GRANITE FALLS, Minnesota, February 27, 2025—Agate hunting on the St. Croix River, forest therapy and Huellas Latinas will be featured on the next Prairie Sportsman. “Agates and Nature’s Healing Benefits” will air on Pioneer PBS Sunday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. Check local listings and our showtimes landing page for air dates and times on other PBS stations in Minnesota and surrounding states.
In "Superior Agates on the Croix," meet Eric Benson who has been hunting for Lake Superior agates along the St. Croix River for the past seven years. The avid angler searches for the semi-precious stones when the fish aren’t biting and has amassed an impressive collection. Agates were formed a billion years ago by volcanic eruptions from Lake Superior to Mille Lacs Lake. Glacial movement deposited the agates all the way down to Nebraska.
The next segment, “Healing Forest,” explores the mental health benefits of being immersed in nature. Sara Holger, the founder of Project Get Outdoors, helps youth leaders become certified forest therapy guides. Health professionals have found that when children spend more time outdoors, they are healthier, happier and do better in school. Sara is also introducing forest bathing to the medical community and led Olmsted Medical Center physicians in Rochester on a nature walk.
The final segment features Luisana Mendez who founded the nonprofit Huellas Latinas to introduce Spanish-speaking communities to hiking, camping and other outdoor recreation. When Luisana immigrated to Minnesota from Venezuela six years ago, she found recreating outdoors gave her a sense of belonging, which she wants others to experience. Her organization’s motto is “Don't just live in a place, be part of it.”
Individuals in Pioneer PBS’s viewing area can livestream this episode at pioneer.org/live. All episodes and segments can also be viewed on the PBS app and online at pioneer.org/prairiesportsman, video.pioneer.org/show/prairie-sportsman, and youtube.com/@PrairieSportsman.
About Prairie Sportsman
Produced by Pioneer PBS, Prairie Sportsman is an Emmy-awarded series that celebrates the love of the outdoors by featuring topics on hunting, fishing, and recreation while promoting environmental stewardship. The team of Prairie Sportsman consists of Host, Producer, Videographer, and Editor Bret Amundson, Writer and Producer Cindy Dorn, Videographer and Editor Dan Amundson, along with Series Editor Bradley Keely. The 2025 season is made possible by funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, Shalom Hill Farm, Live Wide Open, Western Minnesota Prairie Waters, and members of Pioneer PBS. If you enjoy Prairie Sportsman, become a friend of Prairie Sportsman by filling out a Google Form.
About Pioneer PBS
Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing stories from rural Minnesota with the world. Pioneer PBS is headquartered in Granite Falls, Minnesota, with towers in Appleton, Worthington, and Fergus Falls. Pioneer PBS reaches more than a million people in rural areas and small towns in western Minnesota, the eastern Dakotas, and northern Iowa. Pioneer PBS is honored to be your television station—the only station in western Minnesota telling your stories and raising your voices into the media landscape. Our members help make programs like this possible with their generous support. For more information about Pioneer PBS or how you can help us make these stories a reality, visit pioneer.org/support or call 800-726-3178.
