The Prairie Farm Podcast

Ep. 366 Are Pasture-Raised Pig Farms Viable?

Matt Hatala of Prairie Rose Farms shares his unlikely path from adoption and military service to raising pasture pork in Iowa. He discusses regenerative hog production, farm marketing, local food systems, water quality, animal welfare, and why rebuilding agriculture requires courage, transparency, and healthier relationships with land, community, and risk.
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your CRP, Pasture Mixes, Habitat Mixes, Native Seed, and more)
 
Iowa Cover Crop (for all your cover crop mixes, forage mixes, small grain mixes)

Ep. 365 (Coffee Time) Does the Midwest ACTUALLY “Feed the world”?

In this Coffee Time episode, Nicolas, Kent, and Riley debate whether the Midwest really feeds the world, dig into commodity calories, exports, food security, environmental tradeoffs, and what prairie, local food, grazing, and conservation minded choices might mean for Iowa’s future.
 
Hoksey Native Seeds (for all your native seed needs: CRP, backyard pollinator, habitat, native pasture, and more)
 
MckayInsAgency.com (for all your insurance and financial planning needs)
 
BirdHuntingSupply.com (for all your bird hunting supplies and bird dog supplies)

Ep. 364 The Details of Our Fight for Public Lands w/Hal Herring

Hal Herring joins The Prairie Farm Podcast to unpack American Prairie, grazing permits, public lands, ranching culture, and the hard history behind conservation in the West.
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your CRP, backyard prairie, Hunting Habitat, native grazing mixes, and more!)BirdHunterSupply.com (for all your bird hunting supplies and bird dog supplies)

Ep. 363 (Coffee Time) We Answer Your 16 Most Frequently Asked Prairie Questions Part 1

In part 1 of our FAQ mini series, we answer the following questions.
1. How long does it take for a prairie planting to become established?2. How do I prepare the site for planting?3. Is tilling or breaking up the soil recommended before planting?4. When is the best time of year to sow native prairie seeds?5. How do I handle maintenance (mowing) in the first year? 6. How high should I mow in the first two years, and when should I stop?7. Should I water or fertilize my newly planted prairie?
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your CRP, backyard prairie, native wildflowers and grasses, hunting habitat, and more)
 
Iowa Cover Crop (for all your cover crop, waterway mixes, small grains, and more)
 
McKay Insurance (for all your insurance and financial planning needs)

Ep. 362 Inside Iowa’s Biggest Prairie Restoration and The Bison That Graze It

Andrew Di Alessandro of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joins the Prairie Farm Podcast to discuss Neil Smith Refuge, prairie restoration, prescribed fire, bison and elk grazing, private lands conservation, funding challenges, and how landowners can connect money, recreation and legacy to meaningful habitat work across Iowa and Illinois.
 
Hoksey Native Seeds (for all your CRP, Backyard Prairie, Native Pasture, Hunting Mixes, and more)
 
McKay Insurance (for all your insurance and financial planning needs)
 
BirdHunterSupply.com (for all your bird hunting supply needs, and all your bird dog supply needs)

Ep. 361 (Coffee Time) How Tree Nut Farms Affect The Ecosystem and The Economy

On this Coffee Time episode, Nicolas and Kent crack into the global nut industry (forgive the pun), from California almonds and pistachios to pecans, cashews, and peanuts. They talk water use, pollination, pricing, supply chains, and why legumes might matter more in native prairie establishment than we usually give them credit for here.
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your CRP mixes, backyard prairie mixes, hunting mixes, and more)
 
Iowa Cover Crop (for all your cover crop and small grain and cool season forage needs)

Listen to the Land: Conversations about Conservation w/Doug Duren Ep. 3

Another of Doug Duren's quarterly episodes where we have a wide ranging conversation on turkey habitat, savanna restoration, Aldo Leopold, chainsaw stories, and native landscapes. The crew digs into why habitat is the answer, why native plants matter, and how restoring prairie brings back birds, bugs, and the wildness we need.

Ep. 360 The Man Who ACTUALLY Does The Physical Work to Fix Water Quality With Prairie

Senior Environmental Scientist for EOR Kevin Griggs joins us to talk reed canary grass, wetland restoration, Iowa water quality, tile drainage, data centers, and the hard truth behind conservation work. His conservation conversation is practical, honest, and hopeful.
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your wetland mixes, backyard prairie mixes, CRP mixes, hunting mixes, and more)
 
Iowa Cover Crop (for all your small grain, cover crop, and forage mixes)
 
McKay Insurance (for all your insurance and financial planning needs)

Ep. 359 (Coffee Time) How E15, Trump in China, Straight of Hormuz, and El Niño Affect Commodity Prices

This week on Coffee Time Wednesday, we dig into everything shaking up commodity markets heading into summer. It's complicated with a lot of nuance, so grab your coffee cup, and let's jump in!
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your CRP, backyard prairie, and hunting habitat mixes)
 
birdhuntersupply.com (for all your bird hunting equipment and bird dog equipment)

Ep. 358 How A Writer And Comedian From the Midwest Became The World’s First Celebrity

Mark Schneider, development and marketing manager of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri, joins the Prairie Farm Podcast to talk about the real Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) and how he became the "world's first celebrity".hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your native seeds, CRP, hunting habitat needs)
 
McKay Insurance (for all your financial advising and insurance needs)
 
Iowa Cover Crop (for all your cover crop, forage mixes, waterway mixes and more)