Chasing Foxfire

By Cory Thomas Hutcheson

Chasing Foxfire is a podcast about the places where folklore intersects with science, nature, art, literature, history, pop culture, and life in general. Join us as we do a little wandering, get a lit... more

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FAQs about Chasing Foxfire:

How many episodes does Chasing Foxfire have?

The podcast currently has 10 episodes available.

Chasing Foxfire episodes:

July 08, 2021Episode 10 – Summer Camp
SHOWNOTES
Summary
We send off our final episode of the Summer 2021 season into the woods and around a campfire. We’re visiting summer camp, where we’ll write letters to home about spooky stories of cursed and haunted campgrounds (or at least one retreat in Utah with a scary reputation in both story and fact). We’ll also go on a snipe hunt for strange critters, called cryptids, and find out why these creatures fascinate us so much. We hate to say goodbye, but at least we can say “see you again soon” as we look forward to our next visit to the forests to chase even more foxfire in the future.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play:
https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/episode-10-summer-camp.mp3
Download: Episode 10 – Summer Camp
Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Dr. Lisa Gabbert, Associate Professor of Folklore at Utah State University. She’s also the author of Winter Carnival in a Western Town and a chapter on the Utah resort discussed in this episode in the book Putting the Supernatural in its Place, edited by Jeannie Banks Thomas.
Jason Offutt, a lecturer in Journalism at Northwest Missouri State University. You can visit his website to find out more about him and his many books, including Chasing American Monsters.
Please note that clicking on any bookshop links helps support the show by providing affiliate revenue.
Music & Art
All music for this episode (except as noted) is licensed through AudioSocket
Playlist:
“Halcyon Summer,” by Travis Greer
“Potomac River,” by Summer Villians
“Posta Chiusa – La Stanza,” by Francesco De Fiori
“Moonlight,” by Johnny Fiasco
“Block Party,” by Twin Engine
“Sunrise Day 2,” and “Sunrise Day 3,” by Shirley Cason
”Desert Song,” by HexQ (used by permission of artist)
Images: “Roasting Marshmallows” and “Mushrooms” via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2017-21. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
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1h 18min
July 01, 2021Episode 9 – Witches All
SHOWNOTES
Summary
What does “witch” mean to you? Is it a creature of fantasy flying through the midnight skies on a broomstick? Is it a powerful woman stirring a little pot of potions (and maybe a bigger pot of political change)? Is a “witch” someone (or something) magical, something scary, something wonderful, or something else entirely? Or maybe even a combination of any or all of these? This time we sit down to explore witches in folklore and real life with anthropologist and folklorist Sabina Magliocco, then turn to the way witches have appeared on screens both big and small with author Heather Greene in this episode.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play:
https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/episode-9-witches-all.mp3
Download: Episode 9 – Witches All
Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Dr. Sabina Magliocco, Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia and author of the book Witching Culture.
Heather Greene, author of Lights, Camera, Witchcraft, due out later in 2021.
Please note that clicking on any bookshop links helps support the show by providing affiliate revenue.
Music & Art
All music for this episode (except as noted) is licensed through AudioSocket
Playlist:
“Night of the Witch,” by Testament
“Underworld” and “Sacraments,” by In the Nursery
“Prayer from Lemuria,” by Paul Summerlin
“Skyway to Terminal,” by Tear Ceremony
“Sunrise Day 2,” by Shirley Cason
”Digital Piano,” by HexQ (used by permission of artist)
Images: “Witch’s Shoes,” by Kate Hutcheson (Use with permission of artist) and “Mushrooms” via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2017-21. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
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1h 30min
June 24, 2021Episode 8 – To Hell and Back
SHOWNOTES
Summary
What is our fascination with those dark places in myth and psyche? We explore the roads to the Underworld with a medieval historian, and then examine the way that battling demons and darkness in video games can help us face our own inner hellscapes.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/episode-8-to-hell-and-back.mp3
Download: Episode 8 – To Hell and Back

Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Dr. Alan Bernstein, emeritus professor of Medieval History in the Colleges of Social & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona. You can find his books The Formation of Hell and Hell and Its Rivals through most major book outlets.
Dr. Aimee Daramus, a licensed clinical psychologist and a professor at Harold Washington College in Chicago. We encourage you to read her article, “Video Games Can be Used as Therapy, Here’s How,” at PsyReg.
Please note that clicking on any bookshop links helps support the show by providing affiliate revenue.
Music & Art
All music for this episode is licensed through AudioSocket
Playlist:
“Winter Skies,” by Shirley Cason
“Untitled,” by Spirit of Spain
“Posta Chiusa – La Stanza,” by Francesco di Fiore
“Prayer from Lemuria,” by Paul Summerlin
“Sunrise Day 2,” and “Sunrise Day 3,” by Shirley Cason
Images: “Rodin’s Gates of Hell,” by Cory Thomas Hutcheson (CC.2.0) and “Mushrooms” via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2017-21. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
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1h 23min
June 17, 2021Episode 7 – Self-Rescuing Princesses
SHOWNOTES
Summary
Your princess is in another castle? We look at the tropes of damsels in distress and princesses in fairy tales in this episode. We speak with a folklorist whose work focuses on the language of body and gender in folktales, then talk to an author who has written a series of books about a woman reconfiguring gender as she saves people in a post-apocalyptic world.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/episode-7-self-rescuing-princesses.mp3
Download: Episode 7 – Self-Rescuing Princesses

Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Dr. Jeana Jorgensen, Instructor in the Dept. of History and Anthropology at Butler University. You can read more about her and her work on her Patheos blog, The Foxy Folklorist.
Meg Elison, author of the Road to Nowhere series, as well as other books like Find Layla. You can find out more about her writing and other work at her website.
Please note that clicking on any bookshop links helps support the show by providing affiliate revenue.
Music & Art
All music for this episode is licensed through AudioSocket
Playlist:
“Witchtropolis,” by Alex Cuervo
“Skyway to Terminal,” by Tear Ceremony
“Blip Blop Bloom,” and “Night Sky,” by Milan Grajetzki
“Lush Ultra,” by Mokhov
“Sunrise Day 2,” and “Sunrise Day 3,” by Shirley Cason
“Fairy Tale Ending,” by Emma Wallace
“Crystal Cave Fairy Tale,” by Joel Bruce Wallach
Images: “Flower Crown” and “Mushrooms” both via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2017-21. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
...more
1h 25min
June 10, 2021Episode 6 – Giants
SHOWNOTES
Summary
We look at the land of giants in both our imagination and our history. We talk to a folklorist about the mythology of giants, famed American giant Paul Bunyan (and his rather murky origins), and then hear about the infamous Cardiff Giant hoax from one of the giant’s current keepers.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/episode-6-giants.mp3
Download: Episode 6 – Giants

Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Dr. Simon J. Bronner of the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. You can find many of his books available, including the Oxford Handbook of American Folklore and Folklife (which he edited) and Folklore: The Basics.
Mike Tamburrino, manager at the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, New York, where the Cardiff Giant still resides
Please note that clicking on any bookshop links helps support the show by providing affiliate revenue.
Music & Art
All music for this episode is licensed through AudioSocket
Playlist:
“Pauses 1,” by Paul Summerlin
“Ambiharmina 2,” by Blindfold
“Way Out Westley,” by David Ross Benson
“Partnership,” by In the Nursery
“This Land of Plenty,” by Nicole Reynolds
“Prayer from Lemuria,” by Paul Summerlin
Images: “Giant Head” and “Mushrooms” both via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2017-21. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
...more
1h 28min
April 04, 2018Episode 5 – Rumors
SHOWNOTES
Summary
This time around, we return from a long absence with whispers and hearsay. We speak to two experts on the power of rumor in a variety of real-world situations. First, we discuss the importance of listening to medical rumors—even when we know they’re wrong. Second, we talk about the Satanic Panic’s connection to infighting among churches and the bigger role of rumor in global immigration.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/episode-5-rumors.mp3
Download: Episode 5 – Rumors

Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Andrea Kitta from Eastern Carolina University. You can find her books Vaccination and Public Concern in History and Diagnosing Folklore on Amazon. Her book The Kiss of Death is forthcoming.
Bill Ellis from Penn State University. You can find his books Lucifer Ascending and The Global Grapevine on Amazon.

Music
All music for this episode is licensed through Magnatune.
Playlist:
“The Light,” by Giorgio Constantini
“Underwater,” by Claire Fitch
“The Summer Fell Silent,” by Emmalee Crane
“Deimos,” by Joram
“Don’t Wanna Talk,” by Chiwawa
Sound clips from Snopes.com and “War of the Worlds (1938),” by Mercury Radio Theatre, are used under Fair Use for commentary/education.
Images: “Girls Whisper” and “Mushrooms” both via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2017-18. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
...more
1h 12min
April 07, 2017Episode 4 – Gods and Monsters
SHOWNOTES
Summary
Our episode this time tackles the tricky business of big things—larger-than-life gods and the monsters that lurk in the corners of American popular culture. You’ll hear about a jealous volcano goddess in Hawaii and how she’s helping geologists make sense of the island’s origins and development, and you’ll hear about giant apes, killer sharks, and zombie hordes invading by cell phone and newsfeed.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/episode-4-gods-and-monsters.mp3
Download: Episode 4 – Gods and Monsters

Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Anna Pertu from the Earth Observatory of Singapore. You can also read the paper she referenced here.
Jennifer Drissel of Penn State University in Harrisburg, where she teaches courses on American apocalypse literature and horror in popular culture.
You can read more about America’s historical obsession with big creatures at the Smithsonian Magazine’s article, “Mammoths and Mastadons – All American Monsters,” by Richard Conniff.

Music
All music for this episode is licensed through Magnatune.
Playlist:
“Oceanos,” by Ruben van Rompaey
“Where Sky and Ocean Meet,” by Gopal
“Fragrant Grasses, Falling Blossoms,” by Sambodhi Prem
“Resonance” & “Sharpening Her Talons,” by Robert Rich

Images: “Rocks” and “Mushrooms” both via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2017. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
...more
56min
February 03, 2017Episode 3 – Cherry Tree
SHOWNOTES
Summary
In this episode, we’re looking at the lore of U.S. Presidents, from cherry trees to George Washington weeping in his mother’s arms. Along the way, we’ll talk about blind dates, Ouija boards, and animal magnetism.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/episode-3-cherry-tree.mp3
Download: Episode 3 – Cherry Tree

Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Lillian Cunningham, a reporter for The Washington Post and host of the Presidential podcast
Mitch Horowitz, PEN-award winning historian and author of Occult America and One Simple Idea. You can find out more about him and his work through his website
Special thanks to Jesse Bornemann, who read her poem “Does Abraham Lincoln Get Lonely?” which is copyright (c) Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved. Used by permission
Special thanks to Bob Roberts, who read selections from Parson Weems’ History of Washington. Bob is an actor and writer based in Nashville, Tennessee. He also edits the satirical news site, The Rhinestone

Music
All music for this episode is licensed through Magnatune.
Playlist:
“Military March,” by Phil Rey
“Perception” (parts 3 and 13), by Francois Couture
“At the Window,” by Adriano Fontana
“Camilla’s Song,” by Teslim
“Slow Cookin’,” by Joe Smith and the Hot Pickles
“My Home is not My Home,” by prettyhowtown
“Free,” by Giorgio Constantini

Images: “Dollar” and “Mushrooms” both via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2016. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
...more
56min
December 01, 2016Episode 2 – Tar Baby
SHOWNOTES
Summary
This episode features briar patches, bunny rabbits, and bad decisions. We have stories about the color line in America, mastodons that can open doors, and a hole in the rug under the couch that you didn’t even know was there.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/episode-2-tar-baby1.mp3
Download: Episode 2 – Tar Baby

Sources:
My guests for this episode were:
Bruce Bickley, Professor Emeritus at Florida State University. In addition to his work teaching, he has written extensively about Joel Chandler Harris. The Penguin Edition of Nights with Uncle Remus features an introduction by Dr. Bickley.
Laura Browder is a professor of American Studies at the University of Richmond. Her books include Slippery Characters: Ethnic Impersonators and American Identities and her latest work, When Janey Comes Marching Home: Portraits of Women Combat Veterans.
I spoke to Dr. Emily Lindsey from the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. Visit them on the web to schedule your trip to the tar pits, experience paleontology firsthand, and learn more about mammoth cloning (well, maybe not that last part so much).
Jason Kelley is a freelance writer living in Oakland, California. He currently records and produces a podcast about hoarding called Saving Grace. He shared his story “Charlotte Instead” on this episode.

Music
All music for this episode is licensed through Magnatune.
Playlist:
“Invocation,” by Anthony Salvo
“Dusk,” by Christopher Ferreira
“Das Schlechte der Welt,” by Tuskle
“Perception” (parts 3, 6, and 13), by Francois Couture
“The Light,” by Giorgio Constantini
“Underwater, “by Claire Fitch

Images: “Hare” and “Mushrooms” both via Pixabay.
Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2016. Share-and-share-alike Creative Commons license.
...more
1h 23min
October 01, 2016Episode 1 – Glow
SHOWNOTES
Summary
In our first episode, we hear tales of glowing Civil War soldiers, a Pixar princess, and musical bugs.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and following us on Facebook and Twitter. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us at www.chasingfoxfire.com.

Listen
Play: https://chasingfoxfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/episode-1-glow.mp3
Download: Episode 1 – Glow

Sources:
Special thanks to my guests, Dr. Phyllis Martin of the USDA (retired) and Frank P. Lavarre.
I first heard about the Civil War “Angel’s Glow” phenomenon via an article in mental_floss by Matt Soniak.
Thanks to the Allegheny National Forest rangers and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers for information on the fireflies.
The Pixar Theory is the brainchild of Jon Negroni, of the Now Conspiring podcast.
The poems “The Ancient Track,” by H.P. Lovecraft and “The Wood-Pile,” by Robert Frost, are quoted and referenced under the auspices of Fair Use.
Music
All music for this episode is licensed through Magnatune.
Playlist:
“Camila’s Song,” by Teslim
“West Texas Sunrise,” by Carey Clayton
“The Pan Chaser,” by Fernwood
“The Light,” by Giorgio Constantini
“Underwater, “by Claire Fitch

Produced by New World Witchery. Copyright 2016. Images via Pixabay. Featured image: “Fireflies,” by Kazhidegu (via Wikimedia Commons).
...more
34min

FAQs about Chasing Foxfire:

How many episodes does Chasing Foxfire have?

The podcast currently has 10 episodes available.