The Poor Prole’s Almanac

Latest Episodes:

Russell Lord, J. Edgar Hoover & the Permanent Agriculture Movement Mar 31, 2024

Show notes

Part 2 of the Russell Lord story. Before Murray Bookchin, another man paired ecological health with societal health, Russell Lord. In this episode, we dive into Lord's early years and his exposure to sustainable agriculture. Heavily influenced by Liberty Hyde Bailey, Lord worked as a journalist and extension program educator to advocate for the needs of farmers across the country in the early 20th century. During this time, he made a number of crucial connections which would later catapult him to becoming a forgotten but incredibly important conduit for the permanent agriculture movement's success over a number of decades.

To read about Russell Lord's contributions to history, check out the following substack for sources and further details: hhttps://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/russell-lord

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Russell Lord: Ecological Problems Are Agricultural Problems Mar 24, 2024

Show notes

Before Murray Bookchin, another man paired ecological health with societal health, Russell Lord. In this episode, we dive into Lord's early years and his exposure to sustainable agriculture. Heavily influenced by Liberty Hyde Bailey, Lord worked as a journalist and extension program educator to advocate for the needs of farmers across the country in the early 20th century. During this time, he made a number of crucial connections which would later catapult him to becoming a forgotten but incredibly important conduit for the permanent agriculture movement's success over a number of decades.

To read about Russell Lord's contributions to history, check out the following substack for sources and further details: hhttps://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/russell-lord

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Fall of the Permanent Agriculture Movement Mar 17, 2024

Show notes

In 1946, Paul Sears took the stage at the “Food & the Future” Conference to deliver a new vision of agriculture from a global, ecological perspective. In this speech, on the heels of World War 2, he credited Darwin & Kropotkin for providing a biological framework for the ethics humanity needed in order to make sense of what seemed like an unravelling world. Sears told his audience that “Our responsibility now has two facets—we are custodians of ourselves and our environment as well. We did not make and cannot change the laws under which we must work, but at least we can understand them.” The early 1940s had proven to be a time of maturation for the permanent agriculture movement, as the science and ethic of ecology had emerged as the central component of permanent agriculture.

How did it lose its momentum going into World War 2, and how did that impact the rise of the movements we see today in regards to alternatives to conventional agriculture?

To read about this unique period in history, check out the following substack for sources and further details: https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/the-20th-century-permanent-agriculture

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Permanent Agriculture Movement & FDR Mar 11, 2024

Show notes

In the 1930s, the permanent agriculture movement gained an advocate in the White House in the name Franklin D Roosevelt. It allowed some of the most radical policies to unfold in American agricultural history, but not without hiccups. In this episode, we chat about the explosion of the movement, as well as some of the darker undercurrents that tied progressive agricultural practices with racism and feudalisim.

To read about this unique period in history, check out the following substack for sources and further details: https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/the-20th-century-permanent-agriculture

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Birth of the Permanent Agriculture Movement Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

Did you know that one time the United States almost accidentally stopped climate change and became a leading global force in defense of ecology? A unique confluence of events came together and presented an opportunity for the United States to protect itself and concurrently its soils as well. We talk about the lead-up to this movement under the FDR administration and the players involved in the development of the resources for this unique opportunity.

To read about this unique period in history, check out the following substack for sources and further details:

https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/the-20th-century-permanent-agriculture

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John Hershey: The TVA & the Downingtown Food Forest Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

John Hershey and in particular the Downingtown Food Forest are pointed to as examples of what the tree crop and permanent agriculture movement can create, given the opportunity. That said, very little about John Hershey the man has been written or compiled, despite ample writing and close relationship with folks like J. Russell Smith. In this episode, we dive into John Hershey's story and contextualize his lasting legacy: the Downingtown Forest and the tree crops that are tied to this landscape.

Check out the corresponding substack article for resources, citations, and more information! https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/john-w-hershey

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

J. Russell Smith-- the Tree Crops Visionary Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

J. Russell Smith might be the most well-known figure in history in regards to tree crops in North America— largely because of his book “Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture”, which has been a foundational text for many people in permaculture and agroecological spaces. While this book is worthwhile for any novice and experienced horticulturalist to read, his work expands much further than this one book. In fact, his successes and imprint on industries for generations were so expansive, often working on international or groundbreaking projects in different fields concurrently, instead of organizing this piece on a linear timeline, it will be much easier to understand by clustering in the fields of academic, geography & industry, youth public education, food systems, conservation, and food production.

In this episode, we dive into the second half of the life of ecologist and tree crops specialist J. Russell Smith.

Check out the corresponding substack article for resources, citations, and more information! https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/j-russell-smith

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

J. Russell Smith-- Tree Crops and Geography Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we dive into the second half of the life of a botanist that should be known by everyone listening to this podcast-- Liberty Hyde Bailey.

Liberty Hyde Bailey is likely a name many folks are familiar with, but the depth of knowledge of his significance remains fairly thin. A cursory search online highlights various facets of his career— his work in pomology, his defense of rural living and communities, and his importance in the re-discovery of Mendel’s work on recessive traits. While all of these are important, they simply scratch the surface of what Bailey has contributed to numerous fields of science and philosophy and miss the larger vision that motivated Bailey.

Check out the corresponding substack article for resources, citations, and more information! https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/j-russell-smith

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Liberty Hyde Bailey-The World in the Palm of his Hand Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we dive into the second half of the life of a botanist that should be known by everyone listening to this podcast-- Liberty Hyde Bailey.

Check out the corresponding substack article for resources, citations, and more information! https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/liberty-hyde-bailey

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Liberty Hyde Bailey- A Portrait of a Young Botanist Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we dive into the history of a botanist that should be known by everyone listening to this podcast-- Liberty Hyde Bailey.

Check out the corresponding substack article for resources, citations, and more information! https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/liberty-hyde-bailey

To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac

For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org

For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com

For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com

For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org

To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.