Episode 227: The Incredible Edible Animal Hierarchy: Hunting, Taboos, and Food Identity

Episode 227: The Incredible Edible Animal Hierarchy: Hunting, Taboos, and Food Identity

Author: Harvesting Nature March 18, 2025 Duration: 1:02:47
In this episode, Justin Townsend welcomes Nicole Qualtieri, an award-winning outdoor writer, who shares her profound experiences in nature, her journey into the world of hunting and outdoor writing, and the ethical considerations surrounding food consumption. She discusses her work with The Western, a storytelling platform that challenges conventional narratives in hunting and food culture. The dialogue explores the concepts of sarcophagy and zoophagy, emphasizing the importance of understanding the origins of our food and the ethical implications of hunting. Quartieri advocates for a more nuanced conversation about hunting, food ethics, and conservation, encouraging listeners to embrace the complexities of these topics. - Leave a Review of the Podcast - Buy our Wild Fish and Game Spices Guest: The Incredible Edible Animal Hierarchy The Westrn Instagram Takeaways: Experiencing nature can lead to profound life changes. The journey into outdoor writing can stem from personal experiences. Working in hunting media provides a unique education about food. Storytelling in the outdoor space should be accessible to everyone. Understanding the ethics of hunting is crucial for meaningful conversations. Sarcophagy refers to meat that doesn't resemble its source, while zoophagy does. Cultural taboos influence what we consider edible. The future of conservation can be linked to food ethics. Long-form storytelling can engage audiences more deeply than short posts. Embracing discomfort in storytelling can lead to greater understanding. Chapters 00:00 A Profound Encounter with Nature 02:15 Introduction to Nicole Quartieri 03:58 Journey into the Outdoors 08:47 The Intersection of Food and Hunting 11:37 The Birth of The Western 17:42 Exploring the Soul of Storytelling 20:57 Understanding Sarcophagy and Zoophagy 37:48 The Ethics of Hunting and Consumption Keywords: Wild kitchen, outdoor writing, hunting, wild food, Nicole Qualtieri, MeatEater, food culture, outdoor adventures, cooking, conservation, hunting, storytelling, long-form writing, food culture, wild game, sarcophagy, zoophagy, collaboration, narrative journalism, seafood mislabelling, hunting, food identity, cultural taboos, storytelling, ethics of eating, conservation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Townsend and the team from Harvesting Nature host Wild Fish and Game Podcast, a series that treats wild food as a starting point for much wider conversations. Rather than just a collection of tactics or recipes, this podcast digs into the entire cycle of bringing food from the landscape to the table and beyond. You’ll hear discussions that connect the act of hunting or fishing to the rhythms of the season, the specifics of a place, and the cultural traditions that shape our approach to harvest. Episodes move through every stage of the process-the pursuit, the careful work of butchery, the various methods of preservation, and finally, the cooking that turns ingredients into a meal. It’s about the craft involved in each step and how these skills integrate into a practical, meaningful lifestyle. The conversations often explore how these harvested foods are carried through real life, nourishing families and communities. For anyone curious about the depth and connectivity of a life centered on wild foods, this podcast offers a thoughtful, comprehensive look at a system that is as much about philosophy and responsibility as it is about sustenance. Tune in for a consistently engaging exploration of what it truly means to know where your food comes from.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Wild Fish and Game Podcast
Podcast Episodes
On the Ethics of Killing: The Moral Math of Eating [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:02
Summary: Explore the ethical considerations of eating and killing in the context of hunting, food production, and environmental impact. Blake Binford shares insights from his book 'On the Ethics of Killing: The Moral Mat…
Episode 271: The Wild Pantry, Part III - Dehydrating and Drying [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:52
Summary: Explore the ancient and modern techniques of drying and dehydrating food, its scientific principles, and practical applications in wild food lifestyle. Learn how to preserve, enhance, and utilize wild ingredient…
Episode 270: The Wild Harvest Report - April 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:09
Summary: A comprehensive overview of April's seasonal activities across North America, focusing on hunting, fishing, foraging, and cooking wild foods. The report highlights regional differences, key species in season, an…
Episode 269: Wild Game Is More Than Protein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:59
Summary: This episode explores the full value of wild animals beyond just protein, emphasizing traditional and cultural uses of all animal parts, including fat, marrow, organs, and connective tissues. It highlights how m…
Episode 268: Wild American Foodscapes - Newfoundland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:02
Summary: Justin and Adam explore Newfoundland's unique food landscape shaped by environmental constraints, historical fishing practices, and cultural resilience. From wild fish and seal to the impact of ecological manage…
Episode 267: What If the Grocery Stores Didn’t Open Tomorrow? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:28
Summary: Explore the fragility of our food systems and the importance of community resilience. This episode examines historical and modern disruptions to food supply, the interconnectedness of grocery stores, and how hun…
Episode 266: The Wild Harvest Report - March 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:04
Summary: The March Food for Field Bulletin discusses the seasonal shifts in hunting, fishing, and foraging across North America, highlighting the transition from winter to spring. It covers regional variations in wildlif…
Episode 265: The Wild Pantry, Part II - Salting and Curing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:59
Summary In this episode, Justin Townsend and Adam Berkelmans explore the ancient art of food preservation through salting and curing. They discuss the historical significance of salting, the science behind how it works,…
Episode 264: Wild American Foodscapes - Hawai'i [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:12
Summary Justin and Adam are joined by several guests for a conversation exploring the intricate relationship between food and culture in Hawaii, emphasizing the historical significance of traditional practices, the impac…