Growing native foods is a delicious, sustainable practice that connects us to nature. Discover the beauty and benefits an edible landscape provides at Prairie Birthday Farm in Kearney, Missouri. Meet farm steward, Linda Hezel, who transformed a degraded fescue lot into a thriving farm where science, art, and food converge.

To view the video recording of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature 

Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at [email protected] 

Whether you’re designing for a school courtyard, senior living community, or your own backyard refuge, this webinar offers practical guidance for creating landscapes that restore and regenerate. Join Deep Roots and Maria Landoni, founder of SUR Landscape Architecture, as we explore how native plants create therapeutic spaces that heal both people and ecosystems. Discover design principles for healing gardens that support your wellbeing as well as that of your local fauna.

To find the video recording of this episode and sign up to join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature 

Questions, comments, or feedback? Contact us at [email protected] 

Whether its aphids, powdery mildew, or pesky weeds, the battle to protect your plants from pathogens and overwhelming populations of pests is a daunting one. In this episode of Curious by Nature, the EPA-Region 7’s Pesticide Outreach Coordinator, Sharon Dobesh, discusses sustainable Integrated Pest Management systems. Sharon covers different types of natural enemies and how to encourage species variety in our natural areas to enhance Integrated Pest Management practices.

To view the video of this episode and join our webinars live every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 12pm CST, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature

Questions, comments or feedback? Contact us at [email protected]

This is a Curious by Nature minisode featuring the Q&A session with guest expert, Susan Farrington, Natural History Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation's Ozark Region. Live audience asks questions about best ways to support native insect and bird populations, the impact of native gardens even on a small scale, and more. If you’d like to hear the full episode on the History and Habitats of Caney Mountain Conservation Area, be sure to tune in to the December 4th, 2025 episode when you’re done here! 

To view the webinar version of this episode, visit www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature to see the show archive.

Take a virtual hike through Ozark County’s Caney Mountain Conservation Area! Join Deep Roots and Missouri Department of Conservation as they explored the habitats and history of this 7,899-acre conservation area deep in the Ozark region. From glade and woodland plant species to the historic Wild Turkey reintroduction and a glimpse into A. Starker Leopold’s cabin – this episode has it all. Stick around for the live Q&A where our live audience asks their native plant and large land management questions to our guest experts from Missouri Department of Conservation.

This is a Curious by Nature minisode featuring the Q&A session with guest expert, Coltin Ridenour of Johnson County Parks and Recreation District. If you’d like to hear the full episode on prescribed fire, be sure to tune in to the November 6th episode when you’re done here! 

Fire is just one tool in the shed for land management but has been utilized by people for millennia. Join Johnson County Parks and Recreation District’s natural resource team as we learn the valuable roll prescribed burns play in large land management both during the dormant, and less often, the growing season.

Fire is just one tool in the shed for land management but has been utilized by people for millennia. Join the natural resource team of Johnson County Parks and Recreation District and learn the valuable roll prescribed burns play in large land management. Discussions on fire safety and practical tips for burning during the dormant season, and less often, the growing season. This is a great episode to learn ways to implement fire in your landscape.

Our live audience asks their land management questions to guest expert, Matt Garrett, Natural Resource Manager for Johnson County Parks and Recreation District.

Resources for this show can be obtained by contacting [email protected] or by visiting us online at www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature

When it comes down to it, cultivated spaces are determined by your gardening goals. Join artist and self-proclaimed “native plant nerd”, Cydney Ross as she explores unique gardening aesthetics using Midwestern native plants! From “Mid-Century Modern” to “Tropical” see a dazzling array of native plant palettes to consider for your home gardens. This light-hearted presentation is a creative way to determine your gardening goals and learn more about midwestern native plants. Our virtual audience also asks Cydney their native gardening questions during the live Q&A portion of the show.Join us for our live webinar series each 1st and 3rd Thursdays! Register online www.deeproots.org/curious-by-nature

When it comes down to it, cultivated spaces are determined by your gardening goals. Whether you're planting to reduce the size of your lawn, support wildlife, or perhaps for aesthetic reasons - there's a native plant for that!

In this educational episode, artist and self-proclaimed “native plant nerd”, Cydney Ross explores unique plant palettes for the home garden. In part one, they explore native plants that fit the “Cottagecore” to “Goth” aesthetics. This light-hearted yet informative presentation is a creative way to learn about Midwestern native plants and determine your gardening goals.

Join Curious by Nature with Deep Roots as we interview Maggie Riggs of Off the Grid Landscaping. She is the founder of the 20-year old native rooftop garden on the historic TWA building in the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City, Missouri. Maggie talks about the history of this garden, growing natives with food, and why native plants are awesome.

This episode is in conjunction with our previous episode with local botanist and horticulturalist, Gavin Schaefer. Tune in to that episode to learn more about the native rooftop garden.

Join us live for our semi-monthly nature series each 1st and 3rd Thursday where you can ask the experts your native gardening questions! Learn more at www.deeproots.org