Substacks recommended by Suzan Erem | Postcards from the Heartland

Recommended by Suzan Erem

Unflinching journalism in defense of democracy

Located in northeast Iowa, the Genuine Faux Farm is a small-scale, diversified farm. We share thoughts about agroecology, local foods, nature, farmer philosophy, and even some humor and stories.

Content and the Common Good

By Rebecca Van Damm

Building an online presence while disrupting capitalism can feel like quite the paradox. Let me help you bridge that gap.

The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper

My name is Jess and I was a high school Literature teacher for 16 years until I decided to run as a Democrat in a rural, red district in Missouri. I bring you news and politics from Missouri and beyond from a rural progressive point of view.

Firmly Rooted

By Denise O’Brien

Denise O'Brien and Larry Harris, unique individuals who chose to remain in their place of birth to be organic farmers. The Harris/O'Brien partnership has lived by the philosophy that "the personal is political", a feminist movement phrase from the 1970s.

Fantastic stories from the grandmother of organic farmer activism in Iowa!

- Suzan Erem

Farming Full-Time

By Adam T Kuznia

Farming Full-Time is gonzo agricultural journalism where tractor breakdowns meet cultural criticism and hard truths about modern farming are delivered with equal parts grit and literary grace.🌱

This guy is willing to put it all out there to tell the truth about how it feels to farm these days. Not many men, especially, are willing to talk about that.

- Suzan Erem

Corn Belt Confidential

By Nina B. Elkadi

The history and science behind agriculture, water, and our food systems.

Listening to the Land

By Larry Stone

Join me on my travels in Iowa outdoors.

Larry comes to his insights from a lifetime of experience and a passion for the environment. Always a great read.

- Suzan Erem

The Swine Republic

By Chris Jones

Writing about confluence of agriculture and environment from the heart of the big ag beast here in Iowa

Funny and fearless commentary on water pollution and who's causing it in Iowa.

- Suzan Erem

Substack Writers at Work with Sarah Fay

Grow your Substack, connect with your subscribers, and earn the income you deserve with the leading Substack Strategist. A top-3, bestselling Substack.

My Substack guru! I only took this leap because of the support I get from Writers at Work.

- Suzan Erem

The Poor Prole's Almanac: Restoration Agroecology

By Andy

An intersection of agriculture, ecology, and history.

A Well-Lived Life

By Jen Zamzow

A free monthly newsletter about finding meaning, purpose, and joy in a world of hurry and hustle. Join me and over 2,000 other busy people looking to build more beautiful lives.

Good, sensible ways to approach life.

- Suzan Erem

Are you f'ng kidding me?

By JoJoFromJerz

It’s me… JoJoFromJerz from Twitter!!

Mary Swander's Emerging Voices

Diverse people voice their opinions for the Iowa Writers Collaborative

Unfinished Business

By Cheryl Tevis

Current events, rural living/consumer issues, women's challenges, Iowa life

Become Inspired...

By The Seven Times

Highlighting Black triumph from the West Coast to the Midwest - and beyond. Posting multimedia stories about small Black-owned businesses.

Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

By swandermary@gmail.com

A tale of two homesteads, one among the Amish, the other in Connemara, Ireland. A serialization of a new book of non-fiction.

Everything is Personal

By Laurie Stone

The story is not about what happened, it's about what the narrator makes of what happened.

Art Cullen’s Notebook

A view from rural America: immigration, agriculture, environment, politics

Iowa's progressive and witty newspaperman and Pulitzer Prize winning columnist.

- Suzan Erem

Iowa politics with Laura Belin

Where you get in-depth coverage and exclusive reporting about Iowa politics

Laura's been in the trenches of Iowa politics for years. Excellent independent journalism.

- Suzan Erem

Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

By Robert Leonard

The politics and culture of Iowa, the Midwest, and beyond.

A lifelong journalist on a national platform offers his take on what's happening in Iowa.

- Suzan Erem

In the Dirt

By Beth Hoffman

I dive into the the economics of growing food, give you the dirt on the politics of agriculture and occasionally share a funny tale from our ranch, Whippoorwill Creek Farm.

Braving YES

By Shawn Fink

Braving YES inspires midlife creatives to say YES to being authentic, audacious and unapologetically courageous in your own unique way -- whatever that means for you.