Disability Ecologies Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:05:15 -0400 https://disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com en-us © 2026 Disability Ecologies yes Johnson County Historic Poor Farm, Melrose Avenue, Iowa City, IA, USA 2539d6c7-2441-530f-a4c1-24a2669846a4 Emerson Cram episodic false In the 1850s, county governments across the Midwest established what were then known as “poor farms.” These were residential institutions for county “dependents” which included those unable to work, for reasons of disability or otherwise. In the 1970s, Johnson County, Iowa supervisors initiated what would become a decades-long attempt to preserve their county poor farm’s historic structures. Their actions encouraged education and reflection of the history of mental health care.


Disability Ecologies digs through the past of poor farm institutions and their vast connections in order to fathom their ongoing significance in our world of today. The now named Johnson County Historic Poor Farm reflects an intentional redesign of both land use and distribution of crops grown. To plan and implement the redesign necessitated an unlikely collection of shared interests, often at times in friction with each other. Join narrator Emerson Cram to explore roughly six years of efforts by restoration ecologists, local farmers and growers, local disability community members, and historic preservation experts, all to transform the former poor farm land into a place designed to meet a broad spectrum of community needs.  


Each week, you’ll hear from an eclectic mix of voices that bring together conversations about history and memory; medicine, law, and social services; community planning, design, and disability justice; historical land use; and the process of designing infrastructure for local foods. Whether you’re interested in the history of medicine, agriculture, or social services, or if you’re curious how disability culture and history can shape conversations about food systems and food justice, you’ll be inspired by stories that move beyond the silos of conventional thinking. All told, Disability Ecologies is a story about the possibilities of forgiveness, and what we can create when we can value the capacities that fundamentally make us human.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) disability history, disability justice, food justice, memory, food systems, local food systems, storytelling, mental health history, agricultural history, poor farms, asylums Emerson Cram https://storage.buzzsprout.com/ok093qdqzoimq9ah33hmfernozjk?.jpg Disability Ecologies Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco From Soil to Seeding Local Foods, Part Two From Soil to Seeding Local Foods, Part Two Presenting: From Soil to Seeding Local Foods

Content: 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Jason Grimm 
    • Malik Salsberry 
    • Ilsa DeWald 
    • April Lawyer 
    • Felicia Pieper 
    • Scott Koepke 

Highlights

Join Emerson as they talk with the newest generation of GROW farmers, on why this work is meaningful, how food justice and food sovereignty overlap and depart, and what’s grown on site, beyond all of the vegetables. Emerson reflects on the relationships created and sustained through volunteer work, which takes them into the world of preserving fish pepper seeds, an ancestor of Black disability justice. Seeds are archives–stories rendered in biological form. 

Conclusion
Food justice includes farm workers themselves, and the industry faces high rates of burnout exacerbated by uncertainty, low wages, and inaccessible land and/or markets. In early 2025 into 2026, food and farming operations witnessed devastating blows to federal funding, and creatively adapted to continue their core mission. Scott remembers Alfred Knapp. 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordan; and Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show:Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram:@disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Presenting: From Soil to Seeding Local Foods

Content: 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Jason Grimm 
    • Malik Salsberry 
    • Ilsa DeWald 
    • April Lawyer 
    • Felicia Pieper 
    • Scott Koepke 

Highlights

Join Emerson as they talk with the newest generation of GROW farmers, on why this work is meaningful, how food justice and food sovereignty overlap and depart, and what’s grown on site, beyond all of the vegetables. Emerson reflects on the relationships created and sustained through volunteer work, which takes them into the world of preserving fish pepper seeds, an ancestor of Black disability justice. Seeds are archives–stories rendered in biological form. 

Conclusion
Food justice includes farm workers themselves, and the industry faces high rates of burnout exacerbated by uncertainty, low wages, and inaccessible land and/or markets. In early 2025 into 2026, food and farming operations witnessed devastating blows to federal funding, and creatively adapted to continue their core mission. Scott remembers Alfred Knapp. 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordan; and Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show:Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram:@disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18856505 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0500 2252 full false Felicia Pieper Ilsa DeWald Jason Grimm Malik Salsberry Scott Koepke Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco From Soil to Seeding Local Foods, Part One From Soil to Seeding Local Foods, Part One Presenting: From Soil to Seeding Local Foods 

Content: 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Scott Koepke
    • Carly McAndrews 
    • Alfred Matiyabo 
    • Ilsa DeWald 
    • Rod Sullivan 
    • Jason Grimm 

Highlights
This chapter brings the story of the historic poor farm full circle, by documenting the work of GROW Johnson County. Co-founded in 2015 by John Boller, Scott Koepke, and Bob Andrik, GROW’s initial vision was to meet community needs around food access in Johnson County. Despite Iowa’s status as a predominantly agricultural state, food insecurity only continues to expand, with recent pressure points including the COVD-19 pandemic, policy changes in SNAP benefits, and the continuing escalation of the cost of living. Join Emerson as they dig into the efforts to establish GROW and Scott Koepke reflecting on its early days in addition to its legacy, how food policy shapes Iowa’s food system, why local food infrastructure matters, and why everything comes back to soil.  

Conclusion
What do we grow on intergenerational timelines? Who do we need to support our dreams to make good on a plan? We need each other when we are bold enough to build something in the times we are standing in the middle of a muddy field, and the rain is pouring, and we question our own capacity, our knowledge, and our energy to see it through.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

KCRG.Com, "Johnson Co. food pantries address SNAP benefit concerns," October 31, 2026

Audio of Johnson County Supervisor Meeting, October 1, 2014.

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordan; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabi
]]> Presenting: From Soil to Seeding Local Foods 

Content: 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Scott Koepke
    • Carly McAndrews 
    • Alfred Matiyabo 
    • Ilsa DeWald 
    • Rod Sullivan 
    • Jason Grimm 

Highlights
This chapter brings the story of the historic poor farm full circle, by documenting the work of GROW Johnson County. Co-founded in 2015 by John Boller, Scott Koepke, and Bob Andrik, GROW’s initial vision was to meet community needs around food access in Johnson County. Despite Iowa’s status as a predominantly agricultural state, food insecurity only continues to expand, with recent pressure points including the COVD-19 pandemic, policy changes in SNAP benefits, and the continuing escalation of the cost of living. Join Emerson as they dig into the efforts to establish GROW and Scott Koepke reflecting on its early days in addition to its legacy, how food policy shapes Iowa’s food system, why local food infrastructure matters, and why everything comes back to soil.  

Conclusion
What do we grow on intergenerational timelines? Who do we need to support our dreams to make good on a plan? We need each other when we are bold enough to build something in the times we are standing in the middle of a muddy field, and the rain is pouring, and we question our own capacity, our knowledge, and our energy to see it through.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

KCRG.Com, "Johnson Co. food pantries address SNAP benefit concerns," October 31, 2026

Audio of Johnson County Supervisor Meeting, October 1, 2014.

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordan; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabi
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18856499 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0500 3255 1 5 full false Geoff Mouming Ilsa DeWald Rod Sullivan Scott Koepke Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco A Witness Tree on the Land, Part Two A Witness Tree on the Land, Part Two Presenting: A Witness Tree on the Land 

Content: cemeteries and death care, the politics of restoration, land development, logics of “cure” 

Featuring:

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • V Fixmer-Oraiz 
    • Rod Sullivan 
    • Dr. Jennifer Mack 
    • Chant Eicke 
    • Geoff Mouming 
    • Jason Grimm 

Highlights
This episode picks up with the preservation challenges of the early 2000s, as Johnson County debated what should happen to the publicly held land. Proposals for development varied from a golf course, a new county jail, housing development, all of which would have required the county sell off portions of the land. Preservation advocates organized to dissuade the county from developing the land for these uses, arguing that doing so would generate incalculable loss. Emerson explores these debates in the 2000s as quintessential tensions between preservation and development, but the significance of choosing preservation is remarkable, especially within a rural area. As an extension of these tensions over land use, Emerson talks again with Dr. Mack about the cemetery.

Conclusion
Can design unlock the intersections of food justice and disability justice? How can land tenure systems shape long standing conversations about poverty and modern life? What does “restoration” mean in the bigger picture of our relationships with the land and each other? The Monarch Super Highway.  

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner.   

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Presenting: A Witness Tree on the Land 

Content: cemeteries and death care, the politics of restoration, land development, logics of “cure” 

Featuring:

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • V Fixmer-Oraiz 
    • Rod Sullivan 
    • Dr. Jennifer Mack 
    • Chant Eicke 
    • Geoff Mouming 
    • Jason Grimm 

Highlights
This episode picks up with the preservation challenges of the early 2000s, as Johnson County debated what should happen to the publicly held land. Proposals for development varied from a golf course, a new county jail, housing development, all of which would have required the county sell off portions of the land. Preservation advocates organized to dissuade the county from developing the land for these uses, arguing that doing so would generate incalculable loss. Emerson explores these debates in the 2000s as quintessential tensions between preservation and development, but the significance of choosing preservation is remarkable, especially within a rural area. As an extension of these tensions over land use, Emerson talks again with Dr. Mack about the cemetery.

Conclusion
Can design unlock the intersections of food justice and disability justice? How can land tenure systems shape long standing conversations about poverty and modern life? What does “restoration” mean in the bigger picture of our relationships with the land and each other? The Monarch Super Highway.  

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner.   

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18856493 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0500 2425 1 4 full false Chant Eicke Dr. Jennifer Mack Geoff Mouming Jason Grimm Rod Sullivan V Fixmer-Oraiz Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco A Witness Tree on the Land, Part One A Witness Tree on the Land, Part One Presenting: A Witness Tree on the Land  

Content: forced removal, colonialism, 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Geoff Mouming 
    • Chant Eicke 

Highlights
This chapter tells the story of the Historic Poor Farm’s land from the point of view of a 250 year old Bur Oak on the southern edges of the property. Geoff and Emerson walk through the restored natural areas for Emerson’s first close-up of “Oakland,” a regenerating savanna of oak trees. The legacy tree that initiated the trek might tell stories about its connection to disability community and lineage; time travel through and with glacial kinship, the Oneota, the Blackhawk War, and Meskwaki journeys with new people and relations. The radical imposition of a new biological regime. A central question: how should we use public land?

Conclusion
How do the ways we talk about public land reveal how we imagine our relationships to our planetary home? In a landscape shaped by radical transformation and change, how should we imagine “natural” as something to grasp or measure? Can “natural” even be a bench mark? What then, does it mean to practice restoration ecology in a context not of our making? 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.

Jonathan Buffalo speaking to the Rotary Club of Ames, “Meskwaki Nation, a History,” YouTube, March 20, 2021.   

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordan; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Presenting: A Witness Tree on the Land  

Content: forced removal, colonialism, 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Geoff Mouming 
    • Chant Eicke 

Highlights
This chapter tells the story of the Historic Poor Farm’s land from the point of view of a 250 year old Bur Oak on the southern edges of the property. Geoff and Emerson walk through the restored natural areas for Emerson’s first close-up of “Oakland,” a regenerating savanna of oak trees. The legacy tree that initiated the trek might tell stories about its connection to disability community and lineage; time travel through and with glacial kinship, the Oneota, the Blackhawk War, and Meskwaki journeys with new people and relations. The radical imposition of a new biological regime. A central question: how should we use public land?

Conclusion
How do the ways we talk about public land reveal how we imagine our relationships to our planetary home? In a landscape shaped by radical transformation and change, how should we imagine “natural” as something to grasp or measure? Can “natural” even be a bench mark? What then, does it mean to practice restoration ecology in a context not of our making? 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.

Jonathan Buffalo speaking to the Rotary Club of Ames, “Meskwaki Nation, a History,” YouTube, March 20, 2021.   

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordan; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18856483 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0500 3319 1 4 full false Chant Eicke Geoff Mouming Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco Dignity Delayed, Part Two Dignity Delayed, Part Two Presenting: Dignity Delayed 

Content: historic records 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Mary Helen Kennerly, Seen & Heard Facilitator, DAC Member 
    • Becky Dewing, Johnson County Historic Society
    • Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz 
    • Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass 
    • Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder 
    • Kevin Kolsto, DAC Member 
    • Julie Watkins, DAC Co-Facilitator and Events Manager for Historic Poor Farm 
    • Supervisor Rod Sullivan 

Highlights
Join Emerson as they highlight the dedication of the Healing Trail, and the events leading up to its opening. Seen and Heard visits the asylum and takes stock of the historic records, forging connection and kinship. Members of the Disability Advisory Committee have taken up efforts to shape the site’s lasting legacy and commitment to public education. What a commitment to liberatory access might look like. 

Conclusion
What becomes possible when we value—in all the registers of that term—people’s inherent dignity? What if difference is not a burden but a critical component of biodiversity? What if honoring dependency is the greatest transformation we cultivate for the future? Healing is never linear, and the unfinished work ahead.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

Mia Mingus, “Access Intimacy,” Disability Intersectionality Summit, October 26, 2018. 

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share. 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Presenting: Dignity Delayed 

Content: historic records 

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Mary Helen Kennerly, Seen & Heard Facilitator, DAC Member 
    • Becky Dewing, Johnson County Historic Society
    • Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz 
    • Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass 
    • Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder 
    • Kevin Kolsto, DAC Member 
    • Julie Watkins, DAC Co-Facilitator and Events Manager for Historic Poor Farm 
    • Supervisor Rod Sullivan 

Highlights
Join Emerson as they highlight the dedication of the Healing Trail, and the events leading up to its opening. Seen and Heard visits the asylum and takes stock of the historic records, forging connection and kinship. Members of the Disability Advisory Committee have taken up efforts to shape the site’s lasting legacy and commitment to public education. What a commitment to liberatory access might look like. 

Conclusion
What becomes possible when we value—in all the registers of that term—people’s inherent dignity? What if difference is not a burden but a critical component of biodiversity? What if honoring dependency is the greatest transformation we cultivate for the future? Healing is never linear, and the unfinished work ahead.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

Mia Mingus, “Access Intimacy,” Disability Intersectionality Summit, October 26, 2018. 

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share. 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18856469 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0500 2373 1 3 full false Julie Watkins Kim Painter Lisa Green-Douglass Mary Helen Kennerly Rod Sullivan V Fixmer-Oraiz Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco Dignity Delayed, Part One Dignity Delayed, Part One CHAPTER THREE, PART ONE

Presenting: Dignity Delayed

Content: discrimination, medicaid cuts

Featuring:

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Mary Helen Kennerly 

Highlights
This chapter tells the story of how the Disability Advisory Committee came into being because of a random encounter between V Fixmer-Oraiz and Seen and Heard, an activity group focused on disability advocacy. Join Emerson as they explore how Seen and Heard’s self-advocacy joins a long legacy of disability rights organizing in the United States. Learn about Seen and Heard, Judith Heumann, and the ongoing struggles to integrate disability into public life.

Conclusion
Seen and Heard’s impact on project design coincided with the period of privatizing Medicaid in Iowa, a moment reminiscent of the era prior to deinstitutionalization. The fight for full inclusion persists.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

KWWL, “‘Healing Trail Opens at Johnson County Historic Poor Farm,” November 15, 2023.
C-Span, “Discrimination against the Disabled,” Senate House Labor Subcommittee Hearing, 27 September 1988.
Patty Berne and Stacey Milburne, “My Body Doesn’t Oppress Me, Society Does,” Barnard Center for Research on Women, May 9, 2017.
Des Moines Register, “Disabled Iowans say Medicaid firms Cutting Care,” 16 March 2017.
Zach Boyden-Holmes, “Mom Hopes for Delay of Medicaid Privatization,” The Des Moines Register 4 December 2015.
Who13, “State Auditor claims Iowa’s privatized Medicaid illegally denies care,” 20 October 2021.

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); V Fixmer-Oraiz; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar, Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> CHAPTER THREE, PART ONE

Presenting: Dignity Delayed

Content: discrimination, medicaid cuts

Featuring:

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Mary Helen Kennerly 

Highlights
This chapter tells the story of how the Disability Advisory Committee came into being because of a random encounter between V Fixmer-Oraiz and Seen and Heard, an activity group focused on disability advocacy. Join Emerson as they explore how Seen and Heard’s self-advocacy joins a long legacy of disability rights organizing in the United States. Learn about Seen and Heard, Judith Heumann, and the ongoing struggles to integrate disability into public life.

Conclusion
Seen and Heard’s impact on project design coincided with the period of privatizing Medicaid in Iowa, a moment reminiscent of the era prior to deinstitutionalization. The fight for full inclusion persists.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.  

KWWL, “‘Healing Trail Opens at Johnson County Historic Poor Farm,” November 15, 2023.
C-Span, “Discrimination against the Disabled,” Senate House Labor Subcommittee Hearing, 27 September 1988.
Patty Berne and Stacey Milburne, “My Body Doesn’t Oppress Me, Society Does,” Barnard Center for Research on Women, May 9, 2017.
Des Moines Register, “Disabled Iowans say Medicaid firms Cutting Care,” 16 March 2017.
Zach Boyden-Holmes, “Mom Hopes for Delay of Medicaid Privatization,” The Des Moines Register 4 December 2015.
Who13, “State Auditor claims Iowa’s privatized Medicaid illegally denies care,” 20 October 2021.

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); V Fixmer-Oraiz; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar, Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18856455 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0500 2446 1 3 full false Mary Helen Kennerly Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco Poor Farm Pathways, Part Two Poor Farm Pathways, Part Two Presenting: Poor Farm Pathways

Content: insanity diagnosis; eugenics; Bedlam; Snake Pit; “wellness farms,” animal confinement

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Julie Watkins, Events Manager, Johnson County Historic Poor Farm
    • Dr. Jenell Johnson, Professor of Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison 
    • Dr. Aimi Hamraie, Canada Research Chair in Technology, Society, and Disability, York University 
    • Hallie Ableman, PhD Candidate in American Studies, University of Iowa  

Highlights
Conversations with disability studies scholars, whose work intersects with poor farm themes: medical diagnosis, what design practices tell us about bodies and the built environment, and unexpected connections between disability and animals. Join Emerson to hear about film & cultural memory, how societal ideas about work shaped psychiatric environments, and the potentially surprising narrative of rural vice. The social history of poor farms meets up with a 2024 U.S. Presidential candidate through the idea of “wellness farms.”   

Conclusion
What do we really know about rural histories? Fear of vice and difference in 20th century rural histories have much to teach about the surprising forces behind meanings of “disability.” 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and sound editing by Emerson Cram. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only.

Von Gogan—Trailers. “Bedlam-Horror-1946-clip.”  

Seeker Rising, “The Snake Pit ‘insane to sane.’” 

Kiera Butler, “RFK Jr. Wants to Send People Addicted to Antidepressants to Government ‘Wellness Farms,’” Mother Jones 24 July 2024. 

“We Would Like to Drink,” from the Harry Oster Folk Music Collection, Rita Benton Music Library, UI Libraries. Thanks to Katie Buehner and Christine Burke.

Typing 5 lines.wav by soundslikewillem -- https://freesound.org/s/193971/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; UIowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, & Hallie Abelman); Julie Watkins; State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen; V Fixmer-Oraiz; Rebecca Dewing; 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram:@disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Presenting: Poor Farm Pathways

Content: insanity diagnosis; eugenics; Bedlam; Snake Pit; “wellness farms,” animal confinement

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Julie Watkins, Events Manager, Johnson County Historic Poor Farm
    • Dr. Jenell Johnson, Professor of Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison 
    • Dr. Aimi Hamraie, Canada Research Chair in Technology, Society, and Disability, York University 
    • Hallie Ableman, PhD Candidate in American Studies, University of Iowa  

Highlights
Conversations with disability studies scholars, whose work intersects with poor farm themes: medical diagnosis, what design practices tell us about bodies and the built environment, and unexpected connections between disability and animals. Join Emerson to hear about film & cultural memory, how societal ideas about work shaped psychiatric environments, and the potentially surprising narrative of rural vice. The social history of poor farms meets up with a 2024 U.S. Presidential candidate through the idea of “wellness farms.”   

Conclusion
What do we really know about rural histories? Fear of vice and difference in 20th century rural histories have much to teach about the surprising forces behind meanings of “disability.” 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and sound editing by Emerson Cram. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only.

Von Gogan—Trailers. “Bedlam-Horror-1946-clip.”  

Seeker Rising, “The Snake Pit ‘insane to sane.’” 

Kiera Butler, “RFK Jr. Wants to Send People Addicted to Antidepressants to Government ‘Wellness Farms,’” Mother Jones 24 July 2024. 

“We Would Like to Drink,” from the Harry Oster Folk Music Collection, Rita Benton Music Library, UI Libraries. Thanks to Katie Buehner and Christine Burke.

Typing 5 lines.wav by soundslikewillem -- https://freesound.org/s/193971/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; UIowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, & Hallie Abelman); Julie Watkins; State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen; V Fixmer-Oraiz; Rebecca Dewing; 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram:@disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18877435 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0500 3574 1 2 full true Dr. Aimi Hamraie Dr. Jenell Johnson Hallie Abelman Julie Watkins Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco Poor Farm Pathways, Part One Poor Farm Pathways, Part One Poor Farm Pathways, Part One 

Content: “idiotic,” asylums; confinement; “insanity law”

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Julie Watkins, Events Manager, Johnson County Historic Poor Farm
    • Michael Hoenig, Project Coordinator, University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development
    • Dr. Jennifer Mack, Lead Bioarcheologist, Asylum Hill Project, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Highlights

This chapter picks at some key questions–why did people come here? Were the people who lived here “bad”? Join Emerson to dive in the unexpected ways poor farm histories reveal connections between agriculture, rural social welfare, psychiatry’s early U.S. history in asylums, and the regionalization of poverty relief law. Hear the stories about individual residents identified so far. 

Conclusion

Tracking how institutional pathways were made can connect the partial stories of the poor farm’s evolution, and help account for why “dependency” remains such a powerful stigmatizing term that connects powerful stories about waste, work, and deviance. 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits

Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and sound editing by Emerson Cram. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only.

“How Many Stars in the Sky,” from the Harry Oster Folk Music Collection, Rita Benton Music Library, The University of Iowa Libraries. Thanks to Katie Buehner and Christine Burke.

Typing 5 lines.wav by soundslikewillem -- https://freesound.org/s/193971/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks

With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants, Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 


Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Poor Farm Pathways, Part One 

Content: “idiotic,” asylums; confinement; “insanity law”

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Julie Watkins, Events Manager, Johnson County Historic Poor Farm
    • Michael Hoenig, Project Coordinator, University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development
    • Dr. Jennifer Mack, Lead Bioarcheologist, Asylum Hill Project, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Highlights

This chapter picks at some key questions–why did people come here? Were the people who lived here “bad”? Join Emerson to dive in the unexpected ways poor farm histories reveal connections between agriculture, rural social welfare, psychiatry’s early U.S. history in asylums, and the regionalization of poverty relief law. Hear the stories about individual residents identified so far. 

Conclusion

Tracking how institutional pathways were made can connect the partial stories of the poor farm’s evolution, and help account for why “dependency” remains such a powerful stigmatizing term that connects powerful stories about waste, work, and deviance. 

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits

Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and sound editing by Emerson Cram. 

All media clips are used for educational purposes only.

“How Many Stars in the Sky,” from the Harry Oster Folk Music Collection, Rita Benton Music Library, The University of Iowa Libraries. Thanks to Katie Buehner and Christine Burke.

Typing 5 lines.wav by soundslikewillem -- https://freesound.org/s/193971/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Funding
Research, writing, and production have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; UI OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities;  UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; CLAS Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks

With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants, Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 


Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Emerson Cram Buzzsprout-18854666 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0500 3053 1 2 full true Dr. Jennifer Mack Julie Watkins Michael Hoenig Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco History is a Story, Part Two History is a Story, Part Two Presenting: History is a Story, Part Two 

Content: asylum, "insane," cemetery  

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Guests: 
    • Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2022-present), & former Project Manager for the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm Master Plan (2017-2021)
    • Supervisor Rod Sullivan, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2004-present)
    • Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder 
    • Will Thomson, Armadillo Arts
    • Michael Hoenig, Project Coordinator, University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development
    • Dr. Jennifer Mack, Lead Bioarcheologist, Asylum Hill Project, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Highlights
This conversation explores intricate relationships between memory, preservation, & historical narratives surrounding the asylum and Poor Farm Cemetery. Emerson discusses the importance of recognizing the power dynamics at play in preserving the stories of those who lived in these spaces, the discomfort that comes with confronting difficult histories, & the role of imagination in understanding the past. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of community involvement in preservation efforts & how physical remnants of history serve as important record keepers.

Conclusion
Preservation saves & honors structures & stories. Discomfort can lead to deeper understanding and value. Rumors reflect community desire to understand its past. Preservation can be a form of forgiveness & a commitment to future generations, preservation & restoration can be an emergence story. 

Transcript

For full transcript, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Written & narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production & Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips used for educational purposes only. Sound licensed through Pixabay.

Iowa City Public Library, “Tell Me Your Story: Bob Burns,” Interview with Ellen Buchanan, 1991; August 9, 2017. 

The Proper People, “Exploring an Abandoned Asylum–Decayed Buildings with Power,” May 26, 2023. 

Tom Naples, “Prairie Farewell,” Music from the Depression, no date.    

Special Thanks

With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, & Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); V Fixmer-Oraiz; Kim Painter; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Funding
Research, writing, & production benefited from generous support: National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; The University of Iowa (UI) OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; UI CLAS, Summer Humanities Award.

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Presenting: History is a Story, Part Two 

Content: asylum, "insane," cemetery  

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Guests: 
    • Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2022-present), & former Project Manager for the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm Master Plan (2017-2021)
    • Supervisor Rod Sullivan, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2004-present)
    • Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder 
    • Will Thomson, Armadillo Arts
    • Michael Hoenig, Project Coordinator, University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development
    • Dr. Jennifer Mack, Lead Bioarcheologist, Asylum Hill Project, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Highlights
This conversation explores intricate relationships between memory, preservation, & historical narratives surrounding the asylum and Poor Farm Cemetery. Emerson discusses the importance of recognizing the power dynamics at play in preserving the stories of those who lived in these spaces, the discomfort that comes with confronting difficult histories, & the role of imagination in understanding the past. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of community involvement in preservation efforts & how physical remnants of history serve as important record keepers.

Conclusion
Preservation saves & honors structures & stories. Discomfort can lead to deeper understanding and value. Rumors reflect community desire to understand its past. Preservation can be a form of forgiveness & a commitment to future generations, preservation & restoration can be an emergence story. 

Transcript

For full transcript, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Written & narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production & Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. 

All media clips used for educational purposes only. Sound licensed through Pixabay.

Iowa City Public Library, “Tell Me Your Story: Bob Burns,” Interview with Ellen Buchanan, 1991; August 9, 2017. 

The Proper People, “Exploring an Abandoned Asylum–Decayed Buildings with Power,” May 26, 2023. 

Tom Naples, “Prairie Farewell,” Music from the Depression, no date.    

Special Thanks

With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, & Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); V Fixmer-Oraiz; Kim Painter; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner. 

Funding
Research, writing, & production benefited from generous support: National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; The University of Iowa (UI) OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar; UI CLAS, Summer Humanities Award.

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Buzzsprout-18856319 Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0500 2937 1 1 full false Dr. Jennifer Mack Kim Painter Michael Hoenig Rod Sullivan V Fixmer-Oraiz Will Thomson Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco History is a Story, Part One History is a Story, Part One Presenting: History is a Story, Part One

Content: "insanity," asylums, eugenics

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2022-present), and former Project Manager for the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm Master Plan (2017-2021)
    • Supervisor Rod Sullivan, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2004-present)
    • Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2016-present)
    • Carly McAndrews, Farmer, Trowel & Error Farm  
    • Alfred Matiyabo, Farmer, Africando Farm 
    • Kim Painter, Recorder, Johnson County of Iowa  
    • Pauline Kirkpatrick, Former Employee of Johnson County Care Facility 
    • Mira Cunning, Voice of Dorothea Dix 

Highlights
This conversation explores the historical significance of the Johnson County historic poor farm, examining its role in shaping social services and community relationships. Emerson reflects on the journey through time, the evolution of dependency, and the voices of those who lived in the poor farm. The discussion delves into the stigma surrounding dependency, the impact of scientific charity, and the importance of preserving history to understand present-day challenges. Ultimately, it highlights the need for a more inclusive narrative that honors the lives and stories of those who were often marginalized.

Conclusion
Dependency is a complex history that creates long lasting stigma. Community engagement is essential to reimagine land use. Sites of conscience can foster healing and understanding.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.   

Funding
Research, writing, and production benefited from generous support: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; The University of Iowa (UI) OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar Award; UI CLAS, Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; UI Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, & Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, & Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz; Kim Painter; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities, (especially Ashton Wesner, Astrida Neimanis, Marisol de la Cadena, Jason Moore, Mat Fournier, Molly MacVeagh, Francesca Martelli, Joe Riley, Rachel Rozanski, Chris Walker); Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; & Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Presenting: History is a Story, Part One

Content: "insanity," asylums, eugenics

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2022-present), and former Project Manager for the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm Master Plan (2017-2021)
    • Supervisor Rod Sullivan, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2004-present)
    • Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass, Board of Supervisors of Johnson County, Iowa (2016-present)
    • Carly McAndrews, Farmer, Trowel & Error Farm  
    • Alfred Matiyabo, Farmer, Africando Farm 
    • Kim Painter, Recorder, Johnson County of Iowa  
    • Pauline Kirkpatrick, Former Employee of Johnson County Care Facility 
    • Mira Cunning, Voice of Dorothea Dix 

Highlights
This conversation explores the historical significance of the Johnson County historic poor farm, examining its role in shaping social services and community relationships. Emerson reflects on the journey through time, the evolution of dependency, and the voices of those who lived in the poor farm. The discussion delves into the stigma surrounding dependency, the impact of scientific charity, and the importance of preserving history to understand present-day challenges. Ultimately, it highlights the need for a more inclusive narrative that honors the lives and stories of those who were often marginalized.

Conclusion
Dependency is a complex history that creates long lasting stigma. Community engagement is essential to reimagine land use. Sites of conscience can foster healing and understanding.

Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Production and Sound Editing by Maura De Cicco. All media clips are used for educational purposes only. Sound effects licensed through Pixabay.   

Funding
Research, writing, and production benefited from generous support: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; The University of Iowa (UI) OVPR Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; UI Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; UI College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar Award; UI CLAS, Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks
With thanks to Maura De Cicco; UI Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, & Hallie Abelman); State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, & Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz; Kim Painter; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities, (especially Ashton Wesner, Astrida Neimanis, Marisol de la Cadena, Jason Moore, Mat Fournier, Molly MacVeagh, Francesca Martelli, Joe Riley, Rachel Rozanski, Chris Walker); Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; & Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Call to Action: Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! 
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, & stay tuned for future episodes. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Buzzsprout-18856305 Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0500 2586 1 1 full false Kim Painter Lisa Green-Douglass Rod Sullivan V Fixmer-Oraiz Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco Disability Ecologies Trailer Disability Ecologies Trailer Featuring:

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Malik Salsberry, Farm Manager, GROW Johnson County
    • Scott Koepke, Garden Bridge Outreach, and co-founder of GROW Johnson County
    • Claire Trettin, 2025 Seasonal Farm Apprentice, GROW Johnson County

Transcript
For a full transcript of the trailer, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Sound editing by Nic Arp.

Funding

Research, writing, and production of this project have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; The University of Iowa’s Office of the Vice President for Research Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; The University of Iowa Office of the Vice President and Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar Award; The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks

With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants, (especially Ashton Wesner, Astrida Neimanis, Marisol de la Cadena, Jason Moore, Mat Fournier, Molly MacVeagh, Francesca Martelli, Joe Riley, Rachel Rozanski, Chris Walker); Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! If you are local to Johnson County, Iowa, you can tour the Historic Poor Farm in multiple ways, see their website for more information, and for information about volunteering with their site partners, GROW Johnson County and the Johnson County Historical Society. You can also support building a resilient local foods infrastructure through a financial donation to Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development.    
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, and stay tuned for future episodes, dropped weekly between March 30 and until April 27, 2026. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Featuring:

  • Main Voice(s): Emerson Cram 
  • Special Guests: 
    • Malik Salsberry, Farm Manager, GROW Johnson County
    • Scott Koepke, Garden Bridge Outreach, and co-founder of GROW Johnson County
    • Claire Trettin, 2025 Seasonal Farm Apprentice, GROW Johnson County

Transcript
For a full transcript of the trailer, visit: disabilityecologiespodcast.buzzsprout.com

Credits
Episode written and narrated by Emerson Cram, University of Iowa. Recorded with Riverside FM. Sound editing by Nic Arp.

Funding

Research, writing, and production of this project have benefitted from generous support from multiple sources, including: the National Communication Association’s Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award; The University of Iowa’s Office of the Vice President for Research Arts and Humanities Initiative Standard Grant; The University of Iowa Office of the Vice President and Provost Investment in Strategic Priorities; The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts DSHB Humanities Scholar Award; The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Summer Humanities Award.

Special Thanks

With thanks to Maura De Cicco; University of Iowa Departments of Communication Studies, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, and American Studies (Especially Angie Looney, Kembrew McLeod, Eric Vázquez, Naomi Greyser, and Hallie Abelman); The Johnson County Local Food & Farm Team (Julie Watkins & Ilsa DeWald), State Historical Society of Iowa (especially Hang Nguyen, Allison Johnson, and Anu Tiwari); Sarah Keen, University Archivist, University of Iowa; V Fixmer-Oraiz, Johnson County Board of Supervisors; Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder; Rebecca Dewing, Johnson County Historical Society; GROW Johnson County (especially Jason Grimm, Emmaly Renshaw and Malik Salsberry); the 2024 Colby Summer Institute in Environmental Humanities Seminar Participants, (especially Ashton Wesner, Astrida Neimanis, Marisol de la Cadena, Jason Moore, Mat Fournier, Molly MacVeagh, Francesca Martelli, Joe Riley, Rachel Rozanski, Chris Walker); Claire Fox; Teresa Mangum; Jennifer New; Phaedra C. Pezzullo; Constance Gordon; and Jesse Waggoner.  

Audience Participation

  • Do you have a poor farm or county home story to tell? Reach out to our team to learn more about how to share! If you are local to Johnson County, Iowa, you can tour the Historic Poor Farm in multiple ways, see their website for more information, and for information about volunteering with their site partners, GROW Johnson County and the Johnson County Historical Society. You can also support building a resilient local foods infrastructure through a financial donation to Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development.    
  • Support the Show: Share this episode with friends and colleagues, and stay tuned for future episodes, dropped weekly between March 30 and until April 27, 2026. 
  • Follow us on Social Media:
    • Instagram: @disabilityecologiespodcast
]]> Buzzsprout-18807064 Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0500 174 1 trailer false Claire Trettin Malik Salsberry Scott Koepke Emerson Cram Maura De Cicco