Talk of Iowa

Talk of Iowa is a place for Iowans to connect to our shared culture and what it means to live in Iowa. Host Charity Nebbe brings a mix of regular guests and a range of experts to discuss the arts, history, literature and everything else happening in Iowa. Every day brings something new — even if it's in a recurring segment like Talk of Iowa Book Club or comes from a familiar voice on Horticulture Day.

Episodes

The wonders of spring migration

May 13, 2025 • 47 mins

Expert birders share all you need to know as millions of birds pass through or make the journey to Iowa this spring.

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How to keep ants out of your garden

May 10, 2025 • 47 mins

Ants can help your garden thrive, but what happens when they do the opposite?

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Hundreds of nonprofits in Iowa suffer from federal funding cuts

May 9, 2025 • 47 mins

Libraries, museums and theatres are just a few of the community institutions facing federal funding losses statewide.

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Is laziness the key to success? A Fairfield man says yes

May 8, 2025 • 47 mins

An Iowa transplant has channeled what he calls laziness into forming two successful companies, publishing a memoir and now turning that into a staged musical.

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An inside look at the new Ames History Museum

May 7, 2025 • 48 mins

The recently expanded Ames History Museum is full of surprises for all generations.

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Joyce Carol Oates believes in happy endings

May 6, 2025 • 47 mins

We revisit a conversation with celebrated author Joyce Carol Oates, recorded live at Des Moines Central Public Library May 30, 2024.

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Maximizing your garden this growing season

May 3, 2025 • 47 mins

Now that summer is approaching, succession planting can help your garden grow.

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Artistry for students at University of Northern Iowa takes shape

May 2, 2025 • 47 mins

The Public Art Incubator at the University of Northern Iowa connects students with artists who create large sculptures.

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Play based on Iowa professor's book makes homecoming

May 1, 2025 • 48 mins

When someone suggested the book The Lifespan of a Fact be adapted for the stage, authors John D'Agata and Jim Fingal thought it was a silly idea. In 2018, it made its Broadway debut.

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Beyond the stereotypes of a modern man

April 30, 2025 • 48 mins

Five speakers shared their stories of grappling with gender and masculinity at a live event hosted by Investigate Midwest.

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Journalist writes about her facial blindness and other hidden neurodiversities

April 29, 2025 • 47 mins

When Sadie Dingfelder mistook a stranger for her husband at the grocery store it was the beginning of her discovery that she literally sees and processes the world differently than most people do.

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Protecting your garden from plant diseases

April 26, 2025 • 48 mins

This time of year, we start to see plant diseases emerge that will give you trouble later in the season.

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Iowa art exhibit embodies race, regionalism and representation in the heart of the Midwest

April 25, 2025 • 47 mins

The "It's a fine thing," exhibit at the Stanley Museum explores the Black Midwestern experience.

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'Into Light' exhibit elevates the stories of Iowans lost to drug addiction

April 24, 2025 • 48 mins

"Into Light" is a national art activism project that seeks to dismantle the stigma surrounding the disease of addiction.

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Celebrating 30 years of culinary excellence on 'The Splendid Table'

April 23, 2025 • 47 mins

To celebrate thirty years of eating, growing, harvesting and cooking on The Splendid Table, the show is going on tour and will make a stop in Iowa City.

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A Holocaust story told through virtual reality

April 22, 2025 • 48 mins

A Walk Through Westerbork takes viewers with Rodi Glass, a Dutch Holocaust survivor, as she visits the sites of her survival.

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How to care for your lawns this spring

April 19, 2025 • 47 mins

With spring in bloom, it’s time to start caring for your grass.

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Unlike fashion and music, some building trends should stay in the last century

April 18, 2025 • 47 mins

Rock and roll from the 1970s and 80s endures, but some of the building practices in those decades was much more miss than hit.

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Twenty-five years after, mentorship turns into a performance about experiencing differences

April 17, 2025 • 48 mins

When Jan Gross and Heather Lobban-Viravong first met at Grinnell College 25 years ago, they had little in common.

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Grappling with community, faith, and truth in 'The Exvangelicals'

April 16, 2025 • 48 mins

Author Sarah McCammon and expert readers discuss The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.

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Talk of Iowa

Episodes

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.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}How to keep ants out of your garden

Hundreds of nonprofits in Iowa suffer from federal funding cuts

Is laziness the key to success? A Fairfield man says yes

An inside look at the new Ames History Museum

Joyce Carol Oates believes in happy endings

Maximizing your garden this growing season

Artistry for students at University of Northern Iowa takes shape

Play based on Iowa professor's book makes homecoming

Beyond the stereotypes of a modern man

Journalist writes about her facial blindness and other hidden neurodiversities

Protecting your garden from plant diseases

Iowa art exhibit embodies race, regionalism and representation in the heart of the Midwest

'Into Light' exhibit elevates the stories of Iowans lost to drug addiction

Celebrating 30 years of culinary excellence on 'The Splendid Table'

A Holocaust story told through virtual reality

How to care for your lawns this spring

Unlike fashion and music, some building trends should stay in the last century

Twenty-five years after, mentorship turns into a performance about experiencing differences

Grappling with community, faith, and truth in 'The Exvangelicals'

Popular Podcasts

The wonders of spring migration

How to keep ants out of your garden