Do Whatever

When it's fall, we're going to talk about cooking animals. Luke and Mike try to work up an "easy win" recipe list that can convert new eaters of wild game into full-on enthusiasts. So dispense with the fancy tricks and impressive techniques - what gets 'em asking for seconds? Sponsors: SPYPOINT - www.spypoint.com TX Rec Land Real Estate - www.txrecland.com

After months and months of beating himself up over not learning to fly fish, Mike takes us through how quarantine has given him an opportunity to tackle this oft-intimidating hobby. In typical fashion, Mike finds a way to get some quick and easy rewards, and shares them in the hopes that everyone can get some wins with the fly rod and catch the bug like he has (ok, poor choice of words). Articles and Associated DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

David Barrow is the man in charge of Eden East, an urban farm and restaurant operating on Austin's vibrant east side. David has an incredible personal history, and is truly passionate about sustainability and rebuilding the tradition of local food. From cilantro to dog catering, we cover a lot of ground in this episode. Associated Articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

As the first deer season on the lease comes to a close, Luke and Mike run back over what they learned from it, and whether or nor they feel smarter or dumber. Mike has big hippie flower child plans for the lease, and Luke wonders if his money and time wouldn't be better spent wandering around the woods alone. Associated Articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Mike and Luke have a belated deer camp and start chatting about Christmas traditions, recipes, and booze. Pagans, butchery, haptics, ancestry, and seafood boils. Lots of ground can get covered in a conversation when you're holed up in a cabin in the woods. Associated articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Luke cozies up in an SUV with Greg Amato, our resident DIY King to discuss his obsession with learning new skills and crafts. Greg is a chef, baker, fabricator, woodworker, angler, hunter, artist...you name it. If Greg runs across something he needs, his next step is to figure out how to make it himself. Luke and Greg dig into the culture of thinking "well I can't do that" and challenge the idea that anyone has limits in what they can get their hands into. Associated Articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Mike and Luke turn on the mics for a discussion after a day on the lease hunting whitetails. They wonder why they choose hobbies that kick their ass so much. Associated articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Jesse Griffiths is the owner of Austin-based restaurants Dai Due & Dai Due Taqueria. He is also founded the New School of Traditional Cookery. Jesse is one of the earliest adopters of a strictly local ethos in his kitchens, heavily featuring game meat, produce, and flavors from within the borders of Texas and its coastal waters. Jesse sat with us to discuss sustainable food, hunting, and pig mythology. Associated Articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Real men work with metal. Marcelo is a self-taught fabricator, blacksmith, and Scottish Highland Games athlete. Mike sat down with Marcelo after the competition day ended at the festival Marcelo runs in Kerr County, Texas. Topics included the fact that Marcelo built everything in sight on that field, how athletes actively try to destroy it all, and how he is building his own forge so he can make various weapons and tools.  Associated articles at www.nowyoutry.com

Mike and Luke were THIS close to landing a hunting lease in Texas, but it looks like it is slipping away. This leads into a discussion about the sorry of state of public land in Texas, and a quick dive into the history of why things are this way.  Associated Articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Recommendations! What to read and who to follow! Associated articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Mike is back from his week-long Colorado DIY Elk Hunt. Before getting into all that, Luke and Mike get into the joy of impulse shopping that is the Wish App. From broken gear, to heroic bush pilots, rumbling hooves, and hypothermia, Mike recounts his week spent in the cold deserts of Southern Colorado searching for forest horses. Associated Articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Why the male obsession with meat, hunting, and fishing? Why is green or gardening seen as feminine? Is it really about providing, or is it about recapturing something? Is it just recreation? What happens to modern hunting justifications in the absence of conservation programs? Luke and Mike draw parallels between these modern concerns and our paleolithic ancestors' split of plant vs meat in diet. We talk about the scarcity mindset, and how sustainability and environmental concerns might be seen as fanciful or superfluous by some. Associated Articled and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Mike and Aaron sit down with Kinesiology Researcher and Professional Highland Games Athlete Dr. Zach Riley for a conversation about physical learning. Topics covered include how the brain can be shocked with electricity to learn tasks quicker, how pain depends on your activity level, and how why we tremble when we shoot. Plus, Zach lays out his end of the world plans. Associated Articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

The first in our "End of the World" series, we explore our hastily-created plans for what we would do if the power went out and never came back on. Beyond just a fun thought exercise, we really get to see how this ties into the core message of Now You Try, and just how much the kind of person you are matters versus what kind of gear you have. Also, Mike bugles like an elk. Associated articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

If you had to pick five facets of a person to be the most important for learning and growth, what would they be? What are the foundations of a useful and capable person? Mike explores the facets that are most important to the mission of self-sufficiency, sustainability, and craftsmanship.  Associated articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com

Associated articles and other content at www.nowyoutry.com   In Texas, fishing the Gulf Coast truly is a rite of passage; not to mention a great way to source tons of food. Luke and Mike both have pending trips, so they delve into exactly what to expect whether you are doing some lazy dock fishing or taking a boat out into the bay. Luke is also planning his own DIY watercraft, and Mike is working on his elk calls in anticipation of a September adventure.

Associated articles and DIY at www.nowyoutry.com It's all the rage to talk about sustainable, green living, but how realistic is it? Luke and Mike discuss how to integrate green living principles without having to build a hippie commune, or go live in a cabin in the mountains. We also answer a listener question about finding a place to hunt in Texas.

Associated articles at www.nowyoutry.com Is being healthy a responsibility? Luke and Mike talk about fitness and healthy habits, and how all of it fits into a philosophy of being self-sufficient and sustainable. Beyond just the idea, Mike lays out some specifics for what's important to having a "sustainable body" and being fit enough to attack your goals, whatever they may be.

Recipes and DIY info at www.nowyoutry.com Summer comes with challenges for the self-sufficient provider and chef. Gardening slows down, and most part of North America are between major hunting seasons. Luke pulls out some of his favorite canning recipes, and tries to keep Mike's attention while talking about food safety for canning. The fellas also discuss how to stretch out the game meat still in the freezer from last fall/winter, plus how to build an herb/tea dryer to make use of the plants that are burning to death in the summer sun.