May 2016 -

Wild Edibles Episode 102

May 25, 2016May 25, 2016 James Burnette 1 Comment

Wild Edibles

Today is a solo show about hunting wild edibles. I cover the methods for finding a local expert. Using sites like Meetup. I talk highly of Green Deene From Eat the Weeds.

Find a Local Expert if Possible

Properly Identify it

Itemize

I First, it means (I)dentify the plant beyond doubt.
T Next, make sure it is growing or fruiting or otherwise available at the right (T)ime of year.
E Third is checking out the (E)nvironment. This involves two things. One is making sure it is growing in the right place. The other is making sure the plant is getting clean water and is not in polluted soil.
M And then, what is the proper (M)ethod of preparation.

Try a Little at a Time

universal edibility test

Separate the plant into its various parts—roots, stems, leaves, buds, and flowers. Focus on only one piece of the plant at a time.
Smell it. A strong, unpleasant odor is a bad sign.
Test for contact poisoning by placing a piece of the plant on your inner elbow or wrist for a few minutes. If your skin burns, itches, feels numb, or breaks out in a rash, don’t eat the plant.
If the plant passes the skin test, prepare a small portion the way you plan to eat it (boiling is always a good bet).
Before taking a bite, touch the plant to your lips to test for burning or itching. If there’s no reaction after 15 minutes, take a small bite, chew it, and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes. If the plant tastes very bitter or soapy, spit it out.
If there’s no reaction in your mouth, swallow the bite and wait several hours. If there’s no ill effect, you can assume this part of the plant is edible. Repeat the test for other parts of the plant; some plants have both edible and inedible parts.

Chronology Primal Professional Review

May 23, 2016May 23, 2016 James Burnette 3 Comments

I originally talked about the Primal Professionals way back in December of 2012 when I interviewed the creator Mountain Chang. I think I heard about them on the Robb Wolf podcast. I immediately loved the idea of a minimal dress shoe. My work would flip out if I showed up to work in my Vibram Five Fingers. The retail management world just isnt ready for them. My feet though could not handle the 12 hour days on concrete wearing traditional dress shoes. Someday’s I would come home limping from feet pain. I knew I needed something. Are the Primal Professionals the something I was looking for? Let’s find out.

Since I got these shoes for review, lots of exciting things have happened over at the Primal Professional. They’ve rebranded to Chronology. Their Resole and Restoration program, which gives your shoes a second life, is up and running.

They’ve joined 1% for the Planet, a network of businesses that pledge 1% of their sales to nonprofits that are protecting, restoring, and improving the planet we all live in (notable 1FTP members include Patagonia and Paleo Treats).

They’ve added some cool new features, like elastic laces that turn the shoes into functional slip-ons. They just received version 3 of their continuously improving shoes. They’re now taking preorders (save $50) for version 4 on http://chronology-lg.com/. They will be made by a new shoemaker, and include a new Oxblood color.

What’s Better Than Voting? Episode 101

May 12, 2016May 12, 2016 James Burnette 1 Comment

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What’s Better Than Voting?

Today we tackle what’s better than voting. In our opinion pretty much everything. We so firmly believe that voting is such a waste of time that most any activity is a better use of your time. We randomly name things that would be a better impact on your life and the planet.

We take on our very first listener call as well. Matt calls in asking about unusual items to put in a Bug Out Bag. Mike and I go over a few that we both use. For me my #1 unusual item are paper clips. I find them to be very useful.

Mike and I talk about doing squats. Mike for the first time ever. Hilarity ensues.

James and Mike A Day In THe Woods Autoimmune Diseases

Survivalpunk Episode 100 Celebration

May 4, 2016May 4, 2016 James Burnette 1 Comment

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Episode 100

Today we have our episode 100 celebration podcast. In this episode we bring back every segment we have had on the show over the years. We have special guests in the pod cave this week. We are joined by Producer Mikes Wife and Serenity Moonbeam.

We talk about survival uses for a broken fridge. Mike talks about his Survival Show pick of the week. We play The worst case scenario game and a round of Conflicted.

The permaculture minute is on Bamboo.

We take the time to thank all of the guest we’ve had on the show. We give a special thanks to Jeff Radtke from the Lost Skills Podcast for being most interviewed and the only guest host ever.

We talk about how I will be killed off in an upcoming novel.

We have a great time celebrating the first 100 episodes and hope you all did too. Here’s to the next 100!