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The lost watermelons of Western Kansas

The bagpipe dates back thousands of years, with a rich history and tradition especially in Irish and Scottish communities. Today, we'll meet Kansas City bagpiper Griffin Hall, and learn about the gig that will take him and his instrument to Scotland. Plus: Southwest Kansas is now renowned for beef and grain production, but it used to be known as the watermelon capital of the country. The fruit crop spurred a multibillion dollar agriculture industry, but the water that sustained the melon industry ran dry.

Kansas City musician Griffin Hall has family roots in Ireland and Scotland, which both have a long association with the bagpipes. He brings his talents with the instrument to the global stage this month, when he will compete in the World Pipe Band Championships in Scotland. KCUR’s Julie Denesha has his story.

The multibillion dollar agriculture industry in southwest Kansas began with what might seem like a foreign crop in the region today: watermelons. Kansas News Service editor Stephen Koranda and reporter Calen Moore discuss how different crops shape Kansas culture.

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Kansas City Today is hosted today by Luke X. Martin. It is produced by Celia Morton, Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

As culture editor, I help you embrace what makes Kansas City fun and vibrant, whether it’s a championship sports franchise or a little-known wonder. I work with reporters to ensure KCUR stories on art, culture, and race fully reflect our diverse home so readers and listeners can take full advantage of what the metro has to offer. Email me at luke@kcur.org.
Celia Morton is the KCUR Studios intern for summer 2024. Email her at cmorton@kcur.org.
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
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