Podcast
Under Rocks
Hosted by Northern Public Radio · EN
What’s so great about the Midwest? WNIJ’s Under Rocks podcast isn’t afraid to dive into that question head-first every month. In fact, our team won’t leave a stone unturned when it comes to hunting down the most interesting people, places, and events in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.What are you excited about? We’re always looking for a shove in the right direction, so send us on our next adventure by messaging us at Rocks@niu.edu.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Restoring the Geneva Grotto's glory | Under Rocks podcast
1w ago00:25:05Tap to summarizeThousands drive past it every day, but only a few lay eyes on it. It's the Geneva Grotto. And nearly a century after it was built by local Catholic priests, the mosaic and stone structure is returning to serve as a connection between the faithful and their God.
Transcribe →Dirt-fishing with the Driftless Digger | Under Rocks podcast
Apr 3000:42:29Tap to summarizeThe Under Rocks team goes on a treasure hunt with a real life detectorist.
Transcribe →Mrs. Fisher's by the bag, by the bucket: It's always better to be the chip person | Under Rocks podcast
Mar 2600:42:02Tap to summarizeIf you grew up anywhere near Rockford, Illinois, in, oh, the last century or so, you probably have eaten at least a handful of Mrs. Fisher's potato chips. This regional delicacy started in Ethel Fisher's kitchen and still maintains that small-batch flavor, even as the company goes through 2.6 million pounds of local potatoes every year. So join Mrs. Fisher's vice president Chris Spiess as he takes the Under Rocks team on a tour of Rockford's salty treasure.
Transcribe →Good curling II: The never-ending bonspiel | Under Rocks podcast
Feb 2600:31:36Tap to summarizeCurling fever doesn't have to end on the Olympic medal podium! Join your local curling league and the next four years will fly faster than a granite stone across a sheet of ice. We revisit our 2022 curling adventure at the Waltham Curling Club in Triumph, Ill. Plus, our resident curling superfan recaps the 2026 Olympic highlights — and explains the shocking controversy. Good curling!
Transcribe →Together for eagles, arts, and environmental education | Under Rocks podcast
Jan 2900:33:07Tap to summarizeIt’s been just over a year since Northern Illinois University closed its outdoor education campus high above the Rock River in Oregon, Illinois. While its future is still in limbo, a group called Together for Taft is making progress in its effort to bring it back as an environmental education center. WNIJ’s Under Rocks podcast team stopped by the group’s fundraiser recently, which was held across the river from the shuttered campus.
Transcribe →A feast for your ears! Our favorite food shows | Under Rocks podcast
Nov 2600:48:33Tap to summarizeThe Under Rocks team is thankful for all the fine food and drink here in northern Illinois. So pile your plate high as we revisit some of our favorite culinary adventures. Plus aspic! We hope you're hungry.
Transcribe →Leave the ghost light on: the spirits of DeKalb's Egyptian Theatre | Under Rocks podcast
Oct 3000:27:59Tap to summarizeWho’s haunting your local theater? The Under Rocks team goes in search of theater ghost lights…and finds a whole lot more.
Transcribe →Sixty years of printmaking, one more show | Under Rocks podcast
Aug 2800:40:13Tap to summarizeA new exhibit at Northern Illinois University’s Art Museum is an ambitious look at the school’s vaunted printmaking program, which is in its 60th year. It also marks the end of a chapter for the museum. In the latest Under Rocks podcast, curator Peter Olson takes us on a tour of the exhibit and clues us into what the future holds for the campus museum.
Transcribe →A stalwart friend: Revisiting the Rock River Trail ride | Under Rocks
Jul 3101:00:59Tap to summarizeIn June of 2018, two brave correspondents set out to make history. WNIJ's Carl Nelson and Dan Libman would be the first to bike the Rock River Trail. Pedaling 320 miles in just five days, they even managed to send dispatches out to listeners every morning. We revisit their journey.
Transcribe →The Luthier Next Door | The Under Rocks podcast
May 29, 202500:33:22Tap to summarizeIn a quiet wooded neighborhood on the south side of Rockford, there’s a man making magic in his basement workshop. Tom Asher uses the tools, knowledge, and creative skills he’s gathered over a lifetime as a musician, woodworker, and artist -- to craft violins.
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