Peter Simons, author of 'Global Heartland: Cultivating the American Century on the Midwestern Farm,' shares an in-depth look at the role farmers throughout the Midwest played in America’s rise to power post-WWII. Then Adam Janke, Iowa State University wildlife extension specialist, joins the program. Janke's new series of articles shares low-cost, accessible tips for landowners and homeowners to sustain wildlife. (This show was originally produced August 11, 2025.)

Nicole Terrizzi joins the show to discuss her memoir, 'Learning in Free Fall: A Testimony of Mental Health, Poverty and Race in American Education.' Her book focuses on the crisis in America's education system. Every day school children feel the impacts of increasing budget cuts, teacher shortages and threats to the accessibility of a quality education. Terrizzi shares her path to teaching from growing up in rural Iowa, and asks what happens when those leading our classrooms are in crisis themselves? (This show was originally produced August 6, 2025.)

Dave Good was a District Court Judge living in Cedar Rapids. In 2003, at the age of 56, he was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. His wife Kathy became his caregiver while continuing to work full time. On this episode, Kathy Good, who now guides other caregivers as the Senior Director of the Chris and Suzy DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging and Dementia of Mercy, shares her story. Then Good and Michael Wagler, Iowa State Director for the AARP, will talk about the resources those who care for loved ones with dementia. (This show was originally produced July 24, 2025.)

We choose our spouses or life partners, but the in-laws they come with are part of the package. They come with a long history, a family culture and expectations for the future. On this archive episode, host Charity Nebbe is joined by Sylvia Mikucki-Enyart, who studies in-law relationships, to discuss why these relationships can be fraught and how family structures and sexism can warp our view of these relationships. Listeners join the conversation to share their own experiences with in-laws. (This show was originally produced May 20, 2025.)

Native plants improve biodiversity and help local wildlife thrive. On this Horticulture Day episode of Talk of Iowa, host Dani Gehr sits in for Charity Nebbe. She talks with Iowa State extension horticulture specialist Ray Kruse about what natives have succeeded in his garden, and what plants he's needed to pull. Then, Iowa State University extension horticulture specialist Aaron Steil joins us to answer listener questions.

Danish artist Thomas Dambo has built giant troll sculptures all over the world. He makes them entirely out of reclaimed materials and hides them in natural spaces. Iowa is now home to four trolls, as part of Dambo's 'Trolls of America' dream to have at least one troll in all 50 states. On this archive episode, we talk with Dambo about he came to be a world-famous trash artist and hear from the Clinton residents, who convinced Dambo's team to install wooden trolls. (This show was originally produced April 28, 2026.)

Mrs. Meyer of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day cleaning products is a real woman who lives right here in Iowa. Today, we hear from Thelma Meyer and her daughter Monica Nassif, founder of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and author of 'I Bottled My Mother.' Then, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Beaverdale Bluegrass Festival.

Five young journalists spent a week learning about radio, exploring moments of truth and creating multimedia stories. On this episode, we meet the journalists who participated in the NextGen Journalism Project, a program that helps coach and train public media’s next generation, and hear their work.

The Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus sings music with a message. On this episode of Talk of Iowa, we hear from two members as the chorus turns 25 years old. Then, we hear from the founder of 'The Healing Obituary.' She teaches how to write obituaries and makes the case for why they should be done by humans.

Addressing the challenges that are showing up in our trees and perennials this summer.