Fat of The Land, Dolce S1:5
June 4, 2026
And so, we have gathered to the final course in this banquet, Dolce. Dessert. Here at the table, we reflect on inheritance. Returning once more to conversations with Carlo Montesanti, Jessie Jowers, and Arianna Gelpke, this episode lingers on to ask if we can remember landscapes, and if we can do so over a shared meal. What does it mean to grow (food, family, and tradition), in a world that has increasingly been shaped by speed, extraction, automation and touristic ideals? Amidst these changes, what remnants will we be able to conserve?
“I’d like to propose a toast to the garden, to this beautiful planet, and to the gardener. You know, some people have gardens, some people don’t. But, they need to have a garden because Grandfather used to say, “We are all a garden in the world.” So, I give thanks to the garden and the gardener.”
In “Dolce,” we continue our walk at Slow Life Family Farm, moving between ancient memory and rituals made at the dinner table that reflect on the legacy of slow food—that it is not a cuisine and, maybe even, not exclusive to the romantic imagings of Italian provincial life. Perhaps, it is about the way we attend to Earth and care for its continuity, asking not what we can take from it, but what we can give in return.
We also join Arianna at Corzano e Paterno to discuss the process of "reading the grapes" and the factors that influence wine-making.
This final episode contemplates sweetness as something more than a flavour, as a longing for ways of living that keep us in relation to one another and the land which feeds us.
Fat of The Land is a series that asks us what we mean when we look for connection between people and the land. Following a desire for real relation, for deliciousness, and for slowness, each episode traces what happens when we follow this desire.
Biographies
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At Slow Life Family Farm, we carry on the legacy of a 2nd generation family of guides, deeply embedded in the history and nature of Sicily. Founded by Carlo, a renowned historical and nature guide, and Jessie, an expert in natural plant uses, our farm is a living testament to a life intertwined with the land. Our mission is to cultivate not just organic produce but to foster a community around the authentic Sicilian way of life, integrating age-old traditions with sustainable living. Born in Siracusa, Carlo is an esteemed English-speaking guide in Eastern Sicily, known for his work with BBC nature documentaries and Netflix’s Chef’s Table series. With a passion for the traditional uses of plants.
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Arianna Gelpke, along with her family, produce slow wine, cheese and olive oil and offer agriturismo at Fattoria Corzana e Paterno, located in Val di Pais in Tuscany.
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Ayana and her daughter spend their days exploring the wilderness of Coastal Alaska (US) while strategizing ways to halt large-scale industrial projects within wild salmon habitat. She is the co-founder and host of For The Wild, an independent slow media project and podcast devoted to land-based protection, co-liberation, and the tender work of remembering our place within the living world. Through over a decade of intimate dialogue with visionaries, knowledge keepers, and artists, Ayana brings forth stories that awaken reverence, ignite resistance, and dream toward a future shaped by reciprocity and collective care. Her work is rooted in devotion; to the Earth, to truth telling, and to the quiet transformation that comes from listening deeply.
Credits
For The Wild is created by Ayana Young, Victoria Pham, Erica Ekrem, Julia Jackson, and Aurie Bittle. This episode is brought to you by generous sponsorships from Ritū and Terra Elaÿa.
Ritū is a nourishing daily drink made from ancient plants cultivated long before coffee existed — roasted chicory, barley, shade-grown cacao, amaranth, maíz morado, and mesquite blended into a morning cup that honors the land it comes from, delivered in a compostable bag that returns to the earth.
Ritū built a custom landing page for us and would like to offer For The Wild listeners 25% off their first month with code FORTHEWILD25. To order yourself some Ritū, head over to drinkritu.com/forthewild .
Terra Elaÿa is a sanctuary where ancient ways meet the needs of our time. We emerge at this time of crossroads, standing as a space for the transformation, renewal, and re-enchantment of the human spirit. Located in the heart of southern Italy, we provide a place to come into a deeper relationship with life: to slow down, listen, and restore embodied wisdom.
Head to terraelaya.com to learn more about upcoming Terra Elaÿa experiences or to host an event.
Behind-the-Scenes Extras
In this bonus mini episode, Ayana speaks to Francesco and Martina of Podere Casa al Bosco. The siblings are extending their family roots in the mountains of Campania, becoming the fourth generation of farmers in their maternal line. Together, we visit the cheese cave and speak to the romantic nature of holding onto these spaces and traditions, and how it affects the taste of sheep cheese for the maker and consumer.
By joining us on Patreon, you get early access to episodes, reflection prompts, five Fat of The Land Digestivos (mini audio episodes on craft, tradition, conscious tourism, regenerative farming, truffle hunting). Patreon membership also gives you access to our zines, archives of extended episodes, and more.
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