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The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

Anne Biklé & David Montgomery: "Nourishing the Land and Ourselves"

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

Nate Hagens

Science, Earth Sciences, Natural Sciences

4.8553 Ratings

🗓️ 12 July 2023

⏱️ 96 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On this episode, Nate is joined by "free range biologist" Anne Biklé and "broad-minded geologist" David Montgomery - a married duo who have been educating about the link between soil and human health for nearly a decade. As we continue to strip the land and soil of its life supporting capacity, our food has become less nutritious, even as we've received more calories. Has the age of 'The Green Revolution' - accredited with preventing millions from famine - led us to a new epidemic of starvation in the form of micronutrients? How do our modern systems degrade the land, leaving us with lifeless dirt even more dependent on fossil inputs? Can we implement better agricultural practices that lead to lively and fertile soils, better health, and a reconnection with the land that feeds us?

About Anne Biklé & David R. Montgomery

Anne Biklé is a science writer and public speaker drawing on her background in biology and environmental planning to explore humanity's tangled relationship with nature through the lens of agriculture, soil, and food. She is particularly enthralled with the botanical world and its influence on humanity throughout history. Her writing has appeared in digital and print magazines, newspapers, and her work has been featured in radio and independent documentary films.

David R. Montgomery is a MacArthur Fellow and professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington. He is an internationally recognized geologist who studies the effects of geological processes on ecological systems and human societies. He is the author of several textbooks in his field and his work has been featured in documentary films, network and cable news, TV, and radio.

Anne and David are married and live in Seattle, WA. In 2023, they published What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health, which builds on their trilogy of books about soil health, microbiomes, and farming—Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, The Hidden Half of Nature, and Growing a Revolution.

Social Media & Contact for David and Anne web: www.Dig2Grow.com || twitter: @Dig2Grow || email: Dig2Grow@gmail.com For Show Notes and More visit: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/79-anne-bikl-david-montgomery

Transcript

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0:00.0

You're listening to The Great Simplification with Nate Higgins.

0:06.1

That's me.

0:07.7

On this show, we try to explore and simplify what's happening with energy, the economy, the environment, in our society.

0:17.0

Together with scientists, experts, and leaders, this show is about understanding the bird's eye view of how everything fits together, where we go from here and what we can do about it as a society and as individuals.

0:33.3

There is a saying that two heads are better than one, and I couldn't agree more on this

0:38.5

episode of the Great Simplification.

0:40.5

I welcome geologist David Montgomery and biologists and Beaclay to discuss soil life interactions,

0:49.2

the microbiomes of our gut, nutrient deficiencies in our diets, and the key pillars of regenerative

0:57.0

agriculture.

0:59.0

David Montgomery is a professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Washington and Seattle,

1:04.0

where he researches the evolution of topography and the influence of geomorphological

1:10.0

processes on ecosystems and on human societies.

1:14.8

Anne Beaclay is a biologist and landscaped architect who has worked in field biology,

1:20.8

watershed restoration, and environmental planning and public health.

1:25.6

In addition to David's popular and award-winning book, Dirt,

1:29.8

The Erosion of Civilizations, David and Anne have co-authored the hidden half of nature,

1:36.8

the microbial roots of life and health, as well as a recent book published last year,

1:42.8

What Your Food ate,

1:45.4

How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health.

1:49.7

Please welcome husband and wife soil biome experts,

1:54.2

David Montgomery and Anne Beclay.

1:56.7

Thank you. Welcome, David and Anne.

...

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