Living Off The Land

13 videos

A series about wild edibles and other forms of living off the land.

The Trapper's Christmas Eve03:03
The Trapper's Christmas Eve
1 year ago

The Hermit reads The Trapper's Christmas Eve by Robert W. Service. "The Bard of the Yukon". Published 1912 in Rhymes of a Rolling Stone. At the time 40 mph winds were roaring through the tree tops. So there is a lot noise. And it was minus 2 F. This is the entire poem. THE TRAPPER'S CHRISTMAS EVE It’s mighty lonesome-like and drear. Above the Wild the moon rides high, And shows up sharp and needle-clear The emptiness of earth and sky; No happy homes with love a-glow; No Santa Claus to make believe: Just snow and snow, and then more snow; It’s Christmas Eve, it’s Christmas Eve. And here am I where all things end, And Undesirables are hurled; A poor old man without a friend, Forgot and dead to all the world; Clean out of sight and out of mind . . . Well, maybe it is better so; We all in life our level find, And mine, I guess, is pretty low. Yet as I sit with pipe alight Beside the cabin-fire, it's queer This mind of mine must take to-night The backward trail of fifty year. The school-house and the Christmas tree; The children with their cheeks a-glow; Two bright blue eyes that smile on me . . . Just half a century ago Again (it’s maybe forty years), With faith and trust almost divine, These same blue eyes, abrim with tears, Through depths of love look into mine. A parting, tender, soft and low, With arms that cling and lips that cleave . . . Ah me! it’s all so long ago, Yet seems so sweet this Christmas Eve. Just thirty years ago, again . . . We say a bitter, last good-bye; Our lips are white with wrath and pain; Our little children cling and cry. Whose was the fault? it matters not, For man and woman both deceive; It’s buried now and all forgot, Forgiven, too, this Christmas Eve. And she (God pity me) is dead; Our children men and women grown. I like to think that they are wed, With little children of their own, That crowd around their Christmas tree . . . I would not ever have them grieve, Or shed a single tear for me, To mar their joy this Christmas Eve. Stripped to the buff and gaunt and still Lies all the land in grim distress. Like lost soul wailing, long and shrill, A wolf-howl cleaves the emptiness. Then hushed as Death is everything. The moon rides haggard and forlorn . . . “O hark the herald angels sing!” God bless all men — it’s Christmas morn. (Robert William Service)

As if millions of chainsaws cried out in terror...02:46
As if millions of chainsaws cried out in terror...
2 years ago

Ok. People who have seen these helicopter "chainsaws" before may not be impressed. I was driving in the Allegheny National Forest and was stopped by a road worker. As I sat there I heard a noise that I could best describe as millions of chainsaws crying out in terror. Along with wood being shredded. I looked at the tree line and this helicopter was bouncing around with a cable hanging down. As it came my direction I saw it had what looked like a long row of huge circular saws hanging below. It was swinging this saw around slicing up trees. I got out my camera but it did not capture the true bizarreness of it all. I called the road worker over and he confirmed that the chopper was chopping the trees along a powerline beside the road. And I didn't add music. Jethro Tull just happen to be playing on my truck stereo. I don't know copyright laws or fair use so I may need to remove this, but I wanted to put it up anyway. I always considered Ian Anderson a friend. Later I drove by some of the carnage but most had already been hauled away.

The Pithole Hermit, North Country Trail, Allegheny National Forest19:12
The Pithole Hermit, North Country Trail, Allegheny National Forest
2 years ago

***This is an unedited video so don't expect text or credits. It was made mainly as an example for someone going to hike the AT in Virginia.*** A short introduction and walk on the North Country Trail in Allegheny National Forest near Kellettville PA.

The Pithole Hermit - A Pre-Harvest Tour of some Wild Edibles06:21
The Pithole Hermit - A Pre-Harvest Tour of some Wild Edibles
3 years ago

Just a quick return to the Allegheny National Forest to show a few wild edibles. Like Walnuts, Autumn Olives and Wild Grapes. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.

Day 1 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Violets, Dandelions, Wintercress and more06:46
Day 1 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Violets, Dandelions, Wintercress and more
3 years ago

DAY 1 - ~~30~~ **9** Days Living Off The Land May 1st - This is the first day of the Pithole Hermit demonstrating the wild foods available to those who look. I start the ~~30~~ **9** days simple with the Common Violet, Dandelions, Wintercress and Garlic Mustard. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/01/the-beginning/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 9 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Snow Day01:38
Day 9 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Snow Day
3 years ago

DAY 9 - 30 Days Living Off The Land May 9th - Snow Day. Yes. We got snow. I am eating all leftovers today. BECAUSE OF WINTER RUNNING THROUGH MAY THIS YEAR THIS IS THE LAST REGULAR POST OF LIVING OFF THE LAND. THERE WILL BE MORE VIDEOS RANDOMLY THROUGH THE YEAR. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/09/day-9-snow-day/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 8 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Chickweed04:23
Day 8 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Chickweed
3 years ago

DAY 8 - 30 Days Living Off The Land May 8th - Chickweed. Today's new plant is a common yard weed often sprayed to get rid of. If only people knew that it could be supplementing their diet. And snow is forecast tomorrow during the day. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/08/day-8-chickweed/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 7 - [upd] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Bigleaf Aster, Large-leaved Aster or Big Ast Leafster04:26
Day 7 - [upd] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Bigleaf Aster, Large-leaved Aster or Big Ast Leafster
3 years ago

DAY 7 - 30 Days Living Off The Land May 7th - Bigleaf Aster, Large-leaved Aster, Big-leaved Aster. Today's new plant is the Bigleaf Aster. Aldo called the Large-leaved Aster, Big-leaved Aster or many more. You get the idea. An Aster with big leaves. However, the Bigleaf Aster is no longer part of the Genus Aster. It is still part of the Asteraceae Family. Asteraceae includes many popular flowering plants including Dandelions. And snow is forecast tonight. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/07/day-7-bigleaf-large-leaved-big-leaf-aster/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 6 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Trout Lily Bulbs and Oil Creek Ramblings10:40
Day 6 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Trout Lily Bulbs and Oil Creek Ramblings
3 years ago

DAY 6 - 30 Days Living Off The Land May 6th - Trout Lily Bulbs. A tour of the banks of Oil Creek in Oil Creek State Park seeking Trout Lily bulbs. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/06/day-6-trout-lily-bulbs/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 5 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - The Cleavers06:00
Day 5 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - The Cleavers
3 years ago

DAY 5 - 30 Days Living Off The Land May 5th - Cleavers AKA Bedstraw. A short clip about a whorled edible plant. With an appearance of Wally and the Beav. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/06/day-5-cleavers-aka-bedstraw/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 4 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Pine Needles and Catkins10:40
Day 4 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Pine Needles and Catkins
3 years ago

DAY 4 - 30 Days Living Off The Land May 4th - Pine Needles and Catkins. Okay. I sing a Christmas song instead of quoting a Euell Gibbons Grape Nuts commercial. Pine catkins today at my daughters farm. My daughter works online producing and editing online shows. So I was at her house trying to get her cellular internet working better. Also includes an update on Yellow Rocket and some Peppermint. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/05/day-4-pine-needles-and-catkins/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 3 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Linden and Ground Ivy In The Rain04:02
Day 3 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Linden and Ground Ivy In The Rain
3 years ago

DAY 3 - ~~30~~ **9** Days Living Off The Land May 3rd - The Linden Tree. The tastiest salad from a tree. Worth going out in the rain to gather. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/03/day-3-linden-and-ground-ivy-in-the-rain/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.

Day 2 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Cattails and Daylilies12:37
Day 2 - [updated] 30 Days Living Off the Land - Cattails and Daylilies
3 years ago

DAY 2 - ~~30~~ **9** Days Living Off The Land May 2nd - Todays plants are Cattails and Daylilies. At this point it is Cattail shoots. And I am using the Daylily shoots and the tubers. The weblog post for this video is https://pithole.com/2021/05/02/day-2-cattails-and-lilies-and-dirt/ >*NOTE: I only did 9 days of this "30 days" due to bad weather and lack of interest. This is not an in-depth course in plant identification. Please use other resources to verify you have the correct plants.* These videos accompany the weblog at www.pithole.com/category/30-days-living-off-the-land/.