Corn and Beans from 20 Thousand Feet

Learning about modern agriculture and its complexities have been one of the best parts of our move back to Iowa.  The interconnectedness of weather, corn and bean productivity, and how it all relates to the pork and beef industry, the price of gas, and yes, the weather in Brazil and a tsunami in Japan are fascinating subjects.  I've had at least two great teachers--Leslie Miller and John Jensen with the Iowa State Savings Bank in Knoxville.

If you think you know agriculture, you will probably enjoy the following interview.  If you don't know anything--I think you will find it fascinating--even wondrous.  Here is the interview.

Michele Bachmann Calls

One of the best things about working in radio in Iowa is getting to speak with all of the presidential candidates.  Before the 2008 caucus, I interviewed nine candidates, including President Obama and Mike Huckabee.  My program is 15-20 minutes long, so they have to spend some time with me.

This time around, the Republicans have been on a tighter leash for some reason, and while I have worked very hard to get to interview Pawlenty (before he dropped out), Bachmann, Cain, Paul, Gingrich and Romney (Perry hasn't been here yet), it hasn't happened.  No one wants to commit that much time, or go much beyond the basic "cattle call" media shout out.

That is, until an acquaintance of mine and Facebook friend Eric Woolson started working on the Bachmann campaign. I mentioned how difficult it had been to get interviews to Eric, and the next morning I was able to speak with Congresswoman Bachmann.  Thanks Eric!

Here is the interview.

Fall Migration at Lake Red Rock

If there was a prettier place in Iowa than Lake Red Rock this week, I would love to see it.  I went to check out the lake and the annual migration of birds with Marion County Naturalist Marla Mertz.  While we spoke about many birds, the thousands of pelicans stole the show.  The photo above was taken by Ron Huelse of Knoxville, one of Iowa's finest nature photographers.  To hear the full interview with Marla click here.

Marion County First Responders and Dispatcher Think Back to 9/11

A few days ago, I decided to hear what our first responders thought about when they contemplated 9/11.  My interview with over a dozen individuals for KNIA/KRLS can be found here.  It's worth listening to.

The Gift

When I first looked into your malachite eyes

so many years ago I forget, they drew

me in and I fell like a pebble down a well

except for the splash, cause I just kept

falling and have never hit bottom.

And I knew that there was something

ancient and wise in you that I would never 

understand, but it didn’t matter, because 

I just knew that I had to be close to it. 

In its glow. Whatever it was. And is.

And in my wisps of memory, I remember

driving up a hill and watching a girl walk

up the sidewalk, and me thinking in my

loneliness that I wished that I had

a girlfriend with a nice butt like that.

And then the girl turned her head,

and miracle of miracles she smiled

at me and she was you.

And ever since that first gift of a smile, 

you’ve brought me immeasurable

bounty. Much better than Zeus’ gifts to

Copia, Fortuna, and Pax. The cornucopia.

Years of interesting conversations most

couples won’t have in a lifetime 

about issues both mundane and sublime.

Always thoughtful, if not always in agreement.

Miles of roads travelled, hand in

hand with each other, and sometimes

with ancestors, both yours and mine.

Time stands still, and flies.

Acres of understanding of my strange

Iowa man/boy ways.  Sometimes

above and beyond your own best judgment.

Thank you.

And my God, the gifts of children,

first yours, then ours, then ours again. Then

lovely grandbabies. You brought your teeming

river of life up and over the banks, immersing me.

Joyfully.

And now I’m the luckiest guy in the world

pulling kid’s bikes out of the driveway,

cooking spaghetti for the millionth time,

unplugging clogged toilets, hearing

the story of Archaeopteryx yet again,

among thousands of the other small

joys of our good life.

And believe it or not, every time

I look into your green eyes, they still draw

me in and I fall like a pebble down a well

except for the splash, cause I just keep

falling and know that I will never hit bottom.

Picking Iowa Sweet Corn at Dan D Farms

Eating Dan D Farms sweet corn is an Iowa tradition.  Actually, people all over the world love the corn, coming to the Knoxville Nationals in August and shipping it home.  Every year for the past several years I have joined Dan Dennison and his corn picking crew in the early morning to speak with them about picking corn, and this important Marion County tradition.  Dan is a great guy to talk to, and the kids he hires to pick corn are fun too. Here is this year's interview.

http://www.kniakrls.com/2011/07/in-depth-picking-dan-d-farms-sweet-corn/

Coal Mining In Marion County

You wouldn't know it now but Marion County, IA was built on coal mining.  Local historian Doug Wilson is an incredible source of information on Coal Mining in the county as well as other localities in Iowa.  Here is my three part interview with Doug.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3