Planthropology

07/13/2024

Listen, I'm not saying you *have* to listen to the most recent episode of Planthropology with Ashley Bray from the Get Out Alive Podcast . However, I don't know where else you're going to hear an awesome chat about ecology, conservation, land management, forests, owls, science communication, possibly antagonistic bear interactions, and so much more.

Actually, never mind, I AM saying you have to go listen to it. It's great and you won't regret it! It's out everywhere now and ready for your ear holes!

06/13/2024

I can absolutely confirm that 1: we have *so many* iced tea places here and 2: people LOVE to fight about them. There was a whole thing a few years ago where 2 of the stores were taking swipes at each other on the marquee signs. It was great. I can *also* confirm that we go to at least one of these tea places at least twice a week. I think Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is right on when she says things like arguing with Google Maps is a weird and interesting side effect of fear and misplaced anger! Hear so much more good stuff from Katharine on episode 102 of the Planthropology Podcast on your favorite podcast player!

https://planthropologypodcast.com/home/drkatharinehayhoe

05/09/2024

Regardless of your field, a crisis can strike at any time. How you communicate about it is often a big factor in how well you, your business, or your organization navigate those tough times. This week's guest on Planthropology is my friend and colleague, Dr. Erica Goss Irlbeck. Erica is Associate Dean of Outreach and Engagement for the Texas Tech Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources and the author of The Crisis Communications Guide for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources! It's a fun episode with great advice I know you'll love!

Check this episode out on your favorite podcast player or on the Planthropology website! You can find old episodes, links to merch and other cool things, and all things Planthropology on the site! If you loved the episode, drop a rating/review on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, Spotify, or anywhere else you can!

What's up, Plant People?? It's our first Deep Dive episode in quite a while. I was super excited to get to talk to my friend, Dr. Erica Irlbeck, again on the show. Erica is a Professor of Ag Communications, the Associate Dean of Outreach and Engagement for the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences

04/18/2024

Y'all I have such a fun episode of Planthropology for you today! I got to chat with my friend and fellow The PodFix Network podcaster Melissa McCue-McGrath, on her birthday! Melissa has a background in psychology but has spent her career as a dog trainer, author, communicator, and podcaster. We talked about why dogs do the things they do, whether or not they love you (they do), and how much they love having a job. In fact, Melissa is part of a program training conservation dogs to detect spotted lanternflies and work in forest conservation! It was a hilarious and inspiring conversation and I know you're going to enjoy it as much as I did!

You can find Planthropology at www.planthropologypodcast.com or on your favorite podcast player!

04/11/2024

I recently got to interview a long-time mentor and friend, Dr. Robert Cox for Planthropology. Robert is a restoration ecologist whose wisdom in prairie ecosystems and passion for academia are as deep-rooted as the native species he studies. This episode is full of stories from his academic adventures, which began in herpetology and evolved into the long-time study of plant ecology. We discussed a little bit of everything, from some of the roles fire and smoke play in plant germination to how Dr. Cox's career has ranged from researcher, to professor, to Associate Dean of Academic and Student Programs for the Texas Tech Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources

We also had an encouraging conversation about the future of our students and education as a whole. Robert paints an optimistic and inspiring picture of the young minds that walk the halls of higher education today, shaped by the rapid changes of our times. Together, we reflect on the paradigm shift in teaching, moving from information dispensers to mentors in critical thinking.

Finally, we spent some time chatting about native plants and the roles they play in our world. Ecological restoration has been one of Robert's major areas of focus throughout his career, and he has some really interesting and meaningful thoughts on what it means to restore a landscape and an ecosystem in light of climate change and our needs for agricultural production. I learned a lot from this conversation and left it feeling encouraged, and I hope that you'll feel the same!

You can listen to this episode and all episodes on the Planthropology website or your favorite podcast app!

https://planthropologypodcast.com/

02/22/2024

Y'all, it's been a while since I've talked about the Podcast, but Planthropology is up and running again and I have some incredible interviews coming your way this spring! Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is a Professor here at Texas Tech, a brilliant climate scientist, an accomplished and prolific author, a science communicator, Chief Scientist at the Nature Conservancy, a sought-after public speaker, and SO MANY other things. She's shared the stage with presidents and celebrities and is a powerful voice for our planet and the people on it. Katharine is also one of the kindest and most positive people I've ever had the pleasure of interviewing for the show.

Join us for an honest but uplifting discussion about family, academia, communication, and what we can do about climate change. Katharine's insight and attitude left me with so much hope about the future and about how far we've already come!

You can find Planthropology anywhere you like to listen to podcasts! If you wouldn't mind heading to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, or wherever you're listening and leaving a rating and review, I'd very much appreciate it!

Thanks for sticking with me through Planthropology's long hiatus, and get ready for a great year of photosynthetic goodness!

11/14/2022

What's up Plant People?? On the most recent episode of Planthropology, I was joined by Multi Award Winning Science Communicator™️ and host of Pangolin: The Conservation Podcast, Jack Baker! We talked about science communication, working in zoos, aquariums, and botanic gardens, PhDs, and so much more. Jack is such a good guy and I know you'll love this conversation as much as I did! Find this episode at planthropologypod.com or anywhere you like to get your podcasts!

11/05/2022

Y'all, today is Planthropology's 3rd anniversary! It's hard to believe it's been so long and I'm forever grateful for all my guests, listeners, and friends who have made this show amazing! Here's a special replay of episode 1 from 3 years ago, with my dear friend Kyle Tengler! You can find this episode, and all episodes, anywhere podcasts live or at planthropologypod.com!

06/17/2022

Dr. Naomi Fraga is one of my very favorite plant people! She's a Research Assistant Professor at Claremont Graduate University and Conservation Director at the California Botanic Garden! She's a lover of native plants, a brilliant educator and scientist, and a genuinely outstanding human. You're going to love this episode!

You can find this amazing conversation about conservation, botany, the power of naming things, and education as well as all things Planthropology at www.planthropologypod.com. You can support Planthropology in a lot of ways! Tell a friend, share this episode, leave a rating/review on Podchaser or Apple, or head over to
www.buymeacoffee.com/planthropology, and for the price of a coffee, you can buy me a coffee!

04/22/2022

Happy Earth Day! It went live yesterday, but the 4th installment of Tree Talk is live! I discussed the pros and cons of flowering ornamental trees and why fruit trees are GREAT. I also talked about the multi-purpose landscape and some common considerations in growing fruits! Find this episode and all things Planthropology on the website (https://planthropologypod.com/home/treetalk4), including social media links, an archive of past episodes, merch, and so much more!

Want to support the show? Tell a friend, leave a rating/review on Podchaser or anywhere else, go donate to the cause on Buy Me a Coffee! (http://buymeacoffee.com/planthropology), or snag some merch on Redbubble (https://redbubble.com/people/Planthropology/shop?asc=u…)! Every review of an episode of Planthropology (or the show as a whole) on Podchaser donates 25 cents to World Central Kitchen in support of Ukrainian refugees as part of . Myself, Buzzsprout, and The PodFix Network will also be matching donations for a total of $1/review!

It's spring! Ok, it's been spring for a little while, but in my part of the world the fruit trees are just finishing up blooming and starting to set fruits! Let's talk today, in episode 4 of Tree Talk, about the benefits of fruit trees, important considerations when planting them, and and spring tip

03/09/2022

Bradford Pear trees suck. You know, I know it, and most importantly today's guest Dr. Dave Coyle knows it. Come hang out as we talk about research and academia, invasive insects and plants, being a good person, and competitive crustacean sporting events! Dave (who I'm pretty sure I called "David" the whole time because I also suck) is an Assistant Professor of Forest Health and Invasive Species at Clemson University! He's studied everything from insects to Bradfords and is a brilliant and engaging educator!

Find this episode and all things Planthropology at http://planthropologypod.com including social media links, an archive of past episodes, merch, and so much more! Want to support the show? Tell a friend, leave a rating/review on Podchaser or anywhere else, go donate to the cause on Buy Me a Coffee
(http://buymeacoffee.com/planthropology), or snag some merch on Redbubble!(https://www.redbubble.com/people/Planthropology/shop?asc=u)

This episode is sponsored in part by forestproud! a non-profit organization supporting forest-based climate solutions Learn more at http://forestproud.org and use promo code "planthropology" in the shop at checkout for 10% off your order!

03/02/2022

Grass-type Pokemon are wild, y'all. From horrifying fly trap beasts to psychic eggs that turn into palm trees, there are a lot of creative ideas in the Pokemon universe. Join me and Ellen Weatherford of the incredible Just the Zoo of Us podcast as we talk about grass-types and the real world plants that inspired them! It's kind of a long one and you're welcome, because it's a delight, start to finish.. Find this episode and all things Planthropology at www.planthropologypod.com! You can also find links to all my social media outlets, merch store, and more on the website.

I'm also SO excited to announce my new partnership with forestproud! is a non-profit organization supporting forest climate solutions. They link the forest industry to the public via powerful resources and compelling social media content! Forest Proud will be sponsoring episodes through the spring. I love their mission and am thrilled to get to work with them! If you want some swag, head over to https://forestproud.org/shop/ and use the promo code "planthropology" for 10% off!

02/22/2022

It's time for our first monthly Q&A episode! I answered questions about why I chose to spend my life working with plants, talked about carnivorous plants, repotting, plant ID, and more! It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to doing more of these! Check it out at www.planthropologypod.com or anywhere else you like to get your podcasts! If you'd like to support the show, tell a friend about it! You can also leave a rating/review on Podchaser or anywhere else, check out http://planthropologypod.com and click on merch to check out all the cool plant swag, or donate a cup of coffee at http://buymeacoffee.com/planthropology!

02/17/2022

Our climate is changing. While there are those who would certainly deny it, the facts and evidence are clear that we've had a profound impact on our global ecosystem. Let's talk today about a few of the ways climate change is affecting tree growth, development, and survival. Find this episode and all things Planthropology, including links to all my socials, merch, and more at http://planthropologypod.com!

If you'd like to support the show, tell a friend! Word of mouth is still the best way to help a podcast grow. While you're at it, head over to Podchaser, Apple, or wherever you prefer and leave me a rating a review!

02/09/2022

Y'all, what happened to the American chestnut trees? They were here, then they went away, and it was really sad. Could it happen again? Should we fear the shrimp invasion? Why is writing so hard? How do we protect our potatoes? Emily Dobry has the answers in today's episode! Emily is a PhD Student and Graduate Researcher! We talked about plant pathology, invasive species, living life as a non-traditional student, and pursuing your dreams. Emily is brilliant and fun and I know you're really going to enjoy this one!

Find this episode at https://planthropologypod.com/home/emilydobry, Castbox
(we're one of their , you know), or anywhere else podcasts live! While you're at it, pop over to Podchaser or your favorite review-leaving machine and tell me what you think!

Want to support the show? You can donate to the "Keep Vikram Caffeinated" cause at https://buymeacoffee.com/planthropology or head to http://planthropologypod.com, click on "Merch" and shop all the goodness on my Redbubble store.

02/04/2022

Do you need some Planthropology merch in your life? Of course you do! Hurry over to my Redbubble store and use the promo code "BIGONEFIVE" for 15% off rad stickers, shirts, mugs and more while the sale lasts!

https://www.redbubble.com/people/Planthropology/shop?utm_source=rb-native-app&utm_campaign=share-artist&utm_medium=android

02/01/2022

Ok look, I don't know what to say about this one other than that the plant buy/sell/trade market right now is ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS and that monsteras really aren't ~that~ cool. We should probably talk about all that!

Find this episode and all episodes at http://planthropologypod.com or on your favorite podcast player! If you'd like to support the show, tell a friend about how much you love it, drop a rating/review on Podchaser or Apple, literally buy me a coffee at Buy Me a Coffee
(http://buymeacoffee.com/Planthropology) or hit up the merch store at https://www.redbubble.com/people/Planthropology/shop?asc=u!

01/28/2022

Ok, we established in Tree Talk Part 1 that trees aren't real. If they WERE, hypothetically of course, it would be cool to know where they came from, right? Let's hang out talk about the evolutionary history and life cycle of trees! It's going to be great!

Find this and all other episodes at Planthropologypod.com or anywhere else you like to get your Podcasts!

Want to get some DOPE Planthropology merch? Of course you do! Find it on my Redbubble shop at www.redbubble.com/people/Planthropology/shop?asc=u!

Want to support Planthropology? Head over to Podchaser, Apple, Spotify, or wherever and leave a review, tell a friend about the show, or feed my coffee addiction at www.buymeacoffee.com/planthropology!

01/12/2022

We all know plants and nature are good for us, but Elana Gloger has the evidence to prove it! Host of Dear Grad Student Podcast , PhD candidate in psychoneurpimmunology, and recent nature lover, Elana and I talked about the benefits of nature on our mental and physical health! Hear more about Elena's life story, her experiences and with nature, and her efforts interviewing and advocating for graduate students through Dear Grad Student on today's episode! Elana is one of my favorite people and I know you'll enjoy this one! Find it at planthropologypod.com or anywhere you like to get your Podcasts.

12/31/2021

2021 was quite the year for Planthropology! We doubled our 2020 downloads, released 40 episodes, made so many new friends on social media, reached hundreds of cities in 128 countries, talked about a lot of cool science, and told so many good stories. Thanks for everything, and here's to a great 2022!

12/21/2021

Happy Winter Solstice, friends! It's the shortest day of the year and start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The Solstice is wrapped in a lot of lore and mystery, so I thought I'd replay one of my favorite episodes ever, Plants of the Winter Solstice! In this episode, I dove into some of the myths and legends wrapped up in the Winter Solstice as well as the origins of a lot of our modern winter holiday traditions. It was a lot of fun to make and kicked off my Plants in World Traditions series from this past year!

Head to Planthropologypod.com to find this episode and all things Planthropology! You can also get it on Podchaser or anywhere else podcasts live. If you'd leave a rating/review on Podchaser, Apple, Spotify, or anywhere, I'd much appreciate it! If you'd like to support the show, you can head to buy me a coffee to make a donation or shop Planthropology merch on Redbubble! It would also mean the world to me if you'd share Planthropology with your friends, family, or any plant nerds you run into!

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/planthropology-936913
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/planthropology
https://www.redbubble.com/people/Planthropology/shop

12/14/2021

You know what you need? You need some Plants Always Win merch! Thanks again to friend of the show, Sophiane, for the DOPE design and thanks to all of you for your amazing support of Planthropology! Check it out at the link below!

https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/96642094?asc=u

12/07/2021

One of our listeners' (and my) favorite people, Paige Boyle, is back! Join us for a deep dive into Paige's research on mixed-species lawns, the psychology/sociology of lawns, life in (and out of) graduate school, advocating for yourself and your community, and so much more. Paige is finishing up her PhD in Ecology at Utah State University, but wears so many hats. Between life as a scientist, science communicator, consultant, advocate, and conference organizer, she spends her time developing her career and helping other do the same! This was such a wonderful discussion about the way we look at landscapes and resources in the US, as well as ways we can advocate for ourselves and community. We talked time management, saying no, political action, and more! I ultimately just loved catching up with my friend.

Check out today's episode of Planthropology anywhere you like to get your Podcasts! While you're at it, head over to Podchaser
and leave a rating and review, tell a friend about Planthropology, and let me know what you thought of the episode!

https://www.planthropologypod.com/home/paigeboyle2

12/04/2021

Hey fun fact, plants do scream, we usually just can't hear it. A lot of animals can, though, so the forest must get pretty exciting, in a horrifying sort of way. I'll link the original in the comments in case any of you other plant people have theories!

11/23/2021

What are trees? Are they even real, or just something we made up? The answer lives somewhere in the middle. Check out Episode 1 of my new Tree Talk series to learn about how/why we classify trees, the traits all trees share, and how I think we should communicate science! Tree Talk will be a monthly series dropping through year 3 of Planthropology. Over the 12(ish) episode run, I'll be talking tree biology, cultivation, industry, lore, and so much more! If there are topics you'd like me to cover, hit me up and let me know! You can find Tree Talk, and all episodes, on Planthropologypod.com, Podchaser, Castbox, or anywhere else you get your pods! If you don't mind taking a minute to drop me a rating and review on Podchaser or Apple, it would be much appreciated!

11/16/2021

It's tea time again, Plant People! Abby Morrison of the
Field, Lab, Earth podcast is one of the very biggest fans of tea. We talked production, differences between kinds of tea, ceremonies from around the world, how to brew (steep?) the perfect cup and the best business idea ever! You'll learn so much today about everything from the origins of tea to the very modern, very cool tea company Abby writes for. Do you want a tea blend that captures the Lord of the Rings fandom? I sure did. Adagio Teas can hook you up!

Abby is also the host of Field, Lab, Earth, an amazing show about agriculture and the scientists on the front lines of feeding and clothing the world! Abby is an absolute delight of a human being and I'd STRONGLY encourage you to give Field Lab Earth a follow! I can absolutely promise you won't regret listening to this one! Find it at the link below, on Podchaser, or anywhere else you get your pods. If you'd be willing to leave me a rating/review on Podchaser, Apple, or elsewhere, I'd be so grateful!

https://www.planthropologypod.com/home/abby-morrison2

What's up, Plant People? You wanted another episode about tea and you know it! When Abby Morrison, a crowd favorite from wayyyy back in episode 17, heard my recent episode ranking teas, she told me that tea was one of her very favorite things! I asked her if she'd be interested in doing a deep dive

11/10/2021

I had the absolute privilege of chatting with Melissa Petruzzello, Associate Editor of Plants and Environmental Sciences for the Encyclopaedia Britannica on this week's episode! We talked dream jobs, a lifelong love of plants, EDITING THE ENCYCLOPEDIA, and so much more! Melissa has a BS in Biology from Biola University and a MS in Plant Biology and Conservation from Northwestern and is EXACTLY the type of passionate, brilliant plant person you'd want curating and editing content for the Encyclopedia!

We discussed her background, research, career path (with all it's twists and turns), and what goes into editing and managing a vast collection of knowledge like the Encyclopedia. It's an honest and insightful conversation I know you'll love! Find this episode, and all episodes on the Planthropology website, Podchaser, or anywhere you get your podcasts. If you'd be willing to take the time to leave a rating and review on Podchaser, Apple, or anywhere else, it would be much appreciated!

This episode also contains a trailer for Podfix Football Federation Weekly on ! Check out all the action in The PodFix Network fantasy football league. It's irrelevant that I'm currently winning...

https://www.planthropologypod.com/home/melissa-petruzzello

What's up, Plant People? I don't know about you, but since I was a kid I looked at the Encyclopedia Britannica as THE source for knowledge. Curated for more than 250 years, Britannica has aggregated, vetted, and distributed information across a wide variety of fields. Imagine my glee when I found so

11/02/2021

Y'all, it's Planthropology's 2nd birthday today and I'm celebrating with a dope new episode with my good friend Austin Moore! Dr. Austin Moore is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Communication and Education at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and an all-around Very Good Human (TM)! Austin and I talked about education, good science communication, finding common ground with people, evaluating our own frames of reference, what it's like to build a whole new program at the college level, the power of diversity, and so much more!

Like I mentioned, it's Planthropology's 2nd birthday! It's WILD to me that this nerdy little show has gotten this far and that so many of you seem to love it. I want to, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for going along on this journey with me. I love y'all to death.

You can find this episode, and all episodes, at planthropologypod.com, on Podchaser, and anywhere you like to listen to your pods. If you'd be willing to leave me a rating/review on Podchaser, Apple, or wherever you can, I'd be endlessly grateful! Also, as mentioned in the episode, I've moved away from Patreon and set up a Buy Me a Coffee Account! If you'd like to financially support the show, you can do so at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/planthropology! No pressure AT ALL to do that though. It'll literally go to buying coffee.

Finally this episode contains a trailer for The PodFix Network's NaPodPoMo (National Podcast Posting Month) project! A new pod about the origins of a common phrase will be posted on the Podfix Presents feed by one of our members every day in November! Find it at https://podfixnetwork.com/podfix-presents/!

10/31/2021

Happy Halloween, friends! On my very last installment of Plants in World Traditions, I talked about some spooky (and beautiful) plant lore and some plants that are spooky in their own right! Did you know the original Jack-O-Lanterns we're made from turnips or potatoes? Serious nightmare fuel. Have you heard the Aztec legends about the origins of marigolds and how they relate to Dia de los Mu***os? Do you know WHY plants are poisonous? I tried my best to answer those questions and more! This was a fun (and challenging) episode to record and I hope you enjoy it! Find it on Planthropologypod(dot)com, Podchaser, or anywhere you like to listen to podcasts! I'd also love a rating and review! Also, this episode has a trailer for Love These Mother Daughter Talks, the newest show on The PodFix Network! It's full of delightful conversations between Brynne and her 6 year old daughter Flynn about life, their relationship, and being a family!

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/planthropology-936913/episodes/62-plants-in-world-traditions-102968947

62. Plants in World Traditions- UnbeLEAFably Spooky Special from Planthropology on Podchaser, aired Saturday, 30th October 2021. What's up plant people??? Today's episode is the last installment of the Plants in World Traditions monthly series I've been running for the past year! I talked about spo....

10/12/2021

Foraged and wild foods have been important sources of nutrition for indigenous peoples for thousands of years, but have recently become more popular in the public eye! Join me as I chat with Gabrielle Cerberville, the Chaotic Forager about foraging, scicomm, and life on TikTok!

Gabrielle is working on her Masters of Music Composition and is a brilliant performance artist, but has always had a deep love of nature. We talked about her experiences growing up foraging for wild blueberries and how that drove her passions throughout her life. She also describes how she ended up as The Chaotic Forager on TikTok (which is one of my very favorite channels) and how she deals with having hundreds of thousands of people watching (and occasionally trolling) her content.

Gabrielle is warm, funny, and brilliant, and is by far one of my favorite science communicators. She has a gift for communicating her message in a joyful and approachable way that so many of us could learn from. Join me in learning about food, mushrooms, and so much more!

You can find this episode on the Planthropology website, Podchaser or anywhere else you like to get your favorite podcasts! While you're at it, be sure to subscribe and drop a rating and review for the show!

Finally, a special shoutout to my friend Sophiane for designing this DOPE "Plants Always Win" artwork and soon-to-be Planthropology merch as discussed in today's episode! I can't tell you how happy it made me. Everyone needs a Sophiane in their lives!

https://www.planthropologypod.com/home/grabrielle-cerberville