39 | Water stories and stewardship along the St. Croix River (Stillwater, MN)

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we dig into conservation practices that protect soil and water. Interviewee Don Tschida, whose family farm will become a century farm in 2025, explores questions surrounding the responsibility of caring for land and water. He shares the conservation practices he and his family have implemented on their farm in Agram Township. We Are Water MN will be hosted by Mississippi River – Sartell Watershed partners including Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in spring of 2024. You can visit the exhibit at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail, in Holdingford, from April 25 through June 17. Learn more at https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn. This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Holdingford. Thank you to Don Tschida, our interviewee for this episode. Don Tschida and his family are enrolled in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, a unique opportunity for farmers to take the lead in implementing conservation practices that protect our state’s lakes, rivers, and streams. Learn more at MyLandMyLegacy.com.    You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times and Drone Pine by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).  You can learn more about We Are Water MN and upcoming host sites at mnhum.org/water.

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Phil Prosapio, current board president of the Friends of Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Tune in to learn about the value of places like Crane Meadows. We’ll also learn about the vital role wetlands play in keeping our state’s waters clean. We Are Water MN will be hosted by Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed partners including Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in spring of 2024. You can visit the exhibit at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail, in Holdingford, from April 25 through June 17. Learn more at https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn. This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Holdingford. Thank you to Dr. Phil Prosapio, our interviewee for this episode. Resources mentioned in this episode: · Friends of Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge: friendsofcranemeadows.com · Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/crane-meadows You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times and On Top of It by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).  You can learn more about We Are Water MN and upcoming host sites at ⁠mnhum.org/water⁠.

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we dive into the world of storm drains. What do storm drains do, and why do they matter? How can we protect them? In this episode, we will deepen our understanding of stormwater and storm drains. We will learn about one organization (Adopt-a-drain) leading storm drain protection efforts in an awesome way in Minnesota and beyond. We’ll hear from three storytellers—Shafay Williams, Demar Ballard, and Sarah Drake—who are mobilizing to protect storm drains through their artwork and community outreach. Tune in for a blend of background information, inspiration, and practical tips you can use to protect storm drains. The video “Clean Water Begins at Your Curb” was shared in this episode. Thank you to Adopt-a-drain.org, Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education, and Twin Cities Public Television for permission to share this audio. You can view the video at https://cgee.hamline.edu/current-initiatives/adopt-a-drain We Are Water MN will be hosted by Mississippi River – Sartell Watershed partners including Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in spring of 2024. You can visit the exhibit at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail, in Holdingford, from April 25 through June 17. Learn more at https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn. Resources mentioned in this episode: · In 2024, Adopt-a-drain will celebrate ten years! You can learn more about their organization and adopt a drain near you at https://adopt-a-drain.org/. Social media: @adoptadrainmn · You can learn more about Sarah Drake, as well as her nonprofit, HerARTS in Action, at https://www.herartsinaction.org/. Social media: @herartsinaction · If you’d like to dive deeper into the world of stormwater, you can consult the Minnesota Stormwater Manual: https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=About_the_Minnesota_Stormwater_Manual This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Holdingford. Thank you to Leah Lemm, who interviewed Sarah Drake. Thank you to Shafay Williams, Demar Ballard, and Sarah Drake, our interviewees for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times, Beignet, and Glass Beads by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).  You can learn more about We Are Water MN and upcoming host sites at ⁠mnhum.org/water⁠.

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we explore the role of water in the grieving process. Can we shift the way we think about tears? What effect does proximity to water have on the human mind, body, and spirit? Today's guest, AnnElise Bergstrom, is uniquely situated to guide us through these questions. Tune in to hear takeaways from her experiences facilitating grief support groups, as well as her own personal connection with water. We Are Water MN will be hosted by Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed partners including Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in spring of 2024. You can visit the exhibit at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail, in Holdingford, from April 25 through June 17. Learn more at https://www.stearnscountyswcd.net/wawmn. This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Holdingford. Thank you to AnnElise Bergstrom, our interviewee for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times and Warm Fingers by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).  Other resources mentioned in this episode: AnnElise references a quotation by Clarissa Pinkola Estés on the role of tears. A quote by Isak Dinesen is also mentioned: “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.” This 2019 article gives an overview of some of the blue space studies cited in this episode: Blue spaces: why time spent near water is the secret of happiness | Health & wellbeing | The Guardian You can learn more about We Are Water MN and upcoming host sites at ⁠mnhum.org/water⁠.

Thank you for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Gini Breidenbach, Restoration Program Manager at Minnesota Land Trust. Gini shares how her love of water—including Lake Superior—has shaped her personal and professional life. She explores questions of how we can work to place more value on water as local communities and society at large. What can each of us do to take better care of water? The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted by Hartley Nature Center in Duluth from February 29 through April 22, 2024. After Hartley, it will move to four other communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Holdingford (Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail), Chisago County, Cass Lake (Leech Lake Tribal College), and Shakopee (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Hartley Nature Center’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events, at https://hartleynature.org/hartley-nature-center-programs/we-are-water-mn/. We Are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Duluth. Thank you to Gini Breidenbach, our interviewee for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/wearewatermn). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times, Lamb Drop, and The Kennicott by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). 

Thank you for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Robert Hering, whose multiple professional endeavors all connect to water: he is a charter captain on Lake Superior, he sells fishing equipment at Marine General, and he farms in Southern Minnesota. Robert shares water memories and reflects on how the Duluth area is a special place for its pristine waters. He loves sharing this place with the people he guides on charters and hopes Minnesotans can come together to protect its waters. What does that protection look like? How can we work together to that end? The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted by Hartley Nature Center in Duluth from February 29 through April 22, 2024. After Hartley, it will move to four other communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Holdingford (Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail), Chisago County, Cass Lake (Leech Lake Tribal College), and Shakopee (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Hartley Nature Center’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events, at https://hartleynature.org/hartley-nature-center-programs/we-are-water-mn/. We Are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Duluth. Thank you to Robert Hering, our interviewee for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/wearewatermn). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times, Kallaloe, and Pull Beyond Pull by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). 

Thank you for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Sharon Day, a writer, artist, activist, educator, and leader of water protection efforts including Nibi Walks. Sharon is also an enrolled member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. In this episode, Sharon Day shares water memories and an exploration of themes around caring for and being in relationship with water, plus our responsibility to past and future generations. What will you do for the water? The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted by Hartley Nature Center in Duluth from February 29 through April 22, 2024. After Hartley, it will move to four other communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Holdingford (Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail), Chisago County, Cass Lake (Leech Lake Tribal College), and Shakopee (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Hartley Nature Center’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events, at https://hartleynature.org/hartley-nature-center-programs/we-are-water-mn/. We Are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Duluth. Thank you to Sharon Day, our interviewee for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/wearewatermn). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times, Drone Pine, McCarthy, So We Go, Waterbourne, and On Top of It by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). 

Thank you for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Duluth resident, educator, and boating captain Dave Johnson. Dave shares water memories and an exploration of themes around education, recreation, and stewardship. How can caring for the water right outside our front door help address more sweeping issues? The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted by Hartley Nature Center in Duluth from February 29 through April 22, 2024. After Hartley, it will move to four other communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Holdingford (Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail), Chisago County, Cass Lake (Leech Lake Tribal College), and Shakopee (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Hartley Nature Center’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events, at https://hartleynature.org/hartley-nature-center-programs/we-are-water-mn/. We Are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews in Duluth. Thank you to Dave Johnson, our interviewee for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/wearewatermn). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times, Waterbourne, Simple Melody, and On Top of It by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). 

Thanks for listening to The Watershed. The podcast is produced by We Are Water MN, a traveling exhibit and community engagement initiative. In 2024, the exhibit will visit five communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Duluth (Hartley Nature Center), Holdingford (Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail and local partners), North Branch and Lindstrom (Chisago County), Cass Lake (Leech Lake Tribal College), and Shakopee (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). Learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. We Are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/wearewatermn). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).  

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Mark Edlund, Senior Scientist at the St. Croix Watershed Research Station, part of the Science Museum of Minnesota. Learn about microscopic algae and the ways they can inform us about our waterbodies. How can diatoms help us protect our waters? The We Are Water MN exhibit recently wrapped up its 2023 tour. In 2024, it will visit five communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Duluth (Hartley Nature Center), Holdingford (Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail), Chisago County, Cass Lake (Leech Lake Tribal College), and Shakopee (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community). Learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. We Are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Leah Lemm, who conducted our interviews in Stillwater. Thank you to Dr. Mark Edlund, our interviewee for this episode. Learn more about Mark and his research at https://new.smm.org/scwrs/people/edlund.  You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/wearewatermn). Follow along for the latest updates! Music credits: These Times, Borough, The Gran Dias, Pull Beyond Pull, and On Top of It by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).