Bear Grease

On this episode of Bear Grease, Clay Newcomb will explore life in the Mississippi Delta as well as the health of the ecosystem. We’ll hear from commercial fisherman Bill Lancaster, Dr. Jack Killgore of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and author Hank Burdine. You’ll learn about commercial fishing on the Mississippi River - the equipment they use and the species they target. You’ll also learn about the health of not only the fishery but also the whole ecosystem and how timber companies as well as recreational hunting made it economically sustainable to keep that wilderness intact. We really doubt you’re gonna want to miss this one.

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Have a seat, slip off or untie those boots, and back out of those Crocs and flip-flops. We’re talking about manly footwear this week and which ones make the cut. Can leather boots be the only proper adornment for your feet or have others slipped into and out of the closet? Hear what Brent thinks and decide for yourself on today's episode of This Country Life.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease Render, Clay Newcomb is joined by his wife Misty, Josh “Landbridge” Spielmaker, Gary “Believer” Newcomb, Brent Reaves, and for the first time, Brent's wife, Alexis. The crew discusses Josh’s recent adventures in trapping coons, the newest episode of This Country Life, and Misty’s disdain for cats. Afterward, they begin dissecting the most recent Bear Grease episode that centered around the three men who helped shape the modern Mississippi River - Charles Ellett, Andrew Humphries, and James Eads, as well as the disastrous 1927 Flood covered in John M Barry’s book, Rising Tide.

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We’re beating the heat this week so bring your cutoffs! It’s time to hit the water in Brent’s version of Country-Pool-Palooza. Brent says swimming holes are where you find them and if you look hard enough you’ll find them just about anywhere. Stand by for turtles, cows, and swinging vines in this week’s episode of This Country Life.

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On this episode of Bear Grease, Clay Newcomb and John Barry, author of Rising Tide discuss two Civil War veterans who pioneered the doctrine of controlling this great river, Charles Ellett and Andrew Humphries. They’ll show us how their obsession and rivalry shaped the way we manage the river and how that led to one of the most costly natural disasters in American history. We learn about Mark Twain, America's most celebrated writer, who was obsessed with being a riverboat captain on the Mississippi River. He bottled American culture in his writing and sent it to the world. We’ll also learn about the great Mississippi River flood of 1927. We're continuing down the river on the third episode of this series on the Mississippi River. Like William Faulkner, we're in pursuit of understanding the world. We really doubt you're gonna want to miss this one.

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It’s Part 2 of “Minding Your Manners”. Brent’s talking about specific instances when having manners and not having them can impact you and those around you. Lots of goodies including wearing a hat inside, shaking hands, running the gauntlet for the last biscuit in the bowl, and more! Join Brent as he tells you how the cow ate the cabbage in this final installment of his first two-part episode.

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On this episode of the Bear Grease, Clay and Misty Newcomb host a couples edition of the Render featuring Josh “Landbridge” and Kristy Spielmaker, as well as Terrell “Thalweg” Spencer and his wife, former Rice Queen of Cross County Arkansas, Carla Spencer. The crew talks about Tim the Squirrel Dog’s recent and uncharacteristic exploration of the trash and is then joined by Bear Newcomb, who tells of the time he used a fly rod to catch a gar, or “Hillbilly Tarpon” as Clay refers to it. The discussion turns to the recent episode, “The Mississippi River - The Delta,” where they dig into the history of how the Delta continues to shape the culture and people of the region today.

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What could a teacher, a trip to the principal’s office, a promise to an 11-year-old girl, the classic children’s book, “Where the Red Fern Grows,” and a hair salon all have in common? It’s a story that took Brent 46 years to live and about 15 minutes to tell. Come along with him this week as he navigates through that tale and others on how being respectful can be an investment, and a saving grace. It’s Part 1 of “Minding Your Manners."

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On this episode of Bear Grease, the second in a series on the Mississippi River, host Clay Newcomb guides you through the story about the settlement of the Mississippi Delta, the people of the area, and the challenges that shaped their identity. We’ll be veering out of the river into its floodplain because, as William Faulkner said, “To understand the world you must first understand a place like Mississippi.” Once again we’ll be leaning on author Hank Burdine, New York Times Best Selling author John Barry, and a new voice to Bear Grease--a dear friend raised in the Delta--Mr. Earl Jasper. This is as unique a Bear Grease episode as we’ve ever made. We really doubt you’re going to want to miss this one!

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What do hay hauling, Sunday clothes, and bobwhite quail all have in common? You might not believe it if anyone else told you, but you can believe it when Brent does. It’s summertime in Arkansas and if those cows are gonna eat when it’s cold, someone’s got to be sweating when it’s hot. Well, at least they used too. Join Brent as he navigates hauling hay, the calamity of cooling off before the job is done, and his experiences with how the whole process affects wildlife. There’s some history and wildlife management stuff in this one, but no math. We promise.

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