Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

An excerpt from the most recent Shed Session episode, highlighting some of the books, experiences, products, activities, and organizations that made 2023 a year to remember. To listen to the full hour-long episode and all future Shed Sessions, become a Patreon supporter. FULL EPISODE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/shed-session-12-95389124 PATREON: https://mountainandprairie.com/patreon MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: https://mountainandprairie.com/

Paige Lewis is the Deputy State Director and Director of Conservation Programs for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. In this role, she serves as the chapter’s chief conservation officer and is responsible for leading the development of innovative, large-scale, and entrepreneurial solutions to the challenges facing people and nature in Colorado and around the world. Paige brings a unique skill set that combines big-picture thinking with tangible, one-the-ground execution– her work involves creating ambitious, large-scale strategies, while also ensuring that the TNC team has the resources, communication, and support to accomplish its goals. - Over the course of this 2023 podcast series with TNC Colorado, we’ve highlighted both the breadth and depth of the organization’s work in Colorado and beyond. From grassland conservation to sustainable water management to forest health to urban conservation efforts (and much more!), it’s been amazing to learn about the positive impact that TNC is having across such a broad spectrum of pressing environmental issues. And if you’ve wondered, as I have, how TNC successfully aligns so many initiatives, teams, and stakeholders toward common organizational goals, well, you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what Paige does! - Paige and I sat down at the TNC office in Boulder just before the holidays and had a fun conversation that looked back at some of the 2023 conservation wins and looked forward toward TNC’s ambitious goals for the future. We started out discussing Paige’s lifelong appreciation for conservation, and her career that took her from her home state of Utah to Washington DC and eventually to Colorado. We discussed her skill of thinking strategically while also focusing on the need to get things done, and how she has managed to keep so many balls in the air year after year. We talk about durable conservation, collective action, and embracing risk, and we also discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with setting ambitious goals. Paige is a voracious reader and lover of history, so she has tons of excellent book recommendations. - A big thank you to Paige for taking the time to chat with me during such a busy time of year, and, once again, thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy. --- Paige Lewis All 2023 TNC episodes Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/paige-lewis/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive.   On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West.   To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - How Paige became interested in conservation 9:15 - Paige’s first conservation job  10:45 - Adjusting from the West to DC 11:45 - Paige’s return West 15:00 - How Paige ended up at TNC 18:30 - Paige’s role at TNC 23:30 - An example of successful collaborative work in Paige’s time at TNC 27:15 - What Paige is most proud of in TNC’s 2023 work 30:30 - Reflecting on TNC’s progress towards their 2026 strategic goals 34:30 - How Paige prioritizes and keeps all the balls in the air 39:45 - What “durable conservation” means and looks like to Paige 42:30 - What “collective action” means and looks like to Paige 45:30 - How Paige knows when to shift from ideation and relationship building to action 48:45 - How TNC’s approach to taking risks has changed during Paige’s tenure 52:15 - What qualities Paige thinks makes a good team member at TNC 56:15 - Paige’s book recommendations 1:02:15 - Paige’s parting words --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Jenna Pollard is a timber framer, a farmer, and an advocate for organic agriculture, but at her core, she is a teacher. The list of Jenna’s inspiring projects, causes, and interests is too extensive to summarize in a few sentences, but to give you an overview: She hosts workshops for women in which they learn the art of timber framing and build structures as a team from the ground up. She’s a team member with Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (also known as WWOOF), where she helps to provide opportunities for aspiring farmers to build their careers. She’s also a committed traveler, community builder, reader, and all-around inspiring human. - Born and raised in South Dakota, Jenna grew up immersed in the outdoors and various outdoor adventures. After college, she went to work on an organic farm, which began her professional passion for working closely with the land surrounded by a community of like-minded individuals. As you’ll hear, she continued to follow her curiosity and has enjoyed a fulfilling and wide-ranging career– she worked as a teacher in Japan, built her own timber-frame home on the South Dakota prairie, and became deeply involved in helping to develop the skills and confidence of future farmers and timber framers. But if there’s a thread that connects all of Jenna’s work, it’s her commitment to building community through hard work and shared purpose– one of my favorite topics to discuss. - I first learned about Jenna through a short film by Patagonia Workwear that profiled her women’s timber-framing workshops– I’ve linked to the film in the episode notes. So I was thrilled that our schedules aligned so that we could have this conversation, and I learned so much for her. We discussed her upbringing in South Dakota and how her outdoor-focused childhood laid the foundation for her career. We discussed the intricacies of timber framing, and why it is such a powerful skill for building community and confidence. We talk a lot about WWOOF and its Future Farming Program, and Jenna offers some ways that aspiring farmers can get involved. We also discuss books, how Jenna accomplishes so much, how Patagonia has encouraged and supported her work, lessons learned from Japan, and much much more. - If you want to connect with Jenna, attend a workshop, or learn more about WWOOF, there are links to everything in the episode notes. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy. --- REFRAMED | Built by Women | Patagonia Films WWOOF-USA: wwoofusa.org Steger Center - stegercenter.org The Canelo Project - https://caneloproject.com Olympic Outpost - https://olympicoutpost.com Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/jenna-pollard/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:30 - Where Jenna grew up 4:15 - What Jenna did for fun as a kid 6:30 - Turning points in Jenna’s life regarding self-sufficiency in the outdoors 8:45 - Post-high school for Jenna 11:00 - How something like WWOOFing drew Jenna’s career attention 13:30 - Books and thinkers that influenced Jenna’s agrarian lifestyle 16:00 - Defining “timber framing,” and exploring why it captured Jenna’s attention 20:00 - When Jenna decided to start teaching timber framing 21:15 - Discussing the process of Jenna building her house in South Dakota 24:45 - How Jenna came to specifically teach women how to timber frame 38:15 - How Patagonia became interested in Jenna’s timber framing classes 30:45 - Continuing to explore the importance of Jenna’s work with women 33:00 - Jenna’s success stories from her classes 37:15 - The relationships that Jenna builds through timber framing 39:15 - Jenna’s students’ goals 40:45 - Discussing WWOOF 43:15 - Discussing the 2024 Future Farming Program 47:15 - How Jenna manages to do all of this! 48:15 - Jenna’s time as a teacher in Japan 52:30 - Whether or not Jenna ever questioned her path 55:15 - Jenna’s book recommendations 1:01:15 - Jenna’s parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Diana Lane is the Director of Sustainable Food and Water at the Colorado Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and Aaron Derwingson is the Water Projects Director for the Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program. Both Diana and Aaron work at the intersection of water sustainability, thriving rivers, resilient agriculture, and strong communities– harnessing TNC’s relationships and resources to advance some of the most cutting-edge and effective conservation initiatives in the American West. - Diana and Aaron bring a diverse set of skills and experiences to their work at TNC. Diana holds a PhD in Biological Sciences and has spent much of her career working with a wide array of partners on restoration ecology and planning, climate adaptation, and management of public funding. Aaron is a river guide-turned-conservationist who began his career focusing on conservation in the Rio Grande River basin, and now applies his skills toward creating pragmatic, solution-oriented approaches to freshwater challenges in the greater Colorado River basin. But perhaps most importantly, they both bring a deep level of passion and focus to their work– their optimistic commitment to solving some of the West’s most pressing water and agricultural challenges is infectious. - Diana, Aaron, and I connected virtually and had an educational and inspiring conversation about water, agriculture, and community here in Colorado and beyond. We discussed some of the most urgent water-related challenges and opportunities and how they are working with a wide range of stakeholders to find mutually beneficial solutions. We discuss the Yampa River fund, their work helping agricultural producers adjust to a drier climate, and the all-important role of building solid relationships with stakeholders. We discussed the Maybell Irrigation Ditch Project, which is a fascinating, win-win project for both producers and recreational river users, and we discussed some of the water-related challenges that keep both Diana and Aaron up and night. And as usual, they both have plenty of excellent book recommendations. - A huge thank you to Diana and Aaron for taking the time to talk with me, and thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy! --- TNC Colorado Diana Lane Aaron Derwingson Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/diana-aaron/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive.   On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West.   To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Diana and Aaron’s backgrounds 7:30 - Aaron’s read on the future of water 12:30 - Diana’s overview of the Yampa River Fund 18:30 - Aaron’s work with producers to adjust to the new water reality 23:15 - The process of building relationships with producers for water projects 27:00 - The Colorado Water Plan’s impact on Diana and Aaron’s work 31:45  - Discussing the Yampa River Fund 41:15 - The things about Colorado water that keep Diana and Aaron up at night 47:15 - What makes a solid conservation professional 51:00 - How you can help TNC in this work 55:30 - Diana and Aaron’s book recommendations 1:00:00 - Parting requests and words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

John Vaillant is a renowned writer and journalist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and more, and he’s also the author of classic books including "The Tiger" and "The Golden Spruce." His most recent book is "Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World," which is a must-read for anyone interested in wildfires, humans’ relationship with fire, and the future of fire-related disasters. And you don’t have to take my word for it– the book won the 2023 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction and was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. - "Fire Weather" tells the story of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire– a historic and apocalyptic fire that torched the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta, and spread across nearly 1.5 million acres of forest. With this epic disaster as the focal point, John masterfully weaves in the fascinating histories of fire, the fossil fuel industry, and climate science. He also explores 21st-century wildfires– why they are hotter, more aggressive, and more destructive than anything we’ve seen before. Whether you’re interested in the science of fire and forest health, the fascinating relationship between humans and fire, or you’re just looking for a book that you won’t be able to put down, I give "Fire Weather" my highest endorsement. - Wildfires are obviously becoming more and more intense and destructive here in the West, so I was excited to chat with John and dig deeper into the history of fire and the outlook for the future. We discussed why he decided to devote many years to writing about this particular wildfire, and how the book’s ingenious structure came to him in a dream. We talk about the similarities between living beings and fire, a fascinating idea known as the Lucretius Problem, some of the story’s larger-than-life characters, John’s long-term goals for the book, some of his favorite books, and much, much more. - A huge thanks to John for writing such an impactful book and for taking the time to chat with me. I encourage you to pick up a copy of "Fire Weather" as soon as you can, but in the meantime, enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with John Vaillant. --- "Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World" by John Vaillant Sign Up for Ed's Weekly Email: Good News from the American West Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/john-vaillant/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - When John realized he wanted to write about fire 11:15 - The surprising significance of dreams in John’s writing 14:15 - How John organizes the information in his head so he can write 19:45 - A brief note on pacing, and the similarities between living beings and fire 30:45 - The Lucretius Problem 35:45 - How John finds the characters for his book 44:15 - How John handles writing about someone in a less-than-flattering light 52:00 - John’s goals for his book, Fire Weather 57:30 - John’s book recommendations 1:02:15 - John’s parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Dr. Sara Dant is a Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of history at Weber State University, and she’s the author of one of my most-often recommended books, "Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West." She is also one of the featured historians in Ken Burns’ newest documentary, The American Buffalo, which you can watch for free on the PBS website. Sara’s work focuses on environmental politics in the United States with a particular emphasis on the creation and development of consensus and bipartisanism, and she is especially skilled at presenting complex, sometimes controversial topics in an engaging and fun-to-learn manner. - In June of 2023, Sara updated and republished her book "Losing Eden"– she added some chapters, revised some of the content, and added lots of maps, photos, and additional resources. She somehow managed to make one of my favorite books even better. For anyone who is looking for a thorough yet fun-to-read overview of this complex region known as the American West, I can’t recommend it enough. From the migration of the first humans into North America to modern-day controversies around energy development, the book provides a solid foundation and acts as a launching point to dig into whatever specific time period you may find interesting. - Longtime listeners will remember my first conversation with Sara back in 2018, in which we discussed the early phases of North American environmental history, the tragedy of the commons, conservation vs preservation, and more. In this conversation, we focus on mostly recent environmental history, including the historic environmental legislation of the 1960s and 70s, legendary senator Frank Church, and the backlash to environmental regulation that led to movements such as the Sagebrush Rebellion. We also discuss Sara’s perspective-shifting Alaska adventure, the value of wild places, her experience working with Ken Burns, book recommendations, and much, much more. - I always enjoy my visits with Sara, and I can’t thank her enough for how generous she is with sharing her time, wisdom, and expertise. I’d encourage you to pick up a copy of the new "Losing Eden," but in the meantime, enjoy this conversation with Dr. Sara Dant. --- Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West by Sara Dant Sara's first M&P episode Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/sara-dant-2/ Ed's Bimonthly Book Recommendations --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Why Sara decided to republish Losing Eden 7:00 - The guiding idea of "at what cost?" 10:00 - The myth of "right or wrong," "good or bad" 16:15 - Using history to understand our current political situation 19:30 - Optimistic examples of positive political environmental bipartisanship 23:30 - The legendary Idaho senator, Frank Church 28:00 - James Watt and the backlash to environmental regulation 34:00 - Divisiveness as a power-grabbing tool 43:00 - Sara's 2019 life-changing trip to Alaska 46:30 - What is the value of wild places? 54:15 - Participating in the new Ken Burns documentary 56:30 - Something new that Sara has recently learned 1:02:30 - Book recommendations and further reading 1:10:30 - Parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Corissa Busse is the Buffalo Restoration Program Manager for The Nature Conservancy, where she oversees TNC’s work to advance Tribal-led efforts to restore buffalo, grasslands, and communities at scale. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, Corissa and her team at TNC partner with organizations including the InterTribal Buffalo Council and the Tanka Fund to bring buffalo back to tribal lands, which not only contributes to healthier, more resilient landscapes, but helps to heal and restore a web of natural relationships that has been broken for hundreds of years. - TNC has been working with buffalo for many decades now, and it owns herds at numerous TNC preserves across the United States. Each year, those herds produce approximately 1,500 buffalo that are in need of new homes, so TNC has begun working with Tribal nations to transfer these buffalo from the TNC preserves onto Native lands. But transferring the animals from one place to another is relatively simple– it’s the trust-building, infrastructure development, and long-term, collaborative vision that requires strong relationships and outside-the-box thinking. As you’ll hear in this conversation, it’s a complex and important project with amazing potential. - I’ve always loved learning about buffalo, and given the recent release of Ken Burns’ newest documentary on this very subject, I was extra excited to chat with Corissa. We started out with the most basic question of all– “Should we call them bison or buffalo?”-- and then moved into the more complex topics. We discussed when and why TNC initially became interested in buffalo, TNC’s history of working with Tribal partners, the challenges of overcoming historical realities, the potential for tension between cattle and buffalo producers, specific success stories from TNC’s buffalo restoration work, the all-important role of strong relationships, resources to learn more about buffalo, and Corissa offers some excellent book recommendations. - I greatly appreciate Corissa taking the time out of her busy schedule to educate me on the finer details of buffalo as well as the large-scale vision for TNC’s work. I learned a lot from this conversation, and I know you will too.  Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy. --- More on TNC's Buffalo Restoration Work Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/corissa-busse/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive.   On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West.   To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Is it buffalo or bison? 6:30 - A brief history of buffalo in the US 10:30 - Books and resources that have helped Corissa learn more about the history of buffalo  13:45 - TNC’s interest in buffalo 17:00 - TNC’s history of relationship-building with Tribal nation partners 22:15 - How buffalo from TNC’s herds are transferred to other partners 23:30 - Exploring the tension between cattle and buffalo businesses 27:15 - Examples of the success of Corissa’s program 31:15 - Measuring success in this work 35:00 - The challenges in this work that Corissa worries about 39:15 - The market for buffalo 42:15 - How Corissa got into work with buffalo 48:00 - The importance of relationships to Corissa’s work 52:30 - Corissa’s book recommendations 56:00 - Ways you can support Corissa’s work, and Corissa’s parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Vincent Stanley is the Director of Philosophy at Patagonia, and he holds the honor of being the company’s longest-serving employee. He is also an author, poet, and a resident fellow at the Yale Center for Business and the Environment. His most recent book, which he co-authored with Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard, is titled "The Future of the Responsible Company: What We’ve Learned from Patagonia’s First 50 Years." - The book recounts Patagonia’s evolution from its humble beginnings as a small offshoot of Chouinard Equipment for Alpinists to becoming the world’s premiere outdoor apparel brand into its current role of serving as a blueprint for how business can be a force for good in the world. In less than 200 pages, Vincent delves into Patagonia’s greatest business challenges, victories, and missteps, and he explains Patagonia’s never-ending quest to become more responsible, more thoughtful, and more effective in achieving its mission of “saving our home planet.” - My first real exposure to Patagonia’s business model was when I was a student in graduate school, earning my MBA. I read Yvon’s book "Let My People Go Surfing," and realized that many of the business lessons and philosophies from Patagonia stood in stark contrast to those of mega-corporations. Patagonia’s approach opened my mind to a different way of thinking about business, one that led me to follow a much different path than I’d planned when I initially showed up at grad school.  So it was a real honor to have the conversation with Vincent and dig even deeper into the philosophies, ideals, and tactics that have made Patagonia such a legendary enigma in the world of big-time business– and a role model for me and countless other business owners. - Vincent and I connected virtually– he was in Maine, I was in Colorado– and we talked about all aspects of the book, as well as his long and storied history at Patagonia. You can check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we discussed, and I would highly recommend you pick up a copy of "The Future of the Responsible Company"– it’s chock full of actionable, applicable wisdom that anyone with a job would benefit from knowing. - Thanks to Vincent for taking the time to chat, thanks to you for listening, and I hope you enjoy. --- "The Future of the Responsible Company: What We’ve Learned from Patagonia’s First 50 Years" Vincent Stanely Patagonia Books Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/vincent-stanley/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 - How Vincent became involved in Patagonia 7:00 - Why Vincent and Yvon decided to update "The Responsible Company," and a history of changes at Patagonia 24:00 - When Vincent realized there was interest in and demand for the business model and values of Patagonia 28:00 - Differentiating between “responsible” and “sustainable” 31:00 - How VIncent and Patagonia approach the work of marketing 34:30 - The unconventional business performance indicators and evaluations that Patagonia employs 37:15 - Why books are important in Vincent and Patagonia’s work 41:15 - Who and what gives Vincent hope for the future 44:15 - Reconciling the guilt of “messing up” 50:15 - Vincent’s book recommendations 53:00 - Vincent’s parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Rebecca Clarren is an award-winning journalist who has been writing about the American West for more than twenty years. Her most recent book is titled "The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance." The book is a powerful, nuanced, and deeply personal exploration of her ancestors fleeing antisemitism in Russia and immigrating to the South Dakota prairie at the turn of the 20th century. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of the book, and I absolutely loved it. Rebecca seamlessly weaves together heavily researched US and Native American history with a vulnerable, clear-eyed examination of her family’s legacy. The result is an engaging story that not only helped me better understand the past, but provided a blueprint for how we can begin to make amends and move forward, both individually and as a nation. - In "The Cost of Free Land," Rebecca grapples with the complicated ripple effects of her family settling on the Great Plains– the free land that they received from the US government allowed them to establish a foothold in America, and over time, they found relative stability, especially when compared to their chaotic lives in Russia. But her family’s stability and eventual success came at a steep cost to the Lakota people, who were the victims of stolen land, broken treaties, and the devastating loss of their culture and resources. Contrasting her family’s experience with that of the Lakota makes this story all the more powerful, and speaks volumes about Rebeccs’s skill as a writer and journalist. Again, I loved the book. - Rebecca and I connected the day before the book was published, and we had a wonderful conversation. We started by discussing why she decided to write such a deeply personal story, and how that differs from most of her previous journalistic endeavors. She provides a brief overview of the Lakota people and the laundry list of injustices they faced during westward expansion. We discuss the complicated nature of land ownership on reservations, and how those complications continue even to this day. She explains how the US’s treatment of Native American influenced Hitler and the Nazi Party, and how she personally processes her family’s role in Westward expansion by working with spiritual mentors and exploring her own Jewish faith. We also talk about her career as a journalist, how motherhood has changed her, the challenge of writing, and she has lots of great book recommendations. - Thanks to Rebecca for writing such an important and eye-opening book, and thank you for listening.  Hope you enjoy! --- Rebecca Clarren "The Cost of Free Land" by Rebecca Clarren Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/rebecca-clarren/ Support M&P on Patreon --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - When Rebecca decided to write “The Cost of Free Land” 9:15 - Discussing the vulnerable process of capturing not just Rebecca’s story, but her entire family’s story and how it ties in with American histories of stolen land 18:15 - Discussing empathy in the difficult stories of Rebecca’s book 21:30 - A brief history of the Lakota and the injustices they faced during westward expansion 27:00 - Discussing the complicated nature of land ownership on Indigenous reservations, and how the US Government still influences land decisions on reservations 30:45 - Discussing the historical implications of US land theft from Indigenous peoples, including how it influenced the actions of the Nazis during the Holocaust 33:15 - The Six Steps of Repentance and how Rebecca processes the violent past of the US and how she benefited from it   40:45 - The biggest surprise about Rebecca’s family that she learned in writing this book 43:15 - Surprises in Rebecca’s research about the Lakota 48:00 - Where Rebecca thinks the world of journalism is going 51:15 - Rebecca’s career trajectory 55:15 - How having kids impacted Rebecca’s approach to work 58:30 - The difficulty of writing 59:30 - Rebecca’s book recommendations 1:05:45 - Rebecca’s parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Nick Offerman is an actor, author, humorist, and woodworker who is best known for playing the legendary character Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation. But his success as an actor is just the tip of the iceberg– he’s written five New York Times bestselling books, is the narrator of three of Wendell Berry’s audiobooks, and owns and operates Offerman Woodshop, where he and a small collective of woodworkers handcraft everything from spoons to furniture to canoes. And as many of you know, Nick is a staunch advocate for conservation, responsible land stewardship, and sustainable agriculture. - Nick’s most recent book is titled "Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside," and it’s an excellent, thought-provoking read. It follows Nick on a series of adventures through the American West and English countryside– adventures driven by his desire to better understand conservation, recreation, and humans’ connection to the land and wild places. Along the way, he explores everything from the legacies of John Muir and Aldo Leopold to regenerative agriculture, without shying away from tough, complex topics, such as industrial farming and the conservation movement’s impact on Indigenous cultures. The book also hits on so many underlying ideas that are often explored here on Mountain & Prairie, including nuance, empathy, compassion, curiosity, and doing work that makes the world a better place. I loved the book, and I highly recommend it. - I met up with Nick in Los Angeles at Offerman Woodshop, and we had a fun, inspiring, and at times hilarious conversation about everything from Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic to Nick's work as a “traveling clown.” (His words, not mine!) We started out by discussing the life-changing moment when a friend handed him a Wendell Berry book, and how Wendell’s writings and philosophy continue to be one of Nick’s most important sources of inspiration and instruction to this day. We discuss why hard work and being of service to others are so deeply embedded in Nick’s DNA, and the critical role that artists can play in solving societal challenges. We talk about authenticity, the importance of being even-keeled, the need for nuance and open-mindedness, the skill of self-deprecation, enjoying the process of creating, not passing judgment, and much, much more. - "Where the Deer and the Antelope Play" was just released in paperback, so follow the links in the episode notes to pick up a copy. If you’re a longtime listener, I know you’ll love it. There are also links to Offerman Woodshop, Nick’s touring schedule, and all of his other books, so click through and check it all out. - A thousand thanks to Nick for inviting me to his shop for such an amazing conversation, and thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy! --- Nick Offerman "Where the Deer and the Antelope Play" (now in paperback!) Offerman Woodshop Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/nick-offerman/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - A self-deprecation showdown 5:30 - The impact of Wendell Berry on Nick’s life 10:15 - Of Nick’s family and upbringing, and tying back to Wendell Berry 15:15 - Nick telling the story of when he “made it,” and how that impacted his work ethic 18:30 - Of the ethos of taking the time to do hard things 23:15 - The impact of a conversation between Nick and Wendell Berry 29:00 - More about Nick’s book, "Where the Deer and the Antelope Play" 42:15 - How Nick discusses serious topics with a lighthearted demeanor 47:30 - How Aldo Leopold influenced Nick 51:45 - A great story about Wendell Berry and the need for artists 55:15 - How and when Nick developed his authenticity  1:02:00 - The two jokes Nick has written in his career 1:05:45 - What good work looks like 1:18:00 - Discussing how to pronounce words and the importance of not passing judgment 1:23:15 - Coming back to “good work” --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts