by Daniel Howell | Mar 12, 2021
This week I’m chatting with Jesscy Dean (aka The Wild Homesteader) about foraging, food preservation, sourcing your own food, and old skills like that in general! Food seems to be the theme of this conversation, and why not? It is THE fundamental skill set that!
While a lot of our conversation revolves around food, Jesscy has is involved in a number of other crafts and we talk about her felting, hide tanning, and general ethos of self reliance as well.
Resources Mentioned
fallingfruit.org
thewildforager.life — Jesscy’s site
thewildhomesteader.com — Jesscy’s site
@thewildhomesteader — Jesscy’s Facebook
@thewildhomesteader — Jesscy’s Instagram
Aaron Kay on Instagram
FCR Podcast Episode 36
Forager Chef Venison Bacon Recipe
Books Mentioned
All That the Rain Promises and More by David Aurora
Putting Food By by Janet Greene, Ruth Hertzberg, and Beatrice Vaughan
Make Mead Like a Viking by Jereme Zimmerman
The Art of Natural Cheesemaking by David Asher
66 Square Feet by Marie Viljoen
Forage, Harvest, Feast by Marie Viljoen
by Daniel Howell | Mar 6, 2021
Dea Sasso, a Resident Artist from the John C. Cambell Folk School joins us to chat all about the school, it’s history, types of classes it offers, how it has changed her life, and much more! Our conversation centers around learning about the school for those who have never heard of it.
The folk school has been a fixture of the local area for almost a century, and in addition to providing hand-on learning to the nearby communities, it has also been actively involved in preserving and recording the heritage of the local area. I love seeing the robust craft ethos that is maintained there, and hope to be able to make a trip to take a class in the near future!
Resources Mentioned
John C. Campbell Folk School
Folk School Scholarships
The Southern Highlander and His Homeland by John C. Campbell
by Daniel Howell | Feb 22, 2021
Are you paying attention to the landscape around you? Can you explain the differences and changes you observe?
Although it may seem foreign to many of us in the modern world, people around the globe have navigated for centuries using the clues found on the natural landscape around them.
In this episode I chat with Tristan Gooley who has made it his work learning and teaching how to interpret the signs we see. Or indeed, the signs we don’t see, but are there if we learn to pay attention. We discuss good starting places for getting involved, why natural navigation (and nature awareness in general) opens you up to a deeper connection and fulfilling experience during your time outdoors, and how Tristan continues to practice and learn.
I also highly recommend grabbing a copy of Tristan’s books if this episode interests you! Even if you’re a seasoned outdoorsman I know you’ll still learn plenty from them!
Resources Mentioned
Naturalnavigator.com
Tristan’s Tedx Talk
The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs by Tristan Gooley
The Natural Navigator: the Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature be Your Guide by Tristan Gooley
How to Read Water by Tristan Gooley
The Secret World of Weather by Tristan Gooley
The Natural Navigator — Facebook Page
@thenaturalnavigator — Instagram
@NaturalNav — Twitter
by Daniel Howell | Jan 28, 2021
Charcoal….. So much more than BBQ fuel!
Charcoal fueled much of the technological advancement for centuries– from its use to smelt metal ore to its role as the major component of gunpowder, it has been the ingredient behind the scenes that has enabled much of the “advancement” that we have made. In this episode of the Folk Craft Revival podcast Rebecca Oaks (author of Making Charcoal and Biochar) joins us to discuss charcoal, it’s history and uses, traditional methods of making it, what it looks like from a small-scale charcoal burners perspective, and suggestions for making some at home.
I don’t know about you, but I intend to make some this summer…. Even if just for grilling.
Resources Mentioned
rebeccaoaks.co.uk — Rebecca’s website
Making Charcoal and Biochar by Rebecca Oaks
Coppicing and Coppice Crafts by Rebecca Oaks and Edward Mills
Greenwood Crafts by Edward Mills and Rebecca Oaks
Sylva by John Evelyn
The European Charcoal Burners Association
biocharretort.com — the Exeter Retort
Kon Tiki Kilns — Information about how they work and how you can make one yourself, you can also buy one here
by Daniel Howell | Jan 17, 2021
Sammy and I chat about his introduction to primitive/survival skills, what draws him to them, woodworking, traditional southern Appalachian crafts (banjos in particular), ocarinas and more.
For Sammy, nature connection is the primary reason behind practicing survival skills, and we chat a bit about that and some of the teaching he has been involved with and hopes to become more involved with in the future.
Resources Mentioned
Samuel Kells on Youtube
Boulder Outdoor Survival School
Avid 4 Adventure
Natural Leaders
Rhiannon Giddens‘ folk music — Take a listen!
Foxfire books edited by Eliot Wigginton — Fun books, I’d suggest taking a look through them at the very least. Especially if you live in the Appalachians. There is a whole collection of them, I just linked up the first one.
Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen
The Nature Fix by Florence Williams
Folk Craft Revival Episode 28 : Blacksmithing, Apprenticeships and Learning from Masters
Folk Craft Revival Episode 11 : Native American Flutes
