Discover Home & How-To Programs
Do you remember a childhood spent pretending to be Julia Child with your Easy-Bake Oven or swinging a toy hammer like Bob Vila? If you're looking for home and how-to inspiration as an adult, PBS is still here for you. Episodes of the programs below can mostly be discovered via the PBS app or pbs.org, with new episodes of many airing regularly; shows created locally by Iowa PBS are also available on YouTube and our website.
Iowa Ingredient
Explore the farms, restaurants and ingredients that make Iowa food uniquely Iowan. Host Charity Nebbe takes viewers on a journey to discover flavorful Iowa ingredients. From apples to spinach to rhubarb and herbs, each episode features a single Iowa ingredient and treats viewers to a spectacular trip from the farm to the table. Explore where these delectable ingredients are grown in Iowa, learn more about some talented chefs who use local ingredients, and join Charity in the kitchen to savor some delicious recipes. Watch all 10 seasons of Iowa Ingredient for free on YouTube, the PBS app and the show website.
The Great American Recipe
Follow eight talented home cooks from different regions of the country as they compete weekly with their most memorable recipes. All three seasons of The Great American Recipe are available via the PBS app and pbs.org.
Lidia’s Kitchen
Throughout the 26-part series, Lidia shares anecdotes and recipes from her childhood, when times were sometimes challenging, but happy and fulfilling. Episodes of Lidia's Kitchen are frequently shown on our Create TV channel over the air.
Woodsmith Shop
Enjoy this information-packed presentation of woodworking furniture projects, along with the tips & techniques to build them. Roundtable discussions explore a wide range of woodworking topics to help you set up and enjoy spending time in your woodworking shop. Recent seasons of Woodsmith Shop are available via the PBS app and pbs.org.
Craft in America
Explore the vitality, history and significance of the craft movement in the United States and its impact on our nation's rich cultural heritage. Capturing the beauty, creativity and originality of craftsmanship, the film highlights artists and explores the inter-relationship of what they do, how they do it and why they have chosen a life of creating art.
This Old House and Ask This Old House
This Old House, with trusted experts Tom Silva, Richard Trethewey, Jenn Nawada, and host Kevin O'Connor, is TV's original home-improvement show, following one whole-house renovation over several episodes. On Ask This Old House, the hosts solve the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by their viewers. Learn all the ways you can watch This Old House and Ask This Old House.
Growing a Greener World
Growing a Greener World features organic gardening, green living and farm-to-table cooking. In each episode, the program’s hosts share DIY information with home gardeners. Watch the most recent season on the PBS app and pbs.org.
J Schwanke’s Life in Bloom
Host J Schwanke shows how to bring the beauty of flowers into your surroundings and demonstrates how living a life surrounded by colorful blossoms can reduce stress, instill wellness, and enhance happiness. Season two features techniques for flower arrangement, delicious floral food and cocktail recipes, and fun conversations with guests – from dahlia growers to chiropractors. Six seasons are available on the PBS app and pbs.org.
Crafts From the Past
Whether it be hobbies from childhood, crafts we associate with a parent or grandparent, or hands-on skills long forgotten, there is a fascination with reprising lost techniques as we explore new pastimes. Crafts From the Past introduces hobbies from decades past, offering a primer to various techniques by experienced Iowa makers. Watch this collection of short videos on YouTube, the PBS app, pbs.org and iowpbs.org.
See what other Home & How-To programs are available to stream on the PBS app!