Bear Grease

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Latest Episodes:

Ep. 481: Backwoods University - Farming Crawfish Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

Humans eating crawfish is nothing new. In fact, in North America alone it's been going on for several thousands of years. However, the craft of deliberately farming crawfish is relatively new in the grand scheme of things. Jason Roberts, a Mississippi native, walks us through the story and process of starting up his crawfish farm. What all went into it, how he figured it out, what type of crawfish species he targets, and the unexpected harmony found between crawfish farming and waterfowl land management.

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Ep. 480: This Country Life - Cinnamon Bears and Chocolate Gravy Jul 17, 2026

Show notes

The week long wait is over! Brent is finally getting to the meat he left on the bone from last week's episode on his Saskatchewan black bear hunt. It was a grand adventure for him and he took away lessons from that he didn't see coming. It's time for the second part of Brent's trip north of the border, but whether it will be the final installment is yet to be determined, you're just gonna have to give it a listen.

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Ep. 479: Civil War - Part 5: The Most Underrated Man in the Civil War? Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Continuing on with Bear Grease's Civil War Summer series, Clay Newcomb travels to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library in Starkville, Mississippi, to uncover the story of the Union general who may be the most misunderstood figure of the war. Alongside Grant historian Dr. Louis Gallo, Clay traces Grant's unlikely journey from a quiet Ohio farm boy and gifted horseman to a failed farmer, struggling businessman, and former army officer battling personal struggles.

The conversation explores Grant's complicated relationship with slavery, his marriage into a slaveholding Missouri family, his years of financial hardship, and the character traits that would eventually make him Lincoln's indispensable commander. Along the way, Clay discusses the Lost Cause ideology, the myths that shaped Grant's reputation, and the remarkable transformation of a man who went from selling firewood on the streets to leading the Union Army and becoming President of the United States.

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If you have comments on the show, send us a note to beargrease@themeateater.com

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Ep. 478: This Country Life - Air Canada and the Lost Baggage Blues Jul 10, 2026

Show notes

Flying is always stressful for Brent. He says he likes being in different and remote places, he just doesn't always enjoy the process of getting there. A fear of flying isn't the issue; trusting his possessions to strangers is. You're allowed to carry backpack with a shaving kit and extra change of clothes on the plane with you, but you can't carry a bow and arrow and store it in an overhead bin. If he could, though, he wouldn't have anything to talk about this week. Get your boarding pass and settle in at the gate. It's time for MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast.

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Ep. 477: Render - The Mailbox, The Bulldozer, and The Emancipation Proclamation Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

As Civil War Summer continues, host Clay Newcomb along with Dr. Misty Newcomb and Josh "Landbridge" Spielmaker are joined by guests former history teacher Ben Lagrone and host of The End of History podcast J.B. Shreve as they swap stories about Osage orange trees, neighborhood mailbox projects, , bulldozers, and the simple satisfaction of moving dirt. The group then turns their attention to the Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln's leadership, family Civil War connections, and the lasting impact of America's defining conflict.

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If you have comments on the show, send us a note to beargrease@themeateater.com

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Ep. 476: Backwoods University - Catching Crawfish Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Without a doubt, crawfish, or crayfish, are the most well-known, and tastiest crustacean in all of North America- but how much do we really know about them? Where did they come from? How many of them are there? What role do they play in the ecosystem? We’ll all learn by the end of this that these tiny shellfish have more to offer than a what comes out of a boiling pot.

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Ep. 475: This Country Life - Cub Scouts and Chicken Farmers Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

This week Brent's sharing two stories where the only thing they have in common is that he's telling them in English. Well, his version of English anyway. The first is from a father son scouting trip with his son, Hunter, when Hunter was six. The follow up tale is from one his father shared with him about a man who was difficult to work with back in the 1980s. While he may have had a reason to be difficult, he didn't have an excuse for it. How that worked out is a good lesson for us all. Pull up a chair, it's time for MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast.

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Ep. 474: Civil War - Part 4: What You Were Never Told About The Emancipation Proclamation Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

In Part 4 of Bear Grease's Civil War Summer series, Clay Newcomb continues the conversation with JD Huitt and sits down with historian Dr. Brooks Blevins to examine one of the most consequential decisions of the war: Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Following the bloodshed at Antietam—the single deadliest day in American history—the Union president made a bold political, military, and moral gamble that transformed the conflict forever.

Together, they unpack why the proclamation was far more than a declaration of freedom and explore how Lincoln used emancipation as a diplomatic weapon to keep Britain and France out of the war, weaken the Confederate labor force, recruit Black soldiers, and redefine the Union cause. Along the way, they examine the staggering casualties of Civil War combat, the strategic failures of Union generals, and the growing realization that the war would not end in compromise but in total transformation.

The Civil War had begun as a fight to preserve the Union. By the end of 1862, it had become something much bigger.

Thank you to our sponsor, Tecovas.

If you have comments on the show, send us a note to beargrease@themeateater.com

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Ep. 473: Backwoods University - Bonus Episode: Anti-Poaching Stories Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

In this bonus drop of Backwoods University, we have the opportunity to hear from a man named Joshua Lawes, who spent several years in the wild lands of Africa, working in antipoaching teams. As you can imagine, he has some pretty wild and fascinating tales, along with some insight on how conservation works in Africa and how it dippers for North America.

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Ep. 472: This Country Life - Lessons From "Where the Red Fern Grows" Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

Whether you call them lessons or just simple observations, Brent thinks there’s no better example of good ones than those presented in “Where the bred Fern Grows”. Come along as he points out a few of the ones that have been the most meaningful to him. It’s time for MeatEater’s “This Country Life” podcast.

Thank you to our sponsors, Case Knives and Stor-Mor.

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