Ep. 35 - Countdown to Spring

Original Transplants

Episode 35 of the Original Transplants Podcast finds Satoyama Homestead stewards Will and Sarah counting down to spring. Will discusses the nucleus hives he ordered to jump start the apiary, and the differences he sees between nucleus hives and packages for starting a new colony. Sarah and Will share observations of chicken behavior, including what to do when a chicken seems out of sorts due to molting, impacted crop or sour crop. We get through the winter months by enjoying preserved fruits of the harvest, including dehydrated fruits and veggies, pickles, jams, chutneys, and other canned goods, and even berry and dandelion wines. Sarah explains how she uses whey, a byproduct of making strained yogurt, in cooking and baking. Will recounts his ordeal emptying the skid tank of gasoline, and we talk about some of the new plants we're excited to try growing from seed, including okra and spilanthes (toothache plant). Will shares some advice on getting hunting permissions from private landowners, relayed from The MeatEater Podcast, and Sarah shares her surprise satisfaction with the three-piece MintCraft houseplant tool set. We closed with a recent New York Times article by Asher Elbein about the firehawks of Australia and their unique ecosystem niche. Find out more at satoyamahs.org and spreadcasts.tumblr.com.Links:In Australia, Arsonists Might Have Wings: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/05/science/australia-firehawks-aboriginal.htmlMeatEater Podcast ep. 96 Permissions!: http://www.themeateater.com/podcasts/ep-096-permissions/Cookbook "A Naturalist's Guide to Cooking with Wild Plants": http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/487508207 MintCraft 3-piece houseplant toolset: http://www.lancasterlumber.com/product-p/8967101.htm