Articles: history
A Brief History of Agriculture: The Science Behind Farming
What do you think of when you think of the history of agriculture? Plants, vegetables, maybe some livestock? The basis of farming is actually much more complicated…
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The Dramatic History of Bringing Beavers Back to Britain
The movement to rewild the British landscape with beavers has become one of the most dramatic and subversive nature conservation acts of the modern era. From gun-toting…
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Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the Complicated Art of Making a Living
“Loving apples or cider is not a prerequisite for loving this book. All that is needed is the willingness to follow a vibrant narrative voice driven by…
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The Significance of America’s Maple Syrup History
Everything is better with maple syrup. At least that’s what you’ll hear when you ask Vermonters. So what better way to solidify your love for all things…
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A Short History of Agricultural Seed
Seeds are the foundation of agriculture. As John Navazio describes in this excerpt from his new book, The Organic Seed Grower: A Farmer’s Guide to Vegetable Seed…
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Magic Mushrooms: A History
When the word “mushroom” comes to mind, “magic” isn’t far behind. But what started this almost immediate association between mushrooms and illicit drugs? While there are some…
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Herbal Medicine: Knowledge Rooted in Connection
Using herbal medicine to heal the body is an ancient practice, but it has since become a worldwide industry in the twenty-first century. Today, modern-day doctor’s visits…
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The Evolution of Tools: Rock, Paper, Scissors
We’ve all played Rock, Paper, Scissors; whether it’s to decide who’s goes first, who’s doing the dishes, or simply a way to pass the time– we all…
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A Book for the Fruit Nerd on Your Holiday Gift List
Have a fruit nerd on your holiday shopping list this year? Then give the gift that Booklist calls, “a thorough investigation of one wonderful fruit”—The Book of…
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What You Didn’t Learn About “Leaves of Grass” in School
In her book Outrages, Naomi Wolf shows how legal persecutions of writers, and of men who loved men affected Symonds and his contemporaries, including Christina and Dante…
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Treating Addiction: From Opium Poppy to Morphine to Naltrexone
LDN, originally prescribed in higher doses as a treatment for opioid addiction, works by blocking opioid receptors, thereby stimulating the production of endorphins, mitigating the inflammatory process,…
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Publishing in the Time of a Pandemic: On Birth and Survival
The following is by Charlotte Dennett, author of Follow the Pipelines, and originally appeared on Medium.com. It has been adapted for the web. April 2, 2020 was supposed to…
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The Apple: America’s Fruit
Did you know that the apple traveled to North America the same way the Pilgrims did in the 1600s? Though apple trees are abundant all across the…
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Cooking with Mesquite: Ancient Nourishment
Mesquite has been a staple in desert dwellers’ diet for far longer than maize or even livestock. With its nutritional value (it’s filled with both complex carbs…
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