Winthrop Voices: Echoes of Peru’s Past Guiding Farmers Today

🎙In this episode of The Dap and A Hug Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Lauren Kohut — Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Anthropology at Winthrop University — along with students Hugo Buchanan, Maya Flynn, and Alisa Olive, to explore their transformative fieldwork in the Andes of Peru.

This team spent their summer studying ancient Indigenous farming practices used between 900–1450 A.D., uncovering how past communities adapted to dramatic climate shifts, colder temperatures, and unpredictable environments — challenges that mirror what farmers face today.

Together, we discuss:

• 🌄 The ancient Andean agricultural systems — terraces, water management, crop diversity — and why they were so effective
• 🔍 How excavations from abandoned houses and fields reveal what people ate, how they farmed, and how they survived climate change
• 📊 What modern farmers can learn from these ancient strategies, and how centuries-old knowledge is helping scientists model today’s climate-related risks
• 🌱 Why understanding the past is crucial for building sustainable agricultural futures
• ✈️ How this immersive research experience shaped each student academically, personally, and culturally

This episode blends science, history, archaeology, climate studies, and human resilience — showing how answers for tomorrow may lie in the wisdom of the past.

Peace and Love at The Dap and A Hug