Highlights:

• A Kansan TikToker (Weston, from Winfield) pulls over to help a stranded fellow Kansan in Colorado — without realizing it at first
• Matt Gerry shares how he fell in love with guitar playing his dad's Gibson from Kalamazoo, Michigan while performing in a school production of Grease
• The step-by-step story of building South Middle School's guitar program — from a grant-funded classroom set of guitars in 2003 to a dedicated guitar class in 2010, now serving 250 students a year
• Winning a Weezer video contest that led to a trip to Chicago and new classroom instruments
• Winning the Midwest region of a Mozart-themed contest, earning $7,500 for new guitars, followed by a Radio Disney Channel visit and commercial shoot
• Matt's involvement with the Stiefel Theatre's School of Music and getting students backstage with bands like Collective Soul
• Sharing the stage with his wife and daughter in Theatre Salina's production of School of Rock
• Being nominated for the Grammy Music Educator Award and making the quarterfinals
• Why Matt believes learning guitar in a group setting beats learning solo from YouTube
• Matt's big goal: becoming a clinician who trains other guitar teachers
• A nostalgic tangent about Salina radio stations, Weird Al Yankovic fan mail, and shared music memories from middle school

Chapters:

0:00 – Scrolling TikTok Finds Weston

0:45 – Kansans Helping Kansans

2:32 – Brake Pads and Hank Stories

3:23 – Ask a Kansan Intro

4:52 – Meet Music Teacher Matt

6:04 – How Matt Found Guitar

7:42 – Choosing Music Education

9:04 – First Classroom Memories

11:47 – Building a Guitar Program

14:07 – Why Guitar Hooks Students

18:06 – Weezer Contest Goes Viral

19:30 – Fame and Disney Tease

20:16 – Mozart Contest Win

20:51 – Disney Channel Visit

21:42 – Family Support Grounding

22:18 – Stiefel Music School

24:03 – School of Rock Family

25:01 – Awards and Humility

25:52 – Church Music and Benefits

27:40 – Middle School Mindset

28:47 – Guitar Program Expansion

31:38 – Big Goals and Training

34:01 – Radio Nostalgia Tangent

35:41 – Teaching Dream Job

37:31 – Stories from a Hat Twist

42:22 – Episode Wrap and Merch

Resources Mentioned:

• Salina Education Foundation: https://www.salinaeducationfoundation.com/ 
• Teaching Guitar Workshops: https://teachingguitarworkshops.org/
• Stiefel Theatre: https://www.stiefeltheatre.org/
• KMEA (Kansas Music Educators Association): https://ksmea.org/

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• The Federal Reserve has three main functions: monetary policy, bank supervision/regulation, and managing how cash physically moves through the economy.
• The K-shaped economy is splitting households into two groups — some doing better every year, others falling further behind due to inflation eating into fixed costs like rent, insurance, and car payments.
• Kansas's GDP is currently growing faster than the national average, driven largely by a manufacturing boom (aerospace, machinery, fabricated metals).
• Agriculture and energy sectors in Kansas are struggling, while manufacturing is picking up steam and creating wage pressure as firms compete for labor.
• The Kansas City Fed operates a free, public money museum where visitors can see the history of currency and even watch cash being shredded.
• The Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, which draws central bank leaders from around the world, originated because a former Fed chair loved fly-fishing in Wyoming.
• The Fed is a semi-private organization with a public mission — it doesn't receive funding from Congress and instead earns revenue through banking services and its asset holdings.
• Jeremy describes economics as more art than math — piecing together abstract, nebulous signals to tell a bigger story about where the economy is heading.

Chapters

0:00 – Kids Freezer Obsession

0:39 – Frozen Fruit Cup Logic

1:51 – Do Your Kids Do This

2:47 – Podcast Intro & New Co-Host

3:24 – Meet Jeremy Hill

4:20 – Jeremy's Role at the Fed

5:37 – Why Economics Clicked

6:41 – The Fed Explained Simply

7:36 – How Banks View the Fed

9:07 – Which Businesses He Visits

10:49 – Backbone Industries in Towns

12:08 – K-Shaped Household Strain

14:27 – Where the Data Comes From

16:29 – Money Museum and Cash Vault

18:18 – Why Money Gets Shredded

18:57 – Counterfeits and Secret Service

19:41 – Back to the Third Bucket

19:51 – Fed Mandate Explained

20:15 – Rates: Buyers vs. Savers

21:05 – Kansas Bootstrap Spirit

22:43 – Inside the Fed Culture

23:53 – How the Fed Funds Itself

25:10 – Kansas Roots and Career Path

27:26 – Economics as Art

28:34 – Kansas Economy Snapshot

30:52 – How Manufacturers Adapt

31:33 – Jackson Hole Symposium Story

33:23 – Where to Learn More

34:14 – Post-Interview Takeaways

34:51 – Kansas Penny Pinchers Game

40:25 – Wrap Up and Next Month

Resources Mentioned

• Kansas City Federal Reserve
• Kansas City Federal Reserve's Money Museum — a free, public museum highlighting the history of currency
• Fetch app — a receipt-scanning app for earning points/gift cards

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Ryan VanZant shares his journey from breeding parakeets and parrots as a kid to training animals for movies to running zoos in Hutchinson and now Salina
• The real history of the Rolling Hills Zoo museum and its taxidermy collection — plus a rumor finally debunked
• Details on Tiger Falls, a major new habitat expansion for Amur tigers, snow leopards, and incoming red pandas
• The story behind Creed the baby rhino, named after Chiefs player Creed Humphrey, and how that story went viral
• An honest look at how zoos make difficult animal welfare and relocation decisions
• Why Kansas's native prairie ecosystems are disappearing faster than any other ecosystem type, and why that matters
• A rundown of upcoming Rolling Hills Zoo events like Zoo Brew, Safari Breakfasts, Silent Sundays, and Taste of Adventure
• A new round of "Stories from the Hat" with random prompts about hometown landmarks, guilty pleasure gas station snacks, and more

Chapters

0:00 — Sydney's Big News

0:48 — Podcast Plans Ahead

1:30 — Meet Rolling Hills Zoo

2:39 — Ryan's Kansas Path

3:41 — Why This Zoo Location

4:39 — Childhood Animal Obsession

5:57 — Parakeets to Parrots

8:12 — Peregrines and DDT

10:24 — Falconry Life Explained

12:48 — Becoming Zoo Director

17:56 — Leading People Like Animals

19:15 — Rolling Hills Origin Story

24:10 — Funding and Conservation Work

26:29 — Inside the Museum

29:26 — Christmas Lights Feedback

30:19 — Holiday Lights Highlights

30:59 — Tiger Falls Expansion

34:37 — Viral Zoo Babies

36:44 — Animal Welfare Decisions

42:15 — Future of Modern Zoos

45:22 — Saving the Prairie

50:36 — Events and Visiting Tips

55:37 — Stories from the Hat

59:56 — Podcast Wrap and Thanks

Resources Mentioned

• Sunflower Summer app - https://sunflowersummer.org/
• Rolling Hills Zoo — https://www.rollinghillszoo.org/
• H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Katie Woods introduces herself as director of the National Baseball Congress (NBC), founded in Wichita in the 1930s by Hap Dumont
• The story behind the brand-new Ozzie Smith backflip bobblehead giveaway
• How NBC teams work today: summer collegiate players (ages 18-22) from colleges across the country
• Why Katie fell into baseball via an internship with the Houston Astros, then the Frisco RoughRiders and Everett AquaSox
• The wild history behind minor league team names and mascots
• Hap Dumont's decades of innovation: pitch clocks 60 years early, glow-in-the-dark baseball, mic'd-up umpires, and even early attempts at instant replay and an automatic ball-strike system
• "Baseball Around the Clock" — 11 games in 33 hours, complete with tent camping, RVs, and survivor t-shirts
• The emotional and communal side of directing an all-night tournament
• Trophy and prize money: the historic Cessna Cup and an $18,000 winner's purse
• Plans for the NBC's upcoming 100th anniversary/centennial celebration
• Digitizing decades of NBC archives with Wichita State's Special Collections
• The incredible true story of the 1935 Bismarck Churchills — the first integrated team to win a national title in any sport, a decade before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier
• The growing role of women in baseball, including Katie being the NBC's first female tournament director in 90 years
• A rousing round of Stories from a Hat, covering white lies, favorite chairs, and nostalgic Wichita hangouts

Chapters

0:00 — Studio Backdrop Reveal

0:27 — Wood Carving Nerd Out

1:42 — Show Intro & Baseball Tease

2:15 — Meet Katie Woods

2:51 — Ozzie Smith Bobblehead

4:42 — What Is the NBC?

5:53 — How Teams Work Today

7:05 — Why Katie Chose Baseball

9:37 — Career Path to Kansas

11:30 — Why the NBC Matters

12:27 — Tournament Venues & Logistics

14:39 — Minor League Name Madness

16:07 — Banana Ball and Innovation

20:45 — Wichita NBC Community

22:04 — Offseason Planning Pipeline

22:56 — Baseball Around the Clock

23:57 — Camping at the Ballpark

25:03 — Director All Night

26:00 — Sunrise and Sacrifice

27:32 — Trophy and Prize Money

28:05 — Kansas Community Baseball

29:29 — Centennial Plans

30:43 — Digitizing the Archives

32:09 — Hap Dumont's Vision

33:45 — How to Watch & Support

34:46 — Colorblind: Origin Story

37:28 — Women in Baseball

40:01 — Host Wrap and the Organ

41:33 — Stories from a Hat

46:00 — Closing and Merch

Resources Mentioned

• NBCBaseball.com
• NBC Baseball on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
• Colorblind by Tom Dunkel

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Kristen Epps introduces herself as an "adopted Kansan" and explains her path from the Pacific Northwest and Colorado to becoming a Kansas historian.
• She edits Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains, a peer-reviewed publication jointly run by the Kansas Historical Society and K-State.
• Her book, Slavery on the Periphery, centers enslaved people's experiences rather than treating slavery as purely a political debate.
• A breakdown of what Bleeding Kansas actually was, including the Kansas-Nebraska Act, popular sovereignty, and the violence that followed.
• Confirmation that enslaved people did live in Kansas, including at the Shawnee Methodist Mission, Fort Scott, and Fort Leavenworth.
• Research stories from the archives, including finding Abraham Lincoln's signature and reading John Brown's surprisingly ordinary letters.
• A preview of Kristen's upcoming narrative history of Kansas with co-author Jim Leiker, out in early 2027 from the University Press of Kansas.
• Reflections on resilience through Kansas history, from the Dust Bowl to the decades-long fight for women's suffrage (won in Kansas in 1912).
• Kristen's thoughts on why history matters heading into America's 250th anniversary, and where she finds hope in today's college students.
• Sydney's America 250-themed Kansas trivia: the Exoduster migration, prehistoric camel fossils, a Kansas doctor's role in founding modern EMS, and the tiny town of Speed, Kansas hosting a Hot Wheels anniversary event.

Chapters

• 0:00 – Garden Bounty
• 1:44 – Podcast Intro and Guest Tease
• 3:05 – Meet Historian Kristen Epps
• 4:09 – Why Kansas History Matters
• 8:40 – Inside the Kansas History Journal
• 10:49 – Becoming a Historian and Editor
• 11:59 – Slavery on the Periphery
• 12:50 – What Was Bleeding Kansas
• 15:11 – Enslaved People in Kansas
• 16:20 – Researching Hidden Histories
• 19:08 – Archives Not Just Google
• 21:29 – Letters from John Brown and Others
• 23:38 – History Hits Home
• 24:39 – Writing Kansas For Everyone
• 26:26 – From Ancient Seas To Today
• 27:35 – Resilience And Many Kansases
• 31:38 – America 250 And Civic Duty
• 33:17 – Why History Matters
• 35:20 – Finding Hope In Community
• 38:25 – Post Interview Reflections
• 40:00 – Exodusters Black Migration
• 41:41 – Camels And Prehistory
• 42:24 – Kansas And Modern EMS
• 45:39 – Speed Kansas Hot Wheels
• 46:48 – Episode Wrap And Farewell

Resources Mentioned

• Slavery on the Periphery by Kristen Epps
• Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains https://www.kansashistory.gov/p/kansas-history/12443
• Kansas Historical Society: https://www.kansashistory.gov/
• Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Jeri Brungardt co-founded Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond in 2019 with a simple idea: stop losing track of friends who wanted to tag along on hikes and just make a Facebook group. What happened next surprised even her. Twelve strangers showed up to that first hike — none of them personal friends — and the group has grown to over 12,000 followers since. Jeri shares how the group scouts trails, what gear actually matters, why rattlesnakes dictate their summer schedule, and how hiking has become an unexpected source of community for women going through life's hardest moments.

Highlights

• Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond started in 2019 and now has over 12,000 Facebook followers — grown entirely organically with no paid advertising
• The co-founders personally hike every trail before taking the group, checking parking, safety, and seasonal hazards like rattlesnakes at Horse Thief Canyon
• They use the AllTrails app to discover new trails across the state
• The group is open to any female 12 and older; their oldest participant is in her upper 80s and outpaces most of the group
• Monthly hikes are free; overnight trips charge a $20 fee managed through Eventbrite
• Their annual September trip to Estes Park, Colorado has been running every year since 2020
• Jeri recommends hiking poles for everyone — they reduce strain on your back and help probe water crossings
• Always bring sunscreen, a hat, water or electrolyte drinks, and a small first aid kit
• The group has attracted women from 12 different states to their Colorado trip
• Cindy Kuhnauer, the co-founder, also runs Fearless and Female, a self-defense business out of Wichita
• Sydney defends Spangles with her whole chest (and eats it in the Walmart parking lot so her kids don't find out)

Chapters

0:00 — Madeline's softball ear muff situation

2:13 — Podcast intro

2:49 — Meet Jeri Brungardt

3:25 — How Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond got started

5:06 — How they pick trails and scout locations safely

7:10 — What "hiking" actually means for this group

8:02 — Upcoming Salina hike (Marty Bender Nature Area + Audubon Society)

9:18 — Beginner tips: gear, shoes, water, and safety

13:32 — Age range and the community the group has built

15:31 — Jeri's personal hiking backstory

17:17 — Favorite trails in Kansas

17:07 — Trail diversity across Kansas

19:57 — Jeri's backstory and career at Wesley Medical Center

22:34 — The health benefits of walking

23:52 — Beyond Kansas: Estes Park, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas City

26:26 — How much work goes into running the group (+ Eventbrite)

31:04 — Rapid fire: shoes and hats

32:27 — Weather safety and what to do when it's 100 degrees

33:59 — Rails-to-Trails and connecting with other hiking groups

36:42 — Hiking with kids and different trail personalities

39:45 — Future plans for the group

43:25 — How the group grew through COVID and the power of one Facebook page

47:55 — Stories From a Hat: parking lots, prairie dogs, Spangles, and soup flights

53:34 — Outro and where to find Ask a Kansan

Resources

• Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond — Facebook Group 
• AllTrails — alltrails.com — trail-finding app mentioned by Jeri
• Kanopolis State Park
• Elk City State Park
• Monument Rocks / Castle Rock
• Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
• Fearless and Female — self-defense business run by co-founder Cindy Coughenour, based in Wichita

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Jim Gray is a rancher, historian, author, and director of the Jansen Museum in Geneseo, Kansas — a town of about 220 people in Rice County. He takes us from the wild cattle towns of 1860s Kansas all the way to a blinding white light on a rural road in the summer of 1972. Whether he's riding the Chisholm Trail or piecing together a collection of UFO drawings in a repurposed farmhouse museum, Jim sees the Kansas prairie as a place that communicates with those willing to listen.

Highlights

• A severe hailstorm recently devastated Salina — lost movie theater, closed mall, shattered pool railings — and the aftermath brought a wave of out-of-state dent repair hustlers trying to bribe Sydney at the permit office
• Jim Gray grew up three miles east of Geneseo and comes from a long line of livestock people whose family ranch in Rice County is still operating today
• A music teacher once told young Jim to ditch the cowboy hat — his voice would take him farther. He didn't listen, and he has no regrets
• Joseph McCoy's stockyards in Abilene (1867) transformed Kansas: cattle shipments went from 35,000 head to 300,000 in just four years before the town literally ran the drovers off
• In 2011, Jim helped organize a modern cattle drive from south of Caldwell to Ellsworth — 300 head, three weeks, chuck wagons, and a near-runaway that cost him his canteen
• Hollywood cowboys (think Yellowstone) don't match reality — real cowboys Jim has known are shy, polite, and would never cuss around a woman
• Jim's book centers on Ellsworth, where the phrase "a man for breakfast" meant killing someone — and where Civil War veterans once dragged outlaws out of their beds to restore order
• In late July/early August 1972, Jim and his wife-to-be experienced a blinding white light that filled their car and retracted up into the sky — followed by a massive dust devil that came straight down Main Street
• The Janzen Museum in Geneseo preserves the collection of Dr. Elmer D. Janzen — minister, chiropractor, ventriloquist, auctioneer — who amassed 8,000 family history slides and an entire room of UFO materials, including technical drawings of flying saucers by a Nickerson mechanical arts teacher named John Dean
• Jim built a medicine wheel on his pasture 25–30 years ago, aligned to the equinoxes, that he says has taught him as much about the circle of life as any college class
• Kansas UFO Day is June 27th (a Saturday) at the Jansen Museum in Geneseo, featuring vendors and the "Martians and Market" pop-up
• The hosts played "Beam Me Up, Kansas" — a segment preparing extraterrestrials for life in the Sunflower State, covering tornado sirens, I-70 crosswinds, the Kansas State Fair parking situation, and which Kansan should negotiate first contact (Jason Sudeikis got a strong vote)

Chapters

0:04 — Hailstorm Fallout in Salina

1:20 — Dent Repair Hustle Stories

3:27 — Meet The Cowboy, Jim Gray

4:54 — Becoming The Cowboy

7:05 — Falling for Kansas History

9:01 — Abilene Stockyards Revolution

13:22 — Modern Chisholm Trail Drive (2011)

18:19 — Cowboy Work Then and Now

23:03 — Hollywood vs. Real Cowboys

23:57 — Ellsworth Wild West Tales

27:19 — Gunfight Myths and Reality

28:25 — The 1972 UFO Encounter

31:19 — Museum Founder & UFO Links (Dr. Elmer D. Janzen)

32:29 — Doc Janzen's Slide Archive

33:12 — The UFO Room Origins

34:19 — Museum Neglect & Revival

35:39 — Did Janzen Believe?

37:26 — Distant Horizons Prairie

38:51 — Medicine Wheel Wisdom

41:17 — Kansas UFO Day & Visiting the Jansen Museum

42:48 — Roswell: Cowboys and Aliens

43:49 — Hosts Reflect on Jim

45:39 — Beam Me Up, Kansas (Segment)

47:27 — Alien Questions: Tornado Sirens

49:30 — Driving I-70 Survival Guide

50:38 — Which Kansan Negotiates with Aliens?

52:05 — Which Kansas Town Has the Most Alien Energy?

53:40 — Share Your UFO Story

54:47 — Episode Wrap & Announcements

Resources

• Geneseo City Museum — https://www.geneseomuseum.com/
• Kansas UFO Day — June 27th (Saturday) at the Jansen Museum, Geneseo, KS https://www.geneseomuseum.com/copy-of-about
• Send your UFO story: info@askakansan.com

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Shane Carter, executive director of the Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM), joins us for a rich conversation about history, identity, and the work of building something that lasts. Shane's path to Wichita is anything but ordinary: a chance painting job in Newton, a curiosity-fueled afternoon touring Wichita's historical sites, and a job posting that felt like it had his name on it. What followed was a year of pouring hard-won lessons from 13 years running a community center in Ohio into one of the most important cultural institutions in the state.

We get into the history of the museum's building — a church hand-built brick by brick by its congregation, saved from demolition by a woman who stood in front of it and said no — and the responsibility TKAAM carries to tell accurate history without pointing fingers or creating shame. Shane is direct, personal, and genuinely inspiring. Stay for the whole thing.

Highlights

• The Retro Future Home — A 1950s all-electric model home in Prairie Village toured by 60,000 people, preserved inside the Johnson County Museum, and a striking reminder of who those "American Dream" suburbs were designed for
• Shane's Kansas origin story — How a cash job painting in Newton led him to spend his lunch breaks learning about Hattie McDaniel, the Dockum Sit-In, Chester I. Lewis, Nicodemus, and the Exodusters
• The do-gooder's dilemma — The tension between giving everything to your community and actually making it home for dinner; Shane reflects on what it cost him and what the move to Kansas restored
• The Lincoln Community Center — A one-room schoolhouse turned regional hub: 120 kids daily, a staff of 30, a $6M construction project completed during COVID, and job re-entry for people the system had given up on
• TKAAM's building history — Calvary Baptist Church, demolished and rebuilt by its congregation in 1916–17, saved from county demolition in the 1970s by Doris Kerr Larkins, and now the home of the Kansas African American Museum
• The new museum and culture center at 201 North Main — A capital campaign with a goal of opening in June 2028, featuring immersive and interactive exhibits on Wichita's civil rights history
• Telling history without shame — How Shane thinks about creating a genuinely non-political safe space where the Tulsa Massacre, segregation, and civil rights are told accurately to everyone in the room
• Juneteenth programming — Free admission June 19–20, a community mural with Evergy at the museum, and events at McAdams Park with the Juneteenth ICT group

Chapters

• 0:00 — Retro Future Home
• 2:03 — Segregation Reality Check
• 2:38 — Introducing Shane Carter
• 3:53 — Kansas Journey Begins
• 4:41 — Ohio Roots & Leadership
• 8:17 — The Do-Gooder's Dilemma
• 9:50 — Skills for the TKAAM Role
• 13:29 — Finding the Museum
• 21:36 — Learning Kansas & Wichita
• 23:48 — Museum Origins & Building
• 29:25 — Hidden Stories & Water Street
• 31:37 — Churches as Community Pillars
• 35:38 — Museum Literacy Program
• 36:09 — Museum Programs Overview
• 37:25 — Trailblazers Hall of Fame
• 38:41 — STEM Spotlight at Exploration Place
• 39:21 — Taking Education Beyond Walls
• 41:48 — Building the New Culture Center
• 43:19 — Telling History Without Shame
• 50:46 — Support the Capital Campaign
• 51:33 — Juneteenth Events & Meaning
• 56:48 — Mom's Knick-Knacks Game
• 1:02:07 — Wrap-Up & Announcements

Resources Mentioned

• Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM) — www.tkaamuseum.org/
• Juneteenth ICT — Community programming at McAdams Park, Wichita
• Johnson County Museum — Home of the Retro Future Home
• Exploration Place — Wichita; site of TKAAM's African Americans in STEM February projection
• Greenwood Rising — Tulsa, Oklahoma; TKAAM peer and partner
• Cosmosphere — Hutchinson, Kansas
• Sunflower Summer — Kansas free-admission summer program for families

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Podcast listener Greg Victors (the Wichita Wardancer) inspired a collaboration with Manhattan High School Orchestra director Cody Toll — exactly the kind of cross-Kansas connection Ask A Kansan was made to create
• Tanner grew up in Lindsborg, studied anthropology at K-State, and ended up in an Ecuadorian cloud forest as a volunteer on a bird study — and never really left
• He lived for years with no internet, no foreigners within 50 miles, and learned Spanish entirely by immersion in a rural community
• He built his own bamboo house, asked for his wife's hand from her brothers (her father had passed), cleared nearly two acres of land with his 90-something-year-old grandfather-in-law, and planted 110 trees during a pandemic military lockdown
• Growing violence and crime in Ecuador in 2023 pushed him to bring his family back to Kansas — they got married here, bought a house, and are now all together
• His daughters arrived in Kansas with almost no English and had to sink or swim in the school system — and thrived
• His woodcarving specialty is realistic faces, with a particular focus on honoring the memory of pre-Holocaust Jewish communities, inspired by Roman Vishniac's photography book A Vanishing World
• A face-to-face encounter with antisemitism solidified his decision to pursue a degree in Jewish studies
• He's carved over 650 pieces in five years — all by hand, no power carving tools
• Sydney debuts the new podcast segment: Fart or Art?

Chapters

0:05 — A Surprise Ask A Kansan Connection

1:23 — Meet Tanner Johnson

3:23 — From Hobby to Woodcarver

5:16 — Lindsborg Roots and Music

6:37 — Anthropology to Ecuador

11:08 — Choosing a Life Abroad

12:51 — Forest Life and Family

16:34 — Pandemic Reality Check

19:07 — Back to Kansas Together

23:24 — Finding Woodcarving Style

25:58 — Tools and Tropical Hardwoods

26:58 — Relearning the Knife

27:25 — Counting 650 Carvings

28:25 — Finding Purpose in Memory

32:01 — Art Form and Antisemitism

35:11 — Choosing Jewish Studies

36:54 — Spiritual Beliefs Explained

39:11 — Hand Tools and Roughouts

41:07 — Where to Find Tanner

43:12 — Hosts Reflect on the Interview

44:04 — Fart or Art Game

52:20 — Episode Wrap and Plugs

Resources

• Tanner Johnson Woodcarver — tannerjohnsonwoodcarver.com
• Tanner on Instagram — @tannerjohnsonwoodcarver
• A Vanished World by Roman Vishniac — the photography book that shaped Tanner's Holocaust memorial carving focus
• Zen Mind Jewish Mind — the book Tanner credits for shaping his spiritual perspective

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

We sit down with Brad Anderson, Executive Director of Salina Arts and Humanities, the only city department of its kind in Kansas. Brad shares why Salina has been investing in arts and culture since 1966, what's at stake as the city embarks on a new cultural plan called The Big Picture, and why the Smoky Hill River Festival — celebrating its 50th anniversary this year — is so much more than a street fair. Then our producer Alicia joins us to pull back the curtain on Four Days in June, a documentary film five years in the making that captures what the River Festival truly means to the people of Salina.

Highlights

• Salina is the only city in Kansas with a standalone Department of Arts and Culture — on par with parks, public works, and police
• The new cultural plan "The Big Picture" will produce a 10-year roadmap for Salina's arts and cultural life by end of 2026
• 70% of Stiefel Theatre ticket sales come from outside Saline County — the arts are an economic engine
• The River Festival turns 50 this year (May 11–14) — admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the gate, and kids 11 and under are FREE
• The Festival Families First program provides free four-day wristbands to anyone who identifies as financially limited
• First Treasures — the program where kids shop for art on their own — has been running for 25 years, and some of those kids are now adult patrons
• Roughly 2,000 volunteers buy their own wristbands and power the festival — without them, admission would be closer to $75
• Sculpture Tour Salina is in its 16th year; Boom Salina has brought over 35 murals to the city in just five years
• Four Days in June premieres July 9 with a private screening, then screens at the Salina Art Cinema July 10–15

Chapters

0:00 — Pre-show: Sydney's dad and his new drone

2:16 — Welcome & episode intro: a two-part show

3:13 — Meet Brad Anderson: lifelong Kansan, exec director of Salina Arts & Humanities

4:00 — What is Arts & Humanities — and what makes Salina unique?

10:30 — The Cultural Plan: from the Wolfe Report to The Big Picture

17:56 — Private sector arts: Sculpture Tour Salina & Boom Salina

20:00 — Art you don't have to love: the value of public sculpture and civil dialogue

24:05 — River Festival week is here

24:36 — What IS the River Festival? A 50-year origin story

27:18 — Pricing, access, Festival Families First & volunteers

31:06 — First Treasures: teaching kids to be art patrons

40:36 — Post-interview reflections: Brad in the community

42:30 — Meet Alicia: producer at Fyli, director of Four Days in June

45:39 — Four Days in June: the film's name, form, and philosophy

47:50 — How they chose their interview subjects & building a diverse perspective

51:00 — Where to see the film, streaming plans & cultural release strategy

53:20 — How to get involved & closing

Resources

• Salina Arts & Humanities
• Smoky Hill Museum 
• Smoky Hill River Festival
• Sculpture Tour Salina
• Boom Salina
• Stiefel Theatre
• Salina Art Cinema — Screening Four Days in June
• 4 Days in June — The documentary film

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Sydney's grandfather was such a loyal auction customer that the auction house retired his bidder number — and it's now engraved on his gravestone
• Lori's parents, Gene and Connie Francis, founded Gene Francis & Associates in 1984 and have since built a global auction reach — including clients from Belgium, the UK, and Chihuahua, Mexico
• Lori attended Worldwide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa — and her very first auction as an auctioneer was a $10,000 painting
• The auction industry has moved dramatically online; Gavel Roads Online Auctions launched in 2016 and was perfectly positioned when COVID hit in 2020
• There are only three or four female auctioneers in Kansas outside of Kansas City
• The SNL skit featuring auctioneer-speak went viral — and Lori loved every second of it
• The National Auctioneers Association is actually headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas
• Jordy Nelson (Green Bay Packers) grew up in Leonardville, and his family's Nelson Family Community Foundation is active in the community
• Historic Lake Scott State Park in western Kansas sits on the only known Native American pueblo in Kansas, dating to the 1600s
• Flint Hills Trail State Park is the eighth longest rail trail in the entire United States

Chapters

• 0:00 – Grandpa Auction Hoard
• 1:09 – Bomb Shelter Safe
• 2:21 – Welcome / Intro to Lori
• 3:35 – Meet Lori Rogge
• 4:05 – Growing Up Kansas
• 8:25 – Why Leonardville
• 10:40 – Career Path Shift
• 13:58 – Building Online Auctions
• 16:58 – Learning the Chant
• 27:40 – Chant Mechanics
• 35:51 – Reading the Room
• 36:10 – Auctions Going Online (Estate Sales & Collectibles)
• 33:27 – Estate Plans & Loyal Clients
• 36:04 – From Onsite to Online
• 37:00 – Auctioneers in Small Towns
• 40:40 – Why She Gives Back
• 44:16 – Rural Riley County Community Foundation
• 49:19 – Women Grow the Farm
• 52:02 – Hosts Reflect on Auctions
• 52:54 – State Park Guessing Game
• 44:09 – Historic Lake Scott State Park
• 1:00:25 – Final Wrap & Call to Action

Resources Mentioned

• Gene Francis & Associates – Lori's family real estate and auction company, founded in 1984
• Gavel Roads Online Auctions – Online auction bidding platform launched by the Francis family in 2016
• Worldwide College of Auctioneering – Where Lori earned her auctioneer's license; locations in Mason City, Iowa and Colorado
• KSU Foundation – Kansas State University Foundation, where Lori worked in gift and estate planning from 2005 to 2015
• Kansas 4-H Foundation – Lori has consulted for this organization
• Nelson Family Community Foundation – Founded by the family of Jordy Nelson (K-State and Green Bay Packers), based in Leonardville
• Flint Hills Discovery Center – Manhattan, KS museum with an exhibit on the auctioneer chant
• National Auctioneers Association – Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy – Organization that rail-banked and helped develop the Flint Hills Trail beginning in 1995

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Oak Grove Radio 98.5 out of Minneapolis now airs Ask a Kansan every Sunday at 9 AM — a shoutout to the station for helping expand the show's reach beyond the podcast world
• DJ Carbon (James Mlavsky) has been a full-time DJ for seven years, based in Wichita — doing events, weddings, corporate gigs, and deeply embedding himself in the city's cultural scene
• Carbon grew up on Long Island, NY, immersed in vinyl records, hip-hop, punk, and ska before moving to Wichita his senior year of high school — a move he initially hated and now wouldn't trade for anything
• He breaks down what it really means to "know your audience" and "read the room" — and why a DJ who shows up with a pre-planned set isn't really DJing
• A kidney stone led to a cancer diagnosis in 2018 — and while waiting for surgery, he discovered his biological family through 23andMe. Within six months: cancer surgery, meeting blood relatives for the first time, and getting married
• He went full-time as a DJ in November 2019 — right before COVID — and pivoted to selling robot lamps to survive the shutdown
• Carbon has donated his time to dozens of nonprofits including Tallgrass Film Festival, American Cancer Society, Blood Cancers United (Wine About Cancer), Wichita's Littlest Heroes, Wichita Animal Action League, and the Humane Society
• Five days after kidney surgery — gauze, scars and all — he showed up to DJ a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society because he personally needed to be there
• His "DJ 101" social media series shares life and business lessons under the guise of DJ wisdom, and has generated more response than almost anything else he's posted
• He names Carry Nation & The Speakeasy, Rudy Love Sr. and Jr., and the late Jenny Wood as the soundtrack of Kansas

Chapters

• 0:03 – Radio Shoutout: Oak Grove Radio 98.5 airs the podcast
• 1:27 – Show Intro & Tease: Introducing DJ Carbon
• 2:44 – Meet DJ Carbon
• 4:03 – Life as a Full-Time DJ
• 5:35 – Music Roots and Influences
• 8:39 – New York to Wichita
• 11:14 – Keeping Up With Music
• 16:04 – Know Your Audience
• 21:39 – Going Full-Time After Cancer
• 26:35 – Origin of DJ Carbon
• 27:58 – Aux Cord Versus DJ
• 29:47 – Nonprofit DJ Impact
• 31:54 – Surgery Gig Dedication
• 35:50 – Branding and Visibility
• 38:37 – Family Life Balance
• 37:57 – Consistency and Corporate Bookings
• 38:37 – DJ 101 Mentorship
• 41:09 – Kansas Soundtrack Picks
• 44:32 – Where to Find DJ Carbon
• 46:06 – Hosts Reflect on DJs
• 47:40 – Where in the Rectangle? (State Parks Edition)
• 48:05 – Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park
• 50:38 – Mushroom Rock State Park
• 52:15 – Elk City State Park
• 54:38 – Final Wrap

Resources Mentioned

• Oak Grove Radio 98.5 (Minneapolis) – oakgroveradio.com (airs Ask a Kansan every Sunday at 9 AM)
• DJ Carbon – Facebook, Instagram and  https://djcarbon.com/
• Wichita River Festival – https://wichitariverfest.com/
• Tallgrass Film Festival – tallgrassfilm.org
• Wichita's Littlest Heroes – wichitaslittlestheroes.com
• Wichita Animal Action League – https://waalrescue.org/
• Humane Society of the United States – https://kshumane.org/
• Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy – https://www.cnsict.com/
• Rudy Love Sr. & Rudy Love Jr. – https://rudylove.com/
• Jenny Wood – https://jennywoodmusic.com/

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

HIGHLIGHTS

• LeLan's motto for Kansas Spanish Speakers: "Sí, cómo no" — yes, of course. Whatever you need, they'll help you get there or find someone who can.
• Kansas Spanish Speakers serves both Spanish speakers AND English speakers — because a bridge needs two solid banks. They offer immigration documentation help, health insurance navigation, driver's license assistance, Spanish classes, custom business training, and community workshops.
• LeLan's origin story: he froze like a deer in headlights trying to order in Spanish at a Mexican restaurant after six months of studying — and that embarrassing moment sparked an entire nonprofit.
• The Kansas Health Foundation invested $1 million over 10 years in Kansas Spanish Speakers through their Building Power and Equity Partnership. Since 2022, Kansas has moved up three consecutive spots in national health rankings.
• LeLan addresses the elephant in the room — yes, he's a blue-eyed white guy leading a Latino-serving nonprofit. His answer is honest, thoughtful, and worth hearing.
• The issue of children being used as translators for their parents in medical, legal, and financial situations — why it's inappropriate, and what Kansas Spanish Speakers is doing about it.
• Emporia became the first certified Welcoming Community in Kansas, with LeLan's organization leading the effort. Dodge City and KCK have since followed.
• LeLan co-founded Dirty Kanza — now rebranded as Unbound Gravel — which draws 5,000+ riders from 40+ countries to the Flint Hills every year. The event literally crashed the internet and now runs on a lottery system.
• Gravel cycling didn't exist 15 years ago. Unbound Gravel helped create the entire category — and now the Tour de France has a gravel stage.
• Kansas has 98,000 miles of gravel roads. That's not a typo.
• LeLan's message to rural Kansas kids: a blank canvas isn't empty — it's an opportunity to paint whatever you want.

CHAPTERS

0:00 — Ditch Flower Season

0:55 — Numb Fingertips Story

1:36 — Stratica Salt Rock

4:17 — Welcome to Ask a Kansan

5:16 — Meet LeLan Dains

6:31 — What Kansas Spanish Speakers Does

7:20 — Services and Programs

8:36 — How It All Started

10:16 — Going Statewide

13:04 — Partners and Health Impact

16:53 — Imposter Syndrome and Privilege

19:43 — Rebrand and Mission Shift

22:27 — Spanish Dialects and Slang

26:05 — Working With Businesses

32:15 — Kids as Translators

38:24 — How Service Changes You

41:39 — Learning English Together

40:32 — Rural Kansas Roots

42:28 — Recreation Career Path

43:12 — Coming Home to Build

46:35 — Unbound Gravel Explained

48:26 — Why the World Comes

54:49 — Where to Learn More

56:35 — Post Interview Reflections

58:24 — Mystery Knick Knack Game

1:05:50 — Final Wrap and Thanks

RESOURCES

• Kansas Spanish Speakers
• Unbound Gravel
• Kansas Health Foundation
• Building Power and Equity Partnership (Kansas Health Foundation)
• Kansas Leadership Center
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Welcoming America
• Maxwell Wildlife Refuge
• Strataca — Kansas Underground Salt Museum
• Emporia State University
• Frost Valley YMCA
• Carmichael Training Systems
• Curious Kansan Newsletter
• Kansas Spanish Speakers intro video
• Leading Health Podcast - from the Kansas Health Foundation

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Sarah VanLanduyt wears a lot of hats. As Executive Director of the Arts Council of Johnson County, a Kansas Arts Commissioner, and Board Chair of the Kansas Arts Network, she's one of the people quietly fighting to make sure the creative industries across the state have the funding, infrastructure, and advocacy they need to thrive. In this conversation, we unpack how arts funding actually works at the state level, why artists need advocates in their corner, and how the Kansas Arts Network has built something remarkable in just a few years.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sarah's winding path from history and museum management into the arts world — and why the two have more in common than you'd think
• How the Arts Council of Johnson County operates between the nonprofit and government worlds with just a team of two
• The Kansas Arts Commission's grant funding model and why it's a dollar-for-dollar match with local communities
• How Sarah helped grow the Kansas Arts Commission budget from roughly $100,000 to significantly more through grassroots advocacy
• The Kansas Arts Network annual conference and the culture of openness and collaboration it's built across the state
• Why the arts are more than aesthetic — they support mental health, workforce development, veteran transition, and community identity
• The importance of artists and policy thinkers working together to communicate a compelling story
• Kansas outlaws: the Dalton Gang, John Wesley Hardin, Henry Newton Brown, William Quantrill, the Bloody Benders, and Mysterious Dave Mather — plus two truths and a lie for each

CHAPTERS

0:00 – Intro: The Pale Blue Dot Pin & Carl Sagan

1:50 – Welcome & Guest Tease

3:30 – Meet Sarah VanLanduyt

4:07 – Sarah's Kansas Roots & Journey

5:20 – Why the Arts? Her Unexpected Path

7:57 – The Arts Council of Johnson County: Mission & Work

10:12 – The Kansas Arts Commission: Funding & Sarah's Role

15:03 – The Kansas Arts Network & Statewide Collaboration

23:36 – Avoiding Burnout & Refueling the Tank

25:52 – Hope for the Future of Arts in Kansas

27:01 – Making the Case for Arts to Legislators

29:26 – How Art Sparks Community Connection

34:08 – Where in the Rectangle: Outlaws of the Old West

34:48 – The Dalton Gang & Coffeyville

37:21 – John Wesley Hardin in Abilene

39:18 – Henry Newton Brown: Marshall Turned Outlaw

41:37 – William Quantrill & the Lawrence Raid

44:25 – The Bloody Benders: Kansas' Frontier Horror Story

46:23 – Mysterious Dave Mather of Dodge City

50:39 – Outro & How to Bring Ask a Kansan to Your Organization

RESOURCES

• Arts Council of Johnson County: https://www.artsjoco.org
• Kansas Arts Commission: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/
• Kansas Arts Network: https://kansasartsnetwork.org
• Salina Arts & Humanities: https://www.salinaarts.com

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

They're all part of this week's conversation about the Flint Hills — and honestly, it's one of those episodes that makes you want to book a trip to Manhattan, Kansas immediately. We sat down with Stephen Bridenstine, Director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center, to talk about what it really takes to understand one of the most unique — and misunderstood — landscapes in America. Stephen came to Kansas by choice (his words), and 12 years later, he's still here and still learning. 

Highlights

• A young sports broadcaster from Quinter, Kansas is going viral for taking audience-submitted phrases and slipping them seamlessly into live play-by-play — and it is absolutely worth your time
• Stephen Bridenstine moved to Manhattan, Kansas sight unseen, driving a moving van down Highway 177 with everything he owned — and the first thing he saw was the Flint Hills Discovery Center
• The Flint Hills Discovery Center isn't just a history museum or a nature center — it intentionally tells an interconnected story spanning 13,500 years of human and natural history
• Ranching in the Flint Hills actually mimics what bison did for thousands of years — and it's essential to the health of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem
• Fire isn't a threat to the Flint Hills. It's a tool. Stephen once had to explain this live on the Weather Channel.
• The Discovery Center's star bond project was so successful, the bonds were paid off years ahead of schedule — which funded a second museum right across the street
• The Flint Hills Festival draws over 9,000 attendees and is the one day per year the Discovery Center is free to the public
• The Flint Hills covers 4 million acres — roughly the size of New Jersey — stretching from the Nebraska border to Oklahoma
• Sydney went to boarding school in Missouri, where a third of her class was international students. Gus's claim to fame was "most likely to do something sciencey."

Chapters

• 0:00 – Hilarious Sports Broadcaster from Quinter
• 2:42 – Podcast Intro & Guest Tease
• 3:15 – Meet Stephen Bridenstine
• 3:48 – Kansan by Choice: Stephen's Story
• 5:34 – Life in a College Town
• 8:15 – From the Park Service to Museum Work
• 11:13 – Inside the Flint Hills Discovery Center
• 11:49 – Exhibits and Visitor Flow
• 15:42 – From Educator to Director
• 19:33 – Learning the Flint Hills
• 22:35 – Flint Hills Festival Highlights
• 25:55 – How the Discovery Center Was Built
• 28:29 – Downtown Redevelopment Wins
• 30:22 – Planning a Flint Hills Trip
• 31:33 – Public Prairie Access Tips
• 33:43 – Stay Overnight and Explore
• 34:36 – Ranching Mimics Bison
• 37:13 – Fire as a Tool
• 38:14 – Discovery Center Events
• 40:07 – Kid-Friendly Highlights at the Center
• 41:10 – Celebrity Guessing Game (Kansas Edition)
• 49:20 – Scholars Bowl Deep Cuts
• 51:38 – Final Thanks and Plugs

Resources Mentioned

• Flint Hills Discovery Center — Manhattan, Kansas
• Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve — Strong City, Kansas (National Park Service & The Nature Conservancy)
• From the Land of Kansas — Kansas-made products program (featured in Episode 53)
• SB Mowing — Spencer, Kansas-based viral mowing content creator
• Blank.in.a.ship — TikTok account of the Quinter sports broadcaster featured at the top of the episode
• Jim Richardson on Episode 20 of Ask A Kansan

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Kansas has been growing, raising, and producing world-class products for nearly 50 years under one of the most underrated state trademark programs in the country. Sammy Gleason from the From the Land of Kansas program joins us to unbox the special Kansas 250 gift box — and what comes out of it tells a surprisingly complete story about who we are as a state. From kettle corn and sandhill plum jelly to red wine chocolate sauce and freeze-dried space ice cream, we explore the hidden gems that Kansans are making right in our own backyard. Then we get into something a little more contentious: the Kansas state flag. We share flag designs from our team and from our listeners — and make the case for why the flag you fly says more about a state than the seal printed on it.

Highlights

• The Kansas 250 special edition gift box and everything packed inside it — including who packed it and why that matters
• From the Land of Kansas is a 48-year-old state trademark program that's free to join for any Kansas farm, ranch, or small business
• Products need an agriculture tie to qualify — even candles have to contain lavender or soy
• The online marketplace at fromthelandofkansas.com ships Kansas products to 46–47 states during the holiday season
• Retail stores carrying 3 or more From the Land of Kansas products can become members — including Prairie Land Market in Salina and Wilkins Acres in Abilene
• Product gaps the program is looking to fill: sunflower seeds and crackers
• Kansas wine is growing — a wine trail is in the works in the Manhattan/Alma area
• The program's gift boxes were a first among state branded programs — and other states followed their lead
• 50th anniversary of the program is coming up in about 2 years
• The North American Vexillological Association's five rules of good flag design — and how the Kansas state flag stacks up
• Highlights from Manhattan, Kingman, and Park City's flag designs — and why they work
• Flag redesign submissions from the Ask a Kansan team and listeners

Chapters

• 0:00 – Cold Open: Funny Socks
• 1:16 – Episode Intro & Made in Kansas Preview
• 2:10 – Sammy Gleason Joins the Show
• 2:37 – Kansas 250 Gift Box Unboxing
• 6:53 – What Is From the Land of Kansas?
• 7:30 – Sammy's Career Path to the Program
• 9:25 – Kansas Roots and How She Got Into Marketing
• 12:45 – Membership Process and the Online Marketplace
• 14:56 – Road Trips and Small Town Cafes
• 21:08 – Beyond Food: Non-Food Products and Other State Programs
• 22:01 – How the Trademark Sticker Works
• 24:08 – What Products Are Missing
• 25:10 – Shelf Stable and Pop-Up Considerations
• 26:13 – Flint Hills Pints & Freeze-Dried Space Ice Cream
• 27:21 – Making Kansas Products Stand Out
• 28:40 – Kansas Wine Tour Ideas
• 31:30 – Retail Partners Across Kansas
• 28:48 – Shipping Gift Boxes Nationwide
• 30:11 – Next Big Program Goals
• 31:05 – What Kansas Producers Are Like
• 32:52 – Post-Show Product Curiosities
• 33:36 – How to Be a Podcast Guest
• 34:23 – Flag Design Rules Recap
• 36:06 – Best Kansas City Flags
• 39:31 – Team Flag Redesigns
• 44:22 – Viewer Flag Submissions
• 48:13 – Why Flags Matter
• 50:03 – Submit Your Flag Design
• 51:20 – Final Wrap & Thanks

Resources

• From the Land of Kansas — state trademark program for Kansas-grown, raised, and produced products
• Schlaegel's Popcorn — kettle corn featured in the Kansas 250 gift box
• Cocoavino — red wine chocolate sauce, Overland Park
• Flint Hills Pints — Kansas ice cream, including new freeze-dried space ice cream
• Prairie Land Market — local Kansas products retailer in Salina, From the Land of Kansas member
• Wilkins Acres — Kansas products store in Abilene, From the Land of Kansas member
• Boot Hill Distillery — value-added Kansas grain products, Dodge City

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Matt Bain, Director of Conservation for The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, makes a compelling case that the Kansas prairie isn't just beautiful — it's the foundation of clean water, healthy soil, thriving wildlife, and the ranching culture that holds it all together. A born-and-raised Kansan who grew up farming in Ness County, Matt brings 22 years of professional conservation experience and a deep personal land ethic to this conversation. From the dancing mating rituals of the Greater and Lesser Prairie Chicken to a 10,000-year-old kill site hiding in plain sight on the Smoky Valley Ranch, this episode is packed with the kind of stories that make you see Kansas differently.

Highlights

• Conservation isn't non-use — it's wise use, and Kansas farmers and ranchers have been living that land ethic for generations
• 62% of all North American grasslands are gone; Kansas has only 20% of its native prairie remaining
• The three ecological drivers that created and maintain Kansas prairie: grazing, drought, and fire
• Two-thirds of all Lesser Prairie Chickens on Earth now exist in a narrow strip of land between Hays and the Colorado border
• Prairie Chickens are a "canary in the coal mine" for ecosystem health — when they disappear, so does clean water, healthy forage, and soil
• The Flint Hills alone loses 2.2 million acre-feet of water annually to encroaching trees and shrubs
• The 12 Mile Creek site on Smoky Valley Ranch rewrote North American history — a spear point embedded in a 10,000-year-old bison skeleton proved humans were here far earlier than anyone believed
• Ecotourists from 20+ countries visit Smoky Valley Ranch annually for Lesser Prairie Chicken viewing tours
• Kansas was the first state to ban sport hunting of feral hogs — a counterintuitive move that actually worked
• How to support conservation: become a member of The Nature Conservancy, buy a duck stamp, or purchase a hunting or fishing license

Chapters

• 0:00 — Cold Open: Prairie Chickens doing their thing
• 1:56 — Meet Matt Bain
• 4:37 — What Conservation Actually Means
• 5:52 — Why Matt Chose This Path
• 8:38 — Grasslands Are Disappearing Fast
• 10:25 — Misconceptions About Conservation
• 12:37 — Cattle, Fire, and Prairie Balance
• 17:46 — Raising Kids with a Land Ethic
• 20:49 — Why Prairie Chickens Matter
• 28:32 — From Kansas Wildlife & Parks to The Nature Conservancy
• 32:49 — Ecotourism and the Wonders of the Prairie
• 37:11 — Smoky Valley Ranch: History Beneath Your Feet
• 41:56 — Tracing Spring Water Back to Its Source
• 43:38 — The Audio Tour at Smoky Valley Ranch
• 44:11 — How to Support the Nature Conservancy
• 46:14 — Hosts Wrap Up & Key Terms Defined
• 48:25 — Segment: Name That Kansas Even-Toed Ungulate
• 50:15 — Bison & Whitetail Deer
• 53:35 — Mule Deer & Elk
• 56:18 — Pronghorn & Feral Hogs
• 1:02:28 — Wrap Up & Credits
• 1:03:17 — Subscribe, Merch & Newsletter

Resources

• The Nature Conservancy in Kansas — nature.org
• Kansas Mammal Atlas — Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University
• Smoky Valley Ranch — Nature Conservancy property and Lesser Prairie Chicken stronghold
• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) — USDA Farm Service Agency
• Duck Stamps — Purchase at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Ask a Kansan Episode 29 on the Ogallala Aquifer featuring Rex Buchanan

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas, is far more than a place to see old rockets. It holds the most U.S. space artifacts outside the Smithsonian and the most Soviet artifacts outside of Moscow — and right now, with humanity heading back to the moon, there's never been a more exciting time to pay attention. Claire Ludes, Senior VP and Chief Development Officer, pulls back the curtain on the institution's remarkable history, its world-class restoration shop, its summer camps that build the next generation of aerospace workers, and what's coming next as private spaceflight rewrites the rules.

Highlights

• Tanner got exclusive footage of baby rhino Creed (named after Chiefs center Creed Humphrey) at Rolling Hills Refuge
• Claire's path to the Cosmosphere ran through OCCK, district retail management, and the Salina Area United Way — before a recruiter convinced her she didn't need to move to Hutchinson
• The Cosmosphere holds the most U.S. space artifacts outside the Smithsonian and the most Soviet artifacts outside Moscow
• Founder Patty Carey started with a stargazing ball in a chicken coop at the Hutchinson Fairgrounds in 1962
• SpaceWorks, the Cosmosphere's fabrication and restoration division, did approximately 90% of props for the film Apollo 13 and has worked on the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind
• The Cosmosphere restored Liberty Bell 7 — Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule — after it was recovered from the ocean floor where it had sat for decades
• Jeff Bezos's dive team recovered Saturn V engines from the ocean; the Cosmosphere's SpaceWorks division did the F-1 engine restoration
• The Cosmosphere received a flown Merlin engine donated by SpaceX and is getting a SpaceX parachute that visitors can touch
• Artemis II astronauts have called the Cosmosphere the best space museum in the world
• Summer camps run from 3rd grade through 12th grade; in 2025 the Cosmosphere celebrated 40 years of camps with an alumni reunion
• A brand new drone camp is launching in summer 2025 in partnership with K-State Salina
• A Cosmosphere alum who works at JPL spent an entire day with Ryan Gosling during the making of Project Hail Mary — and the film is currently playing in the Cosmosphere's dome theater
• Sally Ride and Kansas astronaut Steve Hawley were married in Salina, in the backyard of Hawley's parents' home on Santa Fe Avenue
• Sydney's segment took a wild turn through 1957 newspapers.com rabbit holes — Sputnik coverage, moon tourism satire, vintage marriage advice columns, and grocery ads featuring 63-cent rump roast

Chapters

0:00 – Baby Rhino Surprise

2:18 – Podcast Intro / Space Nerds

2:58 – Meet Claire Ludes

3:31 – Unboxing Cosmosphere Swag

5:43 – Claire's Career Journey

8:31 – Artemis II Buzz

11:10 – Cosmosphere Origin Story

15:17 – Iconic Artifacts Spotlight

18:09 – Keeping Up With Space

21:47 – Museum Renovation Tour

25:29 – Camps & Mission Control

29:58 – Soft Skills From Space Camp

33:02 – Space Inspiration & Spinoffs

34:58 – Project Hail Mary Talk

35:59 – Cosmosphere Dome Film

36:40 – Learning the Museum

38:35 – Education Pipeline Impact

41:20 – Kansas Partnerships

44:46 – Salina Space Trivia

48:08 – Museums Shape the Future

48:48 – SpaceWorks Restoration Story

50:41 – Merch & Stickers

53:44 – Sputnik Newspaper Oddities

58:23 – Marriage Advice Rabbit Holes

1:04:36 – Vintage Grocery Ads

1:05:47 – Wrap Up & Goodbye

Resources Mentioned

• The Cosmosphere — Hutchinson, Kansas
• Rolling Hills Refuge — Salina, Kansas (home of baby rhino Creed)
• NASA Artemis Program
• SpaceX

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• President Muma is the only physician assistant to serve as president of any university in the country — and he didn't even know it until the national PA organization called him.
• WSU's innovation campus was literally a golf course just eight years ago — now it's home to companies like Airbus and Deloitte, with students earning real paychecks from day one.
• The Shocker Career Accelerator connects students to industry partners from the moment they step on campus — not just junior or senior year — to keep them on track and in Kansas after graduation.
• WSU's National Institute for Aviation Research has students operating multimillion-dollar robots, doing real work that other universities fly in to study.
• WSU just surpassed $400 million in research expenditures and $600 million in research awards — and is now partnering with KU on a biomedical campus that is the largest capital investment in downtown Wichita's history.
• A WSU anthropology professor rediscovered Etzanoa, a lost city of 20,000 people in southern Kansas — one of the largest pre-Columbian settlements in North America — and a local high schooler found the cannonball that proved it.
• Tours of the Etzanoa site are available through the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum in Arkansas City for just $10.

Chapters

0:00 – Hike With Madeline

1:04 – Childlike Presence

2:04 – On Location at WSU

3:08 – Meet President Muma

3:37 – Kansas Roots and Return

6:10 – From PA to Professor

9:00 – Clinician Mindset in Leadership

11:37 – Campus Transformation and Innovation

15:14 – Book and Applied Learning

17:43 – Shocker Career Accelerator

18:55 – NIAR: Real-World Research

19:56 – Keeping Talent in Kansas

21:23 – Future Vision: Biosciences

23:34 – AI's Impact on Campus

27:03 – Kansas Support and Research Growth

29:23 – Post-Interview Reflections

30:23 – Sheriff's Reflection on Ramadan

31:46 – Kansas's Lost City Rediscovered

38:27 – Tours and Episode Wrap

Resources

• Wichita State University
• WSU Innovation Campus
• National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR)
• Student Centered, Innovation Driven by Rick Muma
• Etzanoa Tours 
• WSU Tech

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Rolf Potts has spent decades asking that question. A fourth-generation Kansan from Wichita, Rolf is one of the most recognized travel writers working today and the author of Vagabonding, a book that has quietly changed the way a generation thinks about long-term travel. But this conversation goes beyond passport stamps. We talk about how growing up with two schoolteacher parents shaped the way Rolf sees the world, why he thinks curiosity is the most underrated skill a writer can have, and how he's channeling a lifetime of storytelling into something deeply Kansan — a short film and a feature-length documentary called Kansas Never Plays Itself.

Highlights

• Rolf's parents were both schoolteachers, and he credits them with instilling the curiosity that drives his travel writing and storytelling
• His first and best-known book, Vagabonding, was essentially a letter to his teenage self about giving yourself permission to travel — without waiting for retirement or the "right" circumstances
• He taught English in Korea in the 1990s and entered Europe for the first time via the Trans-Siberian Railway — traveling through 40–50 countries before ever visiting Paris
• Rolf distinguishes between guidebook writing and the kind of literary travel writing he practices — a blend of personal memoir and reported journalism
• He has interviewed one travel writer per month on his website, rolfpotts.com, for 25 years
• He and his wife, actress Kiki, co-wrote and co-executive produced a short film shot almost entirely on their property in Kansas
• His documentary Kansas Never Plays Itself explores how Kansas is misrepresented — or simply absent — in cinema, drawing on the work of filmmakers like Gordon Parks
• His advice to Kansans: stop apologizing for where you're from. Authenticity is a superpower

Chapters

0:00 — New Mugs

1:05 — Meet Rolf Potts

2:32 — Curiosity From Teachers

3:55 — Travel Bug and Vagabonding

5:15 — Finding a Writing Life

6:17 — What Travel Writing Is

9:00 — Offbeat Destinations

12:10 — Travel as Education

13:54 — Planning vs. Spontaneity

17:13 — Meeting Kiki in Kansas

19:37 — Screenwriting Origins

22:21 — Making a Kansas Short Film

27:24 — Kansas Never Plays Itself

33:12 — Place and Storytelling

35:53 — Rehumanizing Place Stories

37:22 — Kansas as a Destination

38:55 — Authentic, Not Apologetic

40:42 — Wrap Up and Links

42:02 — Post-Show Reflections

43:26 — Two Truths and a Lie

1:00:54 — Final Goodbye

Resources Mentioned

• rolfpotts.com — Rolf's website, home to 25+ years of travel writing interviews, books, social media links, and more
• Vagabonding by Rolf Potts — Amazon
• Kansas Never Plays Itself — https://youtu.be/ra70AoXqHLQ?si=q5BQCyGuaVNMnnq3
• Paris Writing Workshops — pariswritingworkshop.com — the summer writing program Rolf teaches
• Energy Green Grandpa (YouTube) — George Potts, Rolf's father, and his channel about sustainable energy: https://energygreengrandpa.com/

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Deb Goodrich was inspired to become a journalist by watching Lois Lane on Superman at age four
• She began writing for her local paper in Stuart, Virginia at age 15 and worked across radio, TV, newspaper, and magazine
• Deb became a history major at Washburn University after a political science professor told her that's what she was — she had no idea
• She lived as historian-in-residence inside a historic home at Topeka Cemetery, where she first learned about Charles Curtis
• Charles Curtis was Vice President of the United States under Herbert Hoover (1929–1933), enrolled in the Kaw tribe, and is the first person of color to serve as VP — a story most Kansans don't know
• Deb is working on a book, From the Reservation to Washington, about Charles Curtis, as well as a screenplay
• She's collaborated extensively with filmmaker Ken Spurgeon, including on Touched by Fire (Bleeding Kansas) and The Moccasin Speaks (currently on PBS)
• Her upcoming film Under the Painted Sky tells the story of the German Family Massacre in Western Kansas
• She serves as Garvey Texas Foundation Historian-in-Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum in Oakley
• Deb's next book idea: Killers I Have Known
• Kansas's biggest export, according to Deb, is talent — and that needs to change
• Gus introduces a segment called "Less Fun With Flags," analyzing the Kansas state flag against the five rules of good flag design from the North American Vexicological Association
• Kansas scored 3.01 out of 10 (a D-minus), ranking 69th out of 72 US state and Canadian provincial flags
• The Wichita city flag scored 8.41 out of 10 in 2004, ranking 6th best among 150 American cities — proof Kansans can do better

Chapters

0:00 – Australia Pin Giveaway

2:23 – Podcast Intro / Meet Deb Goodrich

3:28 – Meet Deb Goodrich

6:00 – Journalism Origins: Lois Lane

7:35 – History Bug: Cemetery Lessons

9:34 – The Charlie Curtis Story

12:26 – Topeka Cemetery Adventures

17:29 – Film Work With Ken Spurgeon

21:11 – Fort Wallace and Many Hats

26:52 – The Oakley / Annie Oakley Myth

28:33 – How Deb Got to Kansas

28:45 – Mayberry Roots

29:29 – Topeka and Washburn

30:19 – Media Ethics Wake-Up

31:09 – Switching to History

32:29 – Court Reporting Lessons

35:21 – Journalism Meets Film

37:10 – Kansas Pride Problem

40:20 – Fort Wallace Plug

42:24 – Post-Interview Wrap

43:45 – Less Fun With Flags

45:33 – The Five Rules of Good Flag Design

47:02 – Kansas Flag Fails

52:38 – Wichita Flag Wins

55:10 – Redesign Ideas and Outro

Resources

• From the Reservation to Washington by Deb Goodrich (book on Charles Curtis) — available on Amazon
• The Moccasin Speaks — documentary on the German Family Massacre, currently airing on PBS
• Under the Painted Sky — upcoming film by Ken Spurgeon and Deb Goodrich
• Touched by Fire — film about Bleeding Kansas by Ken Spurgeon
• Bloody Dawn by Tom Goodrich — book on the Lawrence Massacre
• Fort Wallace Museum — Oakley, Kansas; 2025 theme: "From Wallace to the Little Big Horn" https://ftwallace.com/

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

HIGHLIGHTS

• TikTok tree controversy sparks debate about Kansas history and landscape

• Growing up across from Sterling College Theater ignited Kiki's passion for performance

• Training at London's Guildhall School as the only American in her class

• Career highlights: playing Cordelia to Kevin Kline's King Lear at The Public Theater

• Meeting her husband Rolfe during the pandemic through online dating in Kansas

• Creating "The Game Camera" short film with a primarily female cast and crew

• Fighting for Kansas film tax incentives: 38 states have them, Kansas needs to catch up

• Why women over 40 face fewer opportunities in film—and how Kiki is changing that

• Kansas represents "difficult beauty" that requires staying power to appreciate

CHAPTERS

[0:00] TikTok Tree Controversy

[1:16] Podcast Intro and Guest Introduction

[1:57] Meet Kiki Bush

[3:30] Sterling Roots and Theater

[6:38] KU to England Drama School

[10:19] Career Highlights and New York

[14:07] Acting Calling Moment

[15:07] Pandemic Homecoming to Kansas

[18:46] Life in Saline County Now

[20:15] Fighting for Film Incentives

[22:40] Call Your Legislators

[23:00] How Film Tax Credits Work

[23:40] Keeping Kansas Creatives Home

[24:16] Making The Game Camera

[26:32] Origins of the Story

[28:44] Equity On Set

[30:27] Aging and Beauty Standards

[33:51] Why Kansas Stories Matter

[34:22] Difficult Beauty of Kansas

[40:50] Post Interview Takeaways

[41:19] Kansas Hot Takes Game

[43:10] Sunsets, Sunflowers, and Pride

[45:37] Wrap Up and Subscribe

RESOURCES

• Grow Kansas Film - Organization advocating for Kansas film tax incentives (contact for talking points to reach your legislators): https://www.growkansasfilm.com/

• Sterling College - Sterling, Kansas: https://www.sterling.edu/

• Guildhall School of Music and Drama - London, England: https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/

• Shocker Studios - Wichita, KS - https://www.wichita.edu/academics/fine_arts/digital_arts/shocker_studios.php

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ken's journey from construction worker to history professor to award-winning filmmaker

• How Civil War reenactments became the bridge between academia and cinema

• Working with Rance Howard (Ron Howard's father) and learning to direct seasoned actors

• The making of Sod and Stubble - filming in 95°+ Kansas heat with 100 crew members in Downs, Kansas

• Why the community built a replica pioneer house specifically for the film

• The challenges of independent film financing with 47 investors

• Why Kansas needs a film incentive bill to compete with Oklahoma, Texas, and Georgia

• The difference between documentaries and narrative features - and why "movies are made in the edit room"

• Balancing teaching history at Friends University with directing feature films

• Why Kansas filmmakers shouldn't fear outside competition or collaboration

CHAPTERS

[0:00] The Sourdough Journey - Sydney debates naming her sourdough starter

[2:14] Podcast Theme: Kansas Filmmaking Month

[3:20] Meet Ken Spurgeon - History professor and filmmaker

[4:02] Origins of a Historian - The Civil War weapon that sparked everything

[5:46] Finding the Teaching Path - Seven years away from school working construction

[8:51] Favorite Eras and Curiosities - Early America, Civil War, and the American West

[9:47] Reenactments to Film Sets - From living history to working on Gods and Generals

[11:20] First Documentary Breakthrough - Tackling Bleeding Kansas

[12:30] Lessons from Documentaries - Money, flexibility, and learning not to "over-speak"

[15:30] Why Film in Kansas - "I'm sticking my foot in the ground and filming here"

[18:17] Film Incentives and Financing - Why tax breaks matter and how 47 investors funded Sod and Stubble

[23:00] From Docs to Features - Winning the Wrangler Award and transitioning to narrative films

[24:08] Working with SAG and Rance Howard - The rehearsal moment that taught Ken to be a director

[30:20] On Set Reality Check - When the vision in your head meets reality

[31:21] Movies Made in Edit - The three versions of every film

[34:18] Sod and Stubble Origins - Filming the greatest pioneer story in American history

[36:24] Filming in Kansas Heat - Shooting outdoors, Monday-Friday, June through August

[38:18] Small Town Production Logistics - How Downs, Kansas fed 100 crew members

[41:07] Professor and Filmmaker Balance - Teaching history while making movies

[42:21] Kansas Film Future - Why we shouldn't fear freedom or outside filmmakers

[47:31] Post-Interview Reflections - Gus and Sydney discuss directorial styles

[48:49] Kansas Movie Trivia Game - Testing film knowledge with movies shot in Kansas

[55:48] Wrap Up and Subscribe

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Educational Institutions

• Friends University (Wichita, Kansas) - Where Ken teaches history and filmmaking

• Wichita State University - Where Ken completed his degrees under Dr. Craig Miner and Dr. Jay Price

Films & Projects

• Home on the Range - Ken's documentary that won the Western Heritage Award (Wrangler)

• Gods and Generals (2001) - Civil War film where Ken worked as a reenactor

• Road to Valhalla - Earlier Ken Spurgeon project featuring Buck Taylor

Books

• Sod and Stubble (2024) - Ken's feature film based on the 1930s Kansas pioneer memoir

Kansas Movies Mentioned in Trivia Segment

• The Wizard of Oz (1939) - Promotional footage filmed in Liberal, Kansas

• Picnic (1955) - Shot in Halstead, Hutchinson, Wichita, and Salina

• In Cold Blood (1967) - Filmed in Holcomb, Garden City, and Dodge City

• Up the Academy (1980) - Filmed at St. John's Military School in Salina

• Paper Moon (1973) - Shot in Hays, McCracken, and surrounding western Kansas towns

WHAT'S YOUR SOURDOUGH STARTER'S NAME?

Sydney's looking for the perfect name for her sourdough starter! Drop your best pun or creative suggestion in the comments. The punier, the better!

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

HIGHLIGHTS

• A McPherson antique store's viral TikTok ad featuring Sarah McLachlin's iconic ASPCA song—but for abandoned antiques

• How Ashley went from zero gardening experience to farming thousands of flowers on half an acre

• The difference between annuals and perennials, and why Ashley's back is grateful for the peony pivot

• Why Kansas weather is the biggest challenge for flower farmers (spoiler: it's not just the tornadoes)

• The surprising number of flower farmers across Kansas—probably one in your county

• How Bobcat let Ashley test drive a tractor for a week, knowing she'd never give it back

• Why Ashley prefers being the grower over being the florist (wedding pressure is real)

• The "reluctant farmer husband" phenomenon and how military training prepared Matt for flower farming

• Victory Gardens during WWII: Kansas grew 17 million quarts of canned food in 1943 alone

• Container gardening tips and when to plant: potatoes on St. Patrick's Day, tomatoes on Mother's Day, peppers by Memorial Day

CHAPTERS

[0:00] Local TikTok Find: McPherson Antique Store Ad That Cracked Us Up
[1:02] Why the Ad Works: Sound Effects, Song Choice & Instant Nostalgia
[1:53] Welcome to Ask A Kansan + Meet Today's Guest (Vail Family Farms)
[2:53] Getting Set Up: Ashley Joins the Conversation
[3:22] What Is a Specialty Cut Flower Farm? Size, Scale & What They Grow
[4:41] Annuals vs Perennials: The Peony Pivot (and Saving Your Back)
[5:58] How It Started: Pandemic Chickens to Full-On Flower Farming
[7:40] Year One Reality Check: No Tunnels, No Tractor, Just Prairie Ground
[10:22] Extending the Season: High Tunnels, Grants & Kansas Wind Survival
[12:39] Selling the Blooms: Subscriptions, Farmers Markets & U-Pick Events
[15:35] Bouquets & Weddings: Design Pressure vs Being the Grower
[17:10] From Nursing to Farm Life: Making the Jump + Family Behind the Business
[19:18] 'Reluctant Flower Farmer': Matt's Role and the Support System
[19:60] Reluctant Farmer Husband: Military Life Meets Flower Farming
[21:25] How Many Flower Farmers Are in Kansas? Finding Local Growers
[22:14] The Biggest Challenge: Kansas Weather, Wind & Growing Zones
[23:51] Support Networks & The Insurance Gap for Specialty Crops
[26:23] Next 5 Years: Peony Expansion + Spring Crop Strategy
[27:42] Building the Farm Brand on Social Media (and Keeping It Real)
[29:32] Scaling Advice: Home Garden Tips vs Farming Thousands of Plants
[30:44] Where to Find Vail Family Farm + Wrap-Up of the Interview
[31:40] Post-Interview Chat: Farm Visits, Book Clubs & Photo Sessions
[32:27] Theme Segment: Victory Gardens—History, Kansas Stats & Why It Matters
[36:19] Planting Calendar & Container Gardening: Potatoes to Peppers
[39:31] Final Thoughts: Gardening Trends + Subscribe, Newsletter & Merch

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Vail Family Farm
Instagram: @vailfamilyfarm
Facebook: Vail Family Farm

Learn more about Victory Gardens: https://kgi.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16884coll1/id/2183

https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-life/victory-gardens-were-growing-all-across-kansas-during-wwii

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights:

• Started civic engagement at age 9 with a Haiti relief fundraiser that raised $3,400 

• Appointed to Salina's Human Relations Commission at 13, then Planning Commission at 16

• Founded Kansas Civic Network at age 21 during COVID-19 pandemic

• Helped establish Lindsborg's first food pantry in city history after discovering 1/3 of Bethany College students were food insecure

• Built a remote, all-volunteer team of young professionals from 7+ states using Handshake platform

• Conducted USDA-funded seminars revealing critical gaps in organic farming education for Latino farmers in southwest Kansas

• Operates with radical transparency: "We're basically a club of young doers"

• Core philosophy: "We just do it" - removing barriers and focusing on community benefit over organizational ego

Chapters:

[0:00] Introduction - Meet Semi Quinn the Bison

[1:58] Meet Andres Mata: Early Life and Civic Engagement

[6:56] The Kansas Civic Network: Mission and Impact

[11:17] Challenges and Success Stories in Rural Kansas

[13:54] Building a Team of Young Doers

[26:40] Organizational Structure and Future Goals

[36:20] Founding the Kansas Civic Network

[37:02] Challenges and Hopes for Kansas

[39:16] The Role of Politics in Community Work

[41:29] Engaging Communities and Institutions

[44:49] Organic Farming Project

[47:47] Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

[48:31] Post-Interview Reflections

[54:27] Who's A Kansan: Community Organizer Edition

[63:21] Closing

Resources Mentioned:

• Kansas Civic Network - https://www.kscivicnetwork.org/

• Bethany College (Lindsborg, Kansas) - https://www.bethanylb.edu/

• Kansas 250 - https://www.travelks.com/kansas-250/

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights:

• How pandemic isolation and TikTok sparked Steven's Kansas content creation journey
• The infamous Little Jerusalem camping fail and reversing a mile down a muddy road in a minivan
• Why Steven focuses on promoting small-town Kansas businesses instead of just Wichita and Kansas City
• The colorblind video that hit 2 million views and temporarily impressed his teenage kids
• Steven's burger philosophy: three in one day was a mistake, and why he won't trash restaurants publicly
• Partnerships with Kansas State Fair and River Festival, plus dreams of World Cup content
• The gap in Kansas' food scene: where's a good bagel shop when you need one?
• Steven's most memorable meals: pasta in Italy, farm-to-table in Fort Wayne, and rare AHI tuna in Wichita
• Why Steven can't schedule content more than a day ahead (and the stressful 4-6 PM scramble)
• Teaching, social media, and staying authentic both on and off camera
• The Volga Germans' legacy: how Catherine the Great, Turkey Red wheat, and bierocks transformed Kansas

Chapters:

• [0:00] Discovering a Supercell Shelf Cloud
• [1:50] Introducing Steven Kimmi
• [2:41] Welcome, Steven Kimmi
• [3:22] Steven's Journey as a Content Creator
• [4:03] Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Taste Test
• [6:08] Adventures and Challenges in Kansas
• [14:52] Focusing on Food and Small Businesses
• [17:46] Collaborations and Future Plans
• [21:02] The Influence of Social Media on Teaching
• [21:57] Handling Negative Experiences at Restaurants
• [22:48] Burger Eating Adventures
• [23:51] Content Scheduling Struggles
• [25:00] Kansas Food Scene and Restaurant Gaps
• [28:45] Memorable Dining Experiences
• [31:45] Thanks for joining us
• [33:48] The Volga Germans and Kansas Wheat
• [39:04] The Legacy of Volga German Cuisine
• [40:55] Concluding Thoughts and Upcoming Features

Resources Mentioned:

• Steven Kimmi on TikTok
• Steven Kimmi on Instagram
• Steven Kimmi’s website: https://stevenkimmi.com/
• Cozy Inn (Salina, Kansas)
• Jiffy Burger (Smith Center, Kansas)
• Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park
• Kansas Sampler Foundation
• Kansas State Fair
• Salina River Festival

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights:

• How a K-State ag communications student created a viral farming music video that got 5 million views in one week—with zero marketing budget

• The moment everything changed: being on Fox & Friends in New York City just four days after posting their first video

• Why "I'm Farming and I Grow It" became a cultural phenomenon and launched a 13-year YouTube career

• Balancing full-time farming with content creation, speaking engagements, and managing multiple social media platforms

• Living with Type 1 diabetes as a farmer and traveler—playing the "video game" of insulin management on expert level

• What Greg learned about agriculture by visiting all 50 states twice and 10 countries

• The current challenges facing American farmers and why community support matters more than ever

• Why the "Tractor Stuck" video resonates with farming families and teaches an important lesson about asking for help

• How faith, family, and farming intertwine in Greg's daily life

• Why traveling the world made Greg love Kansas even more

Chapters:

[0:00] Madeline's Photography Adventures

[1:30] Introducing Greg Peterson

[2:37] Greg's Musical and Farming Background

[5:05] The Viral Success of Peterson Farm Brothers

[14:17] Balancing Farming and Content Creation

[19:23] Living with Type 1 Diabetes

[24:35] Building a Community Around the Channel

[26:35] Kids and Tractors: The Viral Video

[27:26] Challenges in American Agriculture

[29:35] The Importance of Community in Farming

[31:25] Educating the Public About Farming

[35:26] The Role of Faith in Farming

[36:42] Love for Kansas: A Farmer's Perspective

[39:50] TikTok Fun and Kansas Culture

[46:54] Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas Pride

[48:30] A Hobbit-Inspired Pub in Kansas

[50:07] Wrapping Up: Final Thoughts and Farewell

Resources Mentioned:

• Peterson Farm Brothers YouTube Channel

• Kansas State University

• Pilgrim's Keep Pub in St. Mary's, Kansas

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• Colby's "On the Road and to the Stars" TV show has expanded statewide across Kansas

• Kansas Tourism is releasing 34 gift boxes featuring Kansas artisan products for Kansas Day

• The importance of local community warriors who share their towns with visitors

• Why Castle Rock deserves as much attention as Monument Rocks

• How thrift shopping has become a legitimate travel draw for Kansas towns

• Big Ed's Steakhouse in Bird City as a must-visit Kansas dining destination

• The surprising fact that most states don't celebrate their birthday like Kansas does

• Why winter is actually the best time to explore Kansas state parks and hiking trails

• How Kansas continues to surprise visitors with its progressive history and diverse topography

Chapters

[0:00] Family Christmas and My Kansas Flag

[1:30] Introduction to Kansas Day

[2:45] Interview with Kolby from Kansas Tourism

[5:17] Kansas Tourism Campaigns and Celebrations

[8:30] Exploring Kansas: Hidden Gems and Local Experiences

[15:45] Fashion and Thrift Shopping in Kansas

[20:15] Kansas Food Adventures

[25:30] Kansas History and Fun Facts

[30:00] Nostalgic School Memories

[32:15] Kansas Day Traditions

[34:00] Planning a Kansas Trip for Influencers

[38:45] Challenges of Traveling in Kansas

[41:30] Winter Adventures in Kansas

[44:00] Surprising Facts About Kansas

[48:15] Celebrity Encounters and Kansas Destinations

[52:30] Who's That Kansan? High Flying Edition

[58:45] Closing Remarks and Farewell

Resources

• Kansas Tourism website: travelks.com

• Kansas Tourism on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

• Sunflower Summer app

• Wild Man Vintage (Lawrence, Kansas)

• Big Ed's Steakhouse (Bird City, Kansas)

• Castle Rock (northwest Kansas)

• Monument Rocks (western Kansas)

• Garden of Eden (Lucas, Kansas)

• Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum (Atchison, Kansas)

• Cosmosphere (Hutchinson, Kansas)

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kansas is celebrating America's 250th birthday throughout the entire year with events in communities across the state

• The Kansas 250 Commission has partnered with organizations like Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks for a 250-point challenge and      From the Land of Kansas for special product boxes

• A statewide service day is planned for September 11, 2026, encouraging Kansans to volunteer in their communities

• Rosa Cavazos created the Topeka Chocolate Festival, which drew 50,000 people and featured 100 chocolate entries

• Rosa chairs a national Latino organization based in DC and has spoken at the National Mall about women's healthcare and equal pay

• Communities like Ottawa have created "250 things to do" lists, while Junction City and Atchison are planning special parades and events

• The Great American Picnic on July 5th will encourage neighbors to gather in parks and on their blocks

• Waldo, Kansas—population 30—fully embraces its connection to the "Where's Waldo?" book series with a statue in the city park

• Waldo was founded in 1888 as a railroad town and once had three newspapers serving 300 residents

CHAPTERS

00:00 - New Year Resolutions and Family Stories

02:36 - Celebrating the Sesquicentennial: Kansas 250 Commission

03:26 - Meet Rosa Cavazos: Special Projects Coordinator

05:08 - Kansas 250 Events and Community Involvement

15:15 - Personal Insights and Volunteering

22:47 - Event Planning Tips and Teamwork

23:52 - Challenges of Organizing a Large Festival

26:52 - Unique Challenges of Planning for the 250th Anniversary

32:21 - Celebrating Kansas' Heritage and Diversity

36:45 - Exploring Waldo, Kansas

39:56 - Where's Waldo?

43:02 - Conclusion and Farewell

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• America250KS.com - Official Kansas 250 Commission website with events, merchandise, and community celebrations - https://america250ks.com

• Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks - Partner for the 250 Challenge featuring state parks, fishing, hiking, and camping - https://ksoutdoors.com

• From the Land of Kansas - Organization promoting Kansas-grown products with special Kansas 250 boxes available January through July - https://fromthelandofkansas.com

• Kansas State Library - Monthly book series featuring Kansas authors and topics - https://kslib.info

• Boot Hill Distillery - Creating a special bourbon collection for Kansas 250 - https://boothilldistillery.com

• MANA National Organization - National Latino organization focused on women's healthcare and equal pay issues - https://hermana.org

• Watkins Museum (Lawrence) - Hosting "Hide the Semiquins" scavenger hunt with the Kansas 250 bison mascot - https://watkinsmuseum.org

• Newspapers.com - Historical newspaper archive - https://newspapers.com

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• The unique path Joe Owen took from Oklahoma to Kansas and into law enforcement
• What it’s really like to become a Kansas State Trooper: selection, training, and the meaning behind the uniform
• The broader role of the Kansas Highway Patrol beyond policing highways—including supporting federal and local agencies, and running the state’s Criminal Justice Information System
• The importance of integrity, humility, and discipline in recruiting new troopers
• How ham radio became a surprising passion and its relevance to emergency communications
• Winter driving safety tips every Kansan should remember
• How major events like FIFA coming to Kansas City impact law enforcement collaboration
• Personal stories of loss, resilience, and the deeper meaning behind wearing the badge
• Amusing and quirky moments from Kansas history, including windowless churches and blue laws

Chapters

0:00 – Kansas Comedy: Kathleen Madigan’s take on Kansas toll booths

2:18 – Welcome & Introduction to Kansas State Troopers

3:20 – Interview with Joe Owen: Background and Journey to Kansas

4:30 – Joe’s Path into Law Enforcement

6:07 – Lessons from the Road: No Stop is Insignificant

15:21 – The Many Roles of Kansas State Troopers

26:36 – Training, Recruitment, and What Makes a Good Trooper

29:50 – Pop Culture, Agency Collaboration, and Favorite Law Enforcement Depictions

44:14 – Ham Radio: A Trooper’s Unexpected Hobby

49:34 – Winter Driving Safety Tips

59:01 – FIFA’s Impact on Kansas City Law Enforcement

1:03:01 – Reflections: The Meaning of the Badge

1:09:28 – Post-Interview Reflections & Fun with Mustaches

1:11:08 – Kansas History: Amusing Incidents and Blue Laws

1:32:25 – Closing Remarks & Appreciation

Resources Mentioned

• Kathleen Madigan’s Comedy Special (available on Prime Video): Kathleen Madigan on Prime Video
• Kansas Highway Patrol: https://kansashighwaypatrol.gov/
• Blue Bloods (TV Show): Blue Bloods on CBS
• Super Troopers (Movie): Super Troopers on IMDb
• Newspapers.com (Kansas history research): newspapers.com
• FCC Ham Radio Licensing: FCC Amateur Radio Service
  
  

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• The mission and structure of Prairie Paws Animal Shelter
• Emotional and practical challenges of shelter work
• What “no-kill” really means and how it’s achieved
• The role of volunteers and “Dog Day Outs”
• Memorable animal rescue stories, including Moose the dog
• Managing unusual animal drop-offs and Kansas animal ordinances
• The importance of community support and spay/neuter programs
• Advice for supporting your local shelter and adopting pets

Chapters

4:59 – Introducing Brandon Sokol from Prairie Paws Animal Shelter

6:43 – Challenges and rewards of shelter work

10:30 – Managing capacity and maintaining no-kill status

14:18 – Volunteer contributions and “Dog Day Outs”

26:35 – Odd animal drop-offs and unusual pets

27:56 – Animal control, ordinances, and shelter operations

31:04 – Feral cats and trap-neuter-return programs

32:41 – Personal pet stories and naming pets

36:39 – Community support for animal shelters

Resources Mentioned

• Prairie Paws Animal Shelter: prairiepaws.org
• Adopt a Pet: adoptapet.com
  
  

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Highlights

• The meaning and Midwest origins of the “grandma basement”
• How the podcast began and the team behind the scenes
• Favorite guest moments and what made them memorable
• Lessons learned from Kansas historians, artists, journalists, and community leaders
• Tanner’s photojournalist adventures across the state
• Unique Kansas events: rodeos, peace treaties, and Swedish festivals
• The importance of parks, wildlife, and green spaces in Kansas
• A look at the “guest book” and fun awards for standout guests
• Hopes and plans for the next season, including new regions and stories

Chapters

00:00 – Understanding the “Grandma Basement” Concept

03:22 – Reflecting on Past Episodes

04:11 – The Origin Story of the Podcast

07:19 – Highlighting Memorable Guests

13:24 – Discussing the Podcast’s Reach and Team

21:55 – Capturing Kansas: Rodeos, Peace Treaties, and Wildlife

29:57 – Whooping Cranes: A Remarkable Comeback

32:04 – Exploring Kansas Wildlife

32:31 – Lindsborg’s Biannual Ings Fest

33:30 – Traditional Swedish Costumes

35:27 – Lakewood Park: A Kansas Gem

36:56 – Looking Forward to 2026

41:40 – Reflecting on 2025 Guests

53:27 – Closing Thoughts and Thank Yous

Resources Mentioned

• Curious Kansan Newsletter & Stories: askakansan.com
• Peace Treaty Pageant (Medicine Lodge): peacetreaty.org
• Kansas Sampler Foundation: kansassampler.org
• Maxwell Wildlife Refuge: maxwellwildliferefuge.com
• Book: “Into Whooperland” by Michael Forsberg
• Episodes Referenced:
  • Adrian Zink (Ep. 3)
  • Dr. Andrew Orr (Ep. 11, “The Compassionate Kansan”)
  • Erika Nelson (Ep 16, “Big Little Big Kansan”)
  • Brooke Terrapin (Ep. 5, “Fashionable Kansan”)
  • Greg Victors (Ep. 26, “Steps of Tradition”)
  • Abel Frederic (Ep. 24, “Giving Kansas”)
  • Ross Janssen (Ep. 28, “Forecasting Kansas”)
  • Leslie Bishop (Ep. 1, “The Kansas Dynamic”)
  • Trisha Smith (Ep. 21, “Resilient Kansan”)
  • Rex Buchanan (Ep. 29, “Grounded Kansan”)
  • Marci Penner (Ep. 18, “Sampling Kansas”)
  • Carl Bowden (Ep. 6, “Leading Kansas”)
  • James Bowden (Ep. 17, “Unboxable Kansan”)
  • Cash Hollister (Ep. 22, “Beats Kansas”)

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This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net