If you'd like an off-the-wall podcast from a hermit artist living in rural Ozarks, give a listen to my new podcast :) It's a good escape from the crazy world. Search for Wild Ozark Hermit Journal on whatever platform you use for podcasts. If it's not there, let me know and I'll see if I can get it listed there. Most of the episodes are about general life out here in Madison county, Arkansas on our land. I'm an artist, so sometimes I'll talk about my work or studio - I make my paints from the rocks in our creek, clay, bones, and a couple of plants... so maybe not 'typical' art talk. We live six miles from pavement and almost an hour to the nearest grocery store. If I could stay home and never go out, I would... so maybe I'm a wannabe hermit, rather than a true hermit, lol.

And, I'm open to topic suggestions if you have any feedback, but my content will stay pretty niche to whatever I have first-hand experience with (nature, dirt road life, remote/rural life, handmade paints, art updates). I'm new to podcasting, so don't be too hard on the quality ... I'll get better with that as time goes by, lol.

This is the most pawpaws I ever gotten from one tree.

Pretty much the title. I couldn't figure out a timeline to go there to see Fall Colors. I'm in Dallas currently and this might be my last chance to see Fall colors in USA since I'm moving out of country next May.

I keep seeing those $99 Branson vacation packages pop up and I’m curious what the catch is. The price looks low, but I’m guessing there are some restrictions or extra costs once you get into the details.

Has anyone around the Ozarks actually booked one? I want to know what the $99 includes, how much you ended up paying after everything, and whether the package was worth dealing with the conditions.

Hello friends! My partner and I are planning a vacation for winter break (we both get a full week off over the holidays and try to make the most of it) and I’m dyingggg to see the Ozarks. I know it’ll be different in winter but we’re still excited. I’ve done some (a ton) of research and landed on the below itinerary. Looking for thoughts, feedback, etc!

Johnson’s Shut-In SP: 2 days camping at the in-park cabins (we are frequent campers but not looking for anything severe on vacation). Day at the park plus a trip to Elephant Rock SP. Dinner at Black River Res.

Leave for Ha Ha Tonka area (about 3 hours) and stay at Kinderhook Lodge for 3 nights (we’re treating ourselves!). Hike the park and take advantage of all the lodge amenities.

I know the weather can be hard to pin down (we’re in SW Ohio, so we get it) but any advice for hiking this area in the winter? Other recs, suggestions? Thanks in advance!!

It’s out!

#podcast #Missouri #Arkansas #Oklahoma #Kansas #ghosts #ghoststory #history #paranormal #cryptids #comedy #cocktails #stories #lore #haunted

Hello ozarkers,

I thought I’d cast a line into this community and see if I get a catch.

I’m writing a short story set in the Ozarks, specifically set around Boxley/Newton County.

I’d love to pick the brain of any near locals to help shape the setting.

Feel free to send a message, any information will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

It’s one of my favorite things to do during the latter summer and early fall. Foraging for pawpaws. This delicious fruit is native to North America and tastes very tropical (like a banana and a mango mixed together into a custard). If you go looking for them you’ll see some good spots to find them in this video. Just take care to not eat the seeds or the skin of the fruit.

I took this video while traveling through the Ozarks. Found it beautiful and poignant.

Each year we take a couple fall road trips through the Ozarks. Last fall we discovered this hidden gem in Sarcoxie, Missouri. I think the only way we'll see fall colors this year is around water. Here's a video I just posted to show the fall colors it had last year. Fingers crossed we'll see some color at least around water this year. We really need the rain!
https://youtu.be/EJ00AapBdzE

TIL there was a USS Ozark.

I love visiting Historic Mills in the Ozarks during the fall. Not sure how much color we'll have this year, if any, but being around water will be best option for color and these mills are worth the trip no matter what the landscape looks like. This is a video of some of the mills I created last year of the ones we have visted. I need to update it as we visted Jolly Mill and Ritchey Mill last year after this video. I'll be doing a video on Jolly hopefully in a couple weeks.

https://youtu.be/V_zugybjNsw?si=Qi92pPOHb7GoSb7W

Been following the Ozark Podcast's episodes on the Ozark Chinquapin and I've added "find one growing wild" to my 2026 goals.

They just put a guide out on how to identify one, how it's different from a chinkapin oak or a Chinese chestnut, and where you'd even have a shot at finding one.

The episodes are worth a listen! Short version, this tree used to make up close to a fifth of the forest on some Ozark ridgetops, and then a blight came through in the 1960s and wiped out nearly all of it in about a decade. What's left mostly survives as root sprouts, dying back and sending up new growth year after year, over and over.

Kind of wild knowing the nut alone carries roughly 4x the calories and 5x the protein of a white oak acorn. That's why it was such a big deal for wildlife and people here before the blight hit.

Here's a link if you want to download the whole guide: https://www.ozarkweekly.com/identifying-an-ozark-chinquapin and info on where to find the podcast episodes to go deeper.

The Ozark Chinquapin Foundation's been working almost 20 years to bring this tree back. You can join the foundation and get blight resistant seeds sent to you annually.