jade miles
Author, podcast creator, Farmer and CEO
With the bush in her bones and business in her head, Jade Miles is a poly-jobist right down to her toes (which are probably barefoot and muddy). She’s been a local food advocate and educator right across the country for the last decade and founded the Beechworth food coop and North East local food strategy. In 2020 she launched her podcast Futuresteading and with 140 episodes spanning 7 season now under her belt she has also released a book with the same name. To be sure she is putting her efforts where her mouth is, Jade is also a regenerative heritage fruit farmer.
Together with her husband and three kids, Jade runs Black Barn Farm, a biodiverse orchard, nursery and workshop space in Northeast Victoria. She’s an active presence in the regenerative space, hosting school programs, permaculture and homesteading workshops while sitting on multiple boards – all in the name of reconnecting people to nature, food and a simpler existence.
From a childhood sitting quietly by her fathers side on Indigenous country around the country as he painted the ochre tones of the land, to dodging exploding jars of homemade tomato sauce as a homegrown hippy kid Jade went on to teach drama to kids in the bush, hitchhike through central America solo, set up locally supplied cafes in Cambodia and Vanuatu all the while dipping back into the odd spate of strategic develpment work for values aligned businesses such as Sustainable Table where she is currently CEO.
She has driven a catalytic change in direction at the organization from a once small scale Victorian based, education enterprise that connected eaters to their food and the growers who created it, to its current day vision of transforming farming, food and fibre systems through regenerative ways of being, doing and knowing. Grounded in care for people and planet, her team facilitates connection, collaboration, funding and learning to catalyze change across Australia.
Encouraging us all to step outside our comfortable place, be still, be curious, be observant and be united in our celebration of food and those who grow is Jades super power. Jade joins the dots through the power of storytelling, calling a spade a spade and encouraging all of us to redefine success, celebrate simple and build ritual for community now and for the next seven generations.
“Every decision we make has an impact - on other humans, creatures and ecosystems. How do you make your decisions and will their impact be degenerative, sustainable or regenerative?
