That's So Minnesota

She was living with her family in Chicago when a trip to Minnesota's north country captured her imagination. First moving to Winton, Minnesota and then taking over the Isle of Pines resort in the early 1980's, Dorothy Molter starting brewing root beer to serve her guests. Thousands of bottles later, The Root Beer lady poured herself, and her homebrewed soda, into the hearts of thousands of Minnesotans.  Join host Diane Sandberg as we learn more about this historical figure from the North's past, on "That's So Minnesota!"

Toni Stone lived in Saint Paul in the 1930's, and while she didn't stay long, she certainly left her mark on baseball. She started playing with the boys on a team for local Catholic church, and ended up playing professionally in the Negro Leagues.    Join host Diane Sandberg as we learn about what it took for this woman to to earn her place at the plate, on 'That's So Minnesota.' 

Sigurd F. Olson was an author and a passionate environmentalist, credited with helping to preserve the wild places in northern Minnesota. Join host Diane Sandberg in a conversation with Sig's biographer David Backes about the love of the wild and our responsibility to become our true selves. 

There's a place in Minneapolis that is making a lot of noise, but you still might not have heard of them: Orfield Laboratories. Join host Diane Sandberg in a conversation with the founder of the labs still making [sound]waves with two World Records and a new induction into the National Register of Historic Places. 

Join host Diane Sandberg for a walk in the Minnesota woods. Three local experts talk mushrooms, the native tree headed for extinction and the importance of spending time in nature. 

In the early 1900's, a police chief in St. Paul named John J. O'Connor changed the city for decades with his new ways of policing. We ride along on a tour from the Wabasha Street Caves, learning about the gangsters in Minnesota's capitol city. 

In the fall, have you ever driven through St. Paul or Roseville and seen the signs by the road, advertising a booya? Host Diane Sandberg sits down for a ladleful of Minnesota food history on this savory Midwestern soup in this week's episode of That's So Minnesota!

A farewell message from your redheaded host Ellery McCardle. But the podcast isn't going anywhere. Hear who's taking over the microphone.

Minnesota has a lot of roadside attractions. But there's one that has become truly iconic; the World's Largest Ball of Twine made by one man. For decades, Francis Johnson rolled twine until the ball got so big, he had to move it onto his front lawn. Every year, people from all over the world visit Darwin, Minnesota to see it. Host Ellery McCardle talks with Darwin Mayor Josh Johnson about the life and legacy of Francis Johnson, and how he rolled his creation into the record books.

Ever since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, books about race and racial injustice have been flying off the shelves of stores. One in particular, called "A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota" has gained renewed attention. It was published in 2016, and in it, 16 Minnesota writers give their raw account of what it's like being a person of color in Minnesota. This week, Host Ellery McCardle and KARE 11 Sunrise Anchor Gia Vang talk with the book's editor Sun Yung Shin about the struggles many people face in Minnesota.