New Podcast Episode of Wander, Forage & Wildcraft: Episode 4 - Meet Doug Crouch

My good, old (in time, not age) friend, Doug Crouch and I catch up on the world of permaculture and his new incarnation of it, along with all things pawpaw in this episode of Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft. Doug's the owner of TreeYo Permaculture and has been managing his family's land at Treasure Lake in Petersburg, Kentucky for pawpaws and spicebush for 17 years now! He'll tell us all about what he's learned over those years about propagating and nurturing spicebush for the best yield. If you don't know what a pawpaw is (the largest native North American fruit) or want to grow some of your own, or are just curious, then this is the show for you! 
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​Doug's Bio: Trained as both a Permaculture Designer and Fish and Wildlife Manager, Doug has extensive knowledge surrounding landscape planning and food production systems. This regenerative design and implementation work spans the globe ranging in contexts and climates, including tropical agro-forestry, Mediterranean organic gardening, and temperate suburban edible landscaping. To facilitate this work he founded TreeYo Permaculture, thus building off his other formal training in small business management. Incorporating this knowledge and experience into sustainability educational programming has now become Doug’s main focus as he continues his ecological design and holistic development primarily at Treasure Lake in Northern Kentucky and its bioregion. 

If you're intrigued to learn more, join Doug and me at Planting Abundance, a day long learning adventure at Treasure Lake on May 18th. 

The beautiful pawpaw tree with its characteristic cluster of fruit

Pawpaw fruit is always harvested by gently shaking it from the tree to guarantee it's ripe.

Doug mid-harvest, Treasure Lake, KY, 9/2018

It may look weird, but it tastes delicious!

Doug's Pawpaw Ice Cream Recipe

Paw paw pulp
Some sort of milk - dairy, almond, coconut, or hickory
Some sort of sweetener (Doug prefers maple syrup from his land)

Put the pulp in a blender and add milk a little at a time, blending in between, until it's the consistency you like (custard-like is good).

Add sweetener, also a little at a time, blending in between, to taste.

Place in ice cubes trays and freeze.

Empty trays, filling a big freezer bag. Freeze and serve when needed.

Enjoy. 

Try it? Like it? Have something to add to the recipe or share about your experiences with pawpaws or thoughts on the podcast? Please leave a comment below.

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