, 2026 release)* Texas Governor — Abbott activates resources ahead of severe storm riskFEMA* PBS NewsHour — FEMA complies with court order, resumes BRIC grant program* WSAW — FEMA resumes BRIC after yearlong hiatus (March 26, 2026)DHS / NTAS* DHS — National Terrorism Advisory SystemCISA* CISA — BRICKSTORM Backdoor Malware Analysis Report* CISA — Warning on BRICKSTORM malware, PRC state-sponsored actors* Industrial Cyber — CISA, NSA update BRICKSTORM with Rust-based variantsTravel Advisories* Travel and Tour World — UAE Level 3 Travel Advisory, April 2026* Meskerem.net — Ethiopia Travel Advisory updated April 1, 2026* Travel.State.Gov — Travel AdvisoriesUSGS / Volcanoes* USGS HVO — Volcano Notice April 1, 2026 (Kilauea)* USGS HVO — Volcano Notice April 1, 2026 (Kilauea update)* Hawaii Volcano Expeditions — Episode 44 forecast April 6-14Hawaii* Hawaii News Now — Hawaii still awaits word on Presidential Disaster Declaration (April 1)* Hawaii HIEMA — March 2026 Kona Low Storms disaster page* Al Jazeera — Flash flooding swamps Hawaii, 5,500 evacuated (March 2026)Nebraska* Wikipedia — 2026 Nebraska wildfires* Omaha World-Herald — Nebraska wildfire updates: Morrill fire state's all-time largest* Nebraska Governor Pillen — Documents addressing wildfiresNorth Carolina* NCAGR — Wildfire activity intensifies, 626 new ignitions over 10-day period* WECT — Woman accused of starting 420-acre wildfire in NC mountains (April 1)Florida* Fox Weather — Florida fire danger spikes, extreme drought at 25-year high* Wikipedia — 2026 Florida wildfiresVirginia* 12 On Your Side — Colonial Heights under boil water advisory (April 1)California* Bloomberg — California snowpack at 18%, drought and wildfire risks grow (April 1)* Insurance Journal — California Drought, Wildfire Risks Grow (April 2) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

Prior to the advent of steam, farms across the Great Plains were powered by flesh-and-blood horsepower. Horses and mules did the work. This form of horsepower came with many disadvantages. The average farm was 100 acres. A farmer walked countless miles to plow his fields behind a walking plow, and walked even more to plant and cultivate the crops. The animals had to be fed and cared for year-round, even when they weren't working, adding additional expense.

What types of grazing systems are included under the regenerative grazing umbrella? How do you involve the next generation in your operation? What resources are available to help you grow your understanding of pasture management?-Join Hannah Nordby with NDSU Extension, along with Krista Ehlert with SDSU Extension to learn more!-Go ahead, grab a cup of joe and settle in as we converse about serving, preserving and conserving across the Great Plains, you don't want to miss out!-Additional Resources:https://extension.sdstate.edu/women-rangeKrista Ehlert's email: krista.ehlert@sdstate.edu

Send us Fan MailApril 1 in the Great Plains isn't just a punchline. We start with the kind of frontier humor that could make or break you: trail-boss tricks like sending a newcomer for a bucket of steam, and Dodge City stunts so convincing they leave bystanders sure they've witnessed a killing. Those pranks weren't random cruelty. They were a social code, a way to build community fast, measure grit, and survive a life defined by hard work, uncertainty, and long stretches of dust and wind.Then the story takes a sharp turn from saloons to searchlights. We head to April 1, 1939, when Dodge City transforms overnight into the center of the cinematic universe for the world premiere of Warner Brothers' Technicolor epic “Dodge City.” Special Hollywood trains roll into town carrying major stars like Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, alongside Ann Sheridan, Humphrey Bogart, and Alan Hale. The population swells toward 50,000, the streets fill ten deep with hats and boots, and an army of reporters documents a prairie town watching a movie about itself.What makes this night unforgettable isn't only the celebrity or the parade. It's the moment Ford County history collides with American mythmaking. We talk about how Hollywood shapes the Old West legend, why locals don't seem to mind the facts getting bent, and what it feels like when your hometown stops being a place and becomes a story on the silver screen. If you care about Dodge City history, Old West culture, or how movies rewrite memory, hit play, subscribe, and share the show, then leave us a review and tell us: does a film keep history alive or blur it beyond repair?Support the showIf you'd like to buy one or more of our fully illustrated dime novel publications, you can click the link I've included. 

A Tulsa energy executive is taking a seat in the US Senate from Oklahoma.The OKC Thunder is getting a name for its new arena.The Midwest and Great Plains are dealing with pervasive tumbleweeds.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.

Place-Based Solutions (JHU Press, 2026) offers a bold and practical response, charting a path toward what Charles G. Curtin calls "prosilience"—the capacity not just to endure crises, but to leap forward through them. With over thirty years of collaborative, on-the-ground experience in conservation and climate adaptation. This book emphasizes the power of small and mid-sized organizations to catalyze meaningful change, using real-world examples to illustrate how lasting impact depends on aligning ethics, equity, institutional design, and the ability to learn over time. Curtin encourages readers to shift their focus from the pre-crisis status quo to preparing for—and thriving in—novel futures. This is the third of a series of books that Charles has authored to explore and test frameworks for addressing social and ecological change. His previous two books, The Science of Open Spaces and Complex Ecology: Foundational perspectives on Dynamic Approaches to Ecology and Conservation. Charles has a Master's in Land Management and a doctorate in Zoology. And he completed a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship in Climate Change Adaptation. His current work develops carbon-negative, place-based conservation strategies addressing fire and drought in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, with companion projects focused on sustaining intact Panamanian cloud forests. He now lives near Taos, New Mexico. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Lizzie Hershberger grew up in an Amish community in Minnesota. She is a survivor of sexual abuse and rape, and she left the community, eventually writing the memoir, Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman's Survival, Escape, and Pursuit of Justice. Hershberger connected with journalist Sarah McClure, who published a year-long investigation about incest, rape, and abuse in Amish communities. Hershberger and McClure then set out on years-long journey filming the documentary Keep Quiet and Forgive, which premieres March 23rd on PBS. Also, water quality is a huge challenge for the Midwest and the Great Plains, but there is a great deal of beauty to be found in the aquatic ecosystems that surround us. ISU professor Amy Burgin joins to share of the Great Plains' water wonders and what she calls "wicked problems."

For thousands of years, one animal shaped the ecology, culture, and history of an entire continent.  In vast herds that once numbered in the tens of millions, the North American bison dominated the Great Plains, sustaining Indigenous societies and transforming the landscape itself.  Yet within a single human lifetime, they were driven to the brink of extinction. Their story is one of abundance, destruction, and survival against extraordinary odds.  Learn more about the North American bison on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Mint Mobile Save 50% on Unlimited premium wireless plans starting at $15/month at MintMobile.com/EED Audible Listen to Project Hail Mary Audible.com/hailmary Fast Growing Trees Get 20% off your first purchase when using the code DAILY at checkout at fastgrowingtrees.com/daily Subscribe to the podcast!  https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Ds7Rx7jvPJ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/  Disce aliquid novi cotidie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Karen Hickman sits down with John Weir, Dr. Laura Goodman, and Dr. Mark Turner to talk invasive plants across the Great Plains—what's here, what's coming, and why our best defense often starts with a clean pickup, a better plant choice, and a tighter contract. We walk through Callery/Bradford pear's "overnight" takeover, Old World bluestem's misnamed reputation, and how sericea, Johnson grass, privet, kudzu, honeysuckle, tree-of-heaven, Siberian elm and others move from roadsides to rangeland. You'll hear field-tested tips: early detection/rapid response, where to scout first (gates, pens, ditches), what to tell pipeline and oilfield crews about decontamination, how hay can import problems after wildfire, and why tall, highly productive grasses (miscanthus, giant reed/cane, phragmites) pose wildfire risks on the urban–rural edge. We wrap with Oklahoma's watch lists, better native alternatives (hello, Mexican plum), and a clear message—don't plant your problems. Resources Oklahoma Invasive Plant Council Oklahoma Invasive Plant Council Karen Hickman, Ph.D.

A new report shows access to nearby nature in the U.S. is not equal and the gap is closely tied to race and income. Researchers say Indigenous communities are among those most affected. The Mountain West News Bureau's Kaleb Roedel has more. Communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in places with severe nature loss — fewer parks, fewer trees, more pollution. That is thanks in part to resource extraction and the rapid development of natural spaces. Researchers say that is significant for tribal areas, where land is closely tied to cultural traditions and food systems. Rena Payan with Justice Outside, which co-produced the report, says losing nearby nature isn't just about scenery. “Nature deprivation isn’t just about the aesthetics of who has access to ‘big nature.' It’s also about who has access to clean air and clean water.” The report also highlights Indigenous-led solutions. On the Navajo Nation, local groups are restoring native grasslands and wildlife habitat. In Alaska, Native organizations are protecting salmon streams and coastal ecosystems that support subsistence. Researchers say efforts grounded in Indigenous stewardship could help close what they call the nation's growing nature gap. Reliable high-speed internet is still out of reach for many tribal communities. A new report highlights ongoing barriers to broadband access in Indian Country. Daniel Spaulding has more. The report from the Urban Institute says many Indigenous communities lack reliable high-speed internet, especially in rural areas. Recent federal investments have helped expand broadband in some tribal communities, but gaps remain. Tomi Rajninger is a co-author of the report. “In certain parts of the country, especially in Indian Country and a lot of rural communities, folks have a lot less access to high speed broadband than other parts of the U.S.” The Urban Institute's Gabe Samuels says geography is one of the biggest challenges. “Because of the historic way where a lot of tribes are relocated, they’re often located in maybe more remote rural areas that are physically harder to access, it’s just kind of compounds the challenge to accessing.” Rajninger and Samuels both say allowing tribes to manage their own broadband infrastructure will be key to improving access. American bison inside a pen at Genesee Park near Golden, Colo. on March 6, 2026. (Courtesy Denver Parks and Recreation) American bison are a symbol of the West that might have vanished from this landscape entirely, if not for conservation efforts. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, the city of Denver donates bison from a long-established herd to tribes and nonprofits each year. Snow powdered the 34 bison inside a pen while tribes blessed them. Eleven went to the Navajo Nation. The rest were sent to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, a Lakota nonprofit, Buffalo First, in South Dakota, and the Denver-based Tall Bull Memorial Council. This keystone species once roamed the Great Plains, but faced the brink of extinction. In 1908, the Denver Zoo had only 18 animals left in captivity, but they would help form a herd near Golden, Colo. The city has transferred more than 170 buffalo into tribal hands. (Courtesy Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center) In New York state, more than 900 acres of land is returning to Indigenous care. The Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center, Paul Smith's College, the Nature Conservancy, and the Adirondack Land Trust joined in the land-back partnership. The Nature Conservancy purchased 600 acres of land for $1.1 million from the college and transferred ownership to the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center. The cultural center will privately own and steward the land. The land trust has already transferred 300 acres of adjoining land to the cultural center. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, March 12, 2026 – Confronting a past of forced sterilization

SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys US Forces lie to the people of the Great Plains, convince them they are under the protection of the US government for the purpose of negotiations and commit a crime so horrible that it forces congress to investigate. *correction. Several Medals of Honor have been revoked. Specifically in 1917. This had nothing to do with conduct but rather a changing of criteria of what was considered worthy of the medal. SOURCES: Grinnell, George. Bent, George. The Fighting Cheyennes. Grinnell, George. Bent, George. The Cheyenne Indians: Their History and Lifeways. Hatch, Thom (2004). Black Kettle: The Chief Who Sought Peace But Found War. Hoig, Stan (1977). The Sand Creek Massacre. Hoig, Stan (1980). The Peace Chiefs of the Cheyenne Brown, Dee. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West Bensing, Tom. Silas Soule: A Short Eventful Life of Moral Courage. Report of the US Congress Joint Committee On The Conduct of the War. 1865. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=ABY3709.0003.001;rgn=full%20text;view=toc;cc=moa

Early settlers to the Midwest were accustomed to harsh winters, but the blizzard that hit the Great Plains on January 12th, 1888 caught thousands of pioneer families off guard. The storm was especially brutal for children trying to find their way home from rural schoolhouses. Author David Laskin joins host Mike Corey to talk about how he pieced together the stories of the blizzard, and how the event lives on in the memory of their descendants. Laskin is the award-winning author of The Children's Blizzard, and The Family.Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://wondery.com/links/against-the-odds/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.