Huddle

A practical, inspirational and evocative guide to the art of creating and fostering community ties, Huddle shares the stories of how many others across a wide range of geographies and lifestyles have built their communities. Written by Jade Miles of permaculture pioneering Black Barn Farm, it examines how we begin the process of taking us out of ourselves and into our communities to create a sense of place, build relationships and embrace our humanity as we learn to connect and create our own 'huddles'.

Split into eight chapters focusing on different aspects of community, each is supported with anecdotal stories from Jade's own lived experience of a futuresteading life at Black Barn Farm together with tight 'HUDDLE HOW?' summaries to propel the reader to action.

The book is written with the purpose of provoking thought, challenging norms and providing the necessary tools to create communities which connect people to themselves, to others, to the natural world and to the powerful pull of a seasonally evolving year.

Close to this book's core is the food we eat and - most importantly - how we share it. A significant proportion of the book is dedicated to the 'FEAST' chapter, featuring 30-40 recipes from Jade's own huddle of humans from across the globe. Recipes are accompanied by the stories that make them 'HUDDLE FARE' (easy to cook and for many mouths - e.g. potluck meals, meals for gifting, simple seasonal food, meals made with little time and little budget).

Huddle is for anyone who has ever felt that longing for something outside of themselves, and that primal need to connect to the world and the people around them. Whether you live in a city apartment, in the suburbs or on twenty acres, the principles of huddling are the same, and this book will provide you with all the easy-to-digest information, hands-on techniques and inspiration necessary for fostering your own community and re-learning a connected way of being and belonging.

About the Author

Jade Miles, her husband Charlie Showers and their three kids run Black Barn Farm, a biodiverse u-pick orchard, berry grove, nursery and learning space in north-east Victoria. Open seasonally from December until May, with nearly 2.5 kms of berries and over 80 varieties of heritage fruit, it is a magnet for folks wanting to hone their homesteading skills and reawaken a connection to nature, food, a simpler existence and a more ritualised culture.

Jade is active in the media about living regeneratively and presents frequently on the concept of 'living like tomorrow matters' - a way of being she has coined as 'Futuresteading', which also happens to be the name of her podcast and first book.