Recombination Nation

76:52

Doomer Optimism with Ashley Fitzgerald

Recombination Nation ·

2026/10/02

Ashley Fitzgerald took the path less travelled, through a PhD on subsistence agriculture in the USA, to a stint of idyllic rural life in Uruguay, then back into the bubbling cauldron of American suburbia. We discuss the lessons learnt from this life of creative and hopeful responses to the challenges of our time,Follow Ashley on twitterSubscribe to Doomer Optimism on substackOr catch their own interviews on YouTube or any major podcasting app.Sign up to Recombination Nation on Substack for free

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35:58

The Race to Save Crop Diversity with Stefan Schmitz...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/09/25

Stefan Schmitz is the executive director of Crop Trust, an international non-profit working to preserve crop genetic diversity and support food security across the globe. The organisation was a key contributor to the Svalbard seed vault along with countless similar organisations in less dramatic locations. We discussed the potential for amateur crop breeders to collaborate with large institutions.Learn more about Crop Trust on their website and YouTube channel.Sign up to Recombination Nation on

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48:59

Spinning Silk from Shells with Emily Robison

Recombination Nation ·

2026/09/18

Emily Robison turned her lifelong passion for textile arts into a journey across the planet learning about diverse spinning and weaving traditions from Micronesia to the remote corners of the Mediterranean. We talk in depth about her experience exploring the dying craft of sea silk (spun from the holdfast threads of clams) and her efforts to adapt these techniques to new species in North America.Check out an array of beautiful creations on Emily's Instagram.Read more about the Sea Silk Project.Check

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66:00

A Lifetime of Potato and Tomato Breeding with Tom Wagner

Recombination Nation ·

2026/09/11

Tom Wagner is a legendary tomato and potato breeder who is eager to pass on his knowledge and material to other folks keen to carry on the tradition.If you have some crop breeding experience and would like to take your practice to the next level, Tom is looking for serious collaborators to pass the torch onto. He is also interested in creating podcasts or video documentaries to capture his expertise and vision for the future. Tom is hoping to take on an assistant in Washington State and other

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117:07

Architecture and Agriculture in Burma and Nepal with...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/09/04

Damon Zumbroegel left behind a successful career in architecture in the USA to find the living roots of civilisation in rural Burma and the mountains of Nepal. We discuss how he inspired the locals to revive an exhausted piece of land on the banks of the mighty Irrawaddy river, the design principles behind monasteries and high end hotels, and the diverging fates of Nepal (which westernised) and Burma (which sustained its traditions).Follow Damon's many adventures on X.Check out the new short

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23:34

Three Floating Staple Crops

Recombination Nation ·

2026/08/28

In my second solo episode I explore the potential for floating aquatic plants to produce staple carbohydrates, fat and protein in a way that could create a new kind of integrated agricultural package. I also had fun imagining the impact these crops could have in a warm and watery corner of the world in the not too distant future.What novel domestications should I explore in future episodes?If you enjoy this kind of content, then you will love Taming the Apocalypse- an exploration of the entire tree

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82:13

Experimental Farming for the Win with Tanja Eskildsen

Recombination Nation ·

2026/08/22

Tanja Eskildsen fell in love with plants in chilly Denmark but unleashed their potential through low-input experimental farming on the sunny island of Majorca. We retrace her path learning to trial, select and breed crops for her challenging soil and extreme climate. Check out Tanja's Substack.And lots of gorgeous photos on Instagram.Sign up to Recombination Nation on Substack for free weekly articles.Read Shane's book, Taming the Apocalypse, about the future of post industrial biological

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119:57

Evolving Beyond Hope with Sci-Fi Author Peter Watts

Recombination Nation ·

2026/08/14

Peter Watts is a notorious science fiction author with a fascination of the outer edges of biology, fractured minds and a taste for the dark and confronting. We dive into the lessons the living world and our own nature can teach us when contemplating the destiny of this civilisation, our species and the fate of the planet.Check out Peter's insightful blog and backlist (including many complete novels, free to read)Sign up to Recombination Nation on Substack for free weekly articles.Read Shane's book,

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77:25

Applying Ethnobotany to Regen Ag with Ryan Huish

Recombination Nation ·

2026/08/07

Associate Professor Ryan Huish is an experienced ethnobotanist with experience in both North America and the South Pacific, who also runs his own experimental low input farm in the mountains of Appalachia. We explore the lessons from historical and traditional cultures' relationships to plants and landscapes and how that has influenced his own efforts to develop a truly sustainable local agriculture.Learn more about his farm, book a tour or buy some seed.Read more about his extensive research and

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96:10

New Zealand, Energy Limits and Resilience with Nathan...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/07/31

Nathan Surendran is an Engineer who moved from the UK to New Zealand in response to the terrible creaking sound coming from the heart of the world's industrial systems. There he has worked consistently to help local government prepare for the unfolding shocks and stresses in our planetary supply chain, which New Zealand sits on the very end of.You can read Nathan's work at Energy and ResilienceSign up to Recombination Nation on Substack for free weekly articles: Read Shane's book, Taming the

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23:56

A Route to Beaver Domestication

Recombination Nation ·

2026/07/24

In Shane's first solo episode, we explore the possible route to the domestication of the beaver and the potential benefits of developing a close relationship with this powerful ecosystem engineer.Check out more novel domestications in my ebook Taming the ApocalypseAudiobook available on KoboAudiobook also available via a paid subscription to the Recombination Nation Substack

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79:00

Agricultural Magic with the Cunning Farmer Todd Elliott

Recombination Nation ·

2026/07/17

Todd Elliott is an experience market farmer who followed his passion for agricultural spiritual traditions deep into history, applied those lessons to his own surroundings, then wrote a book about his discoveries.Read Todd's blog: https://thecunningfarmer.substack.comBuy his book from the publisher: https://www.innertraditions.com/the-cunning-farmerOr Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Cunning-Farmer-Agrarian-Practices-Mythology/dp/B0F1LQSDFCSign up to Recombination Nation on Substack for free weekly

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74:21

The Russian Outlook on Industrial Decline with Dmitry...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/07/03

Dmitry Orlov was a prominent voice in the early 2000s peak oil movement in response to his book "The Five Stages of Collapse", comparing the recent collapse of the USSR with the likely prospects of the USA under similar circumstances. He has since moved from the USA back to Russia, where he continues to monitor history as it unfolds. This conversation was a rare opportunity to delve into the Russian outlook on the state of the world from one of my favourite writers.Sign up for Dmitry's blog:

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143:02

Zach Elfers- Tree Crops and the Organisations That...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/06/26

Zach Elfers is a superstar in the agroforestry community, helping multiple innovative organisations develop both the crops and their uses. We talk about his work with hickory, honey locust and more, and their processing into value added products through collaborative groups.Read his substack: https://zachelfers.substack.com/profile/postsAnd his original blog: https://www.nomadseed.comCheck out his nursery: https://www.futureforestplants.comThe Keystone Tree Crop Cooperative: https://ktcc.coopTickets

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111:04

Buddhism, Monasteries and Existential Threats with...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/06/19

Soryu Forall is a meditation teacher and spiritual leader dedicated to bringing all beings to enlightenment. He teaches that ethical behavior is the beginning of the path, and that the first step in ethics is to prevent the destruction of life on Earth. Soryu is the Head Teacher and Founder of the Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth (MAPLE) where he guides that community to develop the wisdom, compassion, and power necessary to create AI systems that genuinely care for all

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72:46

Avocado, Carob and Golden Chinquapin with Nicholas...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/06/12

Nicholas is a passionate rare tree grower in the blessed lands of California where just about everything seems to grow. He has tapped into the growing diversity in avocado, and gathered up the remnants of legendary crop breeder Luther Burbank in his backyard.If you would like to get in touch with Nicholas reach out to me via my Substack.Sign up to Recombination Nation on Substack for free weekly articles: https://recombinationnation.substack.comRead Shane's book, Taming the Apocalypse, about the

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86:17

Eons of Life, Both Future and Past, with Professor...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/06/05

Peter Ward is a palaeontologist and prolific author with books covering a vast range of the deep past and distant future of life on Earth (and beyond it). His book "Future Evolution: An Illuminated History of Life to Come" caught my attention and I was thrilled for the opportunity to drop an avalanche of speculative biology questions his way.You can find his books online and in major book stores: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Peter-Douglas-Ward/author/B001I9OZ12Browse reviews on his many titles

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79:29

Creating a Seed Farmer Community with Edmund Frost

Recombination Nation ·

2026/05/29

Edmund Frost founded a collective of seed growers and breeders who sell their selection of seeds suitable for the humid southeast USA as Common Wealth Seed Growers. He lives in Louisa County, Virginia, a center for the intentional communities movement, and spent many years living at Twin Oaks Community. He is passionate about breeding cucurbits for disease resistance, along with many other crops.Read more about the Common Wealth Seed Growers: https://commonwealthseeds.comSign up to Recombination

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93:37

Orbiting The Biological Singularity with Arnold Schroder

Recombination Nation ·

2026/05/22

Arnold Schroder, from the Fight Like an Animal podcast, is an ecological anarchist who bridges the world between biology and politics across the depths of time.Check out his archive of fascinating articles: https://www.againsttheinternet.comGrab his new book: https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Like-Animal-Revolutionary-Biology/dp/B0GZ1GKCVX/Listen to his podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/09DTUqzsCjGkvxw0GbFobEhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fight-like-an-animal/id1511430305Sign up to

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83:57

Julia Dakin and Anna Mieritz- How "Going to Seed"...

Recombination Nation ·

2026/05/15

Julia Dakin and Anna Mieritz are key members of the "Going to Seed" organisation, which brings adaptation crop breeding to numerous communities in the USA.In this two part interview I learn more about their own vegetable breeding projects, but also take the rare opportunity to learn more about how their organisation got started, how it grew, and plans for the future. A great episode for people keen to get involved or start something similar in their part of the world.Check out all the work going on

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