Food Forest Podcast
as guest
How to Rediscover Trees as Staple Food Sources
Elspeth Hay
In this episode of the Food Forest Podcast, host Louis De Jaeger speaks with Elspeth Hay, public radio host and author of Feed Us With Trees, about humanity’s forgotten relationship with perennial food systems. Elspeth reveals the striking gap between modern diets and the ecosystems we live in, pointing out how heavily we rely on annual crops while overlooking the nourishing potential of trees.
Drawing from her research and experiences with Indigenous food cultures in California, Elspeth explores the role of trees as staple food sources – providing calories, fats, and plant-based milks through foods like acorns. The conversation weaves together ecology, history, and storytelling, examining how colonization disrupted our connection to land and keystone species. Together, they question dominant economic narratives and invite listeners to imagine a future rooted in perennial abundance, ecological literacy, and a deeper sense of belonging within local ecosystems.
Key takeaways
- - Modern diets ignore perennial abundance.
- Trees once fed entire civilizations.
- Acorns are nutrient-dense staples.
- Keystone species shape ecosystems.
- Colonization severed land relationships.
- Food systems reflect cultural stories.
- Annual crops dominate at a cost.
- Perennials offer resilience and stability.
- Abundance requires new economic thinking.
- Reconnecting with trees restores belonging.
Useful links
- - Elspeth’s Website – https://elspethhay.com/
- Elspeth’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/elspethhay/
- Book Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food – https://newsociety.com/book/feed-us-with-trees/?aff=65
- About Arthur Young – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Young_(agriculturist)
- LinkedIn Profile of Ricardo Salvador – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardojsalvador
- Bergalia chestnut (Switzerland) – https://www.bregaglia.ch/en/our-pearls/discover-val-bregaglia/the-chestnut-the-fruit-of-our-valley
