Hey all, I've read a bit about this around the internet and on Permies.

I'm making a clearing in the forest to plant fruit trees and I was wondering if any one has experience cutting trees down in a way that they would natural make a hedge.

This specific spot has no huge trees max 25cm diameter. Mostly 15-20cm ash trees.

So I would pick a tree that is already leaning in the direction I want to line the hedge (instead of or in addition to installing a deer fence). And I would make some cuts so that when it falls it would have some bark still on. I'm not sure what the term for this is... Walking a tree down?

Im taking some wedge to make sure the lean is good enough.

Then I'm hoping the tree would regrow along the trunk which would hopefully still be alive and be fed from the stump.

Thoughts and experiences?

Anything you think I should add to the forest garden next year?

https://youtu.be/Wctidq7OOIU?si=NnR_zZLzST8wHwf6

My city released a RFP about 4 years ago for persons to lease and manage a 1 acre parcel of public land. I responded with a proposal to start a community food forest. Since then, I formed a non profit and led the charge to turn the vacant parcel into support species, fruit, berries, medicine, pathways, compost bins, fire circle, signage, park benches etc. Lots of volunteer work parties, educational workshops, and online communication via newsletters, facebook and a website along the way.

This year, had a baby, and started full time work, while maintaining 20 acres of forest at home, including gardens and more. Just can’t afford to volunteer, as I haven’t made money as the founder/executive director. The food forest needs attention, and it’s up to me to give it the attention and/or to find and orient the people to do it. It’s a lot.

Our lease is almost up for renewal with the city again, and I don’t know what to do. I already dissolved the pea patch to lessen the management load. Grass and weeds are creeping in. No events planned, except for work parties. “Community” around the place seems busy with their lives and unable to take the reins. Considering transitioning to a garden club, rather than a non profit, or something else…

Any ideas or thoughts? How does one empower community to take ownership? What’s my next best step, as a leader and steward of this place? I want to let it go, but I can’t…not without letting it go to the right hands.

Thanks family

My girlfriend and I are looking for a property to develop a foodforest in Denmark. We have two properties in mind now but the best one has a limitation. Most of the property is protected forest (fredskov).

The most important limitations on fredskov are the following by law:

• Minimum 50% crown density within the meaning of 

  • the aggregate of all vertically projected tree crowns onto the ground surface 

  • Must be evenly distributed (max. 10% open land:) 

• has to consist of tree species that can form high-stemmed forests.

My question is: does this community see options for a productive/effective foodforest within these requirements?
With my knownledge so for I think we can make it work, but I'd hate to rush into it missing important downsides.

FYI

• We're both starting different courses on food forests in Januari next year, so all we know up until now is based on books.

• The property is in planting zone 7b/8a

I have two hazelnut bushes that are a few years old that were planted from different sources. Can you help me determine the difference between these two nuts? The ones on the left are slightly larger and wider, and the nuts on the right are smaller and more plentiful (bush is a year older).

in Australia Have remote parts of my property which I only get every 2 months as is nothing really up there

 It is a green area which do receive water due to being in a  hill sloped

Can be either shaded or full sunlight

 It doesn’t snow where I am

So I thought to plant edible food plants to leave unattended which don’t require active care, no weeding or watering

 Whatever food that is grown have to be something that I can wait unattended and has a long lifespan for being harvested,

no larger herbivores near my place  but birds rabbits small animals insects

realise they would probably take some of the crop, some being resistant would be good

 Ideally would prefer Perennials that I only have to plant once and will keep growing, expanding  and producing

  open to grow seedlings and pots first and then plant in the area

 Also herbs and spices as well

 Some suggestions I had already received

Potatoes (sweet and regular)
Onions
Garlic(plant in fall)
Spaghetti squash
Winter squashes (acorn, buttercup, butternut etc.)
Peppers (pick green or let ripen)
Popcorn
Chives
Rhubarb (perennial)

What are the pros and cons of grafting? What fruit tree combinations are the best? Is it safe to do this?

Food forest, Berja(Almería, Spain)

Hello I am researching and planning to make a food forest in the future in South of Spain in a place called Berja. Berja has a Mediterranean climate, which is tempered by its surroundings of mountains. The average annual temperature is between 18ºC and 20ºC. Although the summers are hot, they are tempered by the proximity to the sea (10 km). Rainfall is scarce and occurs mainly in spring and autumn. In winter it usually snows in Sierra de Gádor. One of the main climatic attractions is the absence of wind. In addition to the more than 3,000 hours of sunlight per year that are calculated for the municipality, the area is predominantly sunny. The shady areas, although less frequent, have water balances that are reflected in a greater development of vegetation and soil, which is why they constitute areas of great ecological value.

This municipality is part of the Subtropical Climate Domain, with a marked Mediterranean character that manifests itself in a period of summer drought and a maximum of rainfall in autumn-winter which, given its scarcity, gives it a marked aridity. The latitude in which it is located alternates the influence of tropical high pressures in summer with that of polar front depressions in winter, although with a predominance, in any case, of anticyclonic weather. The relief that surrounds it acts as a topographic shelter by providing a screen for the Atlantic maritime air masses, responsible for most of the rainfall in other Andalusian areas.

The proximity to the Mediterranean prevents the effects of continentality thanks to its thermal regulating role. The proximity to the African continent gives this climate characteristics similar to those of North Africa, by influencing air masses that have previously crossed this area.

Would it be possible to plant tropical trees like coconut tree, sheatree or clove trees? What would you recommend? I want to plant all kinds of fruit trees and plants and vegetables.

Also I would make a natural swimming pool where I would plant blue lotus flowers, lotus flower, black rice and glutenious rice... Is that possible or a good idea?

Food forest, Berja(Almería, Spain)

Hello I am researching and planning to make a food forest in the future in South of Spain in a place called Berja. Berja has a Mediterranean climate, which is tempered by its surroundings of mountains. The average annual temperature is between 18ºC and 20ºC. Although the summers are hot, they are tempered by the proximity to the sea (10 km). Rainfall is scarce and occurs mainly in spring and autumn. In winter it usually snows in Sierra de Gádor. One of the main climatic attractions is the absence of wind. In addition to the more than 3,000 hours of sunlight per year that are calculated for the municipality, the area is predominantly sunny. The shady areas, although less frequent, have water balances that are reflected in a greater development of vegetation and soil, which is why they constitute areas of great ecological value.

This municipality is part of the Subtropical Climate Domain, with a marked Mediterranean character that manifests itself in a period of summer drought and a maximum of rainfall in autumn-winter which, given its scarcity, gives it a marked aridity. The latitude in which it is located alternates the influence of tropical high pressures in summer with that of polar front depressions in winter, although with a predominance, in any case, of anticyclonic weather. The relief that surrounds it acts as a topographic shelter by providing a screen for the Atlantic maritime air masses, responsible for most of the rainfall in other Andalusian areas.

The proximity to the Mediterranean prevents the effects of continentality thanks to its thermal regulating role. The proximity to the African continent gives this climate characteristics similar to those of North Africa, by influencing air masses that have previously crossed this area.

Would it be possible to plant tropical trees like coconut tree, sheatree or clove trees? What would you recommend? I want to plant all kinds of fruit trees and plants and vegetables.

Also I would make a natural swimming pool where I would plant blue lotus flowers, lotus flower, black rice and glutenious rice... Is that possible or a good idea?

My family is in the process of purchasing 40 acres in Missouri, and I'd like to do some gardening (berries and fruit at first, ones native to the area) and mushroom inoculation. I'd like to keep track of my plugged trees and locations of planted bushes. Do y'all know of a good app for that?

I'm a software developer, I can build one if there isn't one, but I'd prefer to use what someone else has made.

Is this form of gardening tried in a suburban setting where someone might have 1/10th to 1/4th of an acre available to them? How might this ecosystem be cultivated and preserved on such a small scale? What are some methods that have worked or at least might work on that scale?