This week’s episode of The Beet mixes things up. Jacques sits down with author and historian Dr. Kate Brown to discuss her book, “Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present, and Future of the Self-Provisioning City,” and the surprising origins of gardens back in feudal times. They explore how wage labor replaced self-sufficient life on the land, and how today’s gardeners are flipping the script. Even in cities, people are reclaiming that grounded, grow-your-own way of living.

Connect with Dr. Kate Brown:

Dr. Kate Brown is a historian who started out tackling manmade disasters—and then pivoted to exploring people who see plants as allies. She’s the author of five historical books, with a degree from the University of Wisconsin and a PhD from the University of Washington. Her work blends archival research, oral history, sensory observation, reflective autobiography, and inventive literary style, bringing a fresh, immersive edge to how history gets written.