Best Prairie Publics Broadcast Podcasts (2025)

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December 9: Arnold Oss, Lidgerwood’s Star Athlete, 1919 3:02

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2h ago3:02

3:02

There was a time when just about everyone in North Dakota knew the name and fame of Arnold Oss, the greatest athlete ever to grow up in Lidgerwood. From 1917 to 1921, Oss made sports headlines across North Dakota and Minnesota. He played football, basketball, baseball, ran track and was a star in them all.…

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Wahpeton’s Future & AI’s Limits: A Talk with Mayor Lambrecht and ChatGPT 50:00

3h ago50:00

50:00

Mayor Brett Lambrecht maps Wahpeton’s growth, challenges, and vision, followed by a candid conversation with ChatGPT on how AI works, what it understands, and its future impact.

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December 8: Thayer Avenue becomes sledding space for Bismarck kids 2:20

19h ago2:20

2:20

Sledding is a pastime for many during the long North Dakota winters, especially once sufficient snow blankets the region. While residents did their best to occupy themselves with winter activities, Bismarck’s children benefited from compassionate residents and an attentive city government to gain additional space to have fun.…

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The German Card 5:12

1h ago5:12

5:12

It was a lovely spring morning when we arrived early for Sunday services at Bethany Church, in Tanunda, South Australia, in the heart of the Barossa region. I inquired after the congregational president, who was up in the loft, preparing to ring the bells.By Tom Isern

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Weekend Datebook: Weather Lore 2:41

1h ago2:41

2:41

Long before weather alerts or five-day forecasts, people watched the animals, listened to the winds, took note of the moon and stars, and told tales to predict the weather.By Jim Davis, Tay Calloway

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Next weekend could bring the best meteor shower of the year 2:43

3d ago2:43

2:43

The rest of December and the first week of January could be great for skywatching. What could be the best meteor shower of the year is peaking next weekend. Plus, a couple other meteor showers and a super moon are coming soon.By Chuck Lura

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December 5: The Eight-Hour Day 3:02

6h ago3:02

3:02

In the late 1800s, workers averaged ten to sixteen hours a day, six days a week. Workers in Great Britain and the United States began to push for a reduction in work hours.By Carole Butcher

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ND Carbon Ruling, Prairie Friendships & Science Center Fun This December 50:21

4d ago50:21

50:21

A landmark CO₂ storage ruling, prairie letters revealing lifelong friendship, and a preview of holiday happenings at Gateway to Science highlight today’s trio of stories.

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December 4: Somewhere in the Badlands 2:59

1d ago2:59

2:59

On the morning of July 30, 1916, New York City was jarred awake by a huge explosion. Four people were killed, thousands of windows were blown out, and the Statue of Liberty was hit with debris.By Carole Butcher

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Holiday Music, Nordic Feasts & Winter Health Highlights 50:17

1d ago50:17

50:17

UND’s Winter WUNDerland, Fargo’s Norwegian Christmas feast, and Prairie Beat’s look at flu, COVID, RSV, and new vaccines—plus statewide ag and utility updates.

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December 3: Old Wild Rice, Red River Fur Trade Leader 3:03

6d ago3:03

3:03

Old Wild Rice is the “George Washington” of the Pembina Band of Chippewa. He was frequently mentioned in the Northwest Company fur trade journals of Charles Jean-Baptiste Chaboillez and his successor, Alexander Henry.By Lise Erdrich

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Holiday Wellness & Everglades Stewardship: Two Stories of Care 50:21

2d ago50:21

50:21

Dietitian Sarah Tee shares ways to enjoy holiday food with balance, and Talbert Cypress of the Miccosukee Tribe reflects on protecting the Everglades, culture, and community.

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December 2: The Architect of Westward Expansion 2:49

7d ago2:49

2:49

As Secretary of State for President James Monroe, John Quincy Adams advocated for the expansion of the United States. He was responsible for establishing the northern boundary of the country from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. More than any other man, Adams was responsible for putting the Monroe D…

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ND's Highest Court Affirms Near Ban on Abortions, the Impossible Expectations of New Motherhood and a Tribute to Todd Snider 52:51

8d ago52:51

52:51

With very few exceptions, abortions are illegal in North Dakota, following the ND Supreme Court's ruling that upholds the state's highly restrictive law that's been held up in litigation. Craig Blumenshine talks with North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer about the very close decision. Another story from Fargo's live monthly storytelling event …

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December 1: Tornado proof, but not divorce proof 3:03

8d ago3:03

3:03

Once there was a man who came to Dakota seeking his fortune. He prospered and proposed marriage to a lady back east. But she hesitated to come to Wahpeton, terrified of tornadoes.By Lise Erdrich

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What causes the Northern Lights? 2:42

10d ago2:42

2:42

The northern lights were making national news a few weeks ago. Reports of the displays came streaming in from as far south as Florida. Seeing them always seems to elicit a sense of wonder and awe, and there may well be more shows to come this winter.By Chuck Lura

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Weekend Datebook: Poultry in the News 2:20

6d ago2:20

2:20

In 1941, poultry were making headlines across North Dakota and the country.By Cody Goehring, Tay Calloway

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A Generous and Steadfast Friend 4:53

10d ago4:53

4:53

In a meeting on campus a few days ago, along with many of the best and brightest at NDSU, interviewing a candidate for a high position in the university, I asked the question often on my mind these days as a senior dude at our land grant university, the people’s college, as we used to say. Is higher education, college learning, I asked, fundamental…

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November 28: Frosty Beauty of Winter 2:55

8d ago2:55

2:55

One of North Dakota’s most striking beauties has to be frost, the glistening white that covers tree branches, power lines, street signs, even blades of grass. It would take a lifetime to paint even one acre of trees all white, but Jack Frost does it overnight.By Dr. Steve Hoffbeck

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November 27: Teachings of Our Elders - The Importance of Feeding People 2:50

9d ago2:50

2:50

In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll listen to Mark Bluestone, enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation, discuss the importance of feeding people.

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Planes, Trains & Holiday Pains 53:27

13d ago53:27

53:27

Buckle up for a Mainstreet episode that’s all planes, trains, and automobiles, as the Prairie Public team swaps stories of their own bad holiday travel adventures. Then we shift from travel troubles to comfort food on Prairie Plates, where Rick Gion takes us inside Pheasant Cafe in Mott, North Dakota.In this week’s Prairie Beat, the holidays are he…

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November 26: She Loved Not Wisely 2:07

10d ago2:07

2:07

On this date in 1896, the Jamestown paper reported Mrs. Swain had been taken home to New Rockford for burial. She and her lover were found dead in a Valley City hotel room. A note left at the scene said, "You will find sufficient funds in my pocketbook to bury us. Our last request is to bury us together without any fuss, and do not try to find out …

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UND Flight Student Set to Make History in Mali 52:57

9d ago52:57

52:57

We'll talk to a trailblazer from Mali, UND Aviation student Noumousso Diane, who is poised to become the West African country's first woman commercial pilot.

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November 25: The Dorcas Society 2:51

11d ago2:51

2:51

The Dorcas Society is a charitable organization named after Dorcas, a woman described in the Acts of the Apostles. Dorcas was a biblical figure widely known for her dressmaking abilities. The primary mission of the society was originally to provide clothing for the needy, although that grew to include other necessities, like food.…

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When the Music Becomes Us: A Philosophical Look at Identity, Memory & Jimmy Cliff 24:37

10d ago24:37

24:37

How the music of our youth becomes part of who we are. Dr. Jack Weinstein reflects on Jimmy Cliff’s legacy and why deeply listening still matters in the digital age.

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Philosophical Currents: The Meaning of Music in our Lives 52:09

15d ago52:09

52:09

Jack Russell Weinstiein reflects on the death of one of his musical heroes, reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, who passed away earlier today. And hear the story of Fargo Thanksgiving shopper, whose search for a rare holiday bird led to a confusing encounter in the check out lane. We'll hear about a Minnesota rock band whose all female members find empowerm…

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November 24: Wheat Ups and Downs 2:56

12d ago2:56

2:56

In the 1870s, there were about 1,700 farms in the territory that became North Dakota, with farms averaging 176 acres in size. By 1910, that number had grown to over 7,000 farms, averaging 382 acres. Wheat emerged as a major crop, and the future looked rosy for farmers.By Carole Butcher

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Bro. Placid’s Prairie Wisdom 4:10

14d ago4:10

4:10

I cannot recall a conversation with Brother Placid Gross that was not a delight. He is, foremost, a man of faith who made his final profession under the rules of St. Benedict in 1967. Ever since, as a monk in Richardton Abbey, he has been known as Brother Placid. He was born and baptized, however, in 1935 as Aloysius Gross, one of the sixteen child…

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Weekend Datebook: Go North to Dakota! 2:01

14d ago2:01

2:01

In November of 1970, billboards began popping up along highways in Montana and South Dakota with bold letters stretching across the landscape: “Go North to Dakota!”By Ann Erling, Tay Calloway

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The deer mouse: North Dakota’s most attractive small mammal? 2:40

13d ago2:40

2:40

No doubt many of you heard the recent news that “Wicked: For Good” star Jonathan Bailey was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2025. Okay... But what species would you select to be the most attractive small mammal in North Dakota?By Chuck Lura

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November 21: Old Hotel Had Stories to Tell 2:08

17d ago2:08

2:08

The Commercial Hotel, built before 1878, was among the first few buildings in Wahpeton, and its only hotel before the boomtown years. It was advertised as "first-class in every way," popular with those seeking business opportunities, land claims or a quick Dakota Territory divorce.By Lise Erdrich

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Ethics Deadlock, STEM Discovery & Snowy Owl Season Ahead 49:40

14d ago49:40

49:40

Ethics debates intensify amid commission deadlock, STEM learning comes alive with hands-on experiments, and snowy owls and meteor showers highlight winter’s arrival.

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November 20: Before the vaccine 2:54

18d ago2:54

2:54

The 1910 polio epidemic began in the Northeast and spread across the country. It primarily affected children and caused widespread fear and confusion. There were no reliable treatments, and desperate parents sometimes turned to unproven methods to help their children.By Carole Butcher

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Thanksgiving Flavor & Federal Fallout: Food, SNAP & WWII Heritage 50:19

15d ago50:19

50:19

Chef Chris Dietz spices up Thanksgiving on Prairie Plates, then Prairie Beat examines SNAP recovery post-shutdown and a brewery’s concerns. Plus, Valley City honors its WWII legacy.

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November 19: Lydia Pinkham and Turtle Mountain Reservation 2:36

19d ago2:36

2:36

November 19 marks the annual Lydia Pinkham Open Studios event in Lynn, Massachusetts, showcasing artists at the historic factory where Lydia’s famous Vegetable Compound for Women was manufactured.By Lise Erdrich

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Rural Health, Solar Farming & Stories of Wisdom and Redemption 50:15

16d ago50:15

50:15

Value-based care leads rural health innovation, agrivoltaics grows food and opportunity, Brother Placid shares prairie wisdom, and Lyle Wilds offers a candid path to redemption.

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November 18: Indian School Boy Scouts and Spotted Wolf's Last Request 2:56

20d ago2:56

2:56

On this date in 1932, a two-day demonstration of Boy Scout activities was held at the Wahpeton Indian School for troops from Richland and Wilkin counties. Physician and author Charles Alexander Eastman, a Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota, served as an advisor in developing the national Boy Scout movement and its Native American Lore component.…

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ND Veteran Homelessness Rising + Inside Community Options Support 50:11

17d ago50:11

50:11

ND’s growing veteran homelessness crisis with ND Monitor reporter Michael Achterling, plus an in-depth conversation with Community Options - how they support residents.

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November 17: The North Dakota Corn Show 2:53

21d ago2:53

2:53

North Dakota tops all other states in the production of several crops, including oats, flaxseed, canola, and peas, and ranks second in sunflowers and wheat. The state usually places between 15th and 20th in national corn production. While corn isn’t one of North Dakota’s top crops, it’s still significant, its annual production is valued at about tw…

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The Scent of Jacaranda 4:18

22d ago4:18

4:18

We will arrive in the Barossa at peak jacaranda. Reviewing the sentence I just spoke, I realize I am speaking gibberish as far as my neighbors in Dakota territory are concerned. So I’ll explain.By Tom Isern

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Where to spot snowy owls this winter in North Dakota 2:32

20d ago2:32

2:32

Snowy owls, of course, are species of the tundra. So are lemmings, which are mouse-like mammals that are the main food source for snowy owls. For decades this predator/prey relationship has been known to be closely linked, and a four-year population cycle been well documented.

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Health, Safety & Learning: Violence Prevention, Lung Cancer & STEM 49:59

26d ago49:59

49:59

A powerful hour on health and hope: addressing intimate partner violence in care settings, raising lung-cancer awareness with early screening, and expanding STEM education across ND.

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Shutdown Insights, Fargo’s 1889 Kitchen, and a Lesson from The Tell 49:59

27d ago49:59

49:59

Dr. Cullinane breaks down the federal shutdown’s end, Prairie Plates visits Fargo’s 1889 Kitchen, and The Tell shares a sharp airport story about trust and humanity.

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Healing on Horseback, A Veteran’s Road to Recovery & Stories Beyond 49:58

28d ago49:58

49:58

From adaptive riding in Lisbon to jacaranda blooms in Australia, plus a veteran’s recovery and a deepening farm labor crisis—four stories of resilience and connection.

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Aviators of Tomorrow & Friends Who Fence: CAP and FM Fencing Club 50:06

29d ago50:06

50:06

North Dakota’s Civil Air Patrol trains future aviators, while the Fargo-Moorhead Fencing Club builds skill and camaraderie with “Make Friends and Stab Them.”

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How Is It That Ordinary People Can Commit Such Overwhelming Evil? 1:23:40

29d ago1:23:40

1:23:40

Jack sits down with Elizabeth Minnich, moral philosopher and author, to explore a haunting and urgent question: How is it that ordinary people can commit extraordinary evil? Together, they unpack Minnich’s idea of the evil of banality, a subtle, everyday corruption of thought and conscience that allows atrocities to unfold, and consider what it mea…

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The unique forest of Turtle Mountain 2:45

29d ago2:45

2:45

Turtle Mountain, straddling the Canada-United States border in Bottineau and Rolette counties, is often referred to as a “forested island in a grassland sea.” Because Turtle Mountain lies around 600-800 feet above the surrounding prairie, an orographic effect results in a notable increase in the effective precipitation on Turtle Mountain, resulting…

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Black Derby Hat in Larimore 4:26

1M ago4:26

4:26

People in Larimore a century ago recognized their veterinarian, Dr. Hermann M. Eisenlohr, by his black derby hat as he came up the street. Figuratively, too, he wore many hats, and was a truly colorful local character.By Tom Isern

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Ellington in Fargo, Frenemies, and the Doctor in the Black Derby 50:10

1M ago50:10

50:10

From Duke Ellington’s historic Fargo concert to small-town legends, storytelling, and corn detasseling—Main Street brings you music, history, and heartland voices.

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Building a Museum, Remembering Cheney, and Saving Bears with Cider 50:02

1M ago50:02

50:02

Lindsay Breuler on creating a new children's museum, Geoff O’Gara reflects on Dick Cheney’s life and legacy, and Montana’s sweet way to reduce bear conflicts.