Iowa Prairie Documentary Project

In this episode with Elizabeth VanCamp we chat about so many different topics that are specific to Iowa and the natural world. Some highlights include: eDNA, all kinds of bees, prairie plants, prairie restoration, pollinators, Blanding's Turtles, Nahant Marsh and just...it's a really packed convo! Trust me and take a listen!

Elizabeth's GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-blandings-turtle-edna-research-in-the-milan-bottoms

To watch this episode: https://youtu.be/EdFKQlmRA9I

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

Carey Gillam is an accomplished writer who has been covering the pesticide industry since 1998: 7 years at Reuters, Author of "WhiteWash", Author of "The Monsanto Papers", Writer for The Guardian, Editor in Chief at The New Lede. I am very lucky that she took some time out of her busy schedule to chat with me about glyphosate, atrazine, and why the myth that glyphosate is safe for (everything) persists to this day.

Her website:
https://careygillam.com

To watch the video version:
https://youtu.be/J9_HJySgX6w

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

Part 1 of "THE BIG PICTURE WITH STEVE GRUHN" series. Big Spirit Lake resident. Conventional farmer turned Biochar researcher. Soil science thinker. Bergman Prairie explorer. Sustainable solutions guy. Former greenhouse owner. Nitrogen cycle minded. Former CAFO employee. Steve Gruhn has a lot of stories to tell about the land in Iowa and I think once you start watching or listening, you'll stick around to the end. 

To watch this as a video: https://youtu.be/-TR6pyBU7t0

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

There is nothing like sitting down to talk to a descendant of the original keepers of the prairie. Speaking with Reneé was completely unexpected. We literally ran into one another at the Loess Hills Prairie Seminar and within 15 minutes were doing a sit down interview in the setting sun there in Onowa, Iowa. Reneé Sans Souci is an Omaha Native American and I was very fortunate to have her agree to share her perspectives on the land, relatives, our connections with nature, indigenous knowledge, the impacts of colonization and so much more. 

Reneé's email:

To watch this episode as a video:

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

Cheryl Johnson is a long time local of Decorah, IA. And when I say long time, I mean that a cabin on the property of the local Norwegian history focussed Vesterheim museum is one that used to belong to relatives of hers. In case you are curious it’s called the Egge Cabin. So yeah…she’s been around for a while. Seeing Decorah’s landscape and town with her is like walking around with the unofficial Mayor of Decorah. But what’s even more fascinating about Cheryl is her passion for being underground in caves! I’ll let her explain what she's been up to in this interview.

https://caves.org

To watch this episode: https://youtu.be/Aq7ZXvfWDOg

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

Featuring southwest Iowa organic vegetable farmer Shad Swanson, this video dives into overspray and chemical drift here in the state of Iowa. What is it? How does it happen? How severely can it impact an organic farming operation? What can we do when it happens? Shad shares his personal experience with all of these issues. I also share what happened when I asked the internet for footage of overspray and chem drift.

Shad's Links: 

https://www.gardenofparadiseiowa.com 

https://www.facebook.com/Garden0fParadise

To watch this video:
https://youtu.be/-TFYF8MHZic

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

I first found out about Deb Matlock via Facebook. Her work, which is under the banner of Wild Rhythms, popped up on my feed and I was like…hmmm…not enough people talk seriously about reconnecting with nature. I think I'll give this a follow. Her website has a featured one liner on it that states: “For those called into deeper conversation with earth, animals and spirit.” Most of these episodes talk about the mess we are in. And we can talk all we want about the science of toxins, prairie restoration efforts, nitrates, cancer, water quality and Big Ag…but those are all on the symptoms side of things. But…What’s the cause? Deb and I will be getting into that during this interview. 

For the video version of this episode: 

https://youtu.be/Ym0riZ53fpw

Deb's website: https://wild-rhythms.com 

Deb's FB: https://www.facebook.com/WildRhythms/

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

Originally recorded April 17, 2026, this interview features Connie Mutel. She's a prolific author on ecosystems and prairie who lives here in Iowa. I would consider this a must listen or must watch episode! Decades of ecosystems understanding are on full display here folks! Connie's message of hope in these trying times is particularly moving.

To watch on Youtube

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

This episode is different than all the others. This is the one episode where someone is interviewing me. Beth Waage of KHOI radio's morning "Local Talk" asks me all sorts of interesting questions. I think you might like it.
KHOI

Mary Swander

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject

I first saw Diane Rosenberg speak at an event in late 2025. She was talking about the dangers of CAFO’s. At the time I still hadn’t seen a CAFO in Iowa. Well, I mean…I had seen the buildings but didn’t know what they were. During her talk I quickly was made to understand that CAFO’s in Iowa were a huge factor in terms of water quality and animal welfare. When we met in March for this interview, I still knew very little about the topic though. And so the questions you will hear me ask may seem super basic…it’s because they are. I was starting at the very beginning in terms of my research of the role that CAFO’s play here in Iowa.

Diane's Links:

www.jfaniowa.org
[email protected]
www.Facebook.com/JFANIowa
http://www.iowaresponsibleagriculture.org/

Charlie's Links:

https://iowaprairieproject.blog

The intro and outro music are original compositions made for this podcast, created and played by Anthony Arnone of Iowa City. The music tracks were sound engineered by Jay Siebold of Sieboldsound.com.

This work is a microbudget project that is self-funded by me, the host, Charlie Morris. If you would like to help me cover the costs of things like sound mastering or gas money to travel to visit interview subjects, my Venmo is @CharlieMakesMovies

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/3de50065e

Music by: Anthony Arnone https://music.uiowa.edu/people/anthony-arnone
Intro Song/DAWN
Outro Song/FEELING FREE
Intro/outro Sound Mastering by: https://www.sieboldsound.com

To contact Director: https://iowaprairieproject.blog

My Substack: https://substack.com/@iowaprairieproject