Talk of Iowa
908 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 82 ratingsTalk of Iowa is a place for Iowans to connect to our shared culture and what it means to live in Iowa. Host Charity Nebbe brings a mix of regular guests and a range of experts to discuss the arts, history, literature and everything else happening in Iowa. Every day brings something new — even if it's in a recurring segment like Talk of Iowa Book Club or comes from a familiar voice on Horticulture Day.
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Episodes
Climate change is turning up the heat, and our homes aren't ready
September 14, 2023 12:00Understanding the threat that extreme heat poses and discussing how we can build and plan for a hotter future
Jen Ferguson explores the joys and difficulties of growing up Métis in her new novel
September 13, 2023 12:00Discussing the young adult novel Those Pink Mountain Nights and the Ag 450 Farm at Iowa State University
Understanding the unique challenges of adult ADHD
September 12, 2023 12:00Experts and people with ADHD discuss the challenges of the disorder and the treatments available.
What to plant as temperatures drop
September 09, 2023 12:00Horticulture experts offer suggestions on what to grow during the fall.
Staying safe from RSV, Flu and COVID-19 this fall and winter
September 08, 2023 12:00Experts give advice on vaccines and other treatments for COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus and the flu as the risk of a tripledemic returns.
Often forgotten Muslim heritage in Iowa
September 07, 2023 11:00The AlRazi Academy is the only full-time Islamic school in Iowa and is hoping to take advantage of the state's new private school voucher program.
The spiritual sites worth visiting in North America
September 06, 2023 12:00Also, the closure of Iowa Wesleyan University left many collections of research materials without a home, including 50,000 preserved insects dating back to the 1920s. The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums are stepping in to take over the collection.
If you don't bother wasps, they won't bother you
September 02, 2023 11:00Social wasps, yellowjackets, and bald-faced hornets are not pollinators, but they do have beneficial behaviors.
Farmers and scientists write about the challenges of tending Iowa's altered landscape
September 01, 2023 14:40Like the rest of the world, Iowa is facing serious environmental challenges. But it also has its own set of unique challenges.
Birds take slower voyage during fall migration
August 31, 2023 12:00The days may still be hot, but fall is just around the corner, and with it comes all kinds of migratory birds to watch this season.
Three-day bicycle event will take riders to historic homes and landmarks along the Underground Railroad
August 30, 2023 12:00The network of the Underground Railroad spanned free and enslaved states across the U.S., including Iowa.
The Indigenous doctor who is fighting for Native access to healthcare
August 29, 2023 12:00Acclaimed Indigenous health researcher Dr. Donald Warne gave the MLK Human Rights Week Distinguished Lecture at the University of Iowa Healthcare and Clinics earlier this year. He joins this encore episode of Talk of Iowa to discuss his work.
Late-summer lawn care advice
August 26, 2023 12:00As Iowa crawls out of dangerously hot weather conditions, many homeowners have questions on what to do with their ravaged lawns and plants.
Braverman's novel is a story of a reality show gone wrong
August 25, 2023 11:00Blair Braverman's experience on the reality show Naked and Afraid sparked the idea for her debut novel Small Game.
Amid staff shortages and closures, how can we rely on safe and dependable nursing home care?
August 24, 2023 11:00Nursing homes provide a vital service for those who cannot live independently, but in Iowa, finding the right nursing home care can be incredibly challenging.
Understanding the enduring legacy of Dungeons & Dragons
August 22, 2023 12:00Authors Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito join host Charity Nebbe on this encore episode to discuss their new book Welcome to Dragon Talk. And D&D rookies get a taste of the game.
Growing great grapes
August 19, 2023 12:00What you need to know about picking, storing and processing your grape harvest
While newsrooms disappear across the nation, three western Iowa journalists launch free local paper
August 18, 2023 12:00Three veteran journalists in western Iowa have joined forces to serve English and Spanish-speaking residents with a free weekly newspaper.
Welcome to the Wright House
August 17, 2023 11:00The Wright House of Fashion is a new nonprofit in Iowa City that provides unique, creative learning opportunities for the community. Plus a cricket farmer hops at the chance to discuss her business.
Teachers' back-to-school excitement and angst
August 15, 2023 12:00As children savor the last few weeks of summer, teachers are in a rush to transform their classrooms into a fun, welcoming environment as cost-effectively as possible.
A central Iowa garden is the proving ground for the best floral and produce varieties in the country
August 12, 2023 12:00All-America Selections is an independent non-profit organization that tests new, never-before-sold varieties for the home gardener, only the top garden performers are given the AAS Winner award designation for their superior performance.
How to make your home basement a best cellar
August 10, 2023 12:00Many basement renovations can pose challenges. Home improvement expert Bill McAnally walks us through a complete basement renovation, from floor to ceiling.
Relish summer foods all winter long
August 09, 2023 12:00Freezing and canning are great tools to preserve the summer's bounty throughout the year, but it's hard to know where to get started and how to do it well.
Iowa psychologist argues 'eureka moment' in innovation is a myth
August 08, 2023 11:00Humans uphold innovators like heroes, but an Iowa psychology professor argues there is little understanding of how they reached their moment of genius.
The singing insects of summer
August 05, 2023 11:00The Katydid, Scissor Grinder Cicada, and Snowy Tree Cricket are a few notable insects that sing sweet songs during the summer.
New book puts the blame for the Iowa water crisis on industrial agriculture
August 04, 2023 12:00Neil Hamilton's latest book The River Knows: How Water and Land Will Shape our Future explores our relationship with water and what is at stake when its quality is not protected.
Why one group is working to recognize unmarked graves across Iowa
August 01, 2023 12:00On this Talk of Iowa, writer Keith Lesmeister discusses his new chapbook, Mississippi River Museum, and the Rescuing Our Roots project encourages Iowans to learn more about history and records through cemeteries.
How to keep plants safe in hot temperatures
July 29, 2023 12:00Many of the plants in our gardens thrive in the warmth of the summer, but extreme heat can be deadly.
The story of the Iowa chemist who made the Manhattan Project possible
July 28, 2023 12:00The Ames Project altered the course of the WWII and world history.
"Our Great State Fair" documentary traces the history of an Iowa institution
July 27, 2023 12:00Our Great State Fair, a documentary on the history of the Iowa State Fair, will air on Iowa PBS August 1-2.
"Our Great State Fair" documentary traces the history of an Iowa institution
July 27, 2023 12:00Our Great State Fair, a documentary on the history of the Iowa State Fair, will air on Iowa PBS August 1-2.
NPR's Next Gen Radio shares stories from young Iowa journalists
July 26, 2023 12:00Five young journalists who call Iowa home have just spent a week honing their storytelling skills by capturing what home means to a DACA recipient, a young mother and a man whose family fled war in Sudan, among others.
Documentary airing on PBS captures the feeling of RAGBRAI
July 25, 2023 12:00A woman finds peace on her bicycle as she grieves her husband's death, and a tremendous amount of work ends with two men building community in their riverside town. Those are two of the stories in the documentary SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary.
Trees get stressed too — here's how to keep them grounded
July 22, 2023 12:00There are some guided meditation programs that ask participants to visualize themselves as a tree, grounded and peaceful, but trees can get stressed out too!
How wildlife adapts to urban settings
July 21, 2023 12:00Wildlife expert Jim Pease returns to the show to talk about urban wildlife and how we can peacefully coexist as animals adapt to human-built environments.
Meet the Iowan who has dedicated 20 years to making roads safer for bicyclists
July 20, 2023 12:00The executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition looks back on what the organization has accomplished and what priorities remain. Then a University of Iowa professor discusses the history and cultural significance of pink and Barbie ahead of the Barbie movie.
Iowa's first openly transgender television reporter reflects on finding her identity while on air
July 19, 2023 12:00Nora J.S. Reichardt said goodbye to Channel 5 WOI-DT in Des Moines this month, with the hope that she can keep bringing visibility to trans identities beyond central Iowa.
Writer speaks out about the death of her sister in a 1982 California mass shooting
July 18, 2023 12:00On October 1st, 1982 Rhonda Lyons was among 12 people who died after a mass shooting in the Mother Lode Bar in Sacramento California. At the time, "mass shooting" was not the household term it is today.
Cool as a cucumber in the summer
July 15, 2023 12:00Cucumbers thrive in Iowa gardens and so does its cousin, summer squash.
New laws are already affecting reading in schools
July 14, 2023 12:00Advocates and educators discuss book bans and challenges in Iowa and beyond and how these laws are already changing Iowa’s classrooms. And a recent high school graduate shares how seeing himself represented in a book changed his life.
Chasten Buttigieg has a message for young adults questioning their sexuality
July 13, 2023 12:00Chasten Buttigieg grew up in rural Michigan and struggled to come out to his parents. His memoir, I Have To Tell You Something was adapted to target a young adult audience.
A very moooving discussion on the domestication of cattle
July 12, 2023 12:00For many of the domesticated animals we live with, it’s pretty easy to see how they might be related to their wild ancestors — but where did cattle come from?
Incubator for Black and brown entrepreneurs opening along Des Moines' 6th Avenue
July 11, 2023 12:00Business developer is another credit to add to Marquas Ashworth's resume.
Pesky Japanese Beetles burning a hole in you plants
July 08, 2023 12:00Japanese Beetles are back and hungrier than ever.
Abortion at the polls and in the past
October 25, 2022 11:00Though issues like inflation are taking center stage, positions on abortion will still influence many voters as they hit the polls.
Iowa week: Who is it all for?
October 22, 2022 11:00Students from around the state join the program and share how they are making the most of their school opportunities and making their teachers proud.
Iowa Week: Who's running the show?
October 21, 2022 11:00Districts across Iowa are still experiencing teacher shortages.
Iowa Week: Who's calling the shots?
October 20, 2022 11:00Iowa has long been known as a local-control state when it comes to schools.
Iowa Week: Who gets to choose?
October 19, 2022 11:00For episode two of Iowa Week: School is in Session — a look at the school choice movement in Iowa and the push toward privatization.
Iowa Week: Who got us here?
October 18, 2022 11:00We're kicking off a week-long focus on Iowa's K-12 schools.