DonnaLonna Kitchen Show

Meredith Nunnikhoven established Barnswallow Flowers & Produce in 2018 near Oskaloosa, Iowa. Following a career in the film industry, Meredith came home to re-engage with the family farm in a way that feeds her passions, reflects her environmental ethic and exercises her creativity and strategic thinking.   On this episode, flower farmer Meredith Nunnikoven talks with Donna & Lonna about d...

Donna and Lonna celebrate the midsummer garlic harvest and talk about the history, myth, health properties and kitchen applications for one of our favorite vegetables. They also talk about zucchini...Lonna likes it, Donna - not so much. "I say zucchini, you say courgette."

On this episode of the Donna Lonna Kitchen Podcast, Donna and Lonna talk to author Hannah Lewis about her new book, "Mini-Forest Revolution Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World." This book studies how forests really work and describes new planting and nurturing methods to make forests grow in places that seem improbable but not impossible.   Hear about how small groups of people a...

What's in our local water? Why should we care? What are PFAs?   Joining Donna and Lonna at the kitchen table is Pat Schlarbaum, a retired career conservationist, to talk about the science and ethics of how we are interacting with our environment. Donna also shares a tasty summer recipe for Clafouti.    Donna and Lonna also discuss an article from Scientific American on forever chemicals, an articl...

Donna talks about the summer solstice. In a visit to the DLK archives, Donna and Lonna explore some of the joys of summer for a show about cicadas, trains, cucumbers, corn, and a flourless chocolate cake.      

Donna and Lonna talk about fruit to harvest and enjoy.   They explore the many possibilities for strawberry shortcake and talk to Judy Henry from the Berry Patch Farm about blueberries, raspberries, and currants.    Donna and Lonna also discuss recipes and preservation tips.

Iowa agriculture produces a lot of food. World events seem to be the cause of high prices at the grocery store. In this episode, Donna and Lonna talk about pork production, the food supply, slaughterhouse workers, and the rising costs of meat. Joining us at the kitchen table is Dr. Jan Flora - Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Iowa State University. He studies rural communities and has a special...

Donna and Lonna take a road trip to Panora, Iowa to visit Early Morning Harvest Farm and Earl and Jeff Hafner's grain milling operation.   Early Morning Harvest is also celebrating the expansion of its new on-farm store. The selection of Iowa-grown products is impressive.   We continue our thoughts of grain mills and flour by discussing the ins and outs of pie crust. And it's rhubarb season!

Good things are growing wild! Donna makes a Turkish Nettle Salad. Donna and Lonna talk about dandelions, Good King Henry, mint, sorrel, lambs quarter, purslane and more. Donna and Lonna learn about the herb motherwort from author Ava Chin and how local vegetable farmer, Kate Solko, is preparing for farmers market season.

In this episode, Donna and Lonna talk to author Timothy Wise about climate change, feeding the world, Agroecology vs. the Green Revolution and resilient alternatives to current farm policy. Timothy Wise is the author of the book "Eating Tomorrow: Agribusiness, Family Farmers, and the Battle for the Future of Food" https://www.timothyawise.com/book

Neil Hamilton is our guest this week on the DonnaLonna Kitchen Podcast. Neil has much to say about food, land, and environmental regulation of agriculture. Neil retired from a long career as the Director of the Drake University Agricultural Law Center.  His latest book is "The Land Remains: A Midwestern Perspective on our Past and Future".

Donna and Lonna celebrate spring and the Easter season. In this episode, they talk about chickens, eggs, hot cross buns, early ramps and asparagus.   We also look at some food news items and some give some advice for healthy vegetable purchases in the grocery store.  

Donna and Lonna have a conversation with  farmer and founder of Niman Ranch Pork, Paul Willis. Paul Willis created a pork raising, antibiotic-free protocol that works for farmers better than a confined pork operation. Paul talks about raising pigs on pasture, marketing with Niman Ranch, and cooking pork belly. Niman Ranch has created a market for crate-free, humanely-raised pigs. In this system, m...

John Wesselius from The Cornicopia farm near Sioux Center, Iowa joins us to talk about growing a garden into a farm, meeting customers at farmers markets, CSA deliveries, Berkshire Pigs, climate and weather challenges, and four season growing in his hoop houses.   Cornicopia farm provides fresh vegetables, pastured chickens, eggs and pork through farmers markets and their Community Supported Agric...

We talk about pickled eggs, microplastics (in our soil, water, and food), the latest findings and possible legislation on neonicotinoids. Donna recaps an article she wrote for a cookbook called  "The Tyranny of the Recipe".....some wise advice for learning to cook.    

Irish Soda Bread...Donna explores a favorite, Irish recipe book and talks about soda bread basics and variations. We have a poem for Saint Patrick's day.   Time for thoughts of spring with a look at seeds, soil, and suggestions for handy herbs to plant for the kitchen garden.   Lonna shares a Cocoa Brownie recipe....so we can all end on a sweet note.

We talk about how to catch and prepare many of the fish found in Iowa's ponds, lakes, rivers including commercial fishing on the Mississippi ...and...Lonna tells her 'ice fishing joke."   Learn more about Ben: Website

We continue our 'cookbook travel 'adventures by visiting the Ukraine. Donna brings us two Ukrainian cookbooks by author/chef Olia Hercules  - 'Mamushka' and 'Summer Kitchens'. Food brings us together.   Borch, dumplings, kvas, a variety of ferments, rye bread, mushrooms, black currants, garlic .....Let's dive into some Ukrainian recipes.    Learn more about Olia Hercules: Website | Facebook | Inst...

Chef Donna Prizgintas and farmer, artist Lonna Nachtigal explore their rural Midwestern food community with lively discussion and good humor.  On the DonnaLonna Kitchen show, their long-running and award-winning radio production turned podcast, the ladies talk about food, farming, recipes, and also offer listeners their advice and opinions. Local and nationally known guests join Donna and Lonna ar...

Let us consider the magic of the apple. Donna and Lonna talk to Paul Rasch, (he calls himself owner and head poobah) of Wilson's Orchard near Iowa City, Iowa. Wilson's Orchard includes a large orchard, farm market, smokehouse, bakery and restaurants. We discuss their local cider - both hard and fresh. We do some on-air tasting and find out how cider gets from tree to table. Learn more about Wilson...

Joining us today on the Donna Lonna Kitchen Podcast is Jill Beebout. Jill and her husband Sean Skeehan farm and steward 40 acres of land near Chariton, Iowa in southern Marion County. In this episode, we'll find out how their hard work gets food from farm to table. Jill, Donna and Lonna discuss the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, Blue Gate Farm's VegEmail service, Jill's plethora of f...