Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food

by Elspeth Hay

A new and ancient story about perennial nut trees, our ecological role as humans, and the future of food

The day Elspeth Hay learned that we can eat acorns, stories she’d believed her whole life began to unravel.

Until then she'd always believed we must grow our staple foods in farmed fields―the same fields wreaking havoc on our land, air, and water. But all over the Northern Hemisphere, Hay learned, humans once grew our staple foods in forest gardens centered on perennial nut trees: oaks, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. In Feed Us with Trees, Hay brings us along as she gets to know dozens of nut growers, scientists, Indigenous knowledge-keepers, researchers, and food professionals―and discovers that in tending these staple trees, we once played a vital environmental role as one of Earth’s keystone species.

Feed Us with Trees is Hay’s hopeful manifesto about a brighter, more abundant future―and a critical look at the long-held stories we’ll need to rewrite to build it. 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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Nature

288 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2025

About the author

Elspeth Hay is the creator and host of the Local Food Report, a weekly feature that has aired on the Cape and Islands NPR station since 2008, and the author of the forthcoming book Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food. Deeply immersed in her own local-food system, she writes and reports for print, radio, and online media with a focus on food, the environment, and the people, places, and ideas that feed us. You can learn more about her work at elspethhay.com.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling examination of how nut trees could transform some of the worst aspects of our current food system. I found Hay's engagement with indigenous thinkers to be especially valuable.

[Celine Colbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this well-researched book, which blends rigorous ideas with a warm, memoir-style voice that makes complex, brain-altering material engaging rather than dry. Coming to it as a forester, I especially appreciated how it reframed humans not as a blight on the environment, but as an integral part of it. The book challenged some of the foundational principles I had been taught—like the “tragedy of the commons,” a cornerstone of wildlife management, and familiar slogans such as “no farms, no food.” Seeing these ideas unpacked as deeply ingrained propaganda, and replaced with a more hopeful, evidence-based vision for the future, was both surprising and inspiring. This is the kind of book that shifts your perspective—and I’ll be recommending it widely.

[Ben Caesar · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful exploration of our past relationship with both the trees that fed us and the landscape that nourished us, and an insightful and eye-opening look at the ways in which we've been (quite intentionally) separated from the natural world which used to sustain us all. Hay's thoughtful analysis of the question of yields (nuts vs. corn) provide much-needed fodder for the argument that we should be incorporating more trees and perennials (and diversity in general) into our agricultural landscapes. And in the end, this book provides a powerful case for cultivating a deeper connection with nature, and with the trees that sustain us along with all life. An essential read for those who want to build a better world.

[Elisabeth Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elspeth Hay is a wonderful storyteller, and Feed Us With Trees is packed with revelations. She weaves memoir, history, science, and personal discovery into something that’s entertaining, educating, enlightening, and inspiring. I came away seeing the forests around me differently—and questioning how we lost such a sustainable, nourishing way of feeding ourselves. Hay doesn’t preach; she invites. Through her curiosity and joy, you’ll find yourself rooting for nut trees and wondering what’s edible right outside your door. A beautiful, important book that shifts your mindset in the best way.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a remarkable book! Incredibly well researched with a wonderful narrative woven in to keep the reader engaged. I've been reading a lot on sustainability, seeds, etc. and this book took me to a whole new level. A great follow up to Robin Wall Kimmerer's work - especially Braiding Sweetgrass...
Congratulations Elsbeth!

[Jo Matey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary and revelatory look at traditional food sources and current food production means. I had no idea acorns (oil!!) were edible by humans. Lots of food for thought in this little nugget.

[Steve Paulson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to the idea of turning our food production system from what it is today to one that will make both us and the world we live on healthier.

Eat nuts!