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Alois (Al) Kopp was born at Raleigh, North Dakota, on this date in 1918. During the 1930s, jobs were hard to come by so in 1937, Al joined the Navy, becoming a Pharmacists Mate on the heavy cruiser, USS Houston.

Where does a folksong come from? When I was a folkie, way back in the last century, we were pretty definite about being indefinite about that. A song like “The Cowboy’s Lament” or “Little Old Sod Shanty on the Claim” was a feral thing. Nobody owned it.

On this date in 1910, the News of the North section of the Fargo Forum included another example of community cooperation. “Neighbors Put in Widow’s Crop,” the headline began, followed by “Kindhearted North Dakotans Come to Rescue of Unfortunate Woman.” It was a story out of Goodrich, North Dakota, where neighbors came to help Mrs. L. Anderson.

The 1904 Lewis and Clark Centennial and Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair, known simply as the World’s Fair, was held in St. Louis. With everything from new foods like ice cream cones to the first Ferris wheel, the fair was a combination of trade show, museum, amusement park, and food court.

On this date in 2005, the first of the four Flying Fallgatters, Robert, passed away. The Fallgatter boys grew up in Kintyre, North Dakota, where their father owned the General Merchandise Fallgatter Store.

Are the aspen leafing out near you? Do some seem to be busting out from winter while others, well, not so much? I am occasionally asked this time of year why there is so much variation in when the aspen leaf out, and also why this difference seems to occur in patches. Some have speculated the differences are due to variations in soil types, soils moisture, temperature, or perhaps exposure to sunlight.

Monday, May 2, 2022 - We think of the US as the place those “less fortunate” want to live. Today we visit with Tiffanie Drayton, author of Black American Refugee: Escaping the Narcissism of the American Dream, about why she left to US to return to Tobago. ~~~We’re getting closer to summer road trip season. If you’re looking for ideas, perhaps “The Impossible Road Trip: An Unforgettable Journey to Past and Present Roadside Attractions in All 50 States” will give you ideas. We visit with author Eric Dregni, who has several author talks coming up in western Minnesota. Ashley Thornberg caught up with him at a recent talk in Fargo.

Throughout April, Main Street Eat’s Sue Balcom has been exploring local foods and producers. Today, she takes a slight detour, visiting Shari Glasser. She’s a flower farmer, running Bogie’s Blossoms in Bismarck.

A delightful romp through the multiverse

Tuesday, May 3, 2022 - North Dakota poet laureate Larry Woiwode passed away last Thursday after a short illness. Joining us to reflect on his life is associate poet laureate Jamie Parsley. ~~~ Tom Isern shares a Plains Folk essay, “Railroad Corral.” ~~~ Speaking of history, there are a number of attractions to consider when traveling the state this summer. Bill Peterson, the executive director of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, shares some highlights in an excerpt of the Prairie Pulse television show as he visits with host John Harris. ~~~ There is a new opportunity to get your hands dirty in Bismarck. Shelly Sayler has recently opened part of her ceramics studio to the public, including classes and workshops for those interested in learning more about working with clay. Brandi Malarkey visits Shelly's studio to learn more about her work.