Wilder on the Prairie

Latest Episodes:

Episode 171 - LW - It Can't Beat Us Oct 27, 2025

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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 170 - LW - The Last Mile Oct 20, 2025

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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 169 - LW - Four Days' Blizzard Oct 13, 2025

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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 168 - LW - For Daily Bread Oct 06, 2025

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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 167 - LW - Breathing Spell Sep 29, 2025

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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 166 - LW - Free and Independent Sep 22, 2025

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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 165 - LW - Not Really Hungry Sep 15, 2025

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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 164 - LW - Wheat in the Wall Sep 08, 2025

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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 163 - LW - Cold and Dark Sep 01, 2025

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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 162 - LW - The Hard Winter Aug 25, 2025

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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.

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