Today on the podcast we’re with Stacy Bannor of Bannor Toys in Madrid, Iowa (pop. 2,543). Stacy’s sharing how what started in their garage as her husband’s creative outlet to support her daycare quickly turned into a popular wooden toy business.

On this podcast episode we’re talking with silversmith Nevada Miller about what it was like growing up in an artistic, entrepreneurial family, how she developed her own style, and why she shares her craft with others.

On today’s podcast we’re with Justine Sindt of East of Omaha, a live music venue in Griswold, Iowa. Justine shares about how she and her family are bringing live music to Griswold and how that was inspired by some time spent in Nashville.

From art and history to great food and a vibrant historic downtown atmosphere, Woodbine is a must-stop location. You’ll love the brick streets that include one of the longest sections of original Lincoln Highway brick road. This town has a long history of road trips!

It takes a tragedy (or few)...and a village. We sit in our shops surrounded by what we love: art and coffee. Well … I love the coffee. He loves the art. We both appreciate them both, but we do always joke that there is a “His” and “Hers” aspect to this business.

I love working and living in Woodbine. Our town offers all that we need to live, work, and recreate with our friends and family. Quilters come to work on their own projects or follow along with me as I work on mine.

Our story is one of second chances. It began in 2015 at a different restaurant in the same location. Following its untimely closing in the fall of 2017, it seemed that would be the end of the story.

Rural revitalization is a team sport. A collective push in 2008 to assemble a Woodbine team of community leaders resulted in some pretty amazing results. Ten vacancies and the threat of two historic buildings falling in the street in a heap and vanishing motivated the team.

On this episode of the podcast, we’re talking with Mindy Crook and Darin Smith of Arch Icon Development Corporation in Woodbine, Iowa. Arch Icon specializes in historic renovation and community development projects, and it all started with a Main Street restoration in their hometown.

Today on the podcast we’re with Ed Roberson, host of the Mountain & Prairie podcast and Conservation Director at Palmer Land Trust in Colorado. We’re talking about Ed’s journey from real estate and the business world into land conservation.

This week on the podcast we’re with Maartje Murphy of Duchessa Gelato in Carrington, North Dakota (pop. 2,065). Maartje is sharing how she built her business with a premium farm-fresh product, a gelato cart, and a lot of sacrifice and determination.

This morning I signed a petition to save a church I don’t attend. St. Martin’s Church, which has been part of our community since 1877, was told last Wednesday that it will have to close its doors sometime in 2021 and the church itself will become nothing more than a building. The community is now rallying around the church by signing a petition with hopes to reverse this decision.

This week on the podcast we’re with Lukas Fricke of ChorChek in Ulysses, Nebraska (pop. 171). Lukas is a sixth generation farmer at Union Farms and the inventor of the new ChorChek technology that’s creating a lot of buzz in the ag world.

This route takes you through the Flint Hills, the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, on to Osage County and the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, ending in Pawhuska, Oklahoma — a great cowboy town and home of the Pioneer Woman.

This week on the podcast we’re with Allison Ryan of Explore Ranches — a web platform of ranch rentals providing a service to both land owners and visitors, and creating interest in conserving and protecting some incredible wild places.

This week on the podcast we’re with Greg Roskos and Rob Grover of Winghaven Pizza Farm in Galesville, Wisconsin (pop. 1,481). They put their entrepreneurial minds together and created Winghaven Pizza Farm.

This week on the podcast we’re with Shane Riley of J Bar D Canvas and Leather in Oreana, Idaho (pop. 7, or maybe 8). Shane is sharing how he and his wife Amy started their business with $135 and a Facebook post.

Some call it one of Iowa’s last wilderness areas. Some call it one of the state’s most underrated regions. We’re fine with calling it both. Tucked away in the heart of western Iowa you’ll find breathtaking landscapes, charming small towns (most with a population of 250 or less), miles of back roads, and endless opportunity for outdoor adventure.

This week on the podcast we’re talking with Dan Jurek and Jeff Bajek of True North Basecamp in Crosby, Minnesota (pop. 2,386). Dan and Jeff are friends and, more recently, business partners after they saw an opportunity to create a better camping experience for visitors to the Cuyuna Recreation Area.

Every major crisis creates unexpected problems. Every major crisis also creates unprecedented opportunities. So where is the opportunity within our current situation as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic? I believe the answer to this question has the capability to bring a monumental shift to our rural communities.