Living history volunteer Bob Baker celebrates 30 years at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park  By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Fort Atkinson State Historical Park is located in Fort Calhoun, Washington County. The original military post was active 1819-1827, and its main purpose was to protect the American fur trade by guarding the “gateway to the West.” At its height, Fort Atkinson housed nearly a quarter of the standing U.S. Army (approximately 1,200 soldiers) and roughly that many civilians lived just beyond the …

Story and photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley The 29th Annual Northern Ponca Tribe Powwow is Aug. 11-13, 2023, with grand entries — ceremonial entrances to the grounds by tribal dancers — at 7 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday. The powwow grounds are located 1 mile west of Niobrara on Highway 12: If coming from the east, turn left at the Ponca sign, located across Niobrara State Park, and follow the pavement. All dancers and …

Summit Lake State Recreation Area Story and photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Set down camp on lush, green lawns and manicured campsites. Drop a line from a picture-worthy fishing pier, or slowly work your way across a no-wake lake inside a boat. Then at the end of the day, sit back with a drink to watch the golden light sink below the glistening lake at your feet — it’s like you’ve arrived in paradise without having to hop onto a plane. …

Story by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Photos by Jesse Deuring The year was 1958. “Volare” dominated the Billboard Hot 100. NASA got its start, and the first Intel microchip was created. In Nebraska, the Blackstone Hotel made its own history. Primarily known for its invention of the famous Reuben sandwich, the Omaha landmark also bears a vibrant, storied past. Black and white photographs hanging in the renamed Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel pique interest, especially among hunters. “The photos kind of remind me of …

By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Servings: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes Ingredients: • 1 pound of venison stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but cold • Salt and freshly cracked pepper • 4 tbs. all-purpose flour, separated • 1 pound of baby bella mushrooms, quartered • Cooking oil • 1 medium onion, chopped • 1 medium to large carrot, peeled and large diced • 2 anchovy filets packed in …

  By Alie Mayes, Community Science Education Specialist You are looking to connect. So, you open your dating app and start scrolling through profiles. No, no, nope, heck no. And then, you pause. Something’s different about this one. It reads: “About Me: Life is all about the connections. I am dynamic, resilient and always seeking balance. Love Languages: Acts of Service and Quality Time What I’m Looking For: I’m Looking for a partner who is nurturing, always looking for the …

Story by Angie Kokes Photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Dove hunting offers generous bag limits and opportunities statewide. Although these birds can be hunted in almost every corner of the world, one of the most serene destinations to do so is in the Sandhills of Nebraska. If you can hear the melancholy tune of an old windmill creaking, you have found the ideal location to try your hand at bringing these tasty morsels out of the sky, while marveling in magnificent …

Tips for Multi-day Kayaking By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Kayak camping is exactly what it sounds like — a unique adventure that combines the best of two worlds. In high school, I was fortunate to spend a week in Alaska with the Girl Scouts, and like a dream come true, we paddled our way around the Kenai Peninsula and camped each night on different beaches. From the tranquility of a kayak, I witnessed marine wildlife from a perspective that would’ve been different …

By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Mulberries should be peaking right now, and one of my favorite ways to eat them is in a muffin — or two. A couple hints on using mulberries: One, collect a combination of ripe and unripe berries for better flavor; ripe mulberries are sweet, but flat-tasting, and the acidity of unripe berries will improve the end result. Two, mulberries are so delicate that they can be a pain to handle. Forget about trying to remove the stems …

Julia Plugge from the She Goes Outdoors podcast joins the Hunt Nebraska Crew as they talk about summer camps. The discussion turns to pocket knives and which one is the best. Hunt Nebraska · Summer Camps and Pocket Knives Hunt Nebraska is the official page to share insight into Nebraska’s hunting and shooting sports community. Follow us to join other like-minded hunting and shooting sports enthusiasts to share stories, skills, tips and techniques about hunting in Nebraska. Follow Hunt Nebraska …