So, I had my first real foraging find. A mushroom, no less. To be perfectly honest, up until recently the thought of eating a mushroom out of the wild was, shall we say, intimidating at the very least. There’s a sort of…mycophobia, it seems, regarding the fungus among us. Probably stemming from the fact that given that a good majority of people don’t know which mushrooms can and can’t kill you, they err far on the side of caution.
Continue reading “The Plan #4: The Fungus Amongus and Musings”
So, Summer is winding down. Granted, if you’re in North Carolina, Summer runs until about December some years and October others, but that’s neither here nor there. Point is, the seasonal change is coming sooner than later, and we’re going to drift in Autumn. This is (sort of) what I’ve been waiting for. Being a teacher, Autumn means back to work…though I swear to Christ they keep cutting our break shorter every year.
(A quick note. If you’re like me and have no idea what that mushroom is, it’s probably not a good idea to go find one and sample it.)
So, I’ve sat down and decided that I want to try and procure food on my own, without the help of grocery stores (with some exceptions, I’m looking at you Diet Pepsi and Ice Cream). This is settling in even more after talking to Alan Muskat, of No Taste Like Home and Philosoforager. Which be on the lookout for that interview round about the 30th of this month. Believe me, it is EXTREMELY eye opening and thought provoking.
That in mind, I’ve realized something: I really have no idea what I’m doing.
Continue reading “Happy Birthday, Ernie: Ode to Ernest Hemingway”
I hate the grocery store. I hate everything about it. I hate paying exorbitant prices for food that’s probably contributing to killing me (I don’t need any help killing myself, god knows with my list of bad habits). I hate standing in an aisle while someone stares blankly at the items on the shelves, drooling on themselves in some sort of consumer induced stupor while they attempt the mental math of trying to figure out calories, carbs, fat, and sodium. I hate the fact that when I go to the grocery store, even the simplest things like meat and veggies are extremely altered or, if not, extremely expensive. Not to mention, Fry would chime in the bags, the waste, and so on and so forth.
Suffice to say, as I mentioned, I hate the grocery store.
Continue reading “The “Plan” #1 – Donovan Takes on the Challenge of Food Self-Reliance”
I’ve subscribed to more than my fair share of subscription boxes. Some of them have exceeded expectations (I’m looking at you Mystery Tackle Box), others, not so much. Part of the fun is the surprise of what’s coming in the mail on a month to month basis, which can get somewhat addicting. That said, it can also be a serious let down in some cases.
That aside, I’ve been eyeing the Cairn box for more than a minute (along with their competitor Nomadik) and decided to take the plunge and spent the 30 or so bucks on theTrailhead box, which is a sort of an introductory box, and give it a go.
I also figured this would be a good time to introduce a sort of…review format that can carry over for future reviews. Just a little something to make things a little easier and focus on what’s important: First Impressions, What’s Bad?, What’s Good?, and my Overall Take.
The question, now that I’ve received my box is: Was it worth it? Well, read on true believer, and I’ll give you my take.
Continue reading “Review: Cairn Trailhead Box – Is it worth it?”
Decomposition is a fascinating natural procedure that I believe is highly misunderstood and, sadly, regarded as a gross, terrible cycle. It is vital to the natural process of life, and within literature it is a common thematic concept. In my mind, the course of decay is equal to the ‘beautiful’ process of procreation.
Continue reading “To Compost or Not To Compost (Simple Answer)”
Needless to say, going anywhere in the wild, it’s a pretty good idea to carry a first aid kid. I actually got this idea for a small, portable kit for most scrapes and cuts after falling down quite the rabbit hole on YouTube. It all started innocently enough. I started looking up gear reviews on daypacks, the next thing I know I’m watching some full blown, Armageddon happy nutjobs. That being said, even in insanity there are, I suppose, flashes of geniuses. Making a mini first-aid kit with an Altoids can was one of those little flashes that I happened to stumble across.
While this is still a bit of a work in progress, I thought I’d give a quick status update on where we are with the Podcast, what we have coming down the pipe, and what we’re hoping to get in the coming months.
Continue reading “The State of Things (aka, how this wacky project is coming along)”
Even though it’s not hunting season, those of us into hunting may have a bit of Venison hanging around in the freezer. This recipe, which requires next to no work is, in one guy’s humble opinion, a pretty damn tasty way to make use of it. It works pretty well with any cut, as well, which is even better.
Teachers in the Wild Podcast 