1 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Saber Protection of iHeartRadio. I'm Annie 2 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: Recent and. 3 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 2: I'm Lorn Volga Bum and today we have an episode 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 2: for you about you Pick Farms. 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: Yes, and it's a fun one. It's a fun one. 6 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: It brought back a lot of memories for me. Oh yeah, yeah. 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: Was there any particular reason this was on your mind? Lauren? 8 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 2: I associate you Pick farms with the fall season because 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,279 Speaker 2: of like apple picking and pumpkin patches and stuff like that. 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 2: I mean, I know that they are a year round thing, 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,560 Speaker 2: and my experience with them is, in fact more summer based. 12 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 2: I did have a family reunion that I went to 13 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 2: when I was a young child that was on apple orchard, 14 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: so it was like vaguely similar in theme. 15 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: But uh, but yeah, just you know, night you go 16 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: to places where there's trees and they're changing colors and 17 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: you get fruit. Yeah, it's great, it is great, It 18 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: is great. I hadn't before we did this episode. I 19 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: don't know that I would have put pumpkins and Christmas 20 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: trees into you pick farming, but they are, they certainly are, 21 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 1: and that for me growing up in rural North Georgia, 22 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: we were close to a bunch of apple orchards, also 23 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 1: pumpkin patches, and so it is something I also associate 24 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: with fall. But I did do like strawberries and blueberries 25 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: in the summer. But my school would have field trips. 26 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: We would go and we would pick apples. Yeah, and 27 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: it just felt as a kid, like the coolest thing. 28 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: I can take these home and make something out of them. 29 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: But it is, Yeah, it's a nice outing. It's a 30 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: nice thing to do, and then you get some food 31 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: out of it. 32 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I mean your enjoyment mileage. 33 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: May vary out of that. 34 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 2: And there is something a tiny bit weird about like, 35 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: ooh for a fun day, let's go do this thing 36 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: that someone's job, yes, that they don't have fun at 37 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 2: or I mean, I don't know, I don't want to 38 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 2: speak for all harvesters, but yeah, I mean really fresh 39 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 2: fruit is really great, or other types of produce delicious 40 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: so nice. 41 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,679 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, And we'll talk about this more in the 42 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: history section. But like, for instance, near where I am, 43 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: you would make a whole ship out of it. 44 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:56,239 Speaker 3: You would go. 45 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it's like an all day thing. Yeah, probably 46 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: trying to go to the orchard if you could, and 47 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: then you would go to the waterfall. So it was 48 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: just like a whole thing and they had a hay 49 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: ride and oh yeah yeah, corn mazes and ye yeah, 50 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: snacks and oh my goodness, yeah yeah. And I mean 51 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: for those of us who are, you know, stuck in 52 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,239 Speaker 1: kind of urban or suburban areas that don't have a 53 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: lot of that, it is. It is a very it's 54 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: it's really nice. You're like, oh, air, this is cool. 55 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: I forgot. Yeah, wow, look at these things growing reconnection 56 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: to our food supply chain. Cool, right, yeah, yes, well 57 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: I guess that our question. Yeah, I mean, I think 58 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: that was just the whole episode. We could probably cut 59 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: it there, probably, but we won't because there's a lot 60 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: of stuff to go over here. There is there is 61 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: you pick farms. What are they? 62 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 2: Well, you pick farms are farms that open their fields 63 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: to the public during harvest season whenever that may be, 64 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 2: and let people come pick fresh produce to take home 65 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 2: with them for a fee. These farms are generally like small, 66 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: locally owned and operated kind of farms, and the fee 67 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: structures can vary. Often buy volume or weight, sometimes with 68 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 2: like an entry fee on top of that. Depending, the 69 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 2: farms might offer varying levels of education and or entertainment 70 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 2: and or other items for sale, maybe like a petting 71 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: zoo or picnic. Foods to eat on site, maybe like 72 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 2: jams or craft items to take home. Might have workers 73 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,799 Speaker 2: on hand to talk to customers about how the produce 74 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: has grown and like the different varieties that they offer 75 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: and the history there. Depending on the operation, the experience 76 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 2: can really skew anywhere from like do you want cheap berries? 77 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: Please help pick these berries before they go bad. It's 78 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 2: on the honor system. No one is even here, just 79 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 2: takes berries to like a full on agritourism that's more 80 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: expensive than buying produce at a store. And also there 81 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 2: is a corn maze and carnival rides and like photo 82 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 2: ops with goats. 83 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: Yes, by the way, I'm really good at corn mazes. 84 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: I believe this about you. I believe that somewhere in 85 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: your like horror film training, you have gotten very good 86 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: at corn mazes on purpose for reasons. Yeah, I confidently 87 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: can tell you good at corn mases. It's good to know. 88 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: I was already probably sticking with you in case of 89 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 1: a horror movie. But yeah, in the case of a 90 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: horror movie where we have to get through a corn Maise, 91 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: I'm here perfect but yes, yes, you pick farms are 92 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: away for farmers to make money and get their crop 93 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: harvested without paying for labor. And it's a way for 94 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: customers to obtain fresh produce and you know, connect with 95 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: the growing process a little bit more than usual. It's 96 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: an individual, consumer level, local agricultural experience and end product, 97 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: like the opposite of industrialized, globalized factory farming. And it 98 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: can be you know, whatever you put into or take 99 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 1: away from the experience, you know, hopefully at minimum that 100 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: the farmer made money from their crop and the consumer 101 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: got out in the fresh air, came away with fresh produce. 102 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: It's like a working holiday. Yeah, And there's a lot 103 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: of different ways that it can look, which we'll talk about. 104 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: But for instance, for me, one of the reasons I 105 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: never thought about pumpkin farming going to a pumpkin patch 106 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: in this kind of way is that I was just 107 00:06:57,720 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: go and pick it up and then I would leave 108 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: Like it wasn't it's not quite as involved exactly, but 109 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: it did have a I mean, there were I'm sure 110 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: some people if they're from my area, I know exactly 111 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: where I'm talking about. But it was a big deal, 112 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: But like it just felt like you just picked out 113 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: your pumpkin and then left. You didn't want to do 114 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: all that other stuff. Yeah, yeah, left with your pumpkins. 115 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: You don't need to go on the carnival rides or 116 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: exact the hay rides or whatever it is that it is. 117 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, And I mean, and what's available does 118 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 2: depend on what is grown in your area and what 119 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: season it is. You know, produce that's easily harvested and 120 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: edible out of hand is perhaps particularly popular, you know, strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, 121 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 2: stuff like that in the fall to winter. Right, Seasonal 122 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 2: things like pumpkins and Christmas trees are popular too, and 123 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 2: non edible items, well, mostly non edible items like flowers 124 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 2: are common. 125 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: But yeah, you can. 126 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 2: Find lots of niche produce really just on what people 127 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 2: are growing. And speaking of which, farming is not a monolith, 128 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 2: and there are lots of reasons that individual farms have 129 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 2: opened their gates to the public through you pick business. Similarly, 130 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 2: customers reasons for going are their own, you know, on 131 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: both ends of that, it can be about saving money, 132 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: it could be about keeping business local, It can be 133 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 2: about agritourism. You know, education and entertainment surrounding are often 134 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:33,359 Speaker 2: invisible agricultural systems. I suspect that for a lot of customers, 135 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 2: it's mostly about like getting out of the city slash 136 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: suburbs for a day and letting the kids run themselves tired. Yeah, 137 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 2: nothing wrong with that. Good good Instagram opportunities. You know, 138 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 2: we will get into some like araspecific cultural trends in 139 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 2: the history section, but yeah, if you're looking for one, 140 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 2: there are so many resources online. Pick your own dot 141 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:05,959 Speaker 2: Org all three words spelled out in the normal English 142 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: way is a really great website to start with. It 143 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 2: is helpful to call a farm before you go to 144 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 2: like confirm availability, get an idea of what to expect, 145 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 2: you know, like some farms require reservations, some provide their 146 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 2: own containers, and some absolutely do not. So yeah, just 147 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 2: check it out, and you know, when you go, dress 148 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 2: comfortably and safely for the outdoors. 149 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: If you're thinking. 150 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 2: About starting one, there are also lots of resources online, 151 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 2: especially from like university extension programs. So yeah, I feel 152 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 2: like I'm fully prepared to help someone go into this business. 153 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 2: After doing the reading that I did today, I'm like, oh, yeah, no, 154 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 2: I've got loads of resources for you. 155 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: Let's go, let's talk about direct marketing and social media 156 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: presence and yes, oh well what about the nutrition. 157 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 2: Do not eat farms? Nor the business and operational plans thereof. 158 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: Okay, there's a haunted Maize Cornfield Maze movie here that 159 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: I usually yes, of course, of course I'll think about it. Okay, Okay, 160 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: thank you, Yeah, definitely get back to us. That being said, 161 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: fresh produce is good for you. We should all eat 162 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: more of it. Probably, Yes, well, we do have some 163 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:42,839 Speaker 1: numbers for you, a. 164 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 2: Couple numbers like Okay, it's hard to get generalized numbers 165 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:51,559 Speaker 2: for this phenomenon because it is so local. But for example, 166 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,679 Speaker 2: the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services lists one 167 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 2: hundred and forty six statewide. You pick farms, or you 168 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 2: pick farms that exist statewide. I should say I did 169 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 2: read that. Bigger operations, like especially ones that have been 170 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 2: up and running for a decade or two and have 171 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 2: that word of mouth built up, which is a lot 172 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 2: of what these businesses rely on. They can see tens 173 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 2: of thousands of visitors every year. Another example in Kentucky 174 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 2: in twenty seventeen, agrotourism earned farms over seventeen million dollars statewide. However, 175 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 2: over seventy five percent of those farms reported earning less 176 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 2: than ten thousand dollars a year coming from agrotourism. So 177 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 2: in that case, and I suspect in a lot of cases, 178 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 2: it seems like a really widespread side hustle. 179 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. 180 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. That same year, agrotourism revenue from around the in 181 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 2: tirety of the United States rose to a nine hundred 182 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 2: and fifty million dollars. So not doing too bad. 183 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: No, no, they are not. And they have a history 184 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 1: that I was not expecting but makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. 185 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 2: The history is why I like actually really chose the 186 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 2: topic because I didn't know anything about it. I had 187 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: never really thought about it, and I was like, oh, 188 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 2: oh that's cool. So yeah, yeah, we are going to 189 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 2: get into that history. But first we are going to 190 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 2: take a quick break for a word from our sponsors. 191 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you, and 192 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 1: shout out in this episode to Dustin Renwick's article over 193 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: at National Geographic, the Surprising History of America's pick your 194 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 1: own Farms, which is really useful for this also has 195 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: pictures from all kinds of era pig farms past, So 196 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: definitely go check that out if you would like to 197 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: learn more. Yeah, this is a really interesting story. Yeah 198 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: all right. So, according to some sources I read, there 199 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: are arguments to be made that the seed of the 200 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,479 Speaker 1: idea of you pick farms goes back to medieval European 201 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: sharecropping and later a Victorian era trend where people were 202 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: invited to visit farms and pick produce for a meal 203 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: like a home cooked meal. That I couldn't find much 204 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: to back that up, and I'm not the only one. 205 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: I would say it is at the very least safe 206 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: to say that this idea has existed in various forms 207 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:54,959 Speaker 1: since we became an agrarian, non nomadic society with farms, 208 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: though it probably was not near as popular as what 209 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: most of us are thinking about. 210 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean right, for sure, the phenomenon of 211 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 2: people being like, oh, hey, I need help with this harvest. 212 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 2: Oh do you want some of it? 213 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, is a thing that has probably existed since farming 214 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: but exactly yeah, but yes, But modern day you pick 215 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: farms emerged in the early twentieth century. One of the 216 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: first known instances was an advertisement in nineteen oh seven 217 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: from a California farm that read joined the Merry Orange Pickers, 218 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: Big crowd Going Today, A novel, fascinating experience, yes, but 219 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: that was kind of a outlier. The idea really got 220 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: a boost in the nineteen twenties thanks to a couple 221 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: of factors. Firstly, more people were able to afford cars. Secondly, 222 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: for the first time in American history, a majority of 223 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: the population lived in cities, which meant people wanted to 224 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: take their cars out of the city for day trips. Yeah. 225 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: Some farms, especially those only an hour or so outside 226 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: of cities, saw this opportunity, so they started putting out 227 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: ads promising Americans a good time as they picked all 228 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: kinds of produce. Another part of this was that the 229 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: twenties were rough for a good chunk of the United 230 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: States farmers included. The demands of World War One had 231 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: farmers growing more than ever, along with advances and methods 232 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: like pivoting to motorize equipment instead of horses, and understanding 233 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: around livestock and crop science increasing. All these things came 234 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: together to lead to a national surplus of a lot 235 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: of produce. However, as this surplus built up, demand was decreasing, 236 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: Europe bounced back post war and no longer needed to 237 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: rely on American producers. There weren't as many people being born, 238 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 1: and tougher restrictions kept more immigrants from entering the country, 239 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: so farmers had this surplus and less people buying it. 240 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: This in turn drove prices down, which was made worse 241 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: by debts many farmers had incurred during World War One 242 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: and tax on their products that remained unchanged given the circumstances. Yeah. 243 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like, all of this drove prices down so far 244 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 2: that farms the next harvesting season were finding themselves unable 245 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 2: to hire labor for that harvest. 246 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: Yeah. And on top of that, the Great Depression exacerbated things, 247 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: and by the early thirties, numerous farmers were trying to 248 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: get relief from the government farmers and states like Iowa 249 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: threatened to strike. But all of this was not going 250 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: to keep the produce from growing, just going to grow anyway. 251 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: So in nineteen thirty two, when chair carries bloomed on 252 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,919 Speaker 1: Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin, they were trying to 253 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: come up with something. At the time, canries offered a 254 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: set price to can the cherries, but given the current 255 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: economic climate, farmers found themselves in it was more financially 256 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: sound to let the cherries rot. Well. Yeah, but the 257 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: cherries in Door County were something of a tourist attraction 258 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: and a lot of farmers obviously didn't want to just 259 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 1: let the cherries go bad, so some of them came 260 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: up with the idea of getting consumers to pick them 261 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: themselves for a penny a pound, which was a pretty 262 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: good deal because yeah, I remember at the time most 263 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: Americans were impacted by the Great Depression. Fruit was a 264 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: luxury for a lot of people, and the idea was 265 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: painted as a nice outing, like a trip you can 266 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:58,239 Speaker 1: go on affordable. So local radio stations ran ads and 267 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: people showed up picking over one hundred thousand pounds of 268 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: cherries in early July of that year as the season began. 269 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:11,119 Speaker 1: It was a huge success, which of course got the 270 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: attention of other competing orchards. All types of creative advertising 271 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 1: methods followed, like moving billboards on trucks that read something 272 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: like follow me. Are roller skaters with signs on their backs, 273 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: People handing out flyers with directions to their orchards are 274 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: standing at intersections waving flags. Newspapers reported on it. It 275 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: was this big thing. One orchard saw upwards of ten 276 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: thousand tourists from one hundred and thirty different towns in 277 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 1: the first few weeks, and it was a success financially too, 278 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: drumming up about half a million dollars in today's money. 279 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: So now people knew there's money to be made here, 280 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: so they got to work formulating a blueprint for the 281 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: following season so it would be more organized. Because this 282 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 1: was a surprise, I didn't think it was gonna take off, 283 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 1: like yeah, they were just like, oh oh really, huh 284 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:13,959 Speaker 1: oh okay, all right, put a sign on this rollers 285 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: Pater's back. Meanwhile, the Agricultural Adjustment Act, passed in nineteen 286 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: thirty three, aimed at increasing farmers pay while decreasing the 287 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: surplus of their crops and production. It instituted federal quotas, 288 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: including around how many cherries could be canned Intoor county, 289 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 1: and that number was half of the expected crop. So 290 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: based on that, three hundred farmers came together to come 291 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 1: up with a standard price for the remaining cherries for 292 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 1: this U pick idea, and then came the advertising promising 293 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 1: a fun outing and affordable vacation. This was also when 294 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: a lot of the roads were getting share, so it 295 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: was easier to get to Yeah. But this act also 296 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: disenfranchised thousands and thousands of black farmers who rented land, 297 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: particularly in the South. Soon there were calls for strikes 298 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: in Alabama. Many black farmers faced discrimination, threats, and violence 299 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 1: in the seventies and eighties. Black horticulturist Booker T. Wattley 300 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 1: interviewed a whole host of people for his nineteen eighty 301 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: seven guidebook that included tips for how small black owned 302 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 1: family farms could strategically capitalize on the renewed interest of 303 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: you pick farms. And the tips range from being located 304 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: within forty miles of a city or an urban area, 305 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:48,920 Speaker 1: setting up on a hard surfaced road or New York 306 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: heard service road, and that the atmosphere was as important 307 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: as the crop. So it was you're getting away for 308 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: this experience. Yeah, yeah, Okay, stepping back a bit, there 309 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:11,400 Speaker 1: was another practice that helped grow the upick industry called cleaning. Essentially, 310 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 1: after their main harvest, farmers would charge a fee for 311 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: visitors to pick any excess to glean. The gleaners could 312 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,959 Speaker 1: get a lot of produce for a low price. However, 313 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: fears around pesticide in the sixties put a dent in interest, 314 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 1: so that was something else that was going on. But yeah, 315 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: interest in you pick, farms picked up again in the 316 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: eighties and nineties when people started to become concerned about 317 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 1: their reliance on overly process foods which were now abundant, 318 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 1: and lack of access to fresh food. And in more 319 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: recent years some farms have also leaned into agrotourism. My 320 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: hometown specifically, when you go in from Atlanta, it's about 321 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,239 Speaker 1: an hour away. Yep, there's a sign that says like 322 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: agritourism stops. It says agritourism, and it's pointing all these 323 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: different ways. So people started to lean into that, which, yes, 324 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: agricultural tourism, and some of these farms did start offering 325 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: things like mazes and games and food or hay rides, 326 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: all of those things, often near other tourist attractions like 327 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 1: a waterfall. With the rise of a focus on clean 328 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 1: eating or getting back to the land, this type of 329 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: farm has endured and become somewhat the butt of a 330 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: joke of a specific type of date if you know, 331 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: you know. Some have also pointed out the irony that 332 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 1: in yeah, some cases it's become incredibly expensive for the tourist. 333 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: So you are paying more for the produce. 334 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, but you're paying for the experience you happen to 335 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 2: be getting produce. 336 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: But right, yeah, yes, And going back to something you 337 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier, Lauren, I kind of think there's an element 338 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 1: of cosplaying a farmer or someone who lives off the 339 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: land in this for some people without it all acknowledging 340 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: all of the work that goes into that, Like you're 341 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: taking a day to do it or just half a 342 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:30,719 Speaker 1: day to do it, and not considering the you know, 343 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: entire season of labor that has gone into Yes, I 344 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,399 Speaker 1: mean it's I mean, you know, like we were joking 345 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 1: earlier about like the fruit is going to show up 346 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: either way. It's not always. I mean, like it will 347 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 1: if you have already put in the effort to make 348 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: it occur. And so yeah, which I don't especially if 349 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: the farmers are making money off of it. I don't 350 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 1: think that's bad necessarily, but I think we should be 351 00:23:56,520 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: more appreciative of yourself too, seriously that you picked apples 352 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: rap oh yeah. Yeah, and just don't don't don't take 353 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: things for granted. I mean in general, Yeah, try try 354 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 1: to try to consider. Try to consider the food that 355 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: you're eating and the people who have made it possible 356 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: exactly exactly, because it can be lovely. I do have 357 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: really fond memories, especially pumpkins, but I have a really 358 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: good memory of blueberries, and that that was an instance 359 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: where the farmer was just like, have at it. I 360 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: trust you. It was like, you know, like whipped cream, 361 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: like old whipped cream tubs. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I 362 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: I how to really get experience with that, but just 363 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: to appreciate the work that goes into it. Yeah, the 364 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: experience even oh. 365 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 2: Sure, yeah, I mean even even growing up with family 366 00:24:55,680 --> 00:25:00,160 Speaker 2: members who had pretty extensive gardens that I, you know, 367 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 2: helped out with and had a little bit of a 368 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 2: concept of of how much work it was to grow 369 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 2: food and right and having like a family reunion on 370 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 2: an apple orchard and stuff like that. But but even 371 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,439 Speaker 2: even then, you know, it's not a part of my 372 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: daily life. And so there's there there really is something 373 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 2: magical about being in the place where the food is 374 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 2: being grown and you know, smelling the scent of the 375 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 2: leaves on the trees and uh and the cider being 376 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 2: made in the building next door, and you know, just 377 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 2: and and just the whole thing. 378 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 1: It's it's nice. 379 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 2: It's nice. 380 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 1: It is nice, And I do like, I like the 381 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: experiences I've had where you do go when you pick 382 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,919 Speaker 1: the apples, but then like the family is there and 383 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: they're selling cider and they're selling apple donuts or they're 384 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: it's just. 385 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 2: And they're really excited about one variety of apples that 386 00:25:58,080 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 2: they're growing, and they want to tell you about it, 387 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:00,400 Speaker 2: and I'm. 388 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: Like, heck, yes, please, it's so cool. Yeah, it's nice, 389 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: it is it is well. As Lauren also mentioned, you 390 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 1: can resources abound if you're interested in starting a you 391 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: pick farm, including social media strategies. But I would love 392 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 1: to hear from any listeners if you have experience with these, 393 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 1: if you've worked on one. Yeah, oh yeah, oh goodness, 394 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: yeah again yeah. Shout shout out to the National Geographic article, 395 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:40,359 Speaker 1: shout out to pick your Own dot org both really 396 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: both really good resources, and yeah, I would love. 397 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:46,159 Speaker 2: To hear from you all. And also, certainly this is 398 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 2: not only an American phenomenon from a from a very 399 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 2: brief googling there, there do indeed seem to be similar 400 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 2: practices set up kind of all over the world. 401 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: So yes, so right in about that mm hmm as well. 402 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: And I feel like a lot of topics we've done 403 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: have touched on this idea. It's just this is a 404 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: very specific commercializing I guess. Yeah, yeah, but yeah, let 405 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: us know. I think that's what we have to say 406 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: about you pick farms for now. It is. 407 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 2: We do already have some listener mill for you, though, 408 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:24,919 Speaker 2: and we're going to get into that as soon as 409 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 2: we get back from one more quick break for a 410 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 2: word from our sponsors. 411 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,719 Speaker 3: They we're back, Thank you, sponsor, Yes, thank you, And 412 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:54,479 Speaker 3: we're back with this snooz. 413 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: Annie definitely did a jump scare at me at the 414 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: end there. Just just have one because that's how the 415 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: corn maze works. You know what this is gonna be 416 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 1: my hubris is I get in a corn maize and 417 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: I'm so like I've got this and then the curse 418 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: will be I can never get out. Yeah, well, sorry about. 419 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:29,400 Speaker 4: It, Andrew, please edit out any instance of me bragging 420 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 4: about my my competences. 421 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: So friend of the show, Rose wrote us a long 422 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 1: letter about white tailed deer, so we're gonna split it up. 423 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: You know, we love long letters, so keep them coming. Yeah. Yes, 424 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: Rose wrote when I was growing up, hunting was a 425 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: very big deal for my parents. My parents cherish the 426 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: value of eating food they had provided for themselves and 427 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: spending time in nature. For them, hunting was the most 428 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: respectful way to take an animal's life if someone chose 429 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: to eat meat. The way they explained it to me 430 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: growing up is that the animal can live a free 431 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: and natural life, not locked up in stockyard. They can 432 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 1: eat a natural, healthy diet instead of industrial animal feed. 433 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: Then one day suddenly, out of the blue, they are 434 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: munching on some grass or an apple or whatever one moment, 435 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 1: and then the next thing they know, they are dead 436 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: from a gunshot. No pain, no fear, just lights up. 437 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: My parents mostly hunted whitetail deer. They did try elk 438 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 1: and bear two, but never with any success. Now, look, 439 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: hunting season might be in the fall, but preparing to 440 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 1: hunt whitetail deer was a year round process that had 441 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: no beginning or end. We also hunted in Washington State, Idaho, 442 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: and Montana. As soon as the season ended, we compiled 443 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 1: notes on where we had seen deer successfully, got where 444 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: other hunters in our area had gotten deer, and also 445 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: contacted our friends in other states to see who was 446 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: successful and where. Weekdays after school were spent at the 447 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: gun range or driving up in the foothills of Mountaineer 448 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: for target practice. Hours on end shooting at targets in 449 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: different positions. It was often cold, boring, loud, and most 450 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: of all grueling weekends were spent on long road trips, 451 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: sticking out next year's hunting grounds, counting deer, tracking migrations, 452 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: talking to farmers and ranchers, hopefully scoring permission to hunt 453 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: on private land the following season. Endless visits to every 454 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: single gun shop in all three states, talking to locals 455 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 1: about the local deer population, and of course we would 456 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 1: bring along our rifles and practice. So this is my life. 457 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: As an only child. I was not only dragged along 458 00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: for all this, I was expected to carry the mantle 459 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:03,240 Speaker 1: and become part of the next generation of hunters. Being 460 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: a girl made it all the more special. Higher pressure 461 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: and my rifle skills were always something my parents loved 462 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: to brag about. I was good. I was the only 463 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: girl in my age group, and I was always the 464 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: top mark stross. When I turned thirteen, as a kind 465 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: of rite of passage, it was decided I would go 466 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: on my first deer hunt. I was not thrilled hunting. 467 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: Hunting starts at dawn and goes until sunset. We were 468 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: hunting in eastern Washington, near Lake Chilan, oh No, close 469 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: to a tiny town called In Yet, eastern Washington is 470 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: nothing like western Washington. Breaking through the Cascade Mountains, there 471 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 1: is a sudden shift in landscape and green, lush forest 472 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: suddenly breaks away, revealing rolling foothills covered in apple orchards. 473 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: In the shields of green and hops a white tail 474 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: deer's paradise. We chose this area because earlier that year 475 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: a forest fire had come through and destroyed a lot 476 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 1: of the winter grounds. The deer stayed on there was 477 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 1: a good chance deer We're going to die of starvation, 478 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: so extra permits were given out. 479 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 2: Continuing, I was good at rifle craft, but I had 480 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 2: never killed anything more than a bug, and even with that, 481 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 2: I would feel bad. 482 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: So we're out. 483 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 2: Driving through the burnt out terrain along winding, logging roads 484 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 2: that fold back on themselves. These are foothills, so the 485 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 2: space between each hill is a deep ravine. It is 486 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: dusty and dirty, and as we slowly drive up and 487 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 2: down these roads, we carefully work our truck around other 488 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 2: trucks doing the same, ensuring that as we pass, the 489 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 2: truck on the ravine side doesn't tumble off on accident, 490 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 2: killing everyone inside. I'm in the back seat. No one 491 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 2: is talking. We are scanning the sides of the hills, 492 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 2: looking for any signs of a deer. Then I see it, 493 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 2: the flick of an ear. It catches my eye and 494 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 2: I follow it. Sure enough, I see a sandy brown 495 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 2: horizontal line out of place among the black burnt lines 496 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 2: of dead trees. Then my eyes focus and there she 497 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 2: is a white tail dough I silently yelled to my 498 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 2: dad to stop. I spotted something. He hit the brakes. 499 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,080 Speaker 2: We're only going about five miles an hour, and in 500 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 2: an instant we slipped out of the truck, get in position, 501 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 2: confirmed that it is indeed a white tail deer, and then, 502 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 2: without thinking, I take the shot. I could see her 503 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 2: through the scope of my rifle, head up, alert, munching 504 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,479 Speaker 2: on something, standing sideways, but head pointed in our direction. 505 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 2: More curious than anything. Then in an instant she jumps 506 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 2: up in the air and runs off. I definitely shot her, 507 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 2: and she ran away. This was the cardinal sin of 508 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 2: a hunter. This is the one thing you are not 509 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:55,600 Speaker 2: supposed to do. Do not maim an animal and let 510 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:57,880 Speaker 2: it run away and die a slow, terrible death in 511 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 2: the woods. I was in a complete panic. I dropped 512 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 2: my rifle in the dirt and started to cry. Of course, 513 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 2: she was on the other side of one of those 514 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 2: deep gaps between the hills, and there was no road 515 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 2: access over there. I got myself together and we started 516 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 2: walking over there. It was actually a lot further away 517 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 2: than any of us had realized, and it took us 518 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:18,759 Speaker 2: nearly an hour through dense steep terrain to reach the 519 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 2: site where she had been standing. If we had realized 520 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 2: just how far away she was, I would not have 521 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:25,720 Speaker 2: taken the shot. It was too risky and didn't assure 522 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 2: a good shot. Thankfully, though we found her, she had 523 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 2: died instantly due to how steep that side of the 524 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 2: hill was. She had lost her footing and fallen. I 525 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 2: was relieved, but also sad. I thanked her for her life, 526 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 2: and that was the last time I ever hunted. She 527 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 2: was very tasty, fat from eating apples, wheat, barley, and 528 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:51,200 Speaker 2: rye from nearby farms and orchards. Honestly, the deer that 529 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:54,439 Speaker 2: eat farm crops are the best not too gamy. Deer 530 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 2: that have to fend more for themselves end up having 531 00:34:56,520 --> 00:35:00,359 Speaker 2: an overpowering gaminess to them. A farm raised deer, though, 532 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 2: while the meat is pretty like wild deer, Lauren, if 533 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 2: it has no flavor at all, you might as well 534 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 2: just buy beef and save the money. My favorite way 535 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 2: of eating venison was often as stroken off yeager schnitzel, 536 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 2: or as a German style gulash, not that weird thing 537 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:20,840 Speaker 2: people call gulash in the United States. I also loved 538 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 2: doing a roast with red wine and gingerbread sauce for 539 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:27,760 Speaker 2: the holidays. Organ meat and scraps were always excellent a sausage, 540 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 2: especially summer sausage. I am happy to share recipes if 541 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:33,880 Speaker 2: you like, and you can substitute beef or wild mushrooms 542 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 2: for venison. Next time you do a deer episode or 543 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 2: wild game episode, I will tell you how it is. 544 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:41,600 Speaker 2: In Germany we have employed hunters and you can buy 545 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 2: fresh killed game meat at grocery stores, plus much more 546 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 2: like the origin of yaegermeister ps. Could you do an 547 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:53,279 Speaker 2: episode on gulash please? Why is the American nothing like 548 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 2: Hungarian goulash? 549 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:04,879 Speaker 1: Well, yes, one, I have a Hungarian gulash recipe and 550 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:10,400 Speaker 1: it is very specific and distick from American gulage. I 551 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:12,160 Speaker 1: don't know the answer, but yeah, we could do an 552 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: episode on Yeah, it's. 553 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:15,440 Speaker 2: Been on the list for a very long time and 554 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:19,319 Speaker 2: I yeah, and I don't know why we haven't done 555 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 2: it yet, but here we go. I spoiler alert, this 556 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 2: might be a spoiler even for Annie. But we do 557 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:26,279 Speaker 2: have a Stroganoff episode coming up. 558 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:33,879 Speaker 1: So oooh. I learned things along with you listeners sometimes. 559 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,480 Speaker 1: I also Stroganoff does have a different it's got like 560 00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: an americanized version as well. Absolutely. Yeah, well, thank you 561 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:49,400 Speaker 1: so much Rose for sharing this, and yes, send recipes 562 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 1: always welcome. 563 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:53,280 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, oh please, Oh my goodness. 564 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:59,760 Speaker 1: Yes, that's that's a lot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 565 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 2: I feel like I would similarly have a lot of emotions, 566 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:07,800 Speaker 2: especially at the age of thirteen, about being like good 567 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:12,120 Speaker 2: to go slightly before sunrise and being out all day 568 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 2: and just the entire thing right feels very I mean, 569 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:20,600 Speaker 2: you know, like what a beautiful story it makes, like 570 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 2: what a formative experience. But yeah, I'm I don't know, 571 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 2: I don't know how upset I would be about it. 572 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:34,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I feel like I mentioned in passing all 573 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 1: the time, and perhaps I should explain better. But the 574 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 1: neighbor I often call the survivalist, he hunted deer and 575 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 1: he had like rubber like fake deer all around, and 576 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:51,000 Speaker 1: he would do he had bow and arrow, and that 577 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:53,839 Speaker 1: was how he, oh wow, hunted, and that was how 578 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:57,759 Speaker 1: he taught his family. I kind of like came in 579 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 1: as a friend of his daughters. So I learned from him, 580 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 1: but very little. But it was like one of those 581 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 1: things where I think I was enchanted by the idea 582 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:16,440 Speaker 1: until I considered it fully realities of it. Yes, yeah, 583 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:18,239 Speaker 1: I was enchantit of the idea of knowing how to 584 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 1: use a bone arrow. Oh sure, living off the woods maybe, 585 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:26,640 Speaker 1: but yeah, yeah, those adventure books that you read when 586 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:35,160 Speaker 1: you're a kid exactly. Yeah. But everything after that, no, no, no, 587 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:40,760 Speaker 1: no, no no. But yeah, I'm glad the deer, the single 588 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:43,719 Speaker 1: deer that you hunted in this case, Yeah, it was good. 589 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:46,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm glad that she was delicious, and I'm glad 590 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:47,320 Speaker 2: that she did not suffer. 591 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 1: Both. 592 00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 2: Yes, both excellent things. 593 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 1: Both excellent things. Well. Thanks as always to Listener Rose 594 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:00,799 Speaker 1: for writing in. If you would like to write to us, 595 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:05,400 Speaker 1: you can You can email us at Hello, atsavorpod dot com. 596 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:08,960 Speaker 2: We're also on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, 597 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 2: and Instagram at saver Pod and we do hope to 598 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,799 Speaker 2: hear from you. Savere is production of iHeartRadio. For more 599 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:17,760 Speaker 2: podcasts my Heart Radio, you can visit the iHeartRadio app, 600 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:20,840 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 601 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:23,920 Speaker 2: Thanks as always to our super producers Dylan Fagan and 602 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:26,399 Speaker 2: Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, and we hope 603 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:35,880 Speaker 2: that lots more good things are coming your way.