In this episode of Pasture Prime Time, host Neil Dahlstrom sits down with Elspeth Hay—writer, forager, podcaster and author of Feed Us With Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food (New Society, July 2025)—to unpack the forest-rooted wisdom behind perennial nut trees as a regenerative alternative to field monocultures. Hay shares how a TEDx talk on edible acorns hurled her into a five-year journey of ancestral agroecology, unlearning the dominance of annuals and the myth that “no farms equals no food.” She delves into how replicating a single Asiatic tree lineage—like modern bananas, where the genetically uniform Cavendish cultivar has been devastated by Panama disease—is a recipe for collapse, and how the same extinction risk applies when hazelnut growers ignore diversity and rely on clones instead of “swarm breeding” thousands of nut lines to produce resilient, high-yield varieties. On the practical side, she urges listeners to start with their local keystone nut trees—like oaks, chestnuts, or hazel—that serve as ecological linchpins for habitat, food, and cultural memory.
Connect with Neil & Elspeth!Neil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regensystems25/Elspeth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elspeth-hay-1aa638305/Purchase Feed Us With Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food! https://newsociety.com/book/feed-us-with-trees/?aff=65Set up your FREE Grow Wallet: https://app.growblockchain.net/Purchase your Grow Renaissance Manifesto NFT here: https://app.growblockchain.net/store/allEach episode features inspiring stories and discussions on new ways to nourish our planet and its people. We explore sustainable practices and how technology can improve farming, all with the goal of creating a more connected and sustainable future. Whether you are a tech enthusiast who knows everything or nothing about the blockchain, or someone who cares about the food you eat and the planet we live on, there is something here for you. Join us today as we work together to build a better world for today and tomorrow! About Grow United: Grow United is a technology company building blockchain-based products and services to decentralize the farming industry by bringing traceability and sustainability to AgTech. The goal of these products and services is to nourish people, animals and the planet. 🌐 Learn more: https://www.growunited.com🎮 Join our Discord: https://discord.com/invite/grow📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegrowrenaissanceLet’s grow together! 🌱 Disclaimer This podcast may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements discuss plans, strategies, prospects, and expectations concerning the business, operations, markets, risks, and other similar matters. There may be events in the future that we cannot accurately predict or control. Any forward-looking statement contained herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We do not plan to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements except as required by law. Grow Nodes and the Grow Blockchain are governed by a Distributed Governance Framework (DGF). The Grow Blockchain, which is governed by Grow Node Owners, self-govern the distribution of Grow Digital Rewards. Grow Digital Rewards are earned in exchange for work and action on the Grow Blockchain. Grow Digital Rewards are designed to have utility throughout the Grow Ecosystem for the purchase of Grow’s products and services. The Grow Digital Reward is not an investment product and may never have any value outside of the Grow Ecosystem. Grow Node Owners should not expect to recognize any value from the Grow Digital Reward other than its utility within the Grow Ecosystem