Talk of Iowa
908 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days 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
Consider adding ornamental grasses to your yard
October 15, 2022 11:00Lightning strike, peppermint stick and cape breeze are a few favorites from Reiman Gardens Director Ed Lyon.
Welcoming jazz pianist Dan Knight home
October 14, 2022 11:00Pianist and composer Dan Knight returns to Iowa! He discusses his most recent projects and play songs that remind him, and our listeners, of home.
Exploring the connection between coyote behavior and social justice
October 13, 2022 11:00Urban ecologist Chris Schell discusses the threads that connect biodiversity, ecology, climate change and environmental justice. Schell will give the 58th annual Paul L. Errington Memorial Lecture October 13 at Iowa State University.
Chuy Renteria's memoir describes the ups and downs of growing up in the first majority-Latino town in Iowa
October 12, 2022 11:00Host Charity Nebbe discusses Chuy Renteria’s coming-of-age memoir We Heard it When We Were Young with Renteria, poet and actor Matthew Marroquín of Storm Lake and West Liberty city council member Dana Dominguez.
Coming-of-age memoir takes readers to fly-over country
October 11, 2022 11:00Taylor Brorby loves his home and the land he grew up on, but that love is complicated by intolerance and environmental degradation.
Falling for fall color
October 08, 2022 12:00Clear days, plenty of sun and cold nights have created a beautiful display.
ISU student from Iran discusses protests against Iranian government's oppression
October 07, 2022 11:002022 recipient of the Iowa Author Award for Fiction Heather Gudenkauf discusses her writing. And an ISU graduate student from Iran discusses protests against the Iranian government and its treatment of women.
Kirsten Anderson hopes to help others by sharing her experience with sexual harassment
October 06, 2022 11:00In 2017 former Iowa Senate Republican caucus staffer Kirsten Anderson received a $1.75 million lawsuit settlement. She alleged she was fired in 2013 just hours after filing a sexual harassment complaint. Now she has written a book detailing the experience. Also this hour, a sneak peek at the first Refocus Film Festival in Iowa City.
A complicated Chinese American family, a small Wisconsin city and a crisis that's been building for years
October 05, 2022 11:00Author Lan Samantha Chang, University of Iowa professor and director of the Iowa Writer's Workshop, explores identity and belonging in her third novel about a Chinese American family and the death that causes their simmering resentments to erupt.
What would a carbon neutral Iowa look like?
October 04, 2022 11:00Whether we see it or not, parts of our day-to-day — driving to work, powering our homes, grabbing a bite to eat — produce or emit carbon. What would a low-carbon or zero-carbon lifestyle look like in Iowa?
Watching grass grow this fall
September 30, 2022 17:05The lawn care season is nearing an end, but there are a few things you might want to take care of before the snow flies.
Orchestra Iowa is embarking on its centennial season
September 30, 2022 11:00Orchestra Iowa is kicking off its centennial season, or at least it’s trying to.
Book tells of scrappy young basketball players among the first to benefit from Title IX
September 29, 2022 11:00As this year marks 50 years since Title IX became law, we listen back to a conversation with one of the female student-athletes granted the opportunity to play in the 1970s because of this decision.
Isabel Bloom's legacy lives on through her sculptures
September 28, 2022 11:00Meet the woman behind this year's Iowa Public Radio fund drive t-shirt, an Andy Warhol-reminiscent homage to corn and radio.
When Okoboji became a COVID-19 hotspot, this medical anthropologist conducted research to figure out what happened and why
September 27, 2022 11:00Charity Nebbe talks to medical anthropologist Emily Mendenhall, who's from Okoboji. She decided to study the pandemic in her hometown.
Spring blooming bulbs are a durable addition to gardens
September 24, 2022 11:00Horticulturists share the resilience and reliability of tulips, daffodils and other bulbs.
A reading list of great African American literature from an Iowa teacher
September 23, 2022 11:00Our news and talk teams work hard to keep a sharp focus on issues and topics important to Iowans. Show your support for this service when you give now!
How literature can teach young readers to build empathy and resilience
September 22, 2022 11:00On this Banned Books Week, an annual nationwide celebration of the freedom to read, we listen back to a conversation about recent book challenges across Iowa and the U.S.
The pros and cons of monitoring children via smartphone technology
September 21, 2022 11:00Smartphone technology gives parents the opportunity to keep track of their kids like never before, but what about when those kids become adults?
The myths surrounding menopause
September 20, 2022 11:00Charity Nebbe speaks with Dr. Jen Gunter, author of the book The Menopause Manifesto and host of the podcast Body Stuff.
Apple of my Iowa
September 17, 2022 11:00Pumpkin spice may be a seasonal favorite, but one of the best flavors of fall in Iowa is a crisp, sweet, locally grown apple.
How children and parents are dealing with the social and emotional fallout of COVID
September 16, 2022 11:00Many children from toddlers to teens are dealing with social and emotional challenges because the pandemic. This hour we’ll talk about how kids have been affected and how kids, parents, teachers and caregivers are coping.
Another runner killed brings back the pain of Mollie Tibbetts' death
September 15, 2022 11:00After the murder of a Memphis woman while out for a run, we return to a 2018 episode, following the death of Mollie Tibbetts.
Birds begin fall migration to avoid the coming winter
September 14, 2022 11:00Fall migration has begun and Iowans may be wondering which birds are beginning their long journies south. Avid birders share what migrating birds are up to now.
End of inpatient clinic leaves eating disorder resources even more strained in Iowa
September 13, 2022 11:00Eating disorder survivors and experts join a discussion about the recent decision to end the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics eating disorder inpatient program.
The challenge of growing grapes in Iowa
September 10, 2022 11:00If you want to plant grapes next year, now is the time to start planning.
Iowa musicians showcase steel guitar and mentor in new documentary
September 09, 2022 11:00A documentary making its Iowa premiere on September 10 spotlights a so-called "dying" instrument and a Cedar Falls man who engenders future generations of musicians.
Strokes are increasing among younger adults
September 08, 2022 11:00Strokes can happen to anyone, and catching a stroke early can make all the difference in treatment and long-term recovery.
Iowans are awaiting newly-authorized COVID boosters that target two omicron subvariants
September 07, 2022 11:00Updated COVID vaccine boosters are now recommended, for those ages 12 and older, that target the two omicron subvariants which are causing most of the current infections.
Honeybees and native pollinators thrive around flowering plants and trees
September 03, 2022 11:00A bee specialist shares the work of hobby beekeepers to create a healthy habitat for pollinators and the garden features that can attract them.
First cousin recounts memories of Nile Kinnick in new documentary
September 02, 2022 11:00A new feature-length documentary looks beyond the football legacy of Hawkeye star Nile Kinnick, Jr.
'Facing Suicide' documentary aims to offer hope to people in need
September 01, 2022 11:00A new documentary from Iowa PBS has been developed to raise awareness about suicide and mental health needs in Iowa.
Extreme heat events are becoming more common, and communities are learning to adapt
August 31, 2022 11:00With climate change, extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common, and extreme heat is part of the package. Some humans are coming up with creative and sometimes expensive ways to cope, but many more are vulnerable.
A 12-year-old Iowan and his mother have turned a viral Twitter account into a book
August 30, 2022 11:00A young author discusses his book about feline friends, and an Iowa mother discusses why she started a foundation to stand up to book challenges.
Cool season perennials to make shorter days a bit brighter
August 27, 2022 12:00Fall is getting closer, but gardening season isn't over. On this episode of Talk of Iowa: cool season perennials.
Puppy mills pose as nonprofits to bypass new restrictions to sellers
August 26, 2022 12:00A Sony podcast and a Bailing Out Benji investigation uncovered "puppy trafficking" after new laws were met with new scams to continue the sale of puppy mill dogs at pet stores.
After 14 years, the Stanley Museum reopens and welcomes home its collection
August 25, 2022 12:00On this episode of Talk of Iowa — a tour of the brand new Stanley Museum of Art. Museum director Lauren Lessing discusses the reopening process and the museum's most famous painting.
Sherman Alexie's semi-autobiographical YA novel tells a complicated story of life as a Native teenager
August 24, 2022 12:00Expert readers discuss The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
Sounds of mariachi brings Denison community together
August 23, 2022 12:00As meat packing plants attracted Latino immigrants, Denison continued to grow while other Iowa cities shrunk. The school district's band directors faced the challenge of student participation that did not reflect the school demographics.
Experts share why Iowa’s evergreens are turning brown
August 20, 2022 11:00Iowa weather conditions and common disease pose challenges for conifer trees.
Iowa schools finding short- and long-term solutions to teacher shortage crisis
August 19, 2022 12:00Students across the state are getting ready to head back to school, at a time when many districts are scrambling to find the teachers and support staff they need.
Corn mazes, vineyards, dairy farms, agritourism continues to grow in Iowa
August 17, 2022 12:00The owner of a pumpkin patch on a nearly century-old farm and a dairy farm bed and breakfast owner share the kinds of clients they draw into the country lifestyle. Later, a developer shares how he imagines colorful home exteriors could revitalize Cedar Rapids neighborhoods.
New executive director lays out his plans for UI performance arts and engagement
August 16, 2022 11:00Hancher Auditorium is celebrating its 50th year with many changes on the horizon. A new leader is at the helm and there's a business model to sustain Hancher's future as the University of Iowa continues to phase out $1.5 million in annual support.
Fall planting and overwintering vegetables
August 13, 2022 12:00This time of year is harvest season for many garden crops, but it’s also planting season for some vegetables.
First timers experience the Iowa State Fair
August 12, 2022 12:00Corn dogs, baby ducks, and a butter cow to boot!
Travel writer is working to make Iowa a vacation destination
August 11, 2022 12:00Iowa isn’t well-regarded as a vacation spot in the country, but for those in the know there is a lot to do and see in the state — including the Meskwaki Powwow happening this week.
UNI implements programs to support for low-income, first-generation and non-traditional students
August 10, 2022 12:00Although the cost of college seems to always increase, a college graduate still earns more, on average, than someone who didn’t graduate. But some communities face barriers to earning a degree or obtaining needed training.
A journalist's journey to education
August 09, 2022 11:00While many Iowa teachers are exiting the profession, former reporter Daniel Finney is pivoting to education.
Laying the groundwork for lawn care
August 06, 2022 11:00Amid extreme drought in parts of Northwest Iowa, Iowa State Horticulture Assistant Professor Adam Thoms shares how to keep lawns looking nice and take advantage of this optimal seeding time despite the lack of moisture.
Des Moines artist recreates COVID-19 events through miniature worlds
August 05, 2022 11:00Des Moines-based artist Mollie Wallace journaled her COVID-19 pandemic experience, but not with a pen and paper. Using antique jewelry boxes, she created miniature worlds to represent key events from the last two years. The result is "Pandema's Box."