Living History

Thanks to all of you out there listening to the Living History Podcast and giving us feedback! In this week’s episode, number 31, we address some of the questions and comments we’ve received since we started the podcast including:

• What has been most surprising about doing the podcast?
• Providing more details as a part of our podcasts
• There is no such thing as a stupid tourist question
• Great tips for event survival
• Some unique living history terminology
• Is the human race loosing valuable skills to the detriment of us all?
• School Event restrictions
• Reenacting military life as a family, specifically gender disparities in more modern military reenactments
• How does the Renaissance Faire relate to Living History?
• What is our list of small items we still want (including an update on our chamber pot situation)
• Reenacting in order to show respect for those who lived in the time we are representing.

Musical Interlude: Jamie Raeburn’s Farewell by Tourdion

Download: Listener Feedback
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This week is a nice long episode on cookfires. We were asked for more detail on the making and keeping of fires for cooking so we’ll tell you about:
• fire starting, and building a bed of coals
• Equipment including wood types, bases, tools and more
• keeping a fire going, and putting that fire out
Musical Interlude: Buttercup’s Air by Night Heron Consort

Download:Cookfires
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So many Living History enterprises happen in front of the public. In this episode we’ll let you in on our methods to make your encounters more fun and engaging. We’ll cover tips and tricks like:

• confronting strangers
• Rehearsing what it is you are going to say
• Using improvisation
• using endowments to draw them into the story
• Keeping it positive – Not negating
• playing off other members of your group/team.

Musical Interlude: Southern Girl’s Reply performed by Jeff Warner

Download: Public Interactions
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This week Alena and Stephen tackle the stuff of Living History, and talk about how much the little things can really add both for your own enjoyment and for the publics’ edification. We talked about:
• Steps toward historical accuracy
• pocket stuff and personal items
• Comfort items and furniture
• Tools, weapons, leisure and religious items.

Musical Interlude: Hey Ho to the Greenwood sung by Ravenrook Consort

Download: Minutiae
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This week Stephen and Alena were joined by Amanda Sullivan to talk about cooking in a Living History setting. We talked about:
• Food as a metaconcept and our modern relationship with food
• Cooking on an open fire, in a hearth, or in a wood-fired oven.
• Fire Safety
• adding cooking to your activities
• teaching cooking
• working with period recipes and ingredients
Musical Interlude: Grimstock & Sellenger His Rounde performed by Diabolus In Musica, off the Skirmish Presents: All in Tune with History CD
Download:Historical Cooking
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