The Places Between Us | Creator & Producer

Designed to feel like a comfortable conversation with a friend, "The Places Between Us" sought to recreate some sense of intimacy during the period of pandemic lockdown throughout 2020. The project is comprised of ten recorded conversations (from a distance) with artists, poets, educators, and change-makers spliced with first person POV footage created by the interviewee of walking (or cycling or flying) through one of their own familiar and favorite places.

Episode 1: Willis Prairie with Kail Katzenmeier

In this inaugural episode of "The Places Between Us," we take a walk with Prairiewood founder and owner Kail Katzenmeier through the piece of land known as Willis Prairie, Learn more about how Prairiewood got its start, who Bill Willis was, and the defense tactics of Canadian geese!

Episode 2: Konza Prairie with Jill Haukos

Jill Haukos leads the Konza Environmental Education Program which serves thousands of school children hands-on learning experiences every year. Hike with us on the Konza Nature Trail loop and learn more about what makes this prairie site unique.

Episode 3: East Lawrence with Megan Kaminski

Megan Kaminski is a poet and faculty member of the University of Kansas in Lawrence. In this episode, Megan shares about some of her recent projects including a native plant divination deck, an upcoming long-form poetry book, and more.

Episode 4: Edible Wild Plants with Sue Maes & Terry Olson

In this adaptation of Prairiewood's UFM class from June 7, 2020, local Manhattanites Terry Olson and Sue Maes share tips for foraging edible wild plants of Kansas. Learn about best practices for gathering and preparing wild plants, and practice some specific plant identification. Click here to download a free PDF checklist of some edible wild plants in Kansas.

Episode 5: The Culture in Agriculture with Aubrey Streit Krug

Ecosphere Studies Director, Aubrey Streit Krug takes us on a walk through Wauhog Prairie at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas, and describes how she is building on foundations in Environmental Humanities, Ethnobotany and Great Plains Studies to inform her work.

Episode 6: Creating a Culture of Community in the Classroom with Nate McClendon

Manhattan High School Orchestra Director Nate McClendon is often asked how he gets his students to sound so good. The answer goes beyond what you might expect: We discuss teaching philosophy, personal faith, confronting racism with hope, treating each other with love and compassion … and the magic of music.

Episode 7: Learning from Pain with Aaron Apel

Many small Midwestern towns are looking for ways to reinvent themselves in a new age and Emporia, Kansas has done just that — namely through world-class disc golf and gravel cycling. But success has also brought new scrutiny. Aaron Apel, Manager of Gravel City Adventure & Supply Co., describes how he has seen his community wrestle with questions of race and equity in recent months through one very particular issue.

Episode 8: A New Perspective of the Gypsum Hills with Nick Abt

Photographer and videographer Nick Abt isn't from Kansas, but he's fallen pretty hard for it. In addition to stunning drone footage of Kansas landscapes and participating in the No Coast Film Fest, Nick also manages one of the most active Kansas photography groups on Facebook. Learn more about Nick's work and some of his current projects in this new episode.

Episode 9: The New Territory with Tina Casagrand

Tina Casagrand felt like a misfit child of the Midwest until she found how to claim her voice through journalism. As the founder of The New Territory magazine, Tina now works with writers and artists to feature inspiring, meaningful stories of the Lower Midwest that highlight the sense of place in this so-called "flyover country."

Episode 10: Courtney Masterson's Lifelong Mission

Courtney Masterson is an ecologist and educator based in Lawrence, Kansas and the owner of Native Lands, LLC. A photographer by training first, Courtney blends art, curiosity, learning, and advocacy in her restoration work of native landscapes. Her passion for prairie is infectious, and her commitment to her mission is inspiring.