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Could the future of food be rooted in trees, not annual grains?

In this episode of White Strawberries, I’m joined by journalist and NPR reporter Elspeth Hay, author of the hopeful manifesto Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and Future of Food. Her work uncovers a surprising truth: for thousands of years, humans relied on perennial nut trees—oaks, chestnuts, hazelnuts—as our main sources of flour, oils, and everyday staple foods.

At a time when the majority of the world’s calories come from monocropped annual grains, Elspeth invites us to imagine a different path: one where our landscapes are abundant, resilient, biodiverse, and shaped by the long memory of trees.

We explore:
🌰 The ancient human relationship with nut trees
🌰 Why forest gardens and perennial food systems nourished entire cultures
🌰 The industrial narratives that pushed us into annual agriculture
🌰 Insights from Indigenous knowledge-keepers, agroforestry, and nut growers
🌰 The approachable, personal journey behind writing Feed Us with Trees

Whether you’re a gardener, permaculture practitioner, homesteader, or someone rethinking how we grow food, this conversation will expand your imagination and reconnect you with the ancient wisdom of tree-based agriculture.

If you’ve ever dreamed of growing food forests, diversifying your diet, or stepping away from nutrient-poor annual beds — this episode is for you.

💚🌿Sam

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