Writer and Agroecologist.
I write about food and farming and teach in the Environmental Studies program at UC Santa Barbara
I am an agroecologist, which means I study the vast web of relationships on farms, and how they can benefit people and nature. I have the privilege of writing about fascinating and brilliant farmers, while teaching the next generation of environmental leaders. But I didn't start out doing this. My first career was in country music, opening for artists like LeAnn Rimes, Travis Tritt, and Sugarland.
Books
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Living Roots: The Promise of Perennial Foods
This book makes the case for putting perennial foods at the center of our farms and our plates, to add flavor and nutrients to our diets while reducing emissions and making our food system more resilient to climate change and economic uncertainty. Coming March 3, 2026!
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Healing Grounds: Climate, Justice, and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Farming
“A refreshingly truthful account of real roots of climate chaos and the authentic path to healing." - Leah Penniman, Author of Farming While Black and Co-Founder, Soul Fire Farm
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Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food
“Demonstrates how a green economy rooted in regenerative organic agriculture and renewable energy can help rebuild struggling communities in rural America.” - Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia
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Lentil Underground: Renegade Farmers and the Future of Food in America
“In an increasingly polarized era when differences and disagreements dominate the headlines, Carlisle’s narrative provides an optimistic case for a renewed commitment to the little things that bring us together.” - Berkeley Science Review