Food & Community in the Ruins: Dougald Hine, Chris Smaje, Pella Thiel | Reality Roundtable #05

On this Reality Roundtable, philosopher and writer Dougald Hine, social scientist and farmer Chris Smaje, and ecologist and farmer Pella Thiel join Nate to discuss the future of food and community. Our disconnected relationship to agriculture and our neighbors have been shaped by a modern industrial society fueled by surplus hydrocarbon energy. What will these relationships look like in a lower energy future, where we need to once again work with each other and the land, rather than in isolation. Can we learn from history to celebrate with each other in times of abundance and find strength in community in times of need? In the present world where people are in constant search for meaning and purpose, what are strategies to find joy in simplicity and well-being through the growing and sharing of food?

About Dougald Hine

Dougald Hine is a social thinker, writer and speaker. After an early career as a BBC journalist, he co-founded organizations including the Dark Mountain Project and a school called HOME. His latest book is At Work in the Ruins: Finding Our Place in the Time of Science, Climate Change, Pandemics & All the Other Emergencies (2023). He co-hosts The Great Humbling podcast and publishes a Substack called Writing Home.

About Chris Smaje

Chris Smaje is a writer, social scientist and small-scale farmer, co-running a mixed holding in Somerset, southwest England. He's the author of A Small Farm Future (2020) and Saying NO to a Farm-Free Future (2023), both published by Chelsea Green. He blogs at and is contactable via www.chrissmaje.com.

About Pella Thiel

Pella Thiel is a maverick ecologist, part-time farmer, full-time activist and teacher in ecopsychology. She is the co-founder of swedish hubs of international networks like Swedish Transition Network and End Ecocide Sweden and a knowledge expert in the UN Harmony with Nature programme. Pella was awarded the swedish Martin Luther King Award in 2023 and the Environmental Hero of the year 2019.

Show Notes & Links to Learn More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.co...

00:00 - Guest Highlights
00:43 - Guest Introductions
04:06 - Dougald Hine on his work on the ruins
12:55 - Chris Smaje on local food production
21:21 - Pella Thiel on food sovereignty and The Potato Uprising
29:49 - How to start preparing for the future: focus on food or the community?
30:47 - Dougald’s response
34:37 - Chris’ response
38:09 - Pella’s response
40:23 - How do people respond to the guests’ work?
41:34 - Pella’s response
44:18 - Dougald’s response
48:14 - Chris’ response
52:46 - How to make consuming less and living local the new normal
54:01 - Dougald’s response
59:22 - Pella’s response
1:01:30 - Chris’ response
1:06:35 - How do people get started on planning for the future?
1:07:41 - Dougald’s response
1:12:07 - Chris’ response
1:15:47 - Pella’s response
1:19:02 - Advice for young people
1:19:34 - Dougald’s response
1:21:38 - Chris’ response
1:22:54 - Pella’s response
1:24:01 - How can people read more about the guests’ work?
1:24:30 - Chris’ response
1:25:05 - Pella’s response
1:25:42 - Dougald’s response