Talk of Iowa

When you encounter an insect in a surprising place it can be alarming, particularly if you’re one of the many people who has an uncomfortable relationship with insects. Entomologist Zach Schumm of Iowa State University joins this Horticulture Day to give us the tools we need to decide if an insect is a pest or something we should leave in peace. Extension horticulture specialist Aaron Steil also joins to answer listeners' horticulture questions.

Tinnitus affects an estimated 25 million Americans, yet many don’t seek help despite its strong connection to hearing loss. Audiologists Elise Dornier and Ann Perreau explain what causes tinnitus and how people can manage it. We also hear personal stories from John Wanamaker and Carol Montag about living with the condition and finding ways to cope.

In his new book, historian Kevin Mason looked into the 1835 Dragoon Expedition along the Des Moines River to better understand how Iowa’s landscape has transformed over time. He retraced the 371-mile expedition on foot. He joins 'Talk of Iowa' to share insights from his journey and new book.

With hopes of curbing rural population loss, Iowan Jessie Field Schambaugh created programs that led to the largest youth development organization in the United States. We hear about the history of 4-H from Laurel Burgmaier, the producer of a new Iowa PBS documentary, 'The Legacy of 4-H,' and Harry Smith, who voiced and co-wrote the script. Then, we learn about some of the oldest book clubs in Iowa from their members, Veronica Fowler and Peggy Murphy. They share tips on how to create groups that last.

In 2022, Ava Jones was an outstanding high school basketball player, heading for a college career at the University of Iowa, when her life changed in a moment. Jones was walking with her parents and younger brother in Louisville, Kentucky, when an impaired driver jumped the curb and struck them. Ava and her mother Amy were seriously injured, and her father Trey died days after the incident. The University of Iowa honored Jones' scholarship to attend college, and 2025 brought her another life-altering circumstance: a cancer diagnosis. She is now in remission and shares her story of resilience. Later in the episode, Cathy McMullen of Iowa State University joins to talk about woodland wildflowers that are beginning to bloom around the state, and how Iowans can grow their own.

Catalog descriptions and garden center tags can make every cultivar sound like the perfect choice, but sometimes you need advice from someone who’s actually grown them. On this Horticulture Day, we talk with Dan Fillius of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach about the cultivars he loves most in his own garden. Then, Aaron Steil joins the show to answer your gardening questions and help you make the best picks this planting season.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa turns 100 this year and the way we care for our pets has changed dramatically in the last century. Spaying and neutering and regular vaccinations were once revolutionary, and they’re only a small part of the story. Host Charity Nebbe explores the evolution of animal welfare with ARL Iowa CEO Tom Colvin and Janet M Davis, author of The Gospel of Kindness.

'National Geographic' photographer Joel Sartore is on a mission to capture every species in captivity. So far through his Photo Ark project, he has photographed nearly 18,000 of them. He joins the show to discuss the urgent effort to protect at-risk species. Later, Iowa State Ph.D. student Derrick Kapayou examines how the 2018 Des Moines flash floods reshaped East Des Moines communities and residents’ sense of stability.

The Violins of Hope all have connections to Jewish musicians and the Holocaust. These instruments are now touring in Iowa, keeping history alive. Plus, Emily Bright shares her new poetry collection 'This Ground Beneath Our Feet.'

Comedy legend Margaret Cho talks about returning to her roots in political comedy and why she calls this her most brutally honest show yet. She is coming to the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on March 27. Then, the Millennial Stone Cleaner shares how restoring gravestones has turned into a powerful way to honor forgotten lives. (A portion of this episode was originally produced Oct. 10, 2024)

When plants start growing and insects start buzzing, plant diseases aren't far behind. On this Horticulture Day episode, Chelsea Harbach of the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State University joins to share what you can do to prevent some common diseases. Horticulture Specialist Aaron Steil and Iowa DNR forester Mark Vitosh also join to answer tree and gardening questions.

Cartoonist Lauren Haldeman talks about her new collection, Wild That We’re Alive. Then a dance theater performance explores the emotional and physical toll of infertility and pregnancy loss.

Lizzie Hershberger grew up in an Amish community in Minnesota. She is a survivor of sexual abuse and rape, and she left the community, eventually writing the memoir, Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman's Survival, Escape, and Pursuit of Justice. Hershberger connected with journalist Sarah McClure, who published a year-long investigation about incest, rape, and abuse in Amish communities. Hershberger and McClure then set out on years-long journey filming the documentary Keep Quiet and Forgive, which premieres March 23rd on PBS. Also, water quality is a huge challenge for the Midwest and the Great Plains, but there is a great deal of beauty to be found in the aquatic ecosystems that surround us. ISU professor Amy Burgin joins to share of the Great Plains' water wonders and what she calls "wicked problems."

A new documentary, Simon Estes: A Heart and A Voice tells the remarkable story of a Centerville native who shattered the color barrier for Black men in opera, and has used his acclaim and devout faith to give back as a philanthropist and humanitarian. Then and interview with Council Bluffs-based author, John T. Price, about his latest work, Goethe’s Oak: A Holocaust Story.

When you plant a tree, the hope is that it will remain healthy and strong for decades but the recommendations for what to plant often change faster than the trees themselves, sometimes creating frustration and even controversy. On this Horticulture Day, we talk with Jeff Iles, professor of horticulture at Iowa State University, about how recommended plant and tree lists are created and why they sometimes spark debate. Later, Iowa State University Extension horticulture specialist Aaron Steil and entomologist Laura Iles join the conversation to answer listeners’ gardening questions.

Many of the places where people gather have disappeared. In some cases, people have adapted to meet elsewhere. In others, people have become more isolated. On this epidsode, rural sociologist Dave Peters shares how gas stations have become a social hub for small towns. Library director Mary Kathryn Gepner talks about the local library enduring as a third space. Jennifer Drinkwater talks about her work uplifting third spaces in Iowa's small towns and how they inspire her art. Finally, Tiara Phillips has been bringing people in the Iowa City area together with "stuff swaps," book clubs and bingo nights through her Instagram page, Bitchin' Events.

CultureAll is a Des Moines nonprofit that works to introduce Iowans of different cultures to each other with the goal of building community. One of the ways they do that is through their Open Book program — a community project that creates connections and builds social cohesion through story sharing. We learn about that project and new research that shows that Open Book and the act of reciprocal storytelling can cultivate empathy. Later, we talk with Drake University health sciences professor Stacy Gnacinski. When she's not teaching, Gnacinski does mental performance consulting for athletes, from local youth, to the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, where she's a mental performance consultant. She shares about her recent trip to the Winter Olympics.

Bison once dominated North America, with estimates between 30 and 60 million once roaming and shaping the prairies and grasslands. Westward expansion and U.S. policy greatly diminished the species, and by 1870, there were no more bison in the state of Iowa. On this episode, we learn about the keystone species with wildlife experts Jim Pease and Pete Eyheralde, and how the species became a conservation success story. We'll also learn about a herd of 70 bison at the Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa from visitor services manager Nancy Corona.

A new book uncovers the story of two Vaudeville performers from an Iowa coal mining town who rose to fame on the national stage. Dan Henderson is the author and the great-nephew of the book's subjects. He shares their how their story offers a window into everyday life and entertainment in the 1920s. Plus, the Iowa City High School teacher behind the viral TikTok account @squirehaligast talks about bringing classroom humor to 1.4 million followers.

Thinking about planting fruit this spring? While it may take some time before you can enjoy the fruits of your labor, choosing the right cultivars can make all the difference in creating a successful home harvest. On this Horticulture Day, we talk with Randall Vos, an Iowa State University Extension horticulture specialist, about how to select the best cultivars for your garden. Then, horticulturist Aaron Steil joins the conversation to answer listeners' questions.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Michael Welsh has seen cystic fibrosis transform from terminal to highly treatable. On this episode of Talk of Iowa, we listen back to Charity Nebbe's conversation with Dr. Welsh of the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa, who has been studying and treating Cystic Fibrosis for nearly 50 years. Dr. Welsh was awarded the 2025 Canada Gairdner International Award for his work on cystic fibrosis. Then, we hear about the Homestead Folk Art Museum in the Amana Colonies. (This show was originally produced on June 5, 2025.)

On this Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe speaks with experts in caregiving and those caught in this "sandwich generation," balancing care for aging parents and children. (This show originally aired May 22, 2025.)