Reagan Wtysalucy

Her dad, who told her about the peaches and their significance to the Diné people, encouraged her to pursue this research too. But there was a problem. In 2013, when Reagan began this project, there weren't that many peach trees left.

Today on the show, bringing back Southwest peaches. The race to recover an heirloom crop and bring together Indigenous knowledge with agricultural science. You're listening to Shorewave, the science podcast from NPR. Hey Shorewavers, Emily Kwong here. Before we get back to the show, I have an update about planet Earth. It's almost completed.

Today on the show, bringing back Southwest peaches. The race to recover an heirloom crop and bring together Indigenous knowledge with agricultural science. You're listening to Shorewave, the science podcast from NPR. Hey Shorewavers, Emily Kwong here. Before we get back to the show, I have an update about planet Earth. It's almost completed.

Today on the show, bringing back Southwest peaches. The race to recover an heirloom crop and bring together Indigenous knowledge with agricultural science. You're listening to Shorewave, the science podcast from NPR. Hey Shorewavers, Emily Kwong here. Before we get back to the show, I have an update about planet Earth. It's almost completed.

It's 365 days, six hour and nine minute orbit around the sun. Those six hours add up to an extra day every fourth year. And that's why we have leap years. And 2024 was a leap year, which means we had one more day this year to bring you stories about astronomy, scuba diving lizards, social media algorithms, the COVID endemic. Yes, not pandemic. How Rubik's cubes work.

It's 365 days, six hour and nine minute orbit around the sun. Those six hours add up to an extra day every fourth year. And that's why we have leap years. And 2024 was a leap year, which means we had one more day this year to bring you stories about astronomy, scuba diving lizards, social media algorithms, the COVID endemic. Yes, not pandemic. How Rubik's cubes work.

It's 365 days, six hour and nine minute orbit around the sun. Those six hours add up to an extra day every fourth year. And that's why we have leap years. And 2024 was a leap year, which means we had one more day this year to bring you stories about astronomy, scuba diving lizards, social media algorithms, the COVID endemic. Yes, not pandemic. How Rubik's cubes work.

What happens to your brain when you sleep extremely. All of that is possible because of you. Honestly, your monetary support of our work. Either through a classic donation or by joining programs like NPR+. With NPR Plus, you know this, you donate a small amount each month and get special perks for more than 25 NPR podcasts.

What happens to your brain when you sleep extremely. All of that is possible because of you. Honestly, your monetary support of our work. Either through a classic donation or by joining programs like NPR+. With NPR Plus, you know this, you donate a small amount each month and get special perks for more than 25 NPR podcasts.

What happens to your brain when you sleep extremely. All of that is possible because of you. Honestly, your monetary support of our work. Either through a classic donation or by joining programs like NPR+. With NPR Plus, you know this, you donate a small amount each month and get special perks for more than 25 NPR podcasts.

You're going to get sponsor-free listening bonus episodes and even exclusive and discounted items from the NPR shop. NPR Plus members, you help us continue to bring you stories about, gosh, lead water pipes, needle phobia, whale menopause, nuclear fission. If you've been sitting on this all year, maybe head into 2025 with NPR Plus in your back pocket. With your help,

You're going to get sponsor-free listening bonus episodes and even exclusive and discounted items from the NPR shop. NPR Plus members, you help us continue to bring you stories about, gosh, lead water pipes, needle phobia, whale menopause, nuclear fission. If you've been sitting on this all year, maybe head into 2025 with NPR Plus in your back pocket. With your help,

You're going to get sponsor-free listening bonus episodes and even exclusive and discounted items from the NPR shop. NPR Plus members, you help us continue to bring you stories about, gosh, lead water pipes, needle phobia, whale menopause, nuclear fission. If you've been sitting on this all year, maybe head into 2025 with NPR Plus in your back pocket. With your help,

We can keep this going every week, bringing you stories you're curious about, stories you didn't know you were curious about, stories that are fun to tell your friends, stories that make you think about your place in the universe. Join today. Go to plus.npr.org, plus.npr.org. That link is in our episode notes. Thanks for listening. Back to the show.

We can keep this going every week, bringing you stories you're curious about, stories you didn't know you were curious about, stories that are fun to tell your friends, stories that make you think about your place in the universe. Join today. Go to plus.npr.org, plus.npr.org. That link is in our episode notes. Thanks for listening. Back to the show.

We can keep this going every week, bringing you stories you're curious about, stories you didn't know you were curious about, stories that are fun to tell your friends, stories that make you think about your place in the universe. Join today. Go to plus.npr.org, plus.npr.org. That link is in our episode notes. Thanks for listening. Back to the show.

Reagan says there are a lot of reasons why Southwest peaches are in trouble at the Four Corners. There's land loss, water scarcity. As elders have passed away and their descendants have left the reservation, there's just fewer people to care for the trees and to pass on the traditional knowledge.

Reagan says there are a lot of reasons why Southwest peaches are in trouble at the Four Corners. There's land loss, water scarcity. As elders have passed away and their descendants have left the reservation, there's just fewer people to care for the trees and to pass on the traditional knowledge.

Reagan says there are a lot of reasons why Southwest peaches are in trouble at the Four Corners. There's land loss, water scarcity. As elders have passed away and their descendants have left the reservation, there's just fewer people to care for the trees and to pass on the traditional knowledge.

Reagan took her determination to revive the peaches all the way through a master's degree in plant sciences at Utah State University. Okay, so you set out into the Navajo reservation with your father and two Utah State University professors to track down, record, and collect seeds from the ancestral peach trees in the area.