222 Extra. Out on the Grasslands, with Kelsey Scott

The RegenNarration Podcast

After recording the main episode with Kelsey, we headed out for a very special tour through regenerating cultural and natural grasslands. We pick it up amongst the layered stories around the nearby Missouri River / Lake Oahe. That sets up a sense of the power in arriving at the family’s re-introduced Sundance grounds. Soon after, we witness Kelsey finding Indian grass back on the ranch for the first time, and achieving a long-held dream to see native grasses once again taller than she is. Found alongside the climate cooling, wildlife and nutritional benefits of these grasses, is a family’s deep re-connection in place, and a love story or two. And yet more layers have emerged in these stories since we met at the CREATE reunion last month in Montana.
Olivia and Yeshe are riding in the back for this one, so you’ll hear some kid’s play here and there, and a little cameo from Olivia with Kelsey, comparing herbal medicine notes across Native American and Chinese traditions.
If you’ve come here first, tune into the main episode with Kelsey, ‘Resurgent Land, Culture & Food Systems on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation’. You’ll find a few links in the show notes too, along with a transcript, and a few photos on the episode website, with more on Patreon for subscribing members.
This episode has chapter markers and a transcript.
Recorded 3 August 2024.
Title slide image: Kelsey’s dream realised – the return of native grasses once again taller than she is (pic: Anthony James).
Tune by Jeremiah Johnson.
See more photos on the website, and for more from behind the scenes, become a member via the Patreon page.
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1. The layered stories of the Missouri / Oahe River (00:00:00)

2. Recasting the role of the prairie dog & other ‘pests’ (00:04:00)

3. The family’s re-introduced Sundance grounds (00:08:00)

4. Resurgent grasslands (00:13:40)

5. A view of grandpa’s home now at the bottom of a dam (00:18:20)

6. Mission accomplished (& a love story) (00:20:30)

7. Kelsey’s first time seeing Indian grass back on the ranch (00:23:15)

8. Comparing herbal medicine notes across Native American and Chinese traditions (00:27:18)

9. Keeping the stories of places currently underwater for when they’re not (00:32:40)

10. Thinking about the energies at play on the land since the CREATE reunion (00:34:00)

11. Selecting the herd based on maternal traits (00:38:24)

12. The climate cooling effect of the taller native grasses (00:40:30)

13. Defying conventional wisdom and keeping warm season grasses (00:43:10)

14. Combining tribal leases and ownership to connect lands (00:45:25)