The Wandering Naturalist Podcast

11/11/2025

So where did the story of Paul Bunyan even begin? In the height of the logging era in the early 20th-century, William Laughead began exaggerating the story of a real lumberman to promote the Red River Lumbar Company. From there, the story evolved and changed into the epic tall tales we know today.

https://www.turtlebay.org/blog/2019/10/4/whats-the-story-behind-paul-bunyan

Native American Life in the Suburbs

Ever wondered who Paul Bunyan really is and why we named a part of Turtle Bay Exploration Park after him? Our latest exhibition in the Mill Building in Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp explores the legendary logger and his connections to our region.

11/10/2025

Chances are, if you grew up in the state of Minnesota, you heard at least one story about Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. Maybe you've even been to visit one of the eleven Paul Bunyan statues scattered around the state. But just in case you haven't, you can listen to the story below.

https://youtu.be/JKVwJgoEa9s?si=Jqmoq0KbcTrBLXfI

Native American Life in the Suburbs

Do you know what a 'tall tale' is? Well, it's a story that's just a little bit bigger than real life. And here's part of one of the biggest, tallest tales of...

11/09/2025

Dr. Deondre Smiles mentions that many of the suburban place names come from Native languages. Check out the video below for a few examples of place names that come from the Dakota language.

This land called “Mni-sota” is home to the Dakota people. They have been intimately connected to the region within and beyond the boundaries of Minnesota for...

11/08/2025

We are so grateful to welcome BACK Dr. Deondre Smiles. You may recognize his voice from episode 186 on Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This time he joins us to talk about his research on the story of Paul Bunyan!

Ojibwe Geographer

11/07/2025

From controlled burns and cultivating maple tree stands to creating complex irrigation systems and planting crops, Native Americans have shaped the land for thousands of years. Truly understanding the land requires an understanding and respect for it's longest caretakers.

Native Americans of this land were not just surviving; they were thriving through a deep understanding and respect for their environment.

11/06/2025

"We are on the ancestral and contemporary homeland of the Dakota people." You hear Brandon say this at the beginning of every episode of the Wandering Naturalist. This month we are diving deeper into understanding Dakota stories. Check out this article from the Minnesota Historical Society detailing some important parts of the larger Dakota story in Minnesota.

This National Historic Landmark resides on Dakota homeland, known as Bdote, with history spanning 10,000 years. Learn stories of the military fort and its surrounding area, home to a wide history that includes Native peoples, trade, soldiers and veterans, enslaved people, immigrants, and the changin...

11/05/2025

Episodes out today! This month we are sharing stories of Native American life in the suburbs. Tune in wherever you find podcasts for our three wonderful guests - Dr. Deondre Smiles, Dr. Kasey Keeler, and Tawnya Stewart - as they share their stories and expertise with us.

11/04/2025

Before we get to into the content of our episodes this month, we wanted to share a list of ideas for celebrating Native American Heritage Month. We encourage you to check out your local area and see what events are happening near you!

November is Native American Heritage Month. Check out all the Minneapolis events, businesses, and restaurants where you can celebrate, support and remember the histories of those indigenous to this country.

11/03/2025

Check out this great video describing the history and importance of Native American Heritage Month! Note that the video is from 2022 and some of the updates in the last part of the video refer to events at that time - all the historcal and best practice information is still true today!

“Understanding Native American Heritage” presented by NBCU Academy explains the history behind this cultural observance in November. Alyssa London, NBC News ...

11/02/2025

Welcome to Native American Heritage Month! Our episodes come out on Wednesday and will celebrate Native American stories in Minnesota. In the meantime, we thought we'd share a bit about the history Native American Heritage Month itself.

Honoring Native American Heritage Month: A Brief History November 14, 2023 November marks a special time of the year when the United States celebrates Native American Heritage Month. This month-long observance is an opportunity to recognize and honor the rich history, diverse cultures, and enduring....

10/31/2025

We hope everyone will zom-BE safe and and have a fun Halloween tonight! Hopefully you had as much fun listening to our slime mold episodes this month as Brandon did, but he's always thought that slime molds are a SCREAM! Tomorrow is November 1st which means a new month for a new topic! Are you EEK-cited?

10/30/2025

Happy Halloween-Eve! This article with a video of a pulsating slime mold is labeled as "freaky" but after a month of slime mold content, what do you think? Did we take the spooky out of the slime? Or does it still make you shriek?

It's weirdly alive and beautifully vibrant, but its name might have you turning pale in the face.