Food Forest Podcast

In this episode, Laurie and Dan share the story behind Freedom Food Forest, their permaculture project in the UK, and how it has transformed their relationship, their health, and their understanding of freedom. They talk about leaving behind conventional expectations, travelling and learning from indigenous cultures, and slowly building an off-grid, largely self-sufficient lifestyle.
Along the way, they reflect on growing up, healing, and finding purpose through working with the land. Their goal of producing around 80% of their own food becomes a doorway into deeper questions about community, mental health, and what it really means to live freely in today’s world.

In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger sits down with Andy Dibben, head grower at Abbey Home Farm, to explore what a truly community-focused farm looks like in practice. Andy shares how the farm supplies fresh food for around 800 people every week, integrates trees into vegetable production, and uses agroforestry to build climate-resilient systems.
They talk about the realities behind the numbers – the wins, the risks, and the ongoing experimentation needed to keep both land and business healthy. From biodiversity and perennial crops to wildlife-friendly fields and evolving systems, this conversation offers a grounded, hopeful roadmap for farmers and eaters who want a more sustainable food future.

Host Louis De Jaeger speaks with Elspeth Hay, author of Feed Us With Trees, about humanity’s forgotten relationship with perennial food systems. They explore trees as historic staple foods, the resilience of perennials, Indigenous food knowledge, and how reconnecting with tree-based nourishment can reshape our food systems, culture, and sense of belonging.
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In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger speaks with water expert Zach Weiss, student of Sepp Holzer and founder of Elemental Ecosystems. They discuss the vital connection between water, land, and community – and how restoring natural water cycles can reverse ecological degradation. Zach explains the importance of designing with water in mind, empowering communities to steward their landscapes, and fostering a new mindset of care, collaboration, and regeneration.

In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger speaks with Scottish food forester Alan Carter, author of A Food Forest in Your Garden and a pioneer of sustainable land use in the north of Scotland. Alan shares lessons from planting over a million trees, discusses the country’s deforestation history, and explores how agroforestry can coexist with traditional farming. He also reveals how small gardens can become abundant forest ecosystems – even in unpredictable climates.