Could the future of food be rooted in trees, not annual grains?

 In this episode of White Strawberries, I’m joined by journalist and NPR reporter Elspeth Hay, author of the  hopeful manifesto Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and Future of Food. Her work uncovers a surprising truth: for thousands of years, humans relied on perennial nut trees—oaks, chestnuts, hazelnuts—as our main sources of flour, oils, and everyday staple foods. 

At a time when the majority of the world’s calories come from monocropped annual grains, Elspeth invites us to imagine a different path: one where our landscapes are abundant, resilient, biodiverse, and shaped by the long memory of trees.

We explore:
 🌰 The ancient human relationship with nut trees
 🌰 Why forest gardens and perennial food systems nourished entire cultures
 🌰 The industrial narratives that pushed us into annual agriculture
 🌰 Insights from Indigenous knowledge-keepers, agroforestry, and nut growers
 🌰 The approachable, personal journey behind writing Feed Us with Trees

Whether you’re a gardener, permaculture practitioner, homesteader, or someone rethinking how we grow food, this conversation will expand your imagination and reconnect you with the ancient wisdom of tree-based agriculture.

If you’ve ever dreamed of growing food forests, diversifying your diet, or stepping away from nutrient-poor annual beds — this episode is for you.

💚🌿Sam

✨ Let’s connect:
Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast
FB Community: White Strawberries Podcast

I’m not usually a political person, but sometimes a little adulting is needed. And I think it’s important that everyday Kiwis actually know what’s happening in our food system.

In this episode, I sit down with Callum from GE Honesty to unpack the basics of genetic engineering, gene editing, and what these proposed changes, that are currently with parliament, could mean for New Zealand farmers, gardeners, and the nutrient density of our food.

Whether you’re new to the GE conversation, a home gardener wanting to understand how this might affect seeds and soil, or simply a curious Kiwi trying to keep up with the headlines — this episode is for you.

And if you’re overseas, I’d genuinely love to hear how GE crops and policies have impacted your country too.

🌱 Topics we cover:
– What genetic engineering actually is (in normal-people language)
– How GE changes could impact NZ gardens, farms, and ecosystems
– Why transparency around GE laws matters for all New Zealanders
– What we can do if we don't want GE seeds in New Zealand

This is an episode close to my heart, and I’m grateful to have you here for it.

💚🌿Sam

✨ Let’s connect:
Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast
FB Community: White Strawberries Podcast

Learn More: 

• Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey Smith: A book that exposes perceived dangers of genetically engineered foods, as explained in this YouTube video.
• GE Honesty website: www.gehonesty.nz
• The bill proposed in Parliament: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2024/0110/latest/whole.html
• OMG GMO trailer: this YouTube video.
• NZ media article: “Gene technology changes: What you need to know” Focus on Tikanga Māori.
• NZ plant & food research: “Nutrient density research – Phase 1 report released” 

🌻 How cool are sunflowers?

In this Sparking Joy episode of White Strawberries, we explore everything there is to love about sunflowers — their ancient history, mythological roots, and the many ways they bring life (and light!) to your garden.

From Greek mythology’s Helios and the sunflower nymph, to modern uses like phytoremediation — where sunflowers help clean toxins from the soil after disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima — these plants are true multitaskers.

We also dive into how to:
 🌻 Use sunflowers as living garden structures for beans, peas, and pumpkins
🐝 Support pollinators and boost biodiversity
🌿 Choose heirloom, non-F1 sunflower seeds for saving and replanting
🥗 Enjoy the nutritional power of sunflower seeds — packed with healthy fats, protein, and minerals
🐔 Feed your chickens homegrown, nutrient-rich seeds for a sustainable flock

Whether you’re a permaculture grower, a seed saver, or just love bee-friendly blooms, this episode will inspire you to plant a few giants of your own.

🌻 Sunflower suppliers mentioned:
Koanga Institute

Kings Seeds

📸 Let’s connect on Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast

📘 Join the convo on Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast

In this episode we’re diving into asexual propagation: making clones of a plant we want. For beginners! There are more ways, but these are the easiest!! 

AKA- Why My Baby Strawberries are Yucky. 

AKA- How to steal plants. 

Think of it as taking the complete DNA of a plant you love and bringing it home to grow in your garden.

I cover:
 🌱 Root cuttings – the basics, tips, and tricks for plants like comfrey that practically clone themselves.
🌱 Cuttings – how to take branch cuttings, caring for them, and maximizing your “strike rate.” (This needs its own episode!)
🌱 Grafting – a more advanced way to join plants for strong root systems and delicious fruit.
🌱 Root division and runners – from grasses and sugarcane to strawberries, learn how to multiply your plants efficiently.

Along the way, I share my own experiments, confessions, and share the joy of “free” gardening—getting plants from friends, neighbours, or the park 🙊

By the end of this episode, you’ll see why asexual propagation is perfect for creating more of the plants you love. 

Grab a fork, a spade, or just your curiosity—and let’s grow something amazing together!

This week on White Strawberries, we’re talking about DIY electrolytes — making your own hydration mix right from the kitchen (and garden).

Whether you’re in autumn apple season in the Northern Hemisphere or heading into long, sunny days here in New Zealand, this episode shows you how to turn fruit surplus into clean, functional hydration — without the bright blue sports drinks or artificial sweeteners.

I share how a 12-hour adventure race taught me the importance of electrolytes, what I learned from Dr. Stacy Sims — author of ROAR
and a leading expert in female physiology and hydration — and how to hit the “Goldilocks zone” for osmolality so your water actually hydrates you.

You’ll hear my go-to recipe using apples, honey, Himalayan salt, and cream of tartar — plus how to freeze it into easy electrolyte cubes for race day, gardening, or kid’s sport.

✨ Why it sparks joy: It’s gut-friendly, garden-inspired, and turns food surplus into fuel. It’s hydration that actually works — and it tastes good.

💧 Get the full recipe and breakdown — DM me the word electrolyte on Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast

May your garden be abundant, your strawberries white, and your hydration delightfully balanced.

🌱 In this episode, I’m tackling a problem I hear all the time — what to do when your garden isn’t thriving.

Maybe your garden used to be amazing, but now your plants are struggling. Maybe you are hesitant to continue to purchase soil and your plants aren't thriving.  Maybe your potting mix has released all it's fertiliser, or maybe you're starting from scratch!  Leaves are pale, flowers are sparse, and growth is slow. I’ll walk you through practical ways to fix infertile garden soil and bring your garden back to life.

I’ll cover:
 🌿 What to add to a garden bed to support growth
 🌱 How organic soil amendments like cow manure, seaweed, and banana peels can help
⚡ Why N-P-K nutrients for plants are essential, and what each one does
💧 How to manage soil moisture like a “wrung-out sponge”
🌸 The take-home message: diversity is key — feed your soil, feed your plants, and your garden will thrive

📸 Let’s connect: @whitestrawberriespodcast

📘 Join the convo on Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast

🌱 In this episode, I explore something that’s been top of mind lately — ground covers.

Ground covers form one of the eight layers of a forest and play a vital role in any thriving garden, orchard, or food forest. They’re not just about filling space — they’re about protecting, nourishing, and bringing life to your soil.

I’ll chat about:
 🌾 Why we need to mulch our soil
 🧹 How to clear the space first
 💚 Why living mulches (aka ground covers) are so awesome
 🌿 What to consider when choosing ground covers
 🌸 And the five categories I use to select them: herbs and edibles, nitrogen fixers, dynamic accumulators, natives, and pure joy

📖 Book mentioned: The Ultimate Food Garden (Fourth NZ & Australian Edition) by Selby Goldstone

📸 Let’s connect: @whitestrawberriespodcast

📘 Join the convo on Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast

🌍 In this episode, I’ve just returned from WWOOFing — and I have a lot of feedback to share!

What exactly is WWOOFing? Is it for you? And how can you make sure you find the right host before you pack your bags and head off to dig, plant, and learn?

I’ll chat about:
 🌾 What WWOOFing really is
 💬 The questions to ask before joining a host
 🧭 How to filter out good hosts
 🪴 Why getting clear on your expectations before you go makes all the difference
💪 What my experience was actually like — including how much I needed to work

You’ll also hear what I loved, what I’d do differently next time, and how to decide if this kind of travel and learning is a fit for you.

Have you WWOOFed before? I’d love to hear your experience!

📸 Let’s connect: @whitestrawberriespodcast

📘 Join the convo on Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast

This week on White Strawberries, we’re talking about DIY electrolytes — making your own hydration mix right from the kitchen (and garden).

Whether you’re in autumn apple season in the Northern Hemisphere or heading into long, sunny days here in New Zealand, this episode shows you how to turn fruit surplus into clean, functional hydration — without the bright blue sports drinks or artificial sweeteners.

 I share how a 12-hour adventure race taught me the importance of electrolytes, what I learned from Dr. Stacy Sims — author of ROAR

 and a leading expert in female physiology and hydration — and how to hit the “Goldilocks zone” for osmolality so your water actually hydrates you. 

You’ll hear my go-to recipe using apples, honey, Himalayan salt, and cream of tartar — plus how to freeze it into easy electrolyte cubes for race day, gardening, or kid’s sport.

✨ Why it sparks joy: It’s gut-friendly, garden-inspired, and turns food surplus into fuel. It’s hydration that actually works — and it tastes good.

💧 Get the full recipe and breakdown — DM me the word electrolytes on Instagram or facebook: @whitestrawberriespodcast

May your garden be abundant, your strawberries white, and your hydration delightfully balanced.   

🐓 In this episode, I share my lived experience with chicken tractors and the mandala garden system — the joys, the frustrations, and the lessons five years in.

We explore:
 🪴 How chickens save you work with composting, weeding, and pest control
 🛠️ Design considerations: circular vs. rectangular tractors, PVC vs. wood, mites and materials
 👩‍🌾 What it’s really like moving a dome once your Zone One (Garden Bed) fills with fruit trees and hedges
  🌬️ Why wind (and tarps!) can make or break your chicken dome setup

This is part personal story, part design reflection. From dry dust bath floors to chickens marching like a parade when the tarp comes off, it’s all here. If you’ve ever thought about building (or rethinking) your own chicken system, this episode gives you the inside scoop on what works — and what doesn’t — in real-life gardens.

📚 Recommended for: permaculture experimenters, chicken keepers, mandala garden nerds, and anyone curious about closing the loop with feathered friends.

💡 Resources & References:

• Linda Woodrow, The Permaculture Home Garden
• Milkwood Permaculture (free downloads + Nick’s dome pic)

🎧 Connect with me:
 Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast

Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast