In 1973, Ron Rosmann gave up his plans to go to graduate school and moved back home to Westphalia to run the family farm. In 1973, he did something radical — he stopped using chemical inputs. Rosmann has been farming for more than 50 years, and he's one of the founding members of Practical Farmers of Iowa, a farmer-led community that focuses on sustainable agriculture. He joins us on this episode to talk about his book, 'A Practical Farmer's Journey: A History of Community, Stewardship and Resilience.' We also talk with Steve Hopkins, a member of Practical Farmers of Iowa and an innovator in regenerative agriculture and water conservation.
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In our consumer culture, it’s easy to buy low-cost goods that will ultimately end up in a landfill. The true cost of living that way is one we’ll all end up paying. On this encore edition of Talk of Iowa, different ways to reduce, reuse, repair, recycle and compost. Host Charity Nebbe spoke with Jane Wilch, the recycling coordinator for the City of Iowa City; Joe Bolick, the director of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center; Laura Crosett, communications lead for the Iowa City Repair Cafe, and Jamie Nicolino, owner of The Collective, a sustainable 'general store' in Des Moines. (This show was originally produced on July 15, 2025) -
There are a number of nonprofits operating in Iowa that are focused on giving beginning farmers access to land, education and equipment. On this episode, we hear about four of these organizations, and how they've been impacted by the sudden termination of a grant program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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We look at how Iowa’s organic movement began, how it’s evolved and what the future holds for the next generation of farmers.
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When buying a home, a mortgage isn’t the only thing that can weigh down your finances. From repairs to maintenance, the true costs of owning a home can surprise you.
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The 2025 World Food Prize Laureate Mariangela Hungria talks about how soil science is shaping a more sustainable future. -
How to avoid creating trash in Iowa — from repairing your things instead of replacing them, to recycling and composting and more.
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Barney Bahrenfuse and Suzanne Castello were just awarded the 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award for their work on their organic farm. -
Over 20 years since their meet cute at a Practical Farmers of Iowa conference, a Grinnell couple was honored for their achievements in sustainable agriculture.
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Climate action proponents say the layoffs will make it harder for the local government to reach its net zero emission goal by 2050.
