Wilder on the Prairie

The only podcast that talks about all things Laura Ingalls Wilder, one "Little House" book at a time.

Episode 186 - LTOP - Snug for the Winter 05/18/2026

Episode 186 - LTOP - Snug for the Winter Episode 186 Ch. 12 of Little Town on the Prairie "Snug for the Winter" Join us as we discuss groundcherries, husk tomatoes, Alfred Lord Tennyson, "The Lotos Eaters", and Carrie's health. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/41325240

Episode 185 - LTOP - Miss Wilder Teaches School 05/11/2026

Episode 185 - LTOP - Miss Wilder Teaches School Episode 185 Ch. 11 of Little House on the Prairie, "Miss Wilder Teaches School". Join us this week as we discuss Eliza Jane Wilder, Ida Wright Brown, Rev. Edward Brown, Genevieve Masters, what a "polonaise" is, a jabot of lace, "With double a ruffle round her neck", "The Whip-Poor-Will's Song", and whippoorwills. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/41241500

Episode 184 - LTOP - Mary Goes to College 05/04/2026

Episode 184 - LTOP - Mary Goes to College Episode 184 Little Town on the Prairie ch. 10 "Mary Goes to College" Join us this week as we discuss fall housecleaning, we revisit straw ticks, Brookins vs. Brookings, sprinkling curtains, the Iowa College for the Blind and Vinton, IA, what month Mary started college, "valise", and a world-record autograph album. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/41056545

Episode 183 - LTOP - Blackbirds 04/27/2026

Episode 183 - LTOP - Blackbirds Episode 183 Little Town on the Prairie ch. 9 "Blackbirds" Join us this week as we dicuss how much Pa earned in the spring, Spanish needle grass, "to scrabble", cashmere, hoop skirts in the 1870s/1880s, catch-stitching, a "gored" skirt, "shirred", yellow-headed blackbirds, "Sing a Song of Sixpence", and $15 for the heifer. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/41023285

Episode 182 - LTOP - Fourth of July 04/20/2026

Episode 182 - LTOP - Fourth of July Episode 182 Ch. 8 of Little Town on the Prairie "Fourth of July" Join us this week as we discuss "The Star Spangled Banner", "Marching through Georgia", union suits, Laura pinning her braids vs. the chapter illustrations, Fort Ticonderoga, Lawyer Visscher Barnes, Laura and Rose's politics (libertarianism), "My Country 'Tis of Thee/America", Samuel Owens, what a "cuss" is, winning $5, and mentioning Eliza Jane Wilder. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40929090

Episode 181 - LTOP - Nine Dollars 04/13/2026

Episode 181 - LTOP - Nine Dollars Episode 181 Ch. 7 of Little Town on the Prairie, "Nine Dollars." Join us this week as we discuss how much $9 is, what fryers are, a reminder of what laths are, bran mash well peppered, was the Ingalls stable made of sod or wood?, to contrive, college and manual training. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40818250

Episode 180 - LTOP - The Month of Roses 04/06/2026

Episode 180 - LTOP - The Month of Roses Episode 180 Ch. 6 in Little Town on the Prairie, "The Month of Roses." Join us this week as we discuss Laura's wages, saloons, Laura's gratitude, Charles H. Tinkham, who Brown was who owned the saloon, "Pull for the Shore", Thomas Power, and Bill O'Dowd/William O'Connell. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40737920

Episode 179 - LTOP - Working in Town 03/30/2026

Episode 179 - LTOP - Working in Town Episode 179 Little Town on the Prairie ch. 5 "Working in Town". Join us this week as we discuss Mr. Clancy/Clayson, definition of "dry goods", the history of sewing machines, Mrs. White, 25 cents a day, thunderpumpers, going "Indian file", basting, bias facings, and a "shanty Irishman". /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40658005

Episode 178 - LTOP - The Happy Days 03/23/2026

Episode 178 - LTOP - The Happy Days Episode 178 Little Town on the Prairie, ch. 4 "The Happy Days" Join us as we discuss organizing the Congregational Church, why Laura wasn't a charter member of founding the church, skim-milk cottage cheese, setting a hen, what a pullet is, what a cockerel is, and when it is too old to be laying eggs. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40579580

Episode 177 - LTOP - The Necessary Cat 03/16/2026

Episode 177 - LTOP - The Necessary Cat Episode 177 Ch. 3 of Little Town on the Prairie, "The Necessary Cat" Join us this week as we discuss Dakota Territory, the use of italicized words in the chapter, Pa losing his hair, Kingsbury County, what counties do, Amos Whiting, when cats' eyes open, and the cost of a cat. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40489640

Episode 176 - LTOP - Springtime on the Claim 03/09/2026

Episode 176 - LTOP - Springtime on the Claim Episode 176 Little Town on the Prairie ch. 2 "Springtime on the Claim" Join us this week as we discuss who is the calf's father? How to skim milk. What a poll is. Laura wearing her hair up or down? What is a rolling coulter or mold board? Mary quoting Jeremiah and Job and Psalm 23. Pa mellows the dirt. What are angleworms? The blackbird nursery rhyme, and the bean plants popping out of the ground. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40358360

Episode 175 - LTOP - Surprise 03/02/2026

Episode 175 - LTOP - Surprise Episode 175 Ch. 1 of Little Town on the Prairie, "Surprise". Join us this week as we discuss Laura working in a hotel, a little of the Ingalls' time in Burr Oak, 1941 in the context of Newbery Honor books and famous people born in 1941. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/40272880

Episode 174 - LW - Christmas in May 11/17/2025

Episode 174 - LW - Christmas in May Episode 174 Ch. 33 of The Long Winter, "Christmas in May". Join us this week as we discuss the tablecloth sitch, yeast cakes/sponge/light bread, seedless raisins, cream of tartar, how far the Boasts' claim was from town, a dripping pan, ways to mash potatoes, the Boasts' winter on their claim, "Where There's a Will There's a Way". /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/39053155

Episode 173 - LW - The Christmas Barrel 11/10/2025

Episode 173 - LW - The Christmas Barrel Episode 173 Ch. 32 of The Long Winter, "The Christmas Barrel". Join us this week as we discuss whaleboned basques, fascinators, what "dove colored" is, Laura's jealousy about the Christmas barrel, talking turkey, and the presence of Mr. Boast. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38970325

Episode 172 - LW - Waiting for the Train 11/03/2025

Episode 172 - LW - Waiting for the Train Episode 172 Ch. 31 of The Long Winter "Waiting for the Train" Join us this week as we discuss King Nebuchadnezzar, "The May Queen", positive stereotypes of people of Scottish descent, why the Ingalls air the bedding, what an emigrant car is, and Pa not caring about taking items from the railroad company. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38883790

Episode 171 - LW - It Can't Beat Us 10/27/2025

Episode 171 - LW - It Can't Beat Us Episode 171 Ch. 30 of The Long Winter, "It Can't Beat Us". Join us this week as we discuss Carrie not helping with chores (?), no more lessons, Pa not singing his trouble song, Laura's light within her, the Chinook winds, and "beauty is only skin deep". /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38784820

Episode 170 - LW - The Last Mile 10/20/2025

Episode 170 - LW - The Last Mile Episode 170 Ch. 29 of The Long Winter, "The Last Mile". Join us this week as we discuss how Almanzo treats Prince, what a neckyoke is, what "tugs" are, "Is that the best you can do?", Laura clarifying the timeline of the narrative, what Loftus charges for the wheat, the physcial description of Pa and the toll the Long Winter has taken on him, the respect Pa commanded, "palaver", how they divided up the wheat, and Pa being too proud to ask for help carrying 125 lbs. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38636215

Episode 169 - LW - Four Days' Blizzard 10/13/2025

Episode 169 - LW - Four Days' Blizzard Episode 169 Ch. of The Long Winter "Four Days' Blizzard" Join us this week as we discuss Pa yelling at the wind, "Song of the Freed Men/We Are All Here", "It Will Never Do to Give (It) up So", "Great Is the Lord/And Greatly to Be Prais'd", "When I Can Read My Title Clear", chilblained definition, and Pa revealing where he got his seed wheat. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38555725

Episode 168 - LW - For Daily Bread 10/06/2025

Episode 168 - LW - For Daily Bread Episode 168 Ch. 27 of The Long Winter "For Daily Bread". Join us this week as we discuss the challenges Cap and Almanzo faced, the morning star (Venus), a buckskin horse, Cap and Almanzo's ages, Lake Henry and Lake Thompson, a "swell", "zenith", the identity of Anderson, wheat prices, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38471495

Episode 167 - LW - Breathing Spell 09/29/2025

Episode 167 - LW - Breathing Spell Episode 167 Ch. 26 of The Long Winter, "Breathing Spell". Join us this week as we discuss Ma's state of mind about the weather, Ma twisting hay, "gee whillikins", elephant nose lengths, Pa's checker-playing abilities. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38383535

Episode 166 - LW - Free and Independent 09/22/2025

Episode 166 - LW - Free and Independent Episode 166 Ch. 25 of The Long Winter, "Free and Independent" Join us this week as we discuss the fact there are no Ingalls present in the narration, whittling, tintypes, "Be sure you're right, then go ahead", "Better safe than sorry", "Free, white, and 21". /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38297910

Episode 165 - LW - Not Really Hungry 09/15/2025

Episode 165 - LW - Not Really Hungry Episode 165 Ch. 24 of the Long Winter "Not Really Hungry". Join us this week as we discuss potato skins, codfish, "chirk", and Laura mentioning Carrie's health. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38215575

Episode 164 - LW - Wheat in the Wall 09/08/2025

Episode 164 - LW - Wheat in the Wall Episode 164 Ch. 23 of The Long Winter "Wheat in the Wall". Join us this week as we discuss always being grateful for what you have, Ma putting her foot down and Pa not hunting for the wheat, pouring tea into the saucer to cool it, Pa with his good eye finding the wheat in the wall, and the price of wheat. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38120455

Episode 163 - LW - Cold and Dark 09/01/2025

Episode 163 - LW - Cold and Dark Episode 163 Ch. 22 of The Long Winter, Cold and Dark. Join us this week as we discuss patching coats, Ma allowing them to dip their bread in their tea, "The Speech of Regulus", "Old Tubal Cain", "Mary Had a Little Lamb", "Little Bo Peep", "Paul Revere's Ride", "The Romance of the Swan's Nest", selling hay to burn, hauling hay while the sun shines, Mary twisting hay, Ma snapping at Pa again, David Livingstone, "Bonny Doon", saleratus, "Home of the Soul". /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/38038950

Episode 162 - LW - The Hard Winter 08/25/2025

Episode 162 - LW - The Hard Winter Episode 162 Ch. 21 of The Long Winter, "The Hard Winter". Join us this week as we discuss the price of beef, searing meat, a recipe for pot roast, Ma losing her temper, "the dickens", "pride goes before a fall", the core message if The Long Winter, "Canaan Together Let Us Sweetly Live"/"On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand", and BROWN FOOD TASTES GOOD. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/37938870

Episode 161 - LW - Antelope! 08/18/2025

Episode 161 - LW - Antelope! Episode 161 Ch. 20 of the Long Winter "Antelope!" Join us this week as we discuss pronghorn, cartridges for Pa's rifle, "counting your chickens before they hatch", sawing on the bit, tender-mouthed horses, "You're a mighty hunter before the Lord", Spirit Lake, Almanzo's sense of direction, Lady is *not* a colt, scraping down a horse, and the change in narrator. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/37852390

Episode 160 - LW - Where There's a Will 08/11/2025

Episode 160 - LW - Where There's a Will Episode 160 Ch. 19 of The Long Winter "Where There's a Will". Join us this week as we discuss twisting hay, Laura wearing Pa's old overcoat, Mary's collge money, the telegraph, the high cost of flour, grist mills, coffee mill dimensions, axle grease, a sourdough bread recipe, and a snapshot of 1881 for context. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/37749040

Episode 159 - LW - Merry Christmas 08/04/2025

Episode 159 - LW - Merry Christmas Episode 159 Ch. 18 of the Long Winter, "Merry Christmas" Join us this week as we discuss Youth's Companions, The Advance, The Pioneer Press, Banker Thomas Ruth, the bluing bag, boiling the starch, what superintendents are responsible for, 25 cents for a pound of flour and for suspenders, the current price of flour, cross-stitching on cardboard, and hair switches. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/37652310

Episode 158 - LW - Seed Wheat 07/28/2025

Episode 158 - LW - Seed Wheat Episode 158 Ch. 17 of The Long Winter "Seed Wheat" Join us this week as we discuss heifers, the reappearance of "The Blue Bonnets", fatmeat, shifts in the narrative, 125-pound sacks of wheat, "a daisy", and the phrase "nothing is certain but death and taxes". /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/37568140

Episode 157 - LW - Fair Weather 07/21/2025

Episode 157 - LW - Fair Weather Episode 157 Ch. 16 of The Long Winter, "Fair Weather". Join us this week as we discuss igloos, the word "Eskimos", how old an "old" horse is, roller towels, "to rassle", David Allison Gilbert, and (Lake) Preston, SD. /episode/index/show/wilderontheprairie/id/37472050

Wilder on the Prairie

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