KFAI's MinneCulture Presents

The Miracle of Birth by Ryan Dawes Every year at the Minnesota State Fair, droves of pigs, cows, and sheep give birth before a live audience at the Miracle of Birth Center . In this piece, Veterinarian Florian Ledermann speaks about this one-of-a-kind agricultural education exhibit and perennial State Fair tradition. Front Yard Almond Cakes by Rob McGinley Myers   Rob has always been fascinated by the people who sell refreshments and other things on the streets outside the Minnesota State Fair . He went to talk to those neighborhood vendors - especially one woman who's been selling cake from her front yard for years.  Parking on a Stick by Emily Bright With about 110,000 people squeezing into the Minnesota State Fair every day, finding a place to park can be a drag. Sure, you can take the bus, visit a park-and-ride , or bike. But many people still drive. We will learn how some nearby homeowners rent out their lawns, driveways and garages to the sweaty, ...

MinneCulture Podcast, Ep. 23: Other Duties as Assigned from KFAI There are always parts of a job no one else understands or perhaps even knows about, unheralded tasks that are void of glory and praise. On this episode , we hear from an elementary school principal and the CEO of a hip-hop record label , each fulfilling the last line on their job description: "Other duties as assigned." Red Owl Revival by Anna Stitt The town of Stewart used to be a bustling farm and railroad community. In recent decades, shops have been shuttered and young people have left. But not Jim Pessek. The 34-year-old man is determined to help turn the town's defunct Red Owl  grocery store into a museum. From Fear To Fascination  by Rob McGinley Myers Forty years ago, few people wanted to own snakes or lizards as pets. But since then, the market for geckos, chameleons and bearded dragons has boomed, fueling the success of  Twin Cities Reptiles , the largest reptile-themed pet store ...

MinneCulture Podcast, Ep. 22: Minnesota History, in Their Own Words from KFAI Minnesota's oldest auctioneer reflects on rural life, the Kim Loo Sisters face discrimination in the jazz scene during the 1930s and 1940s, and a rusticly bunking historian sheds light on the history of slavery in Minnesota. The episode was produced by KFAI's Emily Bright . A Short History of Minnesota High Wheel Bikes by Britt Aamodt Mastering a new hobby can be tricky, especially if that hobby is learning to ride a high wheel bicycle from the 1880s. The high wheels, so named because of their giant front wheels (and tiny back wheels), stood as high as a horse and competed with them for space on cobblestone streets. As we'll hear, dismounting from a high wheel bike can be a wobbly adventure.  10,000 Kids Out-Muscle Horses in 6-Mile House Pull by Matthew Schneeman Next to Minnehaha Falls sits an old house that hosts exhibits recalling Minneapolis’s past. The house itself is the site of...

Lady Midnight Live from Minnesota After years of lending her voice to numerous projects, Lady Midnight finds herself ready to step into the solo spotlight. H er collaborating credits have been numerous and deeply rewarding -- acts such as Malamanya,  Parables of Neptune , VANDAAM, P.O.S , Brother Ali, Bon Iver, among seemingly countless others.  In this recent live performance  backed by the brilliant  DJ Sophia Eris ,   MinneCulture  caught Lady Midnight showca sing songs from her newest album at Minneapolis's Icehouse. O ur show was recorded by Ryan Mach , mixed and produced by Tom Garneau for KFAI. L8DMDNT's record release show is this coming Friday at the Turf Club in St. Paul! Malamanya Live from Minnesota Blending original songwriting with traditional rhythms and melodies of Cuba, Central and South America, Malamanya are able to create a classic sound all their own. Their acoustic-driven dance rhythms celebrate salsa and samba, while drawing...

MinneCulture Podcast, Ep. 21: Pain, Pain, Go Away   from KFAI For some artists, sickness can fuel their creativity. But for others, illness can drain the inspiration right out of them. In this episode, musician  P.O.S  and radio producer  Katie Thornton  discuss the ways chronic illnesses has affected their lives.  Also, it's our mini-pledge drive! You can help make KFAI's pain go away by becoming a sustaining member today! Please show your support for this rad little radio station by pledging at kfai.org/donate or by calling 612-375-9030.   You can keep this awesome stuff on the Twin Cities' airwaves with your donations. Each pledge, big or small, is extremely important to us. We need your help to keep this truly public, community-powered, remarkably independent station on your radio dial!

MinneCulture Podcast, Ep. 20: Minnesota Musicians, in Their Own Words from KFAI  Meet some Minnesota musicians that take old music, and put their own twist on it. Jumondeh visits backstage with Debbie Duncan who's known as the Twin Cities' "First Lady of Song." We'll also travel to South Minneapolis, where Minnesota’s oldest African-American drum corps is keeping an old musical tradition alive. And we hear from some passionate classical musicians at the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra about the album that won them a Grammy in 2018. MinneCulture Podcast, Ep. 21: Pain, Pain, Go Away from KFAI For some artists, sickness can fuel their creativity. But for others, illness can drain the inspiration right out of them. In this episode, musician P.O.S and radio producer Katie Thornton discuss the ways chronic illnesses has affected their lives.

A Fiery Unrest: Why Plymouth Avenue Burned by Nancy Rosenbaum During the summer of 1967, Plymouth Avenue in North Minneapolis went up in flames. This was a period which would become known as the Long Hot Summer . Frustrations about racial discrimination and a lack of opportunity for black Americans were erupting on city streets across the country. Here in Minnesota,  those tensions came to a head between July 19-21 on Plymouth Avenue. It was the commercial heart of a racially and ethnically mixed neighborhood; home to the city's largest concentration of African-American residents as well as many Jewish-owned businesses. For some black Minnesotans, Plymouth Avenue was a brick and mortar reminder of racial inequality that could no longer be silently tolerated. In this hour-long documentary, producer Nancy Rosenbaum examines what happened, why, and how people in Minneapolis responded.