Su Dennett, a permaculture matriarch, shares timeless wisdom on food, gut health, parenting, community, and more. She discusses sustainable living practices, the importance of connecting with nature, traditional food values, and the power of community in small towns. Su also reflects on the reciprocity with land and animals, gender roles, and building resilience through community collaboration.
Embrace homesteading skills like bottling and bread-making for self-sufficiency and fulfillment.
Learn from elders like Sue Dannett to adopt traditional practices and promote sustainability.
Promote community resilience through skill-sharing, mutual support, and fostering inclusive local networks.
Deep dives
The satisfaction of preserving produce through bottling
The podcast discusses the rewarding experience of bottling produce like tomatillo salsa and the sense of accomplishment it brings. The speaker, Katie, shares her initial apprehension towards bottling but highlights the joy of hearing jars sealing with a pop, symbolizing summer abundance preserved for winter. Sue Dannett's simple approach to food preparation and preservation encourages Katie to overcome her doubts and embrace homesteading.
Embracing traditional homesteading skills
Katie reflects on her journey towards embracing homesteading skills inspired by Sue Dannett, a permaculture matriarch. Sue's practical approach to food preparation and storing processes, with a focus on minimalism and sustainability, motivates Katie to adopt skills like bottling, sourdough bread baking, and cooking on wood. The episode advocates for learning directly from elders like Sue to foster self-sufficiency.
Connecting with the land and animals
Sue Dannett emphasizes the importance of maintaining a reciprocal relationship with the land and animals, urging listeners to acknowledge their connection to nature. By observing and communicating with animals like goats, Sue expresses the value of understanding their behaviors and needs in a harmonious coexistence. She stresses the significance of interacting with the natural world to develop a deeper sense of nourishment and spirituality.
Community resilience and self-sufficiency
The podcast highlights the significance of community resilience and self-sufficiency, advocating for skill-sharing and mutual support within local networks. Sue Dannett shares insights on communal practices like kid swaps, food sharing, and neighborhood collaborations that strengthen social bonds and reduce dependence on external systems. The emphasis is on fostering interdependence and inclusive community engagement for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Preserving traditional skills and values
Sue Dannett encourages preserving traditional skills and values in modern society, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning and passing down knowledge through hands-on practices. The episode underscores the value of engaging in activities like bread-making, gardening, and sustainable living to cultivate a sense of fulfillment and connection to the environment. Sue's holistic approach to learning and living highlights the enduring relevance of age-old practices in contemporary times.
Today's yakkity yak is with one of the most radical women in permaculture -- and you know how wild those permies can be. It's Su Dennett! Life partner of David Holmgren and unspoken ruler of the roost at Melliodora. Su is a seventy seven year old inspiration, a permaculture matriarch and precious repository of ye old skillz. I sat down with her in the teahouse, a few moons ago now, and record this conversation. (This was actually the first interview I ever recorded for Reskillience, so don’t be alarmed by the references to winter, the bushfire season ahead and fabricated listener questions.) What is totally timeless is Su’s take on food, the gut, kids and parenting, eating animals, talking to animals, household roles, wealth, community, and small town gossip. Get into it.
