What does a drought leave behind after the rain finally returns? Join Champ as he traces how dry years have reshaped the Ozarks, from struggling apple orchards and tomato canneries to the farms his family has worked for generations. Drawing on Robert Flanders’s historical writing, newspaper accounts, and Vance Randolph’s collection of weather lore, Champ explores the hardship, humor, and ingenuity of people waiting for rain. Along the way come animal weather signs, a paid rainmaker, memories of the droughts of the 1950s and 1980, and his own plans for native grasses, a more diversified farm, and another hopeful year.

References mentioned in this episode

Robert Flanders, “When The Big Change Came In Here”
OzarksWatch, Vol. VII, No. 3, Spring 1994; the historical essay Champ reads and paraphrases.
https://sgcld.thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow703b.htm

Vance Randolph
The Ozarks folklorist whose collected weather beliefs anchor the episode’s folklore discussion.
https://historicmissourians.shsmo.org/vance-randolph/

Ozark Magic and Folklore
Randolph’s book, formerly titled Ozark Superstitions; Champ discusses its “Weather Signs” chapter.
https://iucat.iu.edu/iusb/1947258

Historical newspaper references discussed, located by Champ through Newspapers.com:

Springfield Press, October 26, 1929 — “Ozarks Aided by Canneries.”

Daily American Republic, Poplar Bluff, Missouri, May 1931 — “Fifty thousand acre tomato crop to be planted in the Ozarks this year,” with the subheading “Five million cases packed last year.”

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Formerly Tasty Acres, Strawberries and More. Follow them for local food, farm activities, and upcoming events.
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Penny Pinchers
Shop locally and visit the store at 537 East Jackson in Marshfield, Missouri, for daily deals.

Got an idea for a future show? Drop us a line at podcast@wildnwoollyozarks.com. We’re always looking for good stories from the Wild N’ Woolly Ozarks. And be sure to give Wild N’ Woolly Ozarks a like and a follow:
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Champ is in the tomato patch at the old Rabinaugh Stone House stock farm, gathering the last tomatoes before a hoped-for rain. After a hard stretch of drought, he offers a preview of an upcoming Wild N’ Woolly Ozarks episode on the droughts of the 1930s and 1950s, the dry summer of 1980, today’s conditions—and the folklore and a little magic that come with them.

Pick your tomatoes before it rains, then follow Wild N’ Woolly Ozarks on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

On the eve of the 1898 election, the old Webster County Courthouse was crowded with officials collecting ballots and preparing for the next day’s vote. Beneath its dome, a simmering feud between two Caddo neighbors erupted in gunfire.

David H. Shelby was a respected farmer, family man, and community leader. Richard D. Kazee was a once-successful stockman worn down by bereavement, financial troubles, political conflict, and rumors of theft from a church collection plate. When Kazee confronted Shelby in the courthouse hall, dozens witnessed what followed.

Champ traces the grievances that led to Shelby’s murder, Kazee’s swift conviction, and the extraordinary circumstances that allowed a condemned man to beat the rope. It’s a story of politics, personal ruin, frontier-era justice, and just how loosely the jailhouse doors could swing in nineteenth-century Missouri.

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• Tasty Acres Farm
• Penny Pinchers Grocery

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Listen to past episodes at WildNWoollyOzarks.com

Join Champ as he welcomes historian and longtime friend Todd Wilkinson back to the Wild N’ Woolly Ozarks for a wide-ranging discussion of German immigration to Missouri. They explore the religious, political, and economic forces that brought German settlers west, their role in the Civil War, the backlash they faced during World War I, and the lasting influence of German culture on Missouri’s towns, churches, farms, festivals, food, beer, wine, education, and holiday traditions.

Be sure to visit our sponsors:

• Tasty Acres Strawberries and More
• Penny Pinchers Discount Grocery

And be sure to give the Wild N’ Woolly Ozarks a like and a follow.

In the first installment of “Beating the Rope,” Champ tells the wild true story of James “Crazy Jim” Crisp, an accused murderer whose 1891 crime set off years of escapes, delays, appeals, insanity claims, and political wrangling across southwest Missouri. It is a sprawling Ozarks tale of murder, justice, and one man’s remarkable effort to avoid the gallows.

Be sure to check out today's sponsors Penny Pinchers and Tasty Acres Strawberries and More.

Also, don't forget to give us a like and a follow, and tell your friends about The Wild N' Woolly Ozarks.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:22 The Tale of Jim Crisp
• 05:27 The Murder of John Pruitt
• 09:35 The Pursuit and Capture of Crisp
• 17:59 Crisp's Escapes and Recaptures
• 31:52 Crisp's Change of Venue
• 32:16 The Trial Begins
• 36:06 The Insanity Plea
• 37:55 Verdict and Sentencing
• 38:55 Appeal and Commutation
• 49:22 Sheriff's Trial
• 58:24 Remand to Lunatic Asylum
• 01:00:14 Aftermath and Legacy

Join us today as we discuss the Wild Bill Hickok & Davis Tutt shootout and what really happened on the square in Springfield, MO on that day in 1865 that launched a thousand legends in the history of the American Old West. Champ is on location at the Springfield Library Center with Michael Price and Brandon Broughton, both with the Library Center. Together they separate fact from fiction, focusing on documents and actual accounts from the time. They reconstruct the crime scene, and explore the characters of Davis Tutt and Wild Bill Hickok, as well as Springfield's wartime experience and the political upheaval in the city. The conversation also covers the trial and legal proceedings, and the life of a facinating character in Springfield history, Davis' half brother, Lewis Tutt.

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• Tasty Acres Strawberries and More
• Penny Pinchers Discount Grocery

Also, be sure to check out The Wild N' Woolly Ozarks Facebook page, and give a like and a follow and share it with your friends and family. We sure do appreciate it.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Wild Woolly Ozarks
• 06:12 The Legend of Wild Bill Hickok
• 12:08 The Characters: Davis Tutt and Wild Bill Hickok
• 30:24 Springfield's Wartime Experience
• 37:11 The Political Upheaval in Springfield
• 51:51 The Trial and Legal Proceedings
• 01:27:24 The Legacy of the Hickok Tut Shooting

Mark Kumming returns to answer your questions about the evolution of Silver Dollar City, and the theme park attractions and behind-the-scenes operations of the park. Mark shares insights on the origins of Silver Dollar City, the legend of the Yoakum Silver Dollar, the historical significance of the park, and details about specific attractions such as the flooded mine and the Silver Dollar City train. Additionally, Mark discusses his books and publications, offering a deeper dive into the Ozark's history and legends.

Find Mark's books on Amazon.
Check out the SDC Fans Facebook Group.

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Today's guest is Danette House, and our conversation is about old Ozark colloquialisms, uncovering the language, settlement history, immigration influence, survival of old language, and regional dialects of the people of the Ozarks. We discuss the unique linguistic characteristics of the region, Ozark cuisine, old sayings, folklore, and expressions, providing insights into the unique culture and language of the region. We also explore the historical significance of certain phrases and the impact of the Civil War on local communities.

This episode's sponsor is Penny Pinchers Discount Grocery in Marshfield, MO.

Be sure to visit our page, like and follow on The Wild N' Wooly Ozarks Facebook page.

Chapters

• 00:00 Exploring the Wild and Woolly Ozarks
• 10:58 The Great Wagon Road and Ozark Settlement
• 19:24 Immigration and Language Influence
• 28:26 Survival of Old Language and Cultural References
• 44:11 Ozark Language and Regional Dialects
• 50:12 Ozark Cuisine and Old Sayings
• 56:16 Drunk Sayings and Expressions
• 01:03:36 Upcoming Topics and Sponsorship
• 02:00:00 Reflections on Society and Culture