Feed Us with Trees

A new and ancient story about perennial nut trees, our ecological role as humans, and the future of food All over the Northern Hemisphere, humans used to grow our staple foods on perennial nut trees such as oaks for acorns, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. Feed Us with Trees breaks down the stories trapping us in todays industrrial food system and takes us on a fascinating journey rooted in the startling premise that our ancestors once produced their dietary mainstaysthe flours, milks, and cooking oils still essential in todays pantriesby tending food forests or forest gardens. NPR reporter Elspeth Hay digs deep to expose the dominant narrative that keeps us stuck on industrial monocultures, and pieces together the complex history of how we arrived at todays broken food system. Through interviews with dozens of nut growers, scientists, Indigenous knowledge-keepers, researchers, and food professionals, she shines a light on those working toward a brighter, more abundant future. Its a vision that prioritizes life, redefines wealth, and above all reminds us that as humans, we have a vital role as one of Earths keystone species. Hays hopeful manifesto offers a new way of looking at modern, grain-based, annual agriculture. It will appeal to environmentalists, regenerative farmers, permaculture enthusiasts, agroforesters, locavores, and anyone hungry for a more holistic, nutrient-dense diet rooted in wild foods and ancient knowledge.