Shows / The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Climate Change got you down? Worried about the fact that *everything* seems to be getting worse? Wondering how we got to this point in the first place, and what can we do to build a more resilient future? We take a look at historical pastoral & agricultural societies to see what worked and what didn’t, as well as what resources we have today to make better decisions to build equitable systems. We don’t just discuss ecology and history but also take a leftist perspective on prepping, foraging…
Episodes
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Legacy of Beach Plums: History, Cultivation, and Conservation
Unlock the secrets of the resilient beach plum, Prunus maritima, and learn how these tenacious plants help fight coastal erosion while offering a rich tapestry…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Wild Blueberries and Climate Change with Dr. Rachel Schattman
Join us on a journey through the lush landscapes of wild blueberry fields with our esteemed guest, Rachel, an expert in wild blueberry production from the…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The History, Culture, and Agricultural Evolution of Blueberries and Huckleberries
Today, we're diving into the history of blueberries and huckleberries, from their ancient roles in indigenous cultures to their rise in modern agriculture…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Rise of the Pawpaw in Modern Agriculture with Dr. Kirk Pomper
Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dr. Kirk Pomper, the driving force behind Kentucky State University's pioneering Paw Paw Research Program. As the…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Revolutionizing Agriculture: Harnessing Soil Bacteria for a Sustainable Future with Dr. Jim Ippolito
Discover the groundbreaking research of Jim Ippolito, a leading expert in soil health and fertility from Ohio State University. Our engaging conversation…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
From Mastodons to Modern Times: The Tale of The Kentucky Coffee Tree
Explore the curious tale of the Kentucky coffee tree, a living relic from an era when mastodons and giant sloths roamed freely. This episode uncovers the…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Pawpaw Mysteries: Unraveling North America's Tropical Hidden Gem
Join us as we kick off season five with a playful and engaging exploration of the fascinating pawpaw fruit, a hidden gem native to North America. In this…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Rediscovering Indigenous Roots: Rematriation and Stewardship in Massachusetts
Kristen, a descendant of the Nipmuc and Mashpee Wampanoag peoples, joins us to share her personal journey with Indigenous rematriation and the Eastern Woodland…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Prairie Preservation: The Native Habitat Project’s Mission to Save Alabama’s Ecosystems
Discover the secrets of effective conservation and ecological restoration through the eyes of Kyle, a dedicated content creator who shifted from private…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the Flames of Reform
Get ready to dive into one of the most catastrophic industrial disasters in American history as we take you back to New York City in 1911. We unravel the…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Building Ethical Agribusiness: Balancing Profit and Principles in Modern Farming with Sylvanaqua Farms
Join us for an enlightening discussion with Chris as we uncover the hidden complexities and unexpected realities of starting a farm business. Chris shares his…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Urban Inequalities, Water Management, and Climate Resilience with Dr. Maria Rusca
Join us as we welcome Dr. Maria Rusca, a senior lecturer in global development at the University of Manchester, who brings her extensive research on urban…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Unearthing Roots: The Complex World of Illegal Timber Harvesting on the West Coast
Get ready for an enlightening discussion with Lyndsie Bourgon as we unpack the complex world of illegal timber harvesting on the West Coast. Bourgon, whose…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Protests and Solidarity: Inside the DNC Convention Unrest; A Week of Resistance in Chicago
Join us as we explore a transformative journey through the protests surrounding the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. This firsthand account…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Protests and Politics at the DNC in Chicago: Contextualizing the Convention
In this compelling episode of The Port Proles Almanac, we delve into the intricate dynamics of political activism surrounding the upcoming Democratic National…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Unveiling the Future of Resilient Gardening with Perennial Plants: Insights from Eric Toensmeier on Sustainable Agriculture and Agroforestry
Unlock the secrets of resilient gardening and sustainable agriculture with Eric, a pioneer in the permaculture movement. Discover how perennial vegetables can…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Challenging Historical Narratives: Dr. Gerald Horne on the Black Panther Party, Settler Colonialism, and America's Political Landscape
Esteemed historian Dr. Horne joins us for an eye-opening discussion about his new book, "Armed Struggle? Panthers and Communists, Black Nationalists and…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Championing Food Sovereignty: Agroecology and Rural Resilience with Dr. Peter Rosset
Join us as we welcome the insightful Dr. Peter Rosset, an esteemed agroecologist and activist embedded in the heart of Central America. Dr. Rosset brings his…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Transforming Food Systems through Agroecology
Have modern agricultural practices led us down an unsustainable path, and are the so-called "green" alternatives really any better? Discover the truth as we…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Reimagining Suburbia: A Critical Look at Permaculture and David Holmgren’s 'RetroSuburbia'
Can suburban backyards become the cornerstone of our sustainable future? Join us as we dissect the ideas in David Holmgren's "Retro Suburbia," where he…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Invasion Ecology: Unraveling the History of Invasive Species and Their Impacts
Unlock the secrets of invasion ecology and transform your understanding of invasive species with our latest episode on the Poor Proles Almanac. Andy takes the…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Permaculture Pioneers: History, Challenges, and the Path to Sustainable Living
"What if the key to saving our planet lies in mimicking nature itself?" Join us on an exploration of permaculture, where we uncover the fascinating history and…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Homesteading & the Right-Wing Violence of the 21st Century
In last week's episode, we dove into the confluence of veterans from the Vietnam War returning home, the collapse of the agricultural sector, and the rise of…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Homesteading Movement, The Vietnam War, & The White Supremacy Movement
The Vietnam War gave birth to a new generation of veterans, ones who came back from war feeling abandoned by their government and by their fellow civilians…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Back to the Land movement
The counterculture movement of the 1960s and 70s is well-known, and its trappings of communes that were woefully prepared for the work required to survive has…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
From Howard to Rodale: the Organics movement
If you’ve been following our series on permanent agriculture, we’ve gone in extensive depth on the evolution of soil science to permanent agriculture to the…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Birth of the Biodynamics Movement
To talk about permanent agriculture and the alternative agriculture movement that fought against monocropping and industrial pesticide and fertilizer use…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Scott Nearing: Revolutionary Homesteading
Scott Nearing is another name that likely hasn’t reached most folks’ ears who may be searching for leaders in the agriculture-socialist-homesteader space, but…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Odum Brothers and a New Permanent Agriculture
To understand the development of the post-World War permanent agriculture movement and the movements that followed, we need to follow the trajectory of the…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Reflections on 60 Years of Tree Crops with Robert Seip
Through a confluence of events I was connected with one of the elders of the tree crops world, Bob Seip, and was invited to his farm, buried in rural…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Reclaiming our Cemeteries!
This episode is a callback to an earlier episode on Tomorrow, Today, with Dr. Scott Cave. We chat about cemeteries, their unique place as third spaces, how…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Agroecology in Rojava
In this episode, we’re joined by Berivan & Anya from Defend Rojava. Berivan Omar is a Kurdish feminist activist and social ecologist who lives in Northeast…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Russell Lord, J. Edgar Hoover & the Permanent Agriculture Movement
Part 2 of the Russell Lord story. Before Murray Bookchin, another man paired ecological health with societal health, Russell Lord. In this episode, we dive…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Russell Lord: Ecological Problems Are Agricultural Problems
Before Murray Bookchin, another man paired ecological health with societal health, Russell Lord. In this episode, we dive into Lord's early years and his…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Fall of the Permanent Agriculture Movement
In 1946, Paul Sears took the stage at the “Food & the Future” Conference to deliver a new vision of agriculture from a global, ecological perspective. In this…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Permanent Agriculture Movement & FDR
Did you know that one time the United States almost accidentally stopped climate change and became a leading global force in defense of ecology? A unique…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Birth of the Permanent Agriculture Movement
Did you know that one time the United States almost accidentally stopped climate change and became a leading global force in defense of ecology? A unique…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
John Hershey: The TVA & the Downingtown Food Forest
John Hershey and in particular the Downingtown Food Forest are pointed to as examples of what the tree crop and permanent agriculture movement can create…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
J. Russell Smith-- the Tree Crops Visionary
J. Russell Smith might be the most well-known figure in history in regards to tree crops in North America— largely because of his book “Tree Crops: A Permanent…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
J. Russell Smith-- Tree Crops and Geography
J. Russell Smith might be the most well-known figure in history in regards to tree crops in North America— largely because of his book “Tree Crops: A Permanent…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Liberty Hyde Bailey-The World in the Palm of his Hand
In this episode, we dive into the second half of the life of a botanist that should be known by everyone listening to this podcast-- Liberty Hyde Bailey…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Liberty Hyde Bailey- A Portrait of a Young Botanist
In this episode, we dive into the history of a botanist that should be known by everyone listening to this podcast-- Liberty Hyde Bailey. Liberty Hyde Bailey…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Birth of Soil Science; Franklin Hiram King
When we talk about the major figures in agricultural development, our focus tends to be on researchers in the 20th and 21st centuries. Before that, soil…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
New Food Histories with Hank Shaw
Renowned forager and chef Hank Shaw joins us to discuss foodways, invasives, the impacts of culture on our cuisine, and how we can change the narrative around…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
A Bigger, Better Butternut
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Katy Morlas Shannon & The Enslaved Man behind the Pecan Industry
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Story of the Pecan: Making Native Crops Popular
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Growing Nut Trees with Buzz Ferver in Vermont's Cold Climate: Adaptation & Innovation in Northern Nut Farming
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The Hickory
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Exploring Hazelnut Cultivation: Innovation and Challenges with Dr. Thomas Molnar
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The American Hazelnut
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Reviving the Ozark Chinkapin: A Journey of Preservation and Restoration with the Ozark Chinquapin Foundation
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
North America’s Forgotten Chestnut- The Chinquapin
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Protecting American Genetics with the UTennessee Tree Improvement Program
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
A History of the Black Walnut
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Pioneering Perennial Crops: The Oikos Tree Crops Journey into Oak Breeding and Sustainable Food Systems
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
The humble acorn and a history of the oak tree
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Food Nutrient Density; The Health of our Food with Dan Kittredge of the Bionutrient Food Association
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Rethinking Forest Foods with Dr. Eric Burkhart
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…
- The Poor Prole’s Almanac
Scythe isn’t everything; Appropriate land technologies with Benjamin Brownlow
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…