Happy holidays from On Life & Land! Join us for a quick look back at some of our favorite stories from Season One. 

On Life and Land

Season 1 Review

When the monks of St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts decided they needed a new revenue stream, they turned to one of the oldest agricultural products known to man. "It has moments of really intense physical activity," says Father Isaac of St. Joseph's of the production process, "but it's an almost silent environment. It really fits in with our contemplative life."  

A Higher Purpose

Organic. Natural. Certified. GMO-free. What do they mean, and what should you choose? In this episode, we moderate a 'food fight' between co-host Chrissy Taylor and our friend Jen Anderson as they discuss how they (and we) make the choices we do at the store or restaurant, which labels make them put an item back on the shelf or into the cart, and what ag is doing right...or could be doing better...when it comes to promoting the health and safety of our food supply. We're talking labeling, food-shaming, fear-based marketing, and more. 

Food Fight!

Lucky Linda Cheddar. Little Lucy Brie. Tipsy Tilsiter. These are just a few of the “ridiculously good” cheeses on offer from Brooten, Minnesota’s Redhead Creamery. In this episode of “On Life & Land,” Alise Sjostrom (President, CEO, and resident redhead) and her mom, Linda Jennissen, talk about how the creamery came to be, the challenges facing kids who want to return to the farm...and about their love of all things cheese-related! 

Ridiculously Good: The Story of Redhead Creamery

Tucked away along the northern edge of Iowa is the town of Mason City...agricultural hub and home to the Historic Park Inn Hotel, the only remaining hotel designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Like so many buildings of its era, the Hotel fell into a state of disrepair before a massive renovation effort began in 2009; the Hotel reopened to the public in 2011. In this episode, we speak with designer Scott Borcherding, current president of Wright on the Park, Inc., partner at Bergland + Cram Architects, and member of the Historic Park Inn Hotel restoration team.

The Wright Buildings of Mason City

In our latest episode, we chat with Ben Harshyne, agent and land specialist with Whitetail Properties. Ben makes his living helping recreational and agricultural clients find the right piece of ground to fit their needs, whether it’s deer hunting or crop production. In this episode, Ben talks about land use, creating wildlife habitat, his love of maps, and his time with the National Counter-Terrorism Center.

Land Is Legacy.

Join us for our conversation with Patrick Montgomery, former U.S. Army Ranger and founder of KC Cattle Company in Weston, Missouri. KCCC is one of Missouri's largest producers of Wagyu and Wagyu-cross beef, and was recently honored by Food & Wine magazine for...wait for it...Best Hot Dog! In this episode, Patrick speaks openly about the challenges of running a start-up, niche-market business, and of transitioning to civilian life after serving in combat. 

KC Cattle Company

In central Illinois, you'll find corn, soybeans...and bison, if you're anywhere near Grand Detour and the Nachusa Grasslands Preserve. Established in 1986, Nachusa began as an effort to preserve remnant tracts of native prairie. In 2014, Nachusa released their first bison onto the preserve. Today, Nachusa is home to over 100 bison and is a model of cooperation between agriculture and conservation. In this episode, we speak with Nachusa's Cody Considine and Dr. Elizabeth Bach about the challenges of establishing and maintaining their bison herd. 

The Bison of Nachusa

"New Farmers," a recently-released book and photography exhibit from the University of Kansas, "combines stories and photography to illustrate the future of farming with an honest eye and a raw spirit." In this episode, we sit down with Tim Hossler and Paul Stock of KU, along with Phil Holman-Hebert of Sweetlove Farm, to talk about the exhibit, and about the challenges and rewards of becoming a "mid-career" farmer. The book "New Farmers 2014/2018," is available here. The exhibit will be on display at The Commons at the University of Kansas beginning October 3 and continuing throughout November; more information is available here. 

The New Farmers Project

With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill last December, hemp once again became a legal crop for US producers. For the last episode of our "Nashville Road Trip" series, the team from On Life & Land speaks with Brent Cornett of London, Kentucky, about his transition from tobacco production to hemp, and about the challenges potential hemp producers might face. 

The Switch to Hemp

Barely 20 minutes from downtown Nashville, you'll find the historic Bells Bend Conservation Corridor, an area whose residents are determined to preserve not only its natural beauty, but also its agricultural heritage. Join the On Life & Land team as we speak with Brenda Butka, one of Bells Bend's long-time residents, and conservationist Sara Trunzo about what makes this area so special. 

The History of Bells Bend

In part 2 of our "Nashville Road Trip" series, the team from On Life & Land visits Nashville Craft Distillery to learn how founder Bruce Boeko uses locally sourced grains and specialty ingredients to create spirits like "Crane City Gin" and "Naked Biscuit Sorghum Spirit. 

The Local Spirit: Nashville Craft Distillery

Join the On Life & Land team as we take a road trip through and around Nashville, Tennessee. For the first of our four Nashville episodes, we sit down with musician Dale Watson for a conversation about music and land, about his adopted second home in Tennessee, and about how a farmer named David Buxkemper became the subject of a song on his latest album, “Call Me Lucky.”

Dale Watson: Call Him Lucky

What do a craft distiller, a hemp producer, a land conservator, and a honky-tonk musician have in common? They're all guests on upcoming episodes of On Life & Land. Join us for a preview of our Nashville Road Trip series, beginning July 2.

Preview: Nashville Road Trip

In a little more than a mile of the Columbia-Snake River System, you'll find a wide range of activities, including transportation, recreation, power generation, and agricultural irrigation. Join field editor Steve Werblow for an up-close look at this critical waterway and the people who use it, maintain it, and depend on it. And be sure to check out Steve's story and the accompanying video series at JohnDeereFurrow.com. 

River Mile 270

If you like the stories from John Deere’s The Furrow and Homestead magazines, you’ll love “On Life and Land.” Every two weeks, we’ll take a deeper dive into stories from agriculture, rural life, history, art...if it has a connection to the land, we’ll talk about it in “On Life and Land.” Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

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