It’s the middle of summer here in Iowa. Bikers from around the world are crossing the state west to east on their annual pilgrimage of eating pie, burning carbs and experiencing Iowa Nice in one of its finest forms. As I head north on I-35, I see a steady stream of RAGBRAI bikers on an overpass above me, pedaling their way to Marshalltown for the night. One friendly rider has stopped to wave at all of us normies driving vehicles. I reward the kindness with an old-school automotive gesture — a honk of the horn.
I’m headed to Storm Lake to chat with Art Cullen and I’m geeking out a little bit about it. Art is the first Pulitzer Prize winner to join the podcast, and his voice is wise, witty and well-timed. His latest book, Dear Marty, We Crapped in Our Nest: Notes from the Edge of the World, is a must read for anyone that cares about the quality of life in Iowa and the greater Midwest. Often called a “modern-day Mark Twain,” Art shines his literary light on a litany of issues that many power brokers of the status quo would prefer remain unnoticed. I plan to ask him to autograph my book.
Luckily for RAGBRAI riders, the recent heat wave eased its chokehold when a powerful cool front descended from the north earlier this week. Less luckily, the storm knocked out power for thousands, leaving more than seven inches of rain in its wake in some places faster than anyone could ask “another thousand-year rain already this summer?”
The corn is now somewhere near the mesosphere. How it gets this tall is astounding. It tickles the clouds with its tassels, leaving little room between the rigid rows of stalks. The precision of the planters and scientific intelligence that maximize profits through greater yields is unignorable. This is big business. These growers are good— they’d better be in commodity markets like these.
As I head west on Highway 20, I admire these verdant and luscious fields that farmers work hard to grow—Grant Wood would need a larger canvas to paint these modern fields. I’m also mindful of the downstream effects of all this capitalized science. Water quality concerns rightfully weigh on the minds of all Iowans these days, considering the state’s soaring cancer rates.
These are just some of the public health topics illuminated by the insightful and rhythmic writings of Art Cullen. He regularly makes the rounds on cable news, reporting straight from the heartland and protecting his rural neighbors with pen and punch.
I roll into the Times building and Art hops up to welcome me, donning a pair of iconic striped KEY overalls with the sleeves of a white-collared shirt rolled up halfway. (KEY Clothing originated in my hometown of Fort Scott, Kansas; I love seeing them in the wild.) I feel instantly at home inside the hallowed walls of this small-town newspaper that chooses truth over opulence by serving its people.
According to Art, we are amidst “an existential crisis” here in Iowa. This kind of truth can be scary, but that doesn’t slow down the truth train departing on the regular from “Times Square,” just north of the tracks in Storm Lake. Mark Twain once quipped, “If ignorance is bliss, why isn’t the world happier?” Well, if we pay close enough attention to the poetic wax originating from the big brain and fiery-fast fingers of Pulitzer Prize winner Art Cullen, we’ll certainly get closer to the answer.
“What’s Next, Chip?”
This Sunday, July 26, I will join several artists for Musicians Fighting Hunger, a fundraiser for a local food pantry. The show will be at Lucky Horse in the Drake Neighborhood from 5 to 7pm. Next month is going to be busy shows inside the storied Pioneer Hall at the Iowa State Fair, an afternoon in the Des Moines Biergarten and a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association. Go to www.chipalbrightmusic.com for a full listing.
To find more stories and insights across the state of Iowa, please consider following and supporting the many talented journalists and storytellers of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative of which I’m a proud member. Many of us will be at the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat this fall and we’d love to have you come join us. It’s for writers and learners at all stages in the creative process and full of wonderful people connecting in new and meaningful ways. You can learn more here.
Other Ways to Support Chip Happens?
Did you know I carry my health insurance license and help folks navigate the caregiver journey in addition to my writing and music? Please learn about my personal experience and licensed services at www.chiphappens.life. I help folks evaluate strategic alternatives to expensive traditional long-term care based on my personal experience as a family caregiver with loved ones that endured difficult cancer and dementia diagnoses. More than 63 million Americans were caregivers in 2025 so it’s an important conversation for friends and family to have. Please read and share my article Prepare to Care with your network to better understand the role of caregivers as the “invisible backbone” of the American health care system and reach out with any questions.
NOTE: All annual paid subscribers to the Chip Happens Substack receive a copy of my CD compilation, Twenty-Five, that includes 25 original songs and an autograph if you request it. If you are only in the market for the CD, it is available here for $25. CD art and design were completed by my amazing and talented wife, Jen Albright, who is the driving force behind our boutique strategy + creative firm, AlbrightSpark.
