Prairie Prophets Podcast

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon visits with Wendy Caldwell, Executive Director of Monarch Joint Venture. Monarch Joint Venture (MJV) is a partnership of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses and academic programs working together to protect the monarch migration across the United States.

Brandon and Wendy discuss the life cycle, habitat, and the incredible journey monarchs make across North America to Mexico and California during their migration. Wendy has established herself as one of the monarch butterfly's strongest advocates with her extensive work in monarch conservation.

More information about Wendy Caldwell and Monarch Joint Venture can be found here: https://monarchjointventure.org/

Wendy's LinkedIn Profile: (20) Wendy Caldwell | LinkedIn 

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon heads home to Indiana for a visit with the Nature Conservancy's Kankakee Sands Site Manager & Restoration Ecologist, Trevor Edmonson.  The two talk habitat and ecology in the Kankakee Preserve, improving the public's perception of prairie, and the profound affect buffalo have on the process of prairie restoration.

Trevor and his team manage 10,000 acres of high-quality sand prairie, wetlands, oak savanna and the Nature Conservancy's only bison herd in Indiana.

More information about Trevor Edmonson can be found at:  Articles by Trevor Edmonson’s Profile | Kankakee Daily Journal Journalist | Muck Rack

Indian Chapter of The Nature Conservancy: Meet Indiana Chapter Staff | The Nature Conservancy

Trevor's LinkedIn Profile: (14) Trevor Edmonson | LinkedIn

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon sits down with the Executive Director & Educator of Newton County, Indiana's Soil & Water Conservation District, Bri Styck.  The two discuss the importance of cover crops and conservative farming practices.

Bri's current role for the Newton County Soil & Water Conservation District allows her to work closely with conservation efforts in her district. Her office provides information about soil, water and related natural resources. They offer technical assistance to help farmers and landowners with conservation projects and they try to provide financial assistance for those efforts, when possible.

More information about Bri Styck can be found at:
Brianna Styck captures award | | newsbug.info

Newton County Soil & Water Conservation District:
Soil & Water Conservation District / Newton County, Indiana

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon continues to dive deeper on the topic of the Dust Bowl. He meets up with Dr. Curtis Bensch, Associate Professor of Agronomy at Oklahoma Panhandle State University and his brother Randall Bensch, Farmer and Meteorologist by training to get a better understanding of the impact agriculture and weather had on the dust bowl.
 
With their unique perspectives, the Bensch brothers have extensive knowledge of Oklahoma and the catastrophic events of the dust bowl - the largest man-made ecological disaster in history.

More information about Curtis and Randall Bensch can be found at:

Curtis Bensch:
OPSU Agronomy Professor Receives the NACTA Educator Award – Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Randall Bensch:
Weather Lover Keeps Head In State's Clouds With Museum (oklahoman.com)

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon sits down with Larry O'Dell. Larry is a State Historian for the Oklahoma Historical Society.
 
Larry is a wealth of knowledge as it pertains to the history of Oklahoma, so Brandon picks his brain on the largest man-made ecological disaster - the Dust Bowl. How did it shape modern day agriculture?

More information about Larry O'Dell can be found at:
LinkedIn: (11) Larry ODell | LinkedIn

Genealogy society learns about the New Deal programs from historian O'Dell - Alva Review-Courier (alvareviewcourier.com)

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon sits down with John Burk. John is a District Biologist at the National Wild Turkey Federation for Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.
 
John talks about a recent decline in the turkey poult survival rate and the research biologists are doing to get answers. John provides some excellent tips for building a great turkey habitat. 
 
More information about John Burk and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) can be found at: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-burk-038a9346/ 

NWTF: https://www.monwtf.org/ 

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon sits down with Jane Haslag. Jane is a Presidential Appointee serving on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Prairie Foundation.  Jane completed the Master Pollinator Steward program through the University of Missouri Extension Center in 2021.

Jane and her husband have restored 3.5 acres of land removing invasive species and restoring pollinator habitat. Drawing from experience and her knowledge of pollinator habitat, Jane enjoys teaching others that share the same passion for prairie and native plants. A true DIY story, Jane loves sharing the lessons she's learned on her journey.

More information about Jane Haslag can be found at:  https://moprairie.org/about/board-of-directors/

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon sits down with the Executive Director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation, Carol Davit.  The two chat the history and culture of native prairie land and how it has shaped modern agriculture.

Executive Director Carol Davit works with the Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) board of directors and committees and oversees all operations of MPF – including fundraising, strategic planning, communications, advocacy, the Grow Native! program, and administration, and has edited the Missouri Prairie Journal since 1996.

More information about Carol Davit can be found at:  https://moprairie.org/about/staff/

Carol's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-davit-b783b825b/

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon sits down with the Godfather of Prairie, Frank Oberle.  The two discuss Frank's journey towards being one of the most prominent and influential prairie advocates of our time.

Frank's love of photography, prairie, and wildlife have put him at the forefront of movements to save endangered species and vanishing ecosystems.

More information about Frank Oberle can be found at: https://www.agriculture.com/crops/conservation/batch-and-build-strategy-makes-conservation-more-convenient-in-central-iowa

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon sits down with Executive Director of the Iowa Wildlife Federation, Ryan Smith.  The two discuss prairie as an alternative to maintaining a home lawn, the Iowa Wildlife Federation, Iowa's Water & Land Legacy, and their common love for the outdoors. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

More information about Ryan Smith and the work he does can be found at:  Home - Iowa Wildlife Federation (iawildlife.org)