The Prairie Farm Podcast

Ep. 370 How State Legislation Determines the Quality of the Deer Herd w/Skip Sligh

Skip Sligh returns to The Prairie Farm Podcast to discuss the harsh realities of modern land stewardship. From the challenge of hunting mature whitetails to combating the rise in rural poaching and managing vulnerable acreage, Skip offers an honest, grounded look at what it takes to protect Iowa’s native habitats.
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your native seed, CRP, hunting habitat, pollinator mixes, and more)
 
McKayInsAgency.com (for all your insurance and financial planning needs)
 
BirdHunterSupply.com (for all your bird hunting supplies and bird dog supplies)

Ep. 369 (Coffee Time) Will the Fed's Plan for Immigrant Labor Save Dairy Farms..?

Join Nicolas and Kent for another Coffee Time Wednesday! This week, they share their harrowing adventures with old farm equipment, the realities of harvesting native seeds, and dive into a deep discussion on the changing economics of dairy farming and agricultural labor. Grab your coffee and tune in!hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your native seed, CRP, hunting habitat, backyard prairie, and more)IowaCoverCrop.com (for all your cover crop, forage mixes, waterway mixes, and more)

Ep. 368 This man likely knows more about Iowa water quality than anyone

Join us as Dr. Larry Weber from the University of Iowa discusses the critical intersection of water quality and public health. We explore off-grid living, the importance of native prairie in conservation, and the growing nitrate crisis in Iowa’s waterways. Discover how informed communities can protect our shared water resources.
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your native seed needs including CRP, native pasture, backyard prairie, pollinator mixes, and more)
 
Iowa Cover Crop (for all your cover crop mixes, water way mixes, small grains, and more)
 
McKay Insurance (for all your insurance and financial planning needs)

Ep. 367 (Coffee Time) We Answer Your 16 Most Frequently Asked Prairie Questions Part 2

We answer the following prairie questions in the second half of our FAQ miniseries.
 
8. What is the best way to broadcast both large and small seeds evenly?
9. What is the role of prescribed burning in long-term prairie maintenance?
10. Will the native plants spread and fill in over time?
11. What do I do about reed’s canary grass?
12. What do I do about Canada Thistle?
13. What do I do about brushy encroachment?
14. What do I do about Brome in my prairie?
15. What do I do about Big Bluestem that is taking over?
16. Can I interseed flowers back into my prairie?
 
hokseynativeseeds.com (for all your CRP, Backyard Prairie, Warm Season Pasture Mixes, Hunting Habitat, Buffer Strips, and more!)
 
BirdHunterSupply.com (for all your bird hunting gear, and your bird dog's gear)

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)