My Favorite Trees

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Sandalwood is most widely known as a fragrance--whether in the form of incense, essential oils, or as soaps and sprays. How common it is today is in thanks to how important this tree has been to Hindu faith and Indian culture for thousands of years. I cover why it's called Sandal, how it shows up in Hindu legends, how it caused a population decline in Hawaii, and more.

Subscribe to my Patreon at patreon.com/myfavoritetrees! Coming soon to the Treehuggers Tier is a series of videos (or maybe additional podcasts, but hopefully videos) called Tree Walks with Thomas!

Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com).

Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram.

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast.

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The Beech is iconic for its smooth, thin, grey bark. Carving one's initials into these trees is so recognizable a practice that it inspired the cover art for my podcast. But what are the downsides of this artform and what other significant aspects in history has it given rise to? The Beech's skin bears the scars of Nordic books, Daniel Boone, and Japanese conservation. Music is by Academy Garden. Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast. Subscribe to my Patreon for more content, now at a reduced cost! 
patreon.com/myfavoritetrees
mftpodcast.com
academygarden.bandcamp.com

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Today I sit down with John Perlin, author of the book A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization. This book was originally published in 1989, but is gearing up for a new edition set to release later this month. We talk in depth on what has changed since the last publication, and (spoilers) it's a lot. Hear some history on how much our world is shaped by our destruction of woodlands, what we needed all that material for, and what this pattern spells for our future. The new edition of A Forest Journey can be found at patagonia.com/shop/books, or wherever you buy your books.
This episode contains a condensed version of my conversation with John Perlin. To hear the full, hour-plus-long unedited discussion, subscribe to my Patreon at patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees.
Music is by Academy Garden. Cover art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast.

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In the beginning of February, the Jewish world will be celebrating Tu B'Shevat, a New Years holiday for trees! I celebrate alongside them every year by covering the biology and history of the Seven Species of Israel, the plants Moses' spies brought back to him proving that they had found the fertile Promised Land. This year, I'll be talking about the Common Fig Tree--exploring the depth of its connection in Abrahamic faith, comparing and contrasting it to other Figs I've covered, and diving deep into the wasps that give us these sweet, weird fruits. And as always, I'll be having my own seder with some Fig spread and give my review of the flavor that so many have integrated into their religion. 

Subscribe to my Patreon! patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees. Once I hit 20 subscribers, I will release an edit of all the times I've said that a tree has protection symbolism mashed together. Shoutout to Tony K for being one of the patrons that is helping me reach that goal, join him!

Music is by Academy Garden. Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Script editing and Social Media managed by top-notch writer Laurie Hilburn. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast.

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The roasted seed of the Coffee Tree helps me, and a billion other people, wake up and be productive every day. This alone gives it significance in our lives, but our relationship with this drink and the plant it comes from has left footprints throughout human history in the Common Era. Learn about where coffee came from, how it fueled modern capitalism, how it reflects our diverse cultures, and more. The music is by Academy Garden. Cover art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast. Share this episode and see if you can get the attention of Folgers or Starbucks!

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To cap off 2022, we are returning to the Celtic Ogham Tree Calendar to look at the representative of the Winter Solstice: the Yew. This evergreen's toxicity has led it to carry heavy death symbolism and thus is used to mark the longest night and the end of the solar year. But its importance to humans is extensive beyond this time of year, with ancient evidence of tool use and modern application in medicine. Music is by Academy Garden. Cover art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast. Join my brand new Patreon at patreon.com/myfavoritetrees! 

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 This week, I have my first ever guest on My Favorite Trees. Tim Ifill is the director of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Tree Tenders program. We talk about what the planning process is like for urban tree planting events, why they're important, and how you can get involved in planting trees in your neighborhood.

For more information about the Tree Tenders, check out https://phsonline.org/programs/tree-programs
And to sign up for the Tree Tenders' winter class, visit https://phsonline.org/events/tree-tenders-2022-winter

Music is by Academy Garden. Cover art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast. Visit my website mftpodcast.com to see what sources I use on my episodes and how you can donate to organizations that help grow our world's forests. 

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 As winter begins to take hold of the land, we often look to conifers that stay green all year round for comfort. Except, there's one conifer that actually drops its needles in the fall! Learn about why the Larch breaks the mold and the importance far northern humans give this tree despite not being an evergreen. Music is by Academy Garden. Cover art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast. 

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 Elms are some of the best trees to plant in our neighborhoods, thanks to their wide, shady crowns. For this alone, they are loved by many. But their significance extends throughout American history, from setting the stage of revolution to inspiring victims of tragedy in the modern day. Music is by Academy Garden. Cover art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast. 

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 Did you know that half of all rubber on the market comes from trees? And that chewing gum used to also be made from this same natural latex? The Para Rubber Tree and the Chicle Tree bring us stories of wealth corruption, World War II embargos, and the desperation of an exiled Mexican president. Music is by Academy Garden. Cover art is by @boomerangbrit on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast.