Stuff You Missed in History Class

Episode: Behind the Scenes Minis: Hydroponies and Horse Flipping
Release Date: February 21, 2025
Hosts: Holly Fry & Tracy V. Wilson
Production: iHeartRadio

Introduction

In the Behind the Scenes Minis: Hydroponies and Horse Flipping episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class, hosts Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson delve into the fascinating worlds of hydroponics and the intriguing historical phenomenon of horse flipping. This episode seamlessly blends personal anecdotes with historical insights, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of both topics.

Hydroponics: Overcoming Indoor Planting Challenges

[02:30]
Holly and Tracy begin their discussion by exploring the challenges of maintaining indoor plants, especially in households with curious cats. Tracy shares her personal struggles with cats disturbing soil in plant setups:

Tracy V. Wilson: "They liked to dig the dirt out with their paws... I was just constantly finding that the dirt had been put on the floor."

To combat this, Tracy experimented with alternative plant arrangements, such as using a densely packed bookshelf by the window to limit cat access. Holly, on the other hand, has successfully implemented a hydroponic garden in their cantina, aptly themed around Star Wars to provide fresh garnishes for cocktails.

Holly Fry: "My hydroponic garden is in our cantina, where the cats don't generally go. It is Star Wars themed because the idea is that we will have fresh garnish for our cocktails at all times."

Mental Health Benefits
Holly emphasizes the mental health benefits of maintaining a hydroponic garden, noting it as a daily ritual that brings her joy and relaxation.

Holly Fry: "It's very good for my mental health. I'm telling you. My therapist has signed off."

The Curious Case of "Hydroponies" and OCR Errors

[10:21]
The hosts recount a humorous discovery during their research: the repeated misinterpretation of "hydroponics" as "hydroponies" due to Optical Character Recognition (OCR) errors in scanned texts.

Holly Fry: "This is where I found what might be my new favorite word. Hydroponies."

Tracy shares a related anecdote from her college days, where an OCR error changed "postmodern" to "modem," leading to amusing confusion about a poet's classification.

Tracy V. Wilson: "Her abstract said that this poet was a modem poet."

These stories highlight the quirky challenges faced during historical research and the unintended humor that can arise from technological limitations.

Horse Flipping and the Great Epizootic of 1872

[19:26]
Transitioning to the episode's second core topic, Holly and Tracy delve into the Great Epizootic of 1872—a significant horse influenza outbreak. They explore the phenomenon of "horse flipping," where individuals speculated on critically ill horses, purchasing them cheaply with the hope of profiting once they recovered.

Tracy V. Wilson: "There were rumors of kind of a horse speculation that was going on where people would buy critically ill horses for very low amounts of money, hoping to sell them if and when they recovered."

Economic and Social Impacts
The discussion touches on the economic desperation that might have driven such practices, especially among those struggling to maintain their livelihoods without daily incomes reliant on horse-drawn transportation.

Holly Fry: "People that were really struggling to survive without their day-to-day income... would swoop in and buy your horse."

Conspiracy Theories
A particularly intriguing segment involves Joseph Walkup, editor of the Placer Herald, who propagated a conspiracy theory linking the epizootic to stolen indigenous horses taken to Canada—a narrative more about his political disagreements than factual evidence.

Tracy V. Wilson: "He was not a fan of Grant, Ulysses Grant, or of General Philip Sheridan, and kind of cooked up this whole story..."

This segment underscores how societal tensions and personal biases can influence public perception during crises.

Personal Anecdotes: Horses and Childhood Memories

[24:31] - [33:09]
The hosts segue into personal reflections on horses. Holly admits she never fully embraced being a "horse girl," citing early fears of their unpredictability despite admiring their beauty.

Holly Fry: "They could, if startled, become essentially a different animal than you have known... I don't trust you for a second."

Conversely, Tracy shares fond childhood memories of horses, reflecting a deep-seated desire to own one despite understanding the associated responsibilities and expenses.

Tracy V. Wilson: "I really wanted a horse. Had no concept of how expensive a horse was."

These narratives provide a heartfelt dimension to the historical discussion, illustrating how personal experiences intersect with broader societal themes.

Concluding Thoughts

In wrapping up the episode, Holly and Tracy emphasize the complexities of historical events and personal endeavors, encouraging listeners to appreciate both the struggles and innovations that shape our understanding of the past.

Tracy V. Wilson: "Usually our positions are reversed in like, who is having the most sympathetic read on a thing."

Holly Fry: "There are places where I have grace and others where I do not."

The episode concludes with a blend of humor and sincerity, reminding listeners of the enduring relevance of history in our daily lives.

Notable Quotes

• Tracy V. Wilson [02:31]: "They didn't use the bathroom in there, which would have been worse."
• Holly Fry [04:05]: "My hydroponic garden is in our cantina... Fresh mint is where it's at."
• Holly Fry [10:21]: "Hydroponies... the merits of hydroponies."
• Tracy V. Wilson [19:26]: "A couple of things didn't make it into the episode because I couldn't figure out a great place to put them."
• Holly Fry [24:43]: "I think they're beautiful, but I don't trust you for a second."

Conclusion

Behind the Scenes Minis: Hydroponies and Horse Flipping offers an engaging exploration of both innovative agricultural practices and historical economic phenomena. Through a blend of research, personal anecdotes, and candid conversations, Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of how these seemingly disparate topics are interconnected through themes of survival, adaptation, and human behavior.

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