The Poor Prole’s Almanac

The butternut walnut is arguably the least known nut tree across eastern North America. Often called the white walnut or the oil nut, it grows throughout the northeastern United States. Once a prized tree for furniture-making, carving, and boats, as well as the delicious nuts, it’s mostly been lost to history today. Unfortunately, its story is similar to the American Chestnut. Butternut Canker Dis...

In this episode, we're joined by author and historian Katy Morlas Shannon to discuss her book "Antoine of Oak Alley". The story of Antoine is emblematic of countless enslaved people whose lives and contributions have been overlooked. Antoine, the enslaved gardener of Oak Alley Plantation, was one of the first people to successfully propagate the pecan tree, yet he exists only as a footnote in the...

Nearly every person reading this has tasted the pecan, a marked difference from every other tree crop subject we have covered so far in this series. Pecans are without a doubt the most successful native commercial nut crop in North America, but what most folks don’t know is that this status is a relatively new phenomenon. In fact, unlike the other tree crops we’ve covered so far, the pecan has deb...

Unlock the secrets to cultivating nut trees in the unforgiving cold climates of central Vermont with Buzz Ferver of A Perfect Circle Farm. In this episode, we promise you'll gain insights into Buzz's journey of overcoming skepticism to successfully grow a diverse range of edible nut trees and shrubs. Discover the meticulous process Buzz employs to select resilient plant genetics, inspired by histo...

If the oak tree is the tree that fed the world, Hickories are the tree that helped humans thrive in North America. Across eastern North America until only 300 or so years ago, hickories were the staple crop consumed most commonly. Like the oaks, their mast years drove the successes of communities, and even until recently, there were records of thin-shelled hickories that were likely planted and pr...

Join us on a captivating exploration into the world of hazelnut cultivation with Dr. Thomas Molnar from Rutgers University, a leading figure in the hazelnut breeding program. Guided serendipitously into this field under the mentorship of Dr. Funk, Dr. Molnar shares his journey from turfgrass to nut tree breeding and unveils the rich history and nutritional benefits of hazelnuts. We unravel the com...

In this episode, we dive into the history and use of the American hazelnut. Often an afterthought in nut production, the American hazelnut offers significant potential as a food crop while also offering critical ecosystem services. We compare its production to other tree crops and discuss where breeding work for American hazelnuts should focus to bring this plant back into food crop discussions.  ...

Unlock the secrets of one of America's forgotten tree heroes, the Ozark chinkapin, as we chat with Steve Bost, the passionate founder of the Ozark Chinkapin Foundation. Discover the compelling story of this majestic tree, once thriving in our forests, now on the brink of vanishing due to the devastating chestnut blight. Steve shares insights into the extensive research and DNA studies being conduc...

In this episode, we dive into the history of the forgotten chinquapin and what new research tells us about its diversity and actual range. For folks unfamiliar, the chinquapin is often considered the smaller cousin of the American Chestnut, despite the fact that research today suggests that isn't the whole story. We're talking about the Ozark, Allegheny, and the Alabama chinquapins and what role t...

In this episode, we're joined by the director of the University of Tennessee’s tree improvement program, Dr. Scott Schlarbaum. Most people listening are probably surprised that any university offers a tree improvement program, and they’d be even more surprised to know that the program isn’t designed specifically with future cash crops in mind, but rather protecting ecotype genetic diversity and de...

The prole boys finally tackle the most divisive of nuts-- the black walnuts. Are they feety? How important have they been historically, anyway? Is juglone actually a problem-- and if so, what can be done about it? Lastly, what about the black walnut industry can we take away for other potential wild tree crops as potential food sources for our communities? This will be the first and (hopefully) la...

With over four decades in the field, Ken Asmus from Oikos Tree Crops shares his pioneering work in perennial crop breeding. Known for his innovative approaches to oak breeding, Ken recounts his journey from a family Christmas tree farm to becoming a key player in the nursery industry. Immerse yourself in Ken's world as he sheds light on the critical role of preserving genetic diversity and the pas...

Elliott & Matt are back to discuss the oak tree, acorns, whether or not Elliott works for the CIA, and the pecularities of processing acorns.    The Quercus genus is arguably the most important genus for all living things on earth, including humans. Spanning 55 million years, five continents, over six hundred species, including over ninety of which are here in North America, the oak tree is a cent...

In this episode, we're joined by Dan Kittredge to discuss the work his organization the Bionutrient Food Association is doing. The Bionutrient Institute team is a global collection of scientists, technicians, engineers, organizers, and others working toward our collective goal to define nutrient density. We chat at length about the surprising results of their studies, and how their testing allows...

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Eric Burhart from Penn State's Environmental Center. Eric's focus is around wild plant research, stewardship, and use, and we get to dive into this subject specifically around ramps and ghost pipe, although he has an extensive background in American ginseng and goldenseal as well. We explore the ways these plants are impacted and can be impacted by invasives, a...

This episode is special, as we have paired it with a lengthy 2-part scything 101 collaborative substack piece. We're joined by Benjamin Brownlow of Fox Holler Almanac & Farmstead to discuss the application of the scythe and basics around making this traditional tool more accessible for first-time users. What are the benefits of using a scythe, how can it change the trajectory of a landscape, and w...

In this episode, we're joined by musician and organizer Ben Potrykus to talk about building community and how music and politics interplay. Ben's a veteran in the greater Boston music scene, and spent years touring the country with a number of different bands, including the Receiving end of Sirens, Christians & Lions, Get Loose!, Sharp Teeth, Baixa, Girlfriends, Bent Shapes, Fake ID, and more.   ...

We're joined by Whitney Johnson, a forager who has focused on highlighting the complex and beautiful cultural history of foraging in Appalachia. Johnson has become known to the internet as the @appalachian_forager on Tiktok & Instagram, which she built by hunting mushrooms – and her passion for Appalachian culture and dedication to authenticity keeps people coming back. Her work highlights the way...

We're joined by the one and only Chris Newman of Sylvanaqua Farms to talk about cooperative farming, figuring out who to work with, why he hates chestnuts, and what the pumpkin spice girls got right. We dive deep into conversations about scalability and what it means to be a part of the loosely affiliated eco-left, and how we figure out to build food systems while operating under capitalism.   Che...

We're joined by Tim Clemens at Ironwood Foraging to discuss fitness, health, and the left's relationship with sports. What does fitness really mean, how do we engage with fitness when so many of us have complicated relationships with food and sports? Tim founded Ironwood Foraging in 2017 to offer hands-on plant and mushroom foraging workshops. He is the past president of the Minnesota Mycological...

In this episode, we're joined by Lake of The Revolutionary's Garden podcast to talk farming, climate change, and commune living. Lake discusses the challenges and process of building a commune space, finding ways to create a healthy, sustainable community while operating under laws designed for businesses and nuclear families, and, of course, deciding who does the dishes. We swap stories about pod...

Join us as we journey through the profound intersection of history and ecology with the insightful Zach Elfers, whose passion for native plants and permaculture has reshaped his path into sustainable agriculture. Zach shares tales of his fascination with spring ephemerals and edible plants, leading to the rediscovery of century-old trees at the John Hershey Orchard. These living relics of the past...

In this episode, we're joined by Matt from Symbiop to discuss what it looks like to develop cooperatives in the landscaping world. How do we showcase alternatives to the norm that draw folks in, and how can we also leverage that ownership to center native plants in our landscaping design choices?   SymbiOp started off as a one-person landscaping business, operated by one of their co-founders, Nutm...

Join us in this engaging episode as we explore the fascinating world of flexible learning and sustainable agriculture with our special guest, Eliza Greenman. Known for her innovative research on tree crops and climate change, Eliza shares her inspiring journey from working with apples and pigs to her current focus on persimmons and oaks. Her dedication to discovering new possibilities in agricultu...

We're joined once again by Nate Kleinman of the Experimental Farm Network to talk about their work breeding potential food crops. We dive into crops lost to history, future ecologies, and what decentralized plant breeding looks like for community liberation in relation to community ecology.   The Experimental Farm Network (EFN) works to facilitate collaborative plant breeding and sustainable agric...