Talk 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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One of the perennial questions we field on Horticulture Day is when to plant grass seed. The answer is right now. On this episode, we talk with Iowa State University turfgrass specialist Adam Thoms about seeding and overseeding your lawn. We also talk about the fall lawn chores you should have on your horizon. Then, horticulturist Aaron Steil also joins us to answer listener questions.
On this episode, we meet the Lobe Rangers, three Iowa farmers from who are frustrated with how few of their fellow farmers have implemented conservation practices. We learn about their vision for a more sustainable future for Iowa. Then, 'Talk of Iowa' Summer School continues with agriculture teacher Anna Brooks. She makes the farm to table process a focus of her classes.
Clinton artists Gabi Torres and Chris Shannon have helped put the city of Clinton on the map with their annual Paint it Back event. Starting as an effort to activate a vacant building with artists' murals near the Mississippi River in 2023 has gotten bigger each year, with an art market, live music, kids activities and more. For its fourth year, they’re moving west to downtown with a mission to…
Losing the ability to drive can mean that an older person can no longer live independently. On this episode, we talk about aging, driving and how to know when it's time to stop. We hear from Justin Mason, associate research scientist at the University of Iowa's Driving Safety Research Institute, and Anne Dickerson, director of the research for Older Adult Driver Initiative (ROADI) at East Carolina…
Eating a ripe tomato fresh from the garden is one of the true pleasures of summer, but growing tomatoes can be challenging — especially if your plants get hit by disease. On this Horticulture Day episode, we talk about tomatoes and their many diseases with Chelsea Harbach, plant disease diagnostician with the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic. Then, horticulturist Aaron…
On this episode, we listen back to some of our favorite state fair interviews. We talk with Iowa State Fair butter sculptor Sarah Pratt and her apprentices, her twin daughters Hannah and Grace, about working together and making buttery artwork. Then, we travel to the fairgrounds to take a ride on the Sky Glider with Tracy Shedd. Shedd has worked on the Sky Glider in some capacity for the last 50…
In 1973, Ron Rosmann gave up his plans to go to graduate school and moved back home to Westphalia to run the family farm. In 1973, he did something radical — he stopped using chemical inputs. Rosmann has been farming for more than 50 years, and he's one of the founding members of Practical Farmers of Iowa, a farmer-led community that focuses on sustainable agriculture. He joins us on this episode…
On this episode of the 'Talk of Iowa' Book Club, we talk about 'The Book Thief' with author Markus Zusak and two expert readers. It's a story about a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany who steals books — and it's narrated by death. They reflect on the book's 20th anniversary and discuss how reading it in 2026 feels the same and different than at its release in 2006.
The teenage years can be tough for parents and kids and new research from Iowa State University tells us that the consequences of that conflict can linger for decades. On this episode, we learn about Iowa State's Family Transitions Project. It is one of the nation's most extensive longitudinal studies of family life. We talk with Iowa State University professor Tricia Neppl and doctoral student…
Beautiful fall mums will soon be everywhere. But, getting them to grow in your home landscape takes more planning.On this horticulture day episode, host Charity Nebbe talks with Randall Vos, ISU Extension horticulture specialist, about producing fall plants on demand. Then, ISU horticulture professor Cindy Haynes joins to help answer listener questions.
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch first opened on Aug.10, 1962. It reopened on Aug. 6, 2026, after a $20 million complete renovation. On this episode, we speak with Mundi McCarty, president and CEO of the Hoover Presidential Foundation. She shares the vision for the renovation and the collaborative efforts that made it possible. Then, we tour the museum with Museum…
The 2026 Iowa State Fair is almost here. On this episode, we meet some of the winningest State Fair competitors of all time. Dr. Rod Zeitler is a master canner, Deb Zeitler is a master weaver and Marcia Miller is a master pie maker. Rod and Deb Zeitler's State Fair entries made it to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. And Marcia Miller shares how she turned her State Fair pie domination…
