Podcasts about Great Plains

After travelling more than 1,000 miles across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, the party of 148 Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley led by Brigham ...

Send us a textStep back in time to the American frontier of 1872, where massive buffalo herds still thundered across the plains in their ancient migration patterns. Through the eyes of George W. Brown, we witness these magnificent beasts as they moved with the seasons—northward in spring to the Dakotas and Canada, then southward again as winter approached, seeking shelter in the river valleys of the Great Plains.Brown's tale centers on a hunting expedition along the Smoky Hill River with his colorful companion, Dave "Prairie Dog" Morrow. As they track buffalo herds through territories known to be hunting grounds of the Cheyenne, Brown uncovers the entrepreneurial spirit that earned Morrow his unusual nickname. From catching and selling prairie dogs to eastern tourists for five dollars a pair, to developing increasingly sophisticated trapping methods, Prairie Dog's business ventures reveal the speculative mindset that drove many frontier entrepreneurs until competition inevitably flooded the market.The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Prairie Dog mysteriously vanishes one morning, leaving Brown to encounter other characters like Thomas Nixon—a former Nevada miner who claimed to have killed over 2,000 buffalo in just over a month. These personal stories unfold against the backdrop of a rapidly changing West, where railroads were pushing into new territories and the massive buffalo herds that had dominated the landscape for centuries were facing their final days. This episode offers not just a glimpse into the practical aspects of buffalo hunting, but also the camaraderie, competition, and challenges that defined life on America's western frontier during this pivotal era.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. "Edward Masterson and the Texas Cowboys," penned by Michael King, takes readers on an exhilarating ride through the American West, focusing on the lively and gritty cattle town of Dodge City, Kansas. This thrilling dime novel plunges into the action-packed year of Ed Masterson's life as a lawman, set against the backdrop of the chaotic cattle trade, filled with fierce conflicts, shifting loyalties, and rampant lawlessness. You can order the book on Amazon.

“Early impacts of cover crop selection on soil biological parameters during a transition to organic agriculture” with Nick Boodages. Incorporating cover crops is an important step in the transition from conventional to organic growing practices, but in Texas, limited resources can bring complications. In this episode, Nick joins me to discuss his work researching how to help farmers make the leap. Tune in to learn: ·        What challenges Texan farmers face when hoping to transition to organic agriculture ·        Which cover crops perform best in the Texas high plains ·        Which challenges Texan farmers face when growing cover crops ·        How cover crops impact crop yields during the transition to organic If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20532 This paper is always freely available. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don't forget to subscribe. If you'd like to see old episodes or sign up for our newsletter, you can do so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to Nick, you can find him here: nicholas.boogades@ag.tamu.edu Resources CEU Quiz: Coming soon Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/transcript/Njg2ZTdhM2M3MTljMjMzZjYxOWE2ODlidXpYcmF2ZDF0Z04x/o/VEMwNzYxNzAyNjY3  Texas A&M AgriLife extension: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/ Lewis and Burke Labs: www.txsoillab.com Organic Transition-Cotton Peanut Rotation extension paper: https://agriliferollingplainsagronomy.org/2022/11/22/organic-transition-cotton-peanut-rotation/ Alternative Certifications for Organic Transition: Quality Assurance Initiative (QAI)-Certified Organic Transition: https://www.qai-inc.com/certification-services/transitional.php/ Non GMO project: https://www.nongmoproject.org/ Certified naturally grown: https://www.naturallygrown.org/ Grazing Cover Crops in the Great Plains with Drs. John Holman and Augustine Obour: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/grazing-cover-crops-in-the-great-plains-with-drs-john-holman-and-augustine-obour Thank you to our volunteer Om Prakash Ghimire for help with the shownotes and other assets. Thank you to Cole Shalk from 12twelve Media for the Audio Processing on today's episode. Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

The main character in Chickasaw writer Danica Nava's debut novel gets into trouble for making some questionable claims about her Chickasaw identity to try and get ahead in the working world. Cherokee citizen Christina Berry writes about an Austin woman's sometimes funny, sometimes heart wrenching desire to start a family. And Karen Kay's historical novel explores an interracial connection on the mid-1800s Great Plains frontier. What each of these books has in common is the quest for true love. They also have honest, complex, and engaging portrayals of Native characters written by Native authors. We'll hear from them about their work and Native representation in modern romance literature. (This is an encore show, so we won't take calls from listeners). GUESTS Danica Nava (Chickasaw), author of The Truth According to Ember Karen Kay (Choctaw), historical romance author Christina Berry (citizen of the Cherokee Nation), contemporary romance author Break 1 Music: Death Row Love Affair (song) Tom Wilson (artist) Break 2 Music: Love Affair (song) Pepper (artist) In with the Old (album)

The main character in Chickasaw writer Danica Nava's debut novel gets into trouble for making some questionable claims about her Chickasaw identity to try and get ahead in the working world. Cherokee citizen Christina Berry writes about an Austin woman's sometimes funny, sometimes heart wrenching desire to start a family. And Karen Kay's historical novel explores an interracial connection on the mid-1800s Great Plains frontier. What each of these books has in common is the quest for true love. They also have honest, complex, and engaging portrayals of Native characters written by Native authors. We'll hear from them about their work and Native representation in modern romance literature.

Accountability in Fraternity and Sorority Chapters is a reality! Darrian Stringer serves as the Interfraternity Coordinator at Mississippi State University. He began this role in May of 2024 and has been a higher education professional for the last two years. Previously he worked as a chapter consultant for The Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity. Darrian oversaw 16 chapters in the Northwest and Great Plains, assisted 9 chapters in recruitment efforts, and finally established a provisional chapter at Pepperdine University. In 2023, he received his bachelor's degree in journalism with a focus in broadcast from the University of South Alabama. During his time as an Intern at WKRG Channel Five News in Mobile, Alabama, he learned all the necessary skills to excel as an anchor, reporter, MMJ, or sports reporter. His experience before becoming a chapter consultant taught him valuable skills such as how to interview someone efficiently, edit and produce using Adobe Premiere Pro, serve as on-air talent, and even write scripts for the afternoon sports segment. In episode 586 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Darrian chose the University of South Alabama for his undergraduate experience, what made him choose Pi Kappa Alpha over the other fraternities on campus, how to build a healthy and sustainable chapter culture, how to create a values-based experience while still having fun, how to build accountability in fraternity and sorority chapters, how fraternities and sororities can work more effectively with local reporters to boost their PR, how to manage chapter reputation during difficult situations, and advice on how to rebuild chapter culture after a rough year. Enjoy!

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. Learn about the Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration, the role of buffalo in grassland ecosystems, and how communities are working together to bring these iconic animals home.

Summer's heating up but we are cooling things down--perhaps too much! In this episode of South Dakota Legends and Lore we learn about the blizzard that hit the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains regions of the United States on January 11, 1888. It became known as the Children's Blizzard or Schoolhouse Blizzard and caught most folks unprepared for the dangerous drop in temperature, high winds, and blinding ice and snow. We focus on (South) Dakota Territory survival stories and experiences, and provide additional reading suggestions.Voiced and edited by Adrian LudensSnowstorm sound effects by Dauzkobza, used by permission

Why should an SCD prioritize branding and marketing? Is it all about the “free swag”, or does the quality of services and community relationships also play into branding your SCD? How do you balance bringing in new services with current employee workload? When is it time to hire workers to help expand the services offered? -Join Hannah Nordby, along with Dustin Kruger, Molly Carlson, and Kelli Schumacher as they discuss these questions andmore!-Go head 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!-For more information related to NDSoil Conservation Districts, please reference these resources:Contact us at: ndsu.sscc@ndsu.edu Website:https://www.ndsu.edu/ndssc/ Google Drive Resources:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jibUaQrF_YL_-gvxfV-sSfpAETfhUPOm?usp=drive_link-ND Employees Association Website & Contact Information: https://ndcdea.com/board-of-directors--scd-offices.html

As settlers and prospectors moved into Dakota Territory, conflicts increased between the newcomers and the people who had long called the Great Plains home. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 was an attempt to reduce that conflict and allow for free passage through Native American lands. The treaty established territory for the exclusive use of different tribes. Unfortunately, the terms began to unravel almost immediately. The United States lacked the resources to stop the flow of prospectors and settlers.

Tonight's guest joins us from Bonn, Germany — and from the far side of the clock, where it's 2 a.m. local time! Lars Lowinski is a seasoned meteorologist with international experience spanning Europe and New Zealand. He now works with WetterOnline, one of Europe's largest weather platforms, where he connects their U.S. business operations with German-based product development and training. He's also an avid storm chaser who's pursued Great Plains supercells and participated in the Hazardous Weather Testbed in Norman, Oklahoma. Lars has been a loyal WeatherBrains listener since 2008 — and we're thrilled to finally have him on the show!  Thanks for joining us tonight. Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Is tornado season over?  (02:30) Forecasting in the Southern Hemisphere and working with oil and gas industry (17:50) Compare/Contrast experiences in NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed (20:00) Importance of doing a thorough hand analysis before utilizing model data when assimilating forecasts (21:00) Discussing the European Severe Storms Laboratory (23:00) Importance of working together internationally/globally when communicating severe weather risks (28:00) Breaking down barriers in the science of meteorology through simple human interaction (35:00) Approaches/challenges in weather messaging across different cultures and languages across the world (35:30) Looking back at Lars's storm chasing experiences (45:30) Discussion of deadly July 1916 Austria tornado and it's experiences lost in history due to World War One (55:00) European severe weather warning process vs U.S. severe weather warning process (57:45) Weather-aware subculture in the United States (01:13:00) Rise of Digital Meteorologists (01:16:00) NWS budget update/analysis (01:29:30) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:26:20) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (01:28:00) E-Mail Segment (No segment this week) and more! Web Sites from Episode 1015: Lars Lowinski Photography Picks of the Week: Lars Lowinski - Monster HP supercell in France (06/13/2025) James Aydelott - James Aydelott on Facebook: Three feet of rain in Tulsa, OK since January 1st/Wettest April 1-June 30 on record in Tulsa (Back to 1931) Jen Narramore - Lightning strike injures 2 at Northland HS soccer field in Columbus Rick Smith - Out Troy Kimmel - Out Kim Klockow-McClain - Earth's Clouds on the Move John Gordon - Kyle J Gillett on X: Panhandle, TX boundary collision John Gordon - Ronca-HohnWx on X: Memphis, TN boundary collision Bill Murray - Out James Spann - June 28th, 2025 Deuel County, South Dakota tornado The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, John Gordon, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

In this episode of The Broadband Bunch, recorded live at Fiber Connect 2025 in Nashville, host Brad Hine sits down with Justin Suhr, Senior Director of Construction Engineering at Great Plains Communications. With over two decades of experience in telecom and a deep background in fiber deployment and outside plant engineering, Justin shares insights on the company's transformation from a 115-year-old telephone provider into a modern fiber-forward operator. They dive into the evolution of broadband deployment strategies in the face of paused BEAD funding, the shift toward multi-gigabit services, the role of AI and system integration in field operations, and the importance of digital transformation across construction and customer service. Justin also reflects on his personal journey in the industry, from field engineering to leadership, and how Great Plains is tackling both urban and rural broadband challenges through strategic planning, software integration, and a forward-thinking approach to workforce development.

Send us a textThe afternoon of April 14, 1935, began with an unsettling calm across the southern Great Plains. After weeks of relentless dust storms, this brief moment of respite felt almost divine—until an ominous black line appeared on the horizon. Witnesses described a sky divided between golden sunlight and a monstrous curtain of dust that towered a thousand feet high, churning like a reverse waterfall.When this apocalyptic wall struck, it transformed day into a darkness "worse than any midnight." The assault was multi-sensory and terrifying. Wind-driven sand lacerated exposed skin, buildings trembled, and the air itself became a choking hazard loaded with particulate matter. Perhaps most bizarre were the electrical phenomena—static electricity generated by billions of dust particles created blue sparks dancing between animals' ears and enough charge to short-out automobile engines or knock people to the ground with a handshake.Black Sunday wasn't merely a weather event but the physical manifestation of America's worst man-made ecological disaster. This catastrophe emerged from a perfect storm of misguided federal policies, economic desperation, and ecological ignorance. The transformation of native grasslands into unsustainable farmlands had stripped away nature's defense mechanisms against drought and wind. When these elements combined with economic pressures of the Great Depression, the result was catastrophic—a haunting reminder that our relationship with the natural world requires respect for systems that evolved over millennia. What lessons can we draw from this devastating chapter in American history as we face our own environmental challenges today?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. "Edward Masterson and the Texas Cowboys," penned by Michael King, takes readers on an exhilarating ride through the American West, focusing on the lively and gritty cattle town of Dodge City, Kansas. This thrilling dime novel plunges into the action-packed year of Ed Masterson's life as a lawman, set against the backdrop of the chaotic cattle trade, filled with fierce conflicts, shifting loyalties, and rampant lawlessness. You can order the book on Amazon.

This week brought another significant tornado outbreak to parts of Minnesota. Downtowns for the Twin Cities, Rochester and Duluth were spared from any storm damage, but are cities safer from tornadoes than rural parts of Minnesota? Does the urban heat island effect spare urban residents from a tornado tearing through their cities? “The urban heat island probably would not save you if the storm were in a position to enter that urban area,” said climatologist Kenneth Blumenfeld. “We should definitely disabuse ourselves of this myth.”Blumenfeld, who has researched urban tornados, said the probability of tornadoes striking skyscraper-filled cities like the Twin Cities, or smaller downtowns, are just as high as elsewhere. “All the big cities, [in] tornado prone regions like the Midwest, the South and the Great Plains, have relatively high amounts of tornado activity — it's a lesson for all of us that tornadoes can and do hit cities.”To hear the full conversation, click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

I was at a professional meeting recently and I heard an inspiring and insightful and forward-looking talk by journalist and author Roger Thurow. Roger was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal for 30 years, 20 of them as a foreign correspondent based in Europe and Africa. Roger has written a number of books including one on world hunger and another what I thought was a particularly important book entitled The First 1000 Days, A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children and the World. Now comes a new book on farmers around the world and how they are coping with the unprecedented changes they face. It was hearing about his book that inspired me to invite Mr. Thurow to this podcast and thankfully he accepted. His new book is entitled Against the Grain: How Farmers Around the Globe are transforming Agriculture to Nourish the World and Heal the Planet. Interview Summary I really admire your work and have loved the new book and what I've read before. So, let's talk about something that you speak about: the wisdom of farmers. And you talk about their wisdom in the context of modern agriculture. What do you mean by that? Farmers of the world, particularly the small holder farmers, indigenous farmers, family farmers as we know them in this country, they're really bold and pioneering in what they're doing. And these farmers, kind of around the world as we go on this journey around the world in the book, they've seen their efforts to earn a living and feed nourish their families and communities turn against. So, while conforming to the orthodoxies of modern industrial agriculture practices: the monocropping, the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides and insecticide chemicals, the land expansion, at the expense of savannas, forest wetlands, biodiverse environments. In the face of this, they've really witnessed their lands degrading. Their soils depleting. Their waters dwindling. Their pollinators fleeing. Their biodiversity shrinking and becoming less diverse. Their rains becoming ever more mercurial., Their temperatures ever hotter. And their children and families and their communities becoming ever more hungry and malnourished. So, they've really seen the future of their own impacts on the environment, and then the impacts of changing climates, of more extreme weather conditions. They've really seen this future. They've experienced, lived it, and it's ugly what they see and what they've experienced on their farms. So, that's their wisdom, and they'll really tell us that it doesn't have to be that way if we listen. That such a future isn't inevitable. Because out of their desperation, you know, these farmers have begun farming against the grain. So, there's the title of the book Against the Grain of this modern agriculture orthodoxy to reconcile their roles as both food producers and nourishers of us all, and stewards in the land. They're pushing forward with practices like agroforestry, agroecology, regenerative agriculture, kind of whatever one calls it. Farming with nature instead of bending nature to their will, which is what we too often done and with kind of the larger modern industrial agriculture techniques. So, farming with nature as opposed to against it as they strive to both nourish us all and heal our planet. Give us a sense, if you will, about how important these small farmers are to the world's food supply? So how important are these? They're really important. Extremely vital for the global food chain, certainly for their own families and communities, and their countries. In a lot of places, say in Africa, in many of the countries, on the continent, it's the small holder farmers that are producing the majority of the food. In their communities and in their countries and across the continent. Still not enough. Africa then must become a substantial importer of food. But these small holder farmers are so key and the more success that they have in feeding their communities and families, the more success we all have then in this great goal of ending hunger and malnutrition. Equally important, these farmers are the stewards of the land. And they're on the front lines of these environmental challenges. The threats from the changing climate and more extreme weather conditions. They're the first impacted by it, but they also increasingly see, and that's what stories in the book are about, how they see that their own actions are then impacting their environment and their climates. And this is why they're so important for all of us is that they find themselves at the center of what I think is this great collision of humanities two supreme imperatives. One, nourish the world, so nourish us all. That's the one imperative. And then the other imperative, kind of colliding with that, is to preserve, protect, and heal our planet from the very actions of nourishing us. So, these are these two colliding forces. You know as I think we already know agriculture and land use activities are responsible for about a third of the greenhouse gases impacting our climate and weather patterns. And the greatest impact of this then is felt by the farmers themselves. And they see what's happening to their soils and the depletion of their soils. Their lands being so terribly degraded by their very actions of nourishing their families and then contributing to nourishing us all. I think that's why they're so important for us. I mean, there's certainly kind of the canaries in the coal mine of climate change. Of these environmental challenges that we're all facing. And how they're then able to adjust their farming, as we kind of see in the book and that's this wisdom again. How can we learn from them and what are they seeing in their own situations. They're then having to adjust because they have no other options. They either have to adjust or their farms will continue to degrade and their children and their families increasingly malnourished and hungry. Roger let's talk through this issue of colliding imperatives just a bit. The fact that protecting the planet and nourishing people are colliding in your view, suggests that these two priorities are competing with one another. How is that the case? Some of the techniques of the monocropping, which is basically planting one crop on the same plot of land year after year, after year, season after season, right? And by doing that, these crops that are pulling nutrients out of the soil, many of the crops don't put nutrients back in. Some of them do. They'll restore nitrogen they'll put other nutrients in. But with the mono cropping, it's kind of the same depletion that goes on. And, has been particularly practiced in this country, and the bigger farmers and more commercial farmers, because it's more efficient. You are planting one crop, you have the same technique of kind of the planting and tending for that. And the harvesting, kind of the same equipment for that. You don't need to adjust practices, your equipment for various other crops that you're growing on that land. And so, there's an efficiency for that. You have then the price stability if there is any price stability in farming from that crop. That can be a weakness if the price collapses and you're so dependent on that. And so, the farmers are seeing, yeah, that's where the degrading and the weakening their of their soils comes from. So, what's their response to that when their land's degrading? When their soils become weak, it's like, oh, we need additional land then to farm. So they'll go into the forest, they'll cut down trees. And now there's virgin soil. They do the same practices there. And then after a number of years, well that land starts depleting. They keep looking for more. As you do these things, then with the soils depleting, the land degrading, becoming really hard, well, when the rain comes, it's not soaking in. And it just kind of runs away as the soil becomes almost like concrete. Farmers aren't able to plant much there anymore or get much out of the ground. And then so what happens then if the water isn't soaking into the soil, the underground aquifers and the underground springs they become depleted. All of a sudden, the lakes and the ponds that were fed by those, they disappear. The wildlife, the pollinators that come because of that, they go. The bushes, the plants, the weeds that are also so important for the environment, they start disappearing. And so you see that in their efforts to nourish their families and to nourish all of us, it's having this impact on the environment. And then that drives more impacts, right? As they cut down trees, trees drive the precipitation cycle. Tthen the rains become ever more mercurial and unpredictable. Without the trees and the shade and the cooling and the breezes, temperatures get hotter. And also, as the rains disappear and become more unpredictable. It has all this effect. And so, the farmers in the book, they're seeing all this and they recognize it. That by their very actions of cutting down trees to expand their land or to go to a different crop. Because again, that's what the commercial agriculture is demanding, so maybe its sugar cane is coming to the area. Well, sugar cane doesn't get along with trees. And so, the farmers in this one part of Uganda that I write about, they're cutting down all their trees to plant sugarcane. And then it's like, wow, now that the trees are gone, now we see all these environmental and ecosystem results because of that. And so that's where this collision comes from then of being much more aware, and sensitive in their practices and responding to it. That they are both nourishing their families and then also being even better stewards of their land. And they're not doing any of this intentionally, right? It's not like they're going 'we have to do all this to the land, and you know, what do we care? We're just here for a certain amount of time.' But no, they know that this is their land, it's their wealth, it's their family property. It's for their children and future generations. And they need to both nourish and preserve and protect and heal at the same time. Well, you paint such a rich picture of how a single decision like mono cropping has this cascade of effects through the entire ecosystem of an area. Really interesting to hear about that. Tell me how these farmers are experiencing climate change. You think of climate change as something theoretical. You know, scientists are measuring these mysterious things up there and they talk about temperature changes. But what are these farmers actually experiencing in their day-to-day lives? So along with the monocropping, this whole notion that then has expanded and become kind of an article of faith through industrial and modern agriculture orthodoxies, is to get big or get out, and then to plant from fence post to fence post. And so, the weeds and the flowers and plants that would grow along the edges of fields, they've been taken down to put in more rows of crops. The wetland areas that have either been filled in. So, it was a policy here, the USDA would then fund farmers to fill in their wetlands. And now it's like, oh, that's been counterproductive. Now there's policies to assist farmers to reestablish their wetland. But kind of what we're seeing with climate change, it's almost every month as we go through the year, and then from year after year. Every month is getting hotter than the previous months. And each year then is getting subsequently hotter. As things get hotter, it really impacts the ability of some crops in the climates where they're growing. So, take for instance, coffee. And coffee that's growing, say on Mount Kenya in Africa. The farmers will have to keep going further and further up the mountains, to have the cooler conditions to grow that type of coffee that they grow. The potato farmers in Peru, where potatoes come from. And potatoes are so important to the global food chain because they really are a bulwark against famine. Against hunger crises in a number of countries and ecologies in the world. So many people rely on potatoes. These farmers, they call themselves the guardians of the indigenous of the native potato varieties. Hundreds of various varieties of potatoes. All shapes, sizes, colors. As it gets warmer, they have to keep moving further and further up the Andes. Now they're really farming these potatoes on the roof of Earth. As they move up, they're now starting to then farm in soils that haven't been farmed before. So, what happens? You start digging in those soils and now you're releasing the carbon that's been stored for centuries, for millennia. That carbon is then released from the soils, and that then adds to more greenhouse gases and more impact on the climate and climate change. It kind of all feeds each other. They're seeing that on so many fronts. And then the farmers in India that we write about in the book, they know from history and particularly the older farmers, and just the stories that are told about the rhythm of the monsoon season. And I think it was the summer of the monsoon season of 2022 when I was doing the reporting there for that particular part of the book. The rains came at the beginning, a little bit. They planted and then they disappear. Usually, the monsoons will come, and they'll get some rain for this long, long stretch of time, sometimes particularly heavy. They planted and then the rains went away. And as the crops germinated and came up, well, they needed the water. And where was the water and the precipitation? They knew their yields weren't going to be as big because they could see without the rains, their crops, their millet, their wheat crops were failing. And then all of a sudden, the rains returned. And in such a downpour, it was like, I think 72 hours or three days kind of rains of a biblical proportion. And that was then so much rain in that short of time than added further havoc to their crops and their harvest. And it was just that mercurial nature and failing nature of the monsoons. And they're seeing that kind of glitches and kinks in the monsoon happening more frequently. The reliability, the predictability of the rains of the seasons, that's what they're all finding as kind of the impacts of climate change. You're discussing a very interesting part of the world. Let's talk about something that I found fascinating in your book. You talked about the case of pigweed in Uganda. Tell us about that if you will. Amaranth. So here, we call it pigweed. That's a weed. Yeah, destroy that. Again, fence post to fence post. Nah, so this pig weed that's growing on the side or any kind of weeds. The milkweed, so I'm from northern Illinois, and the milkweed that would kind of grow on the edges of the corn fields and other fields, that's really favored by monarch butterflies, right? And so now it's like, 'Hey, what happened to all the monarch butterflies that we had when we were growing up?' Right? Well, if you take out the milkweed plants, why are the monarch butterfly going to come? So those pollinators disappear. And they come and they're great to look at, and, you know, 'gee, the monarchs are back.' But they also perform a great service to us all and to our environment and to agriculture through their pollinating. And so, the pigweed in Africa - Amaranth, it's like a wonder crop. And one of these 'super crops,' really nutritious. And these farmers in this area of Uganda that I'm writing about, they're harvesting and they're cultivating Amaranth. And they're mixing that in their homemade porridge with a couple of other crops. Corn, some millet, little bit of sugar that they'll put in there. And that then becomes the porridge that they're serving to the moms, particularly during their pregnancies to help with their nutritional status. And then to the babies and the small children, once they started eating complimentary food. Because the malnutrition was so bad and the stunting so high in that area that they figured they needed to do something about that. And the very farmers that this program from Iowa State University that's been working with them for 20 years now, first to improve their farming, but then wow, the malnutrition is so bad in these farming families. What can we do about that? Then it was, oh, here's these more nutritional crops native to the area. Let's incorporate them into farming. This crop is Amaranth. Basically, neglected in other parts of the world. Destroyed in other parts of the world. That is something that's actually cultivated and harvested, and really cared for and prized in those areas. It's a really interesting story. Let's turn our attention to the United States, which you also profile in your book. And there was a particular farmer in Kansas named Brandon that you talk about. And he said he was getting divorced from wheat. Tell us about that. Yes, thank you. That's a really interesting story because he's standing there kind of on the edge of his farm, looking at the wheat crops across the road that his neighbor was planting and he had some himself. And he's saying, yeah, I need to get a divorce from wheat. Because of the impact that that was having on the environment. Again, the planting of the wheat, you know, year after year. It's the wheat belt of our Great Plains, which then is legendarily known as the breadbasket, not only of America, but the breadbasket of the world. This wheat is particularly good and appropriate for the label of Breadbasket because it's really good for breads, baking materials. But he's looking at here's the impact it had on his soil. The organic matter on the soil has been dwindling. In the season that the wheat is underground, and the topsoil is uncovered, then you have the problems with erosion. He's seen the impact over time of the year after year after year of growing the wheat. What's interesting, he says, you know, I need to get a divorce from wheat. Well, it's his relatives, because he's a fifth descendant, of the Mennonite farmers from what is now Ukraine - one of the world's original grain belts, who brought their hard red winter wheat seeds with them when they came to the Great Plains in the 1870s. They're the ones that wed Kansas, the Great Plains, the United States to wheat. So now this farmer, Brandon-I-need-to-get-a-divorce-from-wheat, well, it's your ancestors and your descendants that wed us to that. There's kind of historic irony that's taking place. But along with the wheat seeds that came, then also came the plowing up the prairie lands for the first time. And wheat is an annual crop. It's planted year after year one harvest. With each planting, the soil is disturbed, releasing carbon that had been stored, that had been stored in the soil for millennium when they first started plowing. Carbon along with methane released by agricultural activities is, again, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. And in addition, you know, this annual plowing exposes the soil to erosion. You know, relentless erosion with the wind and the rain in the plains. That's what eventually led to the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. Some environmental and conservation agricultural practices come along because of that, but now that continues. And Brandon himself is seeing the impact as he measures the organic matter in the soil. These are the microorganisms in the soils that naturally work with the soils to grow the crops to feed us all. The nutrients in the soil are weakened and depleted, which then results in the need for more and more chemical enhancements and fertilizers, particularly nitrogen and all the rest. And then you see the runoff of the nitrogen into the water system. And so, yeah, he's seen the impact of all of this, and he's like I need to do something else. And so, he's taken a rather radical step than of planting and growing perennial crops, which you plant one season and then they'll grow for three or four years, maybe more and longer. He has some cattle, so he is able to graze that on those perennial crops. One in particular called kernza, which is an ancient intermediate wheat grass. Has some of the properties of wheat. And so the Land Institute in Kansas then is also working on perennial crops and how can they then be cultivated and harvested also as crops that we all eat. And so Kernza is very high in protein. There's all sorts of breads and pasta, pastries, that you can make with it. Cereals. It's a good ingredient for brewing. There's Kernza beer. And there's promise with that. And then so these perennial crops, then it's like, okay, so we don't have to plow every year. We plant, they grow, they provide a cover crop, but they also provide food for all of us. So perennials, good for our nutrition, good for the soils, good for the environment. You know, we've recorded a series of podcasts with farmers who've been doing regenerative agriculture. And the kind of story that you talk about Brandon, quite similar to what you hear from some of the other farmers. Farming was in their family for many generations. They were accustomed to a particular type of industrial agriculture. They saw it harming the land, thought it bad for the planet, and decided to really retool and do things entirely different. And they're making a go of it, which is really exciting. Roger, I wanted to ask you about Native Americans. As you write about their agriculture, spirituality, kinship, and how all these things come together. Tell us about that. Exactly. Thank you. And so, if you go travel a little bit further in our great plains from Kansas up to South Dakota, and the Sicangu Lakota communities in the southern part of South Dakota close to the Nebraska border. They're trying to reestablish their food sovereignty and the agriculture practices of the Native Americans destroyed, as we tried to destroy them and their communities. By taking of their land, forced relocations, the Trail of Tears, the Trail of Death, in various parts of the country, from various of the Native American communities. And they realize that, as you and the researchers at Duke, know really well, the health impacts that has had on the Native American communities and the high rates of diabetes and obesity, the shortened life expectancies in those communities. And one of the main factors then is their food pathways, and their nutrition being disturbed through all this. So how can they reestablish their food sovereignty? The emphasis on the crops that they used to grow, particularly the three sisters' crops, the maize, the beans, the squash. And then that they would have crops and taste and nutrients that were so vital to their systems traditionally. To recapture that in various growing projects that they have. And then also, with the Sicangu Lakota, they are trying to reestablish the buffalo herd, which was basically decimated from upwards of 30 million or more size of the herd basically down to several hundred with the intentional slaughter of the buffalo in order to really oppress and impact the Native American community. So vital not only to their food sources and nutrition, but basically everything. Clothing, tools - so using every inch of the buffalo. And then spiritually. And as they explain their approach to regenerative agriculture, they would put a picture of a buffalo as the very definition of regenerative agriculture. Just by the way that the buffalo grazes and then moves around. It doesn't graze to the soil it leaves something behind. Then the grasses grow quicker because there's something that's left behind. They leave things behind for other animals. The way that they migrate, and then kind of knead the soil as they go along. That also helps with the soil. So, all these regenerative agriculture, regenerative soil, healthy soil healing practices of it. And then they also say, look the spiritual nature of things that the buffalo represents their kinship. Their kinship of the people to the buffalo, to their land, to the environment. And to them, regenerative agriculture isn't just about food, about soils, about the cultivation and the planting, but also about this kinship. It is a kinship and a spirituality of kind of all of us together. We're all combined on this global food chain. And so that whole kinship element to regenerative agriculture, I think is also really important for us to all understand. Getting back to your original question about the wisdom. This is the wisdom of these farmers, these indigenous farmers, small holder farmers, family farmers. Like Brandon, the small holder farmers of African, India and Latin America are learning so much about their crops that we have so much to learn from.vIt's inspiring to think that some of the remedies that people are coming up with now in the face of all these challenges actually have historic roots that go back thousands of years is pretty inspiring. And it's nice to know that the resurrection of some of these techniques might really make a difference in the modern world. Roger, there are so many questions I'd love to ask you. And I'd urge people to read your book Against the Grain to further explore some of these issues. But I wanted to end with something. Are you hopeful that things will change in a positive direction? I am. I'm also concerned that we need to recognize the need to both nourish and heal. Recognize that this collision is looming, but it's already happening. And I think my hope, and cautious optimism I guess, then comes from the farmers themselves. They're very resilient, and they have to be, right? If you'd asked them the question about where their hope comes from or their optimism or their motivation and inspiration to keep going, it's they don't have any other option. I mean, this is their land. This is what they do. They're farmers, they're nourishing their families. If their families are to be nourished and to end the effects of poor nutrition as we see in this country, which is then common around the world, they need to adjust. So Abebe, a farmer Ethiopia this is kind of where my hope and inspiration comes from. And he begins the book. He's at the outset of the book and in the prologue. His land in Ethiopia was utterly degraded and you couldn't plant there anymore. They had already cut down trees, moved into areas that had been forested. The humble forest in the area had basically disappeared, in kind of the greater area of where Abebe lives. The bigger kind of ecosystem, environmental changes that then come from that, or the disappearance of a forest. And he had been following then the practices and the orthodoxies of modern agriculture. He realized that that was then behind the degradation of his land and the soil. He couldn't plant anymore. And the World Food Program, the Ethiopian government, other kind of NGOs, were then seeing, look these farm communities, these families, we're going to have to be assisting with food assistance forever because their lands are so degraded. They're not able to nourish their families from them unless we do something to restore and heal the land and bring the land back. And so, Abebe and his family and many others in his community, the kind of wider neighborhood and in this area, the humble forest, a lot of them, they stop farming on their land and they're given assistance saved by the World Food Program, kind of food for work. And they set about rehabbing their land. Kind of terracing their land so it'll hold the water. Digging shallow water pans to collect the rain so it then soaks into the soil, into the ground, and then regenerates the underground springs and sources of water. Planting grasses, bushes, letting kind of the land heal and regenerate itself. After a number of years, they see that happening. They move back to the land, and now he has this wide diversity as opposed to planting say corn every year or other mono cropping. Now he has this wide, wild, riotous array of different crops and vegetables and fruit trees. Some of the staple crops that he's grown also in rotation. Working with trees that have then grown up. Springs, a little pond has reformed that he didn't even know was there had come up because of the conservation the water. And he says, you know, my land, which once was dead, he's living again. Right? A profound statement and a realization from this farmer of this is how we can bring it back. So again, as I say, they've seen the future and it's ugly, right? He's seen his land degraded. He couldn't nourish his family anymore. He then does these practices, takes heed of this. I need to heal my land at the same time as farming it. And now his land is living again. So that to me is kind of a wonderful parable. So again, the wisdom of the farmers. It's through the stories and the wisdom of Abebe, that kind of the hope comes forward. Bio Roger Thurow is a journalist and author who writes about the persistence of hunger and malnutrition in our world as well as global agriculture and food policy. He was a reporter at The Wall Street Journal for thirty years, including twenty years as a foreign correspondent based in Europe and Africa. In 2003, he and Journal colleague Scott Kilman wrote a series of stories on famine in Africa that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting. Thurow is the author of four books: Enough: Why the World's Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty (with Scott Kilman); The Last Hunger Season: A Year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change; The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children – And the World; and, Against the Grain – How Farmers Around the Globe Are Transforming Agriculture to Nourish the World and Heal the Planet. He has also been a senior fellow for Global Agriculture and Food Policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, as well as a Scholar-in-Residence at Auburn University's Hunger Solutions Institute.

Mike Wieger joins me to talk through the latest in home tech and personal gadgets. We cover his switch from Cox to MetroNet fiber and compare Omaha's evolving internet options, including T-Mobile and Great Plains. Mike shares his 2.5 and 10 Gbps networking upgrades, covers DIY repairs, and explores self-hosting with Oracle VPS and VPNs via Tailscale. We also break down his experience with the WHOOP fitness tracker, from sleep and recovery data to hardware upgrades. Thanks for listening! In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, we dive into a range of captivating topics with Mike Wieger, exploring innovations in

Mike Wieger joins me to talk through the latest in home tech and personal gadgets. We cover his switch from Cox to MetroNet fiber and compare Omaha's evolving internet options, including T-Mobile and Great Plains. Mike shares his 2.5 and 10 Gbps networking upgrades, covers DIY repairs, and explores self-hosting with Oracle VPS and VPNs via Tailscale. We also break down his experience with the WHOOP fitness tracker, from sleep and recovery data to hardware upgrades. Thanks for listening! In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, we dive into a range of captivating topics with Mike Wieger, exploring innovations in

Mike Wieger joins me to talk through the latest in home tech and personal gadgets. We cover his switch from Cox to MetroNet fiber and compare Omaha's evolving internet options, including T-Mobile and Great Plains. Mike shares his 2.5 and 10 Gbps networking upgrades, covers DIY repairs, and explores self-hosting with Oracle VPS and VPNs via Tailscale. We also break down his experience with the WHOOP fitness tracker, from sleep and recovery data to hardware upgrades. Thanks for listening! In this episode of Home Gadget Geeks, we dive into a range of captivating topics with Mike Wieger, exploring innovations in

For a school that hasn't caught much in the way of a break when it comes to sports lately, you have to say fortune is shining on Oregon State going into the College World Series. Not only are the eighth-seeded Beavers riding tons of momentum after smashing Florida State in the third game of their Super Regional on Sunday, they enter the eight-team field in Omaha with perhaps the most favorable path to the championship series. They are the highest-seeded team in the top half of the bracket, while No. 3 overall seed Arkansas and 6-seeded LSU will have to duke it out in the bottom half of the bracket. On this week's episode of the Oregonian Sports Podcast, hosts Bill Oram and Brenna Greene break down the Beavers chances in Omaha, while also trying to prepare for the regional delicacies of the Great Plains. Also discussed on this week's episode: • Takeaways from last weekend in Corvallis • How Bill found himself watching the Beavers clinch their return to Omaha from the roof of a parking garage. • Should the Beavers be wary of their opening-round opponent, Louisville? • A detour into the greatest high school mascots, just because • Will the Blazers use their lottery pick on a player who started his career at a local Division III school? • ... and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sworn in as the 18th President of the United States on March 4, 1869, Ulysses S. Grant found himself in a bind. Prospectors were swarming into the West. New settlers made their way into Dakota Territory. The Transcontinental Railroad was nearly complete. Trails across the Great Plains were turning into roads. All this progress increased conflicts with Native American tribes.

We love grasses, native, ornamental, even annual! It's hard to imagine gardening in the Great Plains without them. They create the base and backdrop for native flowers while creating a sense of place in a prairie state. Grasses are also critical habitat for butterflies, moths, and other pollinating insects.Learn more about becoming a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastSend us your questions at growingwithbloombox@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail.Find us on Patreon for early episode releases and extra photosFollow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and InstagramFollow us @growingwithbloombox on PinterestLearn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-boxLearn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

What is virtual fencing? What type of livestock can it be utilized on? On paper virtual fencing sounds great, what'sthe real-world practicality of it? -Join Hannah Nordby, along with NDSU Extension Rangeland Management Specialist, Kevin Sedivec; NDSU Graduate Research Assistant, Josh Wianecki; Sheep Producer from Bison, SD, Dave Ollila; and SDSU Extension Precision Livestock Field Specialist, Logan Vandermark, as they discuss these questions and more!-Go head 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!-Panelist Contact Information:Kevin Sedivec: kevin.sedivec@ndsu.edu Logan Vandermark: Logan.Vandermark@sdstate.edu -For more information related to NDSoil Conservation Districts, please reference these resources:Contact us at: ndsu.sscc@ndsu.edu Website:https://www.ndsu.edu/ndssc/ Google Drive Resources:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jibUaQrF_YL_-gvxfV-sSfpAETfhUPOm?usp=drive_link

In this final episode of season 3, we talk with Kate Carpenter, creator and host of the podcast Drafting the Past, which explores the craft of writing history, and researcher of the history of storm chasing in the U.S. We examine the many angles on history writing that Kate explores in her podcast, question what a closer look at this aspect of historians' work illuminates about the discipline and about the work of history more broadly, and delve into the fascinating history of storm chasing on the Great Plains.

Ransom v. Great Plains Finance

What if teaching robots to play badminton was the beginning of the end? Scientists at ETH Zurich have successfully trained four-legged robots with mechanical arms to track shuttlecocks, navigate courts, and execute precise strikes against human players. But once these robots master the art of intercepting flying objects, what's next? Watch civilization unravel as badminton-playing robots evolve from harmless sporting partners to grenade-deflecting military units, eventually leading to wandering herds of sentient apartment buildings roaming the Great Plains while playing eternal badminton matches. From robotic sous chefs who season your cast iron wrong to buildings having midlife crises after the humans disappear, discover why teaching robots sports coordination might be humanity's final folly. Bonus: learn why nobody can fold a fitted sheet except Philip. Based on "Learning coordinated badminton skills for legged manipulators" by Yuntao Ma, Andrei Cramariuc, Farbod Farshidian, and Marco Hutter, published in Science Robotics on 28 May 2025 at https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.adu3922 --- Find out more about Gaby's science fiction short story! Here are the links for the anthology. The physical copy can be ordered here : https://www.neonhemlock.com/books/luminescent-machinations-queer-tales-of-monumental-invention The ebook can be ordered here: https://www.neonhemlock.com/ebooks/luminescent-machinations-queer-tales-of-monumental-invention

This episode is sponsored by Mekorma. Mekorma has been helping the Dynamics community streamline AP for over 30 years, and one way they have differentiated their brand is through their focus on empathy and client care. To learn more about the company's roots and core values, we spoke with founder and CEO Ora Goldman. Ora shared some defining moments in Mekorma's history, like their early efforts to bring the needs of financial professionals front and center in their solution development. The company's product evolution has also been focused on understanding real pain points of customers, Ora explains, and she shares some examples and stories about client experiences. We also discuss some of the company's experiences as an ISV in the Microsoft ecosystem, first working with Great Plains and Dynamics GP, and how they have modernized their offerings and expanded to Dynamics 365 Business Central. We also learn more about Ora's outlook on the Dynamics community and her approach to fostering relationships and partnerships. More from Mekorma: If you want to see how we can help your business, reach out to Ora and our expert team today and take the first step toward transforming your AP experience!

In this fiery new episode of Blazin' Grazin' and Other Wild Things, we bring the heat with special guests from Quail Forever—Tanner Swank and Adam Ray. They join hosts John Weir and Dr. Mark Turner to discuss how fire, community collaboration, and science-based management are revitalizing Oklahoma's native grasslands and Cross Timbers. Learn how Quail Forever's landscape-level work benefits not only game species like bobwhite and pheasant, but also pollinators, deer, and the entire ecosystem. Whether you're a land manager, extension professional, or outdoorsperson, you'll leave with a renewed appreciation for the power of fire and the people who wield it wisely. Resources - Adam Ray - Tanner Swank - Oklahoma Quail Forever & Pheasants Forever - Great Plains Fire Exchange - Oklahoma Prescribed Burn Associations

This week on the Friday Live EXTRA, the Great Plains Theatre Commons announces their 2025 new play festival playwrights, and Penelope Morrow learns about Film Streams on the Green... a new outdoor movie series in Omaha.

On this episode of Good Skews, we interview Jane Kleeb, a seasoned grassroots organizer, author, manager, and political strategist in the Great Plains.Since December 2016, Kleeb has held the position of Chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, and she is currently serving her fourth term, which extends until November 2026. She also holds the role of Chair of the Association of State Democratic Committees.Her leadership has fostered the creation of innovative programs such as Block Captains, 93-County Voter Guides, and the Candidates of Color Fund. She is the longest-serving Chair in the history of the Nebraska Democratic Party.Our conversation delves into the recent surprising upset in Omaha's mayoral election, where longtime Republican incumbent Jean Stothert was defeated with 56–44 percent of the vote. Ewing's victory marks a historic moment as he becomes the first Black mayor of Omaha and represents a strong rejection of anti-transgender campaign tactics.Support the show

This week, Louisiana man shoots himself in New York, Great Plains Section was an eventful match, Jeff's favorite stage was fixed time, Jeff's favorite stage he didn't win, Andy bonered a rule as a CRO, swinging plates should be allowed in level 3 matches, Jeff probably should have been DQ'd, drinking is performance enhancing, Whataboutism, and much more! Get your "It's f***ing Tuesday" T-shirt!  Subscribe on Patreon to get an extra episode every week! Listen on YouTube! Andy on Instagram - andy.e.605 Jeff on Instagram - jeff_the_monster_king MW Aktiv Wear - mw_aktiv_wear Not Another Shooting Show on Reddit

05/20/25: Joel Heitkamp is joined in the KFGO studio by Melissa Sobolik, the CEO of the Great Plains Food Bank. Melissa is leaving to become the CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank in Providence, RI. She has been with Great Plains Food Bank for 18 years, and has been CEO for the last 4. Her last day is July 11, 2025. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 67 of the Hidden History of Texas – I've been discussing the 1st peoples of Texas, those who were here when the Spanish arrived and today, I'm going to discuss The Comanche, Kiowas, Tonkawas.Remember how I discussed some of the differences between the Hunter-gathers tribes (mostly nomadic lifestyle) and the farming tribes (mostly stationary lifestyle). I brought up some of the religious beliefs and how the majority of tribes embraced the idea of a supreme being or multiple gods, and they had creation stories. For agricultural tribes, various ceremonies accompanied the planting and harvesting of crops. Hunter-gatherers often sought the help of spirits before searching for game, which served as food for the tribe. One of the major tribes of hunter-gatherers was the Comanche. The Comanches started out in the Great Plains and began to migrate south due to pressure from other tribes such as the Blackfeet and Crow. It's important to remember that throughout human history, groups of people have consistently been replace by other groups who were more powerful. Eventually the Comanche ended up in Texas, where there was abundant game, a warm climate, and an animal that would eventually become almost synonymous with them, the wild mustang.The Comanche inhabited most of the South Plains including much of North, Central, and West Texas, this part of Texas was known as Comanche country, or Comanchería. Once they arrived and settled on the Southern Plains the Utes called them Komántcia, which means "enemy," or, literally, "anyone who wants to fight me all the time." However, they called themselves Nermernuh, or "the People." We know of as many as 13 different Comanche groups and most likely there were others that were never identified. Several major bands played important roles in recorded Comanche and Texas history. The southernmost band was called Penateka, or "Honey Eaters" and their range extended from the Edwards Plateau to the headwaters of the Central Texas Rivers. A band named Nokomi or “Those who Turn Back” lived in an area north of the Penateka, they roamed from the Cross Timbers region of North Texas to the mountains of New Mexico. Their range was shared by two smaller bands, the Tanima ("Liver-Eaters") and the Tenawa ("Those Who Stay Downstream") and are often referred to as the Middle Comanches. The Quahadis ("Antelopes"), roamed the high plains of the Llano Estacado. One interesting fact about the Llano Estacado is that the Southern end of the plateau lacks a distinct physical boundary; it blends into the Edwards Plateau, (in Central Texas, where this program is recorded) and the Johnson Creek branch of the Colorado River, east of Big Spring, which is most likely its boundary. The Llano Estacado comprises all or part of thirty-three Texas and four New Mexico counties and covers approximately 32,000 square miles, a larger area than all of New England. It is part of what was known to early explorers and settlers as the Great American Desert, a semiarid region with average annual precipitation of eighteen to twenty inches. The Comanche weren't the only tribe that lived in that area, the Kiowa also shared territory that was mostly in the Panhandle and Oklahoma. The Kiowas originally came from the Montana area around the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers. As they migrated southward, they quickly learned to adapt to the South Plains by acquiring and using horses, especially in their hunting of buffalo. They gained their horses from the Spanish who also supplied them with slaves and guns and over time they became almost a completely nomadic group, and eventually they became one of the most feared and disliked of the Plains tribes. They entered into peaceful co-existence with the Comanche and with help from the Wichitas and Taovaya received guns and ammunition from the French and British. The Kiowa camps were designed to be broken down and moved quickly, often within 30 minutes.

In this episode of "Kent Hance,  The Best Storyteller in Texas," host Kent shares compelling stories about the Dust Bowl's impact on the Great Plains. Kent provides a detailed narrative on the history of farming in the region, the severe challenges faced during the Dust Bowl, and the government's response to the crisis. He recounts personal anecdotes, including the tragic loss of his brother to dust pneumonia, and highlights the resilience of the people who endured these hardships. The episode underscores the importance of sustainable farming practices and the enduring strength of community and family.

Mike Battershell, President and CEO of Bergman Incentives, talks about growing up a punk kid in a cowboy town; his efforts to make Omaha better as a community trouble-making do-gooder, and the evolution of that spirit to better the world now through the lens of building his business as a self-described capitalist and socialist.Bergman Incentives a provider of promotional products and branding solutions based in Omaha, Nebraska with offices from the Western Rockies to the Great Plains. Beyond his role at Bergman Incentives, Battershell honed his skillset through extensive service in Omaha's nonprofit and civic sectors, holding numerous board and leadership positions. Battershell has consistently embraced disruption as a means of challenging the status quo and fostering progress. As a father of four, Battershell and his wife are vested in improving the experiences and resources available to the next generation and endeavor to make a lasting impact on the region's business and civic landscape.

We're honored to host Dr. Dave Engle—Regents Professor Emeritus at Oklahoma State University and a pioneer in fire ecology. From wildland firefighting in New Mexico to building OSU's fire program with just two torches and a vision, Dave shares an incredible career rooted in science, stewardship, and some good ol' fashioned trial and error. We dive into the origins of patch-burn grazing, the challenges of managing the Cross Timbers, and why eastern redcedar became his lifelong nemesis. Dr. Engle reflects on the research that changed policy, perceptions, and the trajectory of conservation in the Great Plains. If you care about fire, land, or legacy, this episode is a must-listen. Resources: - Dave Engel, Ph.D. - OSU NREM Patch Burning Research - OK-FIRE - The Prairie Project - Patch Burn Grazing Research

This week, Iowa Man shoots himself in the leg while commiting a drive-by, a LimCat open gun is found in an auctioned storage unit, Great Plains walking beers, no clays in USPSA, Jeff tried to grab Eoin's penis, no strong hand weak hand in classifier match, and lots more A.D.D. antics! Get your "It's f***ing Tuesday" T-shirt!  Subscribe on Patreon to get an extra episode every week! Listen on YouTube! Andy on Instagram - andy.e.605 Jeff on Instagram - jeff_the_monster_king MW Aktiv Wear - mw_aktiv_wear Not Another Shooting Show on Reddit

It's important to know where you're going, but it's also important to know where you've been. At a time when beef is selling for near historical levels in many markets, Terry Quam, Secretary/Treasurer of The Cattlemen's Beef Board and Wisconsin beef producer, wants to refresh memories on why the beef checkoff program has been so critical. Quam, who owns and operates Marda Angus in Lodi along with his family, has served on the CBB board for four years. Each year he says, he's learned something more about the important investments that are being made today to sustain beef producers for the future. He's also quick to remind growers that the path to today's checkoff was full of challenges. According to the National Cattlemens Beef Association website, splinter groups helped inspire what growers see working today. It notes that in the 1860s and '70s, cattle ranching in the United States was a crude industry at best. Fence-cuttings, cattle rustling and conflicting claims for land rights were mortal problems for homesteaders and livestock grazers. A "packer monopoly" kept market information from cattle producers, while railroads, which were quickly springing up, charged exorbitant rates for shipping cattle. It was clear that cattle producers needed to band together to have strength in combating these issues. Emerging state level organizations were adequate for dealing with cattle thieves and ownership issues, but not for trade and governmental issues. Cattlemen needed to think bigger - on a national level. After several failed attempts, a national cattle producers organization became a reality in 1898, when two members of the Livestock Committee of the Denver Chamber of Commerce and Trade Board called a National Stock Growers Convention Jan. 25-27, 1898, in Denver, Colorado. Charles F. Martin and John W. Springer had a plan to form "an association of associations" which would represent every branch of the livestock industry, from cattle to hogs, to sheep, chickens, goats and horses. More than 2,000 convention attendees heard three days of discussion on interstate trade, public lands and packer trusts. However, the main order of business at the first convention was the formation of the National Live Stock Association (NLSA) of the U.S. After one year of operation, the infant association was off to a good start. Springer, who was elected the first association president, reported that NLSA had 53 organizational members, represented 5,000 producers with 9 million head of stock and had a combined investment of $300 million. In addition, NLSA initiated two activities that would endure through the coming century - legislative lobbying and industry-wide communication through a national newsletter. After several early years of growth, the National Live Stock Association and the industry fell on hard times. Prices plummeted while rail charges jumped. Range wars and public lands battles continued to divide members whose support waned. Splinter groups began peeling away from the national association. In 1901, one such splinter group formed the American Cattle Growers Association whose purpose was to solely represent cattle producers, particularly against sheep growers. Disputes between cattle growers and sheep growers over grazing rights had become so heated that bands of cattlemen often sought to wipe out the sheepmen through intimidation and the eventual clubbing or shooting of sheepherders and their flocks. Beef producers would struggle against their "necessary sacrifices" battling both weather and global events like World War II. The American National Livestock Association celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1947. The industry was beginning to recover from World War II and producers were glad to be free from price controls and rationing. ANSLA challenged the federal government once again on "non-war issues," such as public lands, tariffs and the control of foot-and-mouth disease. Four years later, ANSLA members voted to change their name to the American National Cattlemen’s Association (ANCA). That same year, the Korean War exploded and for the third time in approximately 40 years, the industry faced problems of supply and demand, the black market and price controls. These factors, coupled with low prices and drought in the Great Plains lead to the “Great Cattle Bust of 1953.” Cattlemen accepted government aid without the customary battles. Beef producers knew they could not rely on government aid – nor did they want to. Jay Taylor, ANCA president from 1954 to 1955, was an advocate of self-help through beef promotion. Taylor initiated the National Beef Council and led the charge to pass a nationally legislated checkoff. Seven checkoff bills failed in Congress. All were opposed by the National Live Stock and Meat Board and the American Farm Bureau Federation, both of which favored generic red meat promotion. The industry was at odds. The National Beef Council relied on voluntary contributions, while the Meat Board continued to collect from producers through markets. By 1956, 17 state beef councils had formed in support of the National Beef Council. However, emotional and economic strain was too great and in 1963 the groups compromised and formed the Beef Industry Council (BIC) of the National Live Stock and Meat Board. The BIC took the lead for national beef promotion. President Nixon also played a big role in beef industry economics in the early '70s. He imposed the first peace-time wage and price controls in U.S. history. His 1973 price freeze on beef inadvertently caused "The Wreck" - a severe crash in the cattle market and dramatic herd reduction. ANCA held, however, that the only way for the industry to get out of "The Wreck" was to sell more beef. Thus came several new attempts to pass a national uniform checkoff for cattle. A beef checkoff program was finally passed on its third attempt, more than 10 years later, in 1986. The second merger for the national association occurred primarily because - in the words of W.D. Farr, ANCA president in 1970 - "I had observed in the livestock industry a tendency to form a new organization for each new problem or issue... all financed separately but all financed by cattlemen." The American National Cattlemen's Association and the National Livestock Feeders Association consolidated into one strong national organization in 1977, the National Cattlemen's Association (NCA).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on AgweekTV, dry conditions around the region are affecting planting for some growers. A major food bank that serves the hungry throughout the region struggles with funding cuts. Changes are coming for North Dakota's largest farm group. And we'll meet the former Organic Valley intern who now leads the country's largest cooperative of organic farmers.  

What if your next meal could be a tool for climate action?In this episode of Nutrition Without Compromise, shared here with the permission of ORLO Nutrition, Corinna Bellizzi welcomes ecologist and greenhouse gas accountant Mark J. Easter to explore the connection between the foods we eat and the fight against climate chaos. Mark shares insights from his new book, The Blue Plate: A Food Lover's Guide to Climate Chaos (Patagonia Press), offering a hopeful path forward through regenerative agriculture, plant-forward diets, and nature-based solutions like shellfish farming and soil restoration.Together, they examine:The personal legacy of farming on the Great Plains and carbon lossWhy shrimp farming is far worse for the environment than you might thinkHow regenerative practices restore soil health and human nutritionThe surprising role of mussels and oysters in carbon drawdownWhat we can learn from indigenous practices and planetary perspective

This week, USPSA weirdness, happy Mother's Day, Area 3 candidates and no Area 1 candidates, Great Plains Meet and Greet walking beers, Great Plains work stuff, when a gun is bad and when is it too bad, top full size duty guns, no 4th of July, and much more! Get your "It's f***ing Tuesday" T-shirt!  Subscribe on Patreon to get an extra episode every week! Listen on YouTube! Andy on Instagram - andy.e.605 Jeff on Instagram - jeff_the_monster_king MW Aktiv Wear - mw_aktiv_wear Not Another Shooting Show on Reddit

How can SCD Supervisors best support the employees they oversee and prioritize concerns to be addressed? What duties are included in a supervisor's "job description"? What resources are available to help supervisors in fulfilling their duties?-Join Hannah Nordby, along with Tokina Mcharry, Andrea Bowman, and Steve Gilje as they discuss these questions and more!-Go head 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!-For more information related to ND Soil Conservation Districts, please reference these resources:Contact us at: ndsu.sscc@ndsu.edu Website: https://www.ndsu.edu/ndssc/ Google Drive Resources: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jibUaQrF_YL_-gvxfV-sSfpAETfhUPOm?usp=drive_link

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover sits down with public archaeologist and science communicator David Ian Howe for a wide-ranging conversation on the cultural, spiritual, and archaeological significance of wolves and other canids across the Great Plains. From ancient burials of domesticated dogs to the symbolic power of the wolf in Indigenous cosmologies, Carlton and David explore how Plains societies understood and related to their four-legged companions and wild kin. Whether you're a dog lover, a zooarchaeology nerd, or someone curious about the deep-time connections between humans and animals on the Plains, this episode offers rich insights and thoughtful discussion.LinksDavid Ian Howe's WebsiteEthnocynology PodcastThe 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 BioContactInstagram: @‌pawnee_archaeologistEmail: greatplainsarchpodcast@gmail.comAPNAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion

Northern bobwhite quail are a popular game bird in Kansas and across the United States, but they have experienced widespread population decline throughout their range.  Join Drew and Joe as they discuss some northern bobwhite basics including: population trends, mortality factors, diet, and management practices in the Great Plains. Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State university. Find out more about the program at http://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

How much area are these gobblers using? What does the literature say? Join us as we dive into the published science on home ranges for each subspecies and share preliminary results from our research tracking Osceola movement.  Resources: Cohen, B. S., et al. (2015). Space use, movements, and habitat selection of translocated eastern wild turkeys in northwestern Louisiana. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium (Vol. 11, pp. 165-174). Craft, R. A. (1986). Characteristics and use of wild turkey roost sites in southcentral South Dakota. Davis, A., et al. (2018). Landscape-abundance relationships of male Eastern Wild Turkeys Meleagris gallopavo silvestris in Mississippi, USA. Acta ornithologica, 52(2), 127-139. De La Cruz, J. L. (2012). Habitat Selection of Male Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in West Virginia. Fleming, W. H., & Webb, L. G. (1973). Home range, dispersal and habitat utilization of wild turkey gobblers during the breeding season. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department. Grisham, B. A., et al. (2008). Spatial ecology and survival of male wild turkeys in a bottomland hardwood forest. In Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Vol. 62, pp. 70-76). Gross, J. T. (2014). Assessing movements and ecology of male wild turkeys during spring reproductive and hunting seasons using micro-GPS technology (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia). Gross, J. T., et al. (2015). Space use, daily movements, and roosting behavior of male wild turkeys during spring in Louisiana and Texas. Hall, G. I., et al. (2006). Rio Grande wild turkey home ranges in the southern Great Plains. In Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Vol. 60, pp. 36-42). Hoffman, R. W. (1991). Spring movements, roosting activities, and home-range characteristics of male Merriam's wild turkey. The Southwestern Naturalist, 332-337. Hurst, G. A., et al. (1991). Wild turkey gobbler habitat use and home range in loblolly pine plantations. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Vol. 45, pp. 115-123). Isabelle, J. L. (2010). Survival, home range size, habitat selection, and reproductive ecology of eastern wild turkeys in east Texas. Stephen F. Austin State University. Lambert, E. P. (1986). Home range, movements, and habitat use of the eastern wild turkey in commercially managed pine forests of southeast Louisiana. Southeastern Louisiana University. Lutz, R. S., & Crawford, J. A. (1989). Habitat use and selection and home ranges of Merriam's wild turkey in Oregon. The Great Basin Naturalist, 252-258. Porter, W. F. (1977). Home range dynamics of wild turkeys in southeastern Minnesota. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 434-437. Rauch, S. E. (2009). Home range characteristics of the male eastern wild turkey in West Virginia. West Virginia University. Ruttinger, J. A. (2013). Habitat and roost site seleciton by male eastern wild turkeys in southwestern Georgia (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia). Wightman, P. H. (2022). Influence of Predation Risk on the Ecology of Male Eastern Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia). Wigley, T. B., Sweeney, J. M., Garner, M. E., & Melchiors, M. A. (1986). Wild turkey home ranges in the Ouachita Mountains. The Journal of wildlife management, 540-544.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube   Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience' at checkout! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Host Bob St. Pierre sits down with Dr. Dirac Twidwell, a professor and research scientist from the University of Nebraska, to talk about his hunting roots and life's mission to save America's last remaining grasslands. Dr. Twidwell explains the concept of the “Green Glacier” of woody vegetation taking over the Great Plains, and why prescribed fire is the most important tool for grassland habitat conservation. He also reports that woody encroachment is now equal to land conversion for agricultural production as the top two factors in habitat loss across the country. Episode Highlights: • Dr. Twidwell explains how his bird hunting trips had been moving west to keep ahead of the “Green Glacier” of woody encroachment into grasslands to find better upland gamebird populations before he even knew of the Green Glacier concept's existence. • The guys discuss Dr. Twidwell's bird hunting roots and how his work to save America's grasslands through science is akin to keeping a promise “to his 8-year-old self.” • Dr. Twidwell also reports The Sandhills of Nebraska as the single most intact grassland remaining on the entire planet. • Learn more about Dr. Twidwell's work on the Working Lands for Wildlife website or read his paper at the Society for Conservation Biology. onX Hunt is a proud supporter of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever and they want to thank everyone who gives back to the birds we all love to hunt and the places they call home. Click this link to get a free month of onX Hunt and then use code PFQF to get 20% off, and a portion will go back to supporting Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever's wildlife habitat mission.

“I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet.” This is the story of FDR's first term after facing down the initial emergency.  100 days down, about 1,300 more to go—for this term at least. After the whirlwind of new bills and “alphabet agencies” (AAA, CCC, etc.), the nation is adjusting to and examining FDR's New Deal. As they do, the NIRA is upsetting both ends of the spectrum: company owners don't love the Blue Eagle and regulations while workers are frustrated that their employers aren't eager to see unionization in accordance with section 7(a).  Meanwhile, back at the farm, devastating dust storms like “Black Sunday” are hammering the Great Plains and forcing many to flee to other states. Some migrants end up in California, where unionized dock workers and police are duking it out in San Francisco's “Bloody Thursday.” The president tries to set an example as a “Good Neighbor” in the Caribbean even as people erect signs that read, “Okie, go back. We don't want you.”  More time and a “Second” New Deal that is more progressive and Keynesian raises more serious questions: Is this really the correct economic course for recovery? And are some of these presidential actions even Constitutional? But despite the detractors, the decisive 1936 election proves that FDR is here to stay.  ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of the Airwave Media Network.  Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey Dateline fans! As a bonus, we're giving you a special preview clip of our new podcast series, Murder in the Moonlight.  In this podcast, Keith Morrison takes listeners to a quiet farmhouse on America's Great Plains, where Sharmon and Wayne Stock have just celebrated Easter with their big, loving family. That night, under a pale moon, the couple is shot to death in their bedroom. The investigation includes four suspects, spans three states, and comes down to a single shiny clue: A gold ring found at the scene of the crime. If you like what you hear, just search Murder in the Moonlight to listen to the first two episodes now, completely free. Or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or DatelinePremium.com. Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline podcasts ad-free. 

Hey Dateline fans! As a bonus, we're giving you a special preview clip of our new podcast series, Murder in the Moonlight. In this podcast, Keith Morrison takes listeners to a quiet farmhouse on America's Great Plains, where Sharmon and Wayne Stock have just celebrated Easter with their big, loving family. That night, under a pale moon, the couple is shot to death in their bedroom. The investigation includes four suspects, spans three states, and comes down to a single shiny clue: A gold ring found at the scene of the crime. If you like what you hear, just search Murder in the Moonlight to listen to the first two episodes now, completely free. Or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or DatelinePremium.com. Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline podcasts ad-free. 

Hey Dateline fans! As a bonus for you, we're sharing the trailer for Murder in the Moonlight, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline and Keith Morrison.In this podcast, Keith Morrison takes listeners to a quiet farmhouse on America's Great Plains, where Sharmon and Wayne Stock have just celebrated Easter with their big, loving family. That night, under a pale moon, the couple is shot to death in their bedroom. The investigation includes four suspects, spans three states, and comes down to a single shiny clue: A gold ring found at the scene of the crime.Follow now to get the first two episodes on Monday, February 17th completely free. Or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or DatelinePremium.com to hear the first two episodes now. Subscribers receive ad-free listening and early access to subsequent episodes.

Hey Dateline fans! As a bonus for you, we're sharing the trailer for Murder in the Moonlight, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline and Keith Morrison.In this podcast, Keith Morrison takes listeners to a quiet farmhouse on America's Great Plains, where Sharmon and Wayne Stock have just celebrated Easter with their big, loving family. That night, under a pale moon, the couple is shot to death in their bedroom. The investigation includes four suspects, spans three states, and comes down to a single shiny clue: A gold ring found at the scene of the crime.Follow now to get the first two episodes on Monday, February 17th completely free. Or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or DatelinePremium.com to hear the first two episodes now. Subscribers receive ad-free listening and early access to subsequent episodes.