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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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