Common Ground ND Podcast

Connecting the Community through Local Food with Jenna Neiters

If you've ever wondered how to find local food near you, start a farmers market in your community, or get fresh North Dakota produce into your kids' school lunches, this episode is your roadmap. Heather and Billie sit down with Jenna Neiters, Local Foods Marketing Specialist with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, to explore all the ways local food is bringing communities together across the state. From CSAs and community orchards to farm to school programs and the new Pride of Dakota Fresh brand, Jenna is the connector behind it all. Plus, Heather shares a favorite CSA story involving okra and a very unexpected customer. Follow along at @NDDALocalFoods on Facebook and Instagram, and explore the Local Foods Directory Map, Farm to Market Guide and more at ndda.nd.gov/localfoods [http://ndda.nd.gov/localfoods].

The Science Behind Food Preservation

In this episode, Billie and Heather sit down with Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson, Professor of Food and Nutrition at North Dakota State University and Extension Specialist in food safety, preservation, and nutrition. With a PhD in cereal science and food technology, Julie breaks down the science of why food preservation works, how to do it safely, and what every home cook and farmer should know about keeping food at its best.

The Flour That's Changing What We Eat

Fiber is having a moment — and it might already be in your pantry without you knowing it. In this episode, Billie and Heather sit down with Katie Compton, Marketing and Communications Manager at Baystate Milling, to talk about HealthSense, a high fiber flour that's quietly making its way into everyday foods from pasta to mac and cheese. Katie breaks down the science behind how this wheat was developed, why North Dakota farmers are at the heart of growing it, and how one simple ingredient swap could make a big difference for public health.

Small Town, Big Life: Why Rural Living Is Worth It

There's something about small town life that's hard to explain until you've lived it. In this episode, Billie and Heather swap stories about leaving North Dakota, coming back, and why they wouldn't trade rural living for anything. From creating your own job opportunities to knowing your neighbors by name, they dig into what makes small town life in North Dakota so special — and prove that in a small town, you're never really alone.

Leading from the Ground Up: Rural Leadership North Dakota

What does it take to grow leaders in a state as vast and varied as North Dakota? In this episode, Billie and Heather sit down with Katie Tyler, Extension Program Director for Rural Leadership North Dakota, to explore the 18-month program that's building a network of committed leaders across the state. From seminars in small towns to a trip to Washington D.C. and an international experience, Katie breaks down what RLND is, who it's for, and why showing up might be the most important leadership skill of all.