Forest Gardening in a Nutshell

What comes to mind when you think of a forest garden? Here are two quotes that sum up forest gardening in a nutshell - but what do you see?

“Forest gardening is an idea whose time has come. We can consciously apply the principles of ecology to the design of home scale gardens that mimic forest ecosystem structure and function, but grow food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizer, ‘farmaceuticals,’ and fun….Edible forest gardening is the art and science of putting plants together in woodland-like patterns that forge mutually beneficial relationships, creating a garden ecosystem that is more than the sum of its parts. You can grow fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, other useful plants, and animals in a way that mimics natural ecosystems.” Edible Forest Gardens - Dave Jacke with Eric Toensmeier, http://www.edibleforestgardens.com

“The idea behind forest gardening is that natural forests produce an abundance of food. People the world over have harvested food from the forest, reaping where they did not sow. Forest gardeners imitate the forest’s natural structure to take advantage of this abundance, but they increase yields even further through careful planning and management. The result is a productive fusion of garden, orchard and woodland…One of the main differences between a forest garden and the typical food garden is that forest gardens rely on perennials.” Plant an Edible Forest Garden - Harvey Ussery, Mother Earth News (August/September 2007), http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2007-08-01/Plant-Edible-Forest-Garden-Permaculture.aspx

Forest Garden Immersion Course: April 2009 Schedule

For the latest schedule for the Forest Garden Immersion course, visit http://www.appleseedpermaculture.com/docs/FGIC09_schedule.pdf

See you all soon!

Plant a Polyculture Patch

If you are like me, you move often. As a renter, you may not have a yard of your own – but regardless, you can put down some roots by planting a polyculture patch.

Unlike a monoculture, you create a polyculture by planting more than one plant species or variety in an area. I planted just one patch, instead of an entire garden, to make the project more manageable in terms of time commitment and cost.

Thanks to having a great landlord, I planted the polyculture in my back yard. If your relationship with your landowner is tenuous, consider guerilla gardening.

The inspiration for our polyculture was a recently donated apple tree and I bought a few complimentary plants:

• Yarrow to attract beneficial insects, act as ground cover, and use medicinally.

• Sorrel, also to attract beneficial insects and act as ground cover, with the added benefits of being a biodynamic accumulator and just plain yummy.

• Anise Hyssop, once again, to attract the good insects and make a delicious tea.
  

The quick version of my process: I laid out each plant, planted them appropriately, added sheet mulch (newspaper and cardboard), compost, and wood chips, and watered.

Within a half hour, with no tilling, I had my polyculture patch.

Planting this way not only reduces the time committment; it also increases the likelihood that the tree will survive. Thanks to the ground cover, it will cut down on the erosion my backyard tends to suffer from, while someday providing us with apples, salad greens, and medicinals.

This year, as my friends divide their perennials, I will add more supportive plants to this polyculture patch and build a new patch: for pawpaws…

Photostream on Flicker

See photos of last year's Forest Garden Immersion Class:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/fgdc2009

Living Mandala Group

Forest Garden Immersion Group
Now Up & Running!

Forest Garden Immersion Course
Camp Epworth Permaculture
Demonstration & Education Center

April 23-26, 2009 High Falls, New York

In Association With: Appleseed Permaculture & Sowing Solutions


Course Inspiration

Imagine a forest where every single tree is dripping with fresh fruits
and ripening nuts. Every shrub is packed with delicious berries, and
every other plant is a medicinal herb, culinary spice, or beautiful
edible flower. Tubers and root crops are abundant underfoot, gourmet
mushroom logs sprout in the shade, and hardy kiwi vines climb back up
through the layers of this multi-functional forest of food. During the
4-day (Thu-Fri-Sat-Sun) course, participants learn how to design,
establish, and maintain such Edible Forest Gardens of Eden.

Local food security is essential for resilient local transition. This
course immerses participants in the hands-on reality of designing and
co-creating edible forest gardens.

Course Description

This course immerses participants in the thriving local forest
gardening culture of the Hudson Valley. Together we will engage in the
practical skills of forest gardening: propagation, grafting, planting
& mulching, soil ecology, basic botany & horticulture, management &
maintenance, plant identification, mushroom inoculation, foraging &
wild edibles, community preparation of local medicines, and fresh
forest garden cooking.

Daily plant walks connect participants on a deeper level with a
diversity of multifunctional herbs, trees, and vines. Participants
share stories of their own forest gardening explorations, and a visit
to an 11-year old local forest garden shows the evolution of these
systems. We learn to weave forest gardening into our communities as
well as into the soil.

This course functionally interconnects with other Forest Garden
courses taught in the Northeast this season by providing cultural
mentoring in the hands-on joys and challenges of starting and
maintaining forest gardens. Our connection to the local community will
culminate in adding another quarter-acre of forest garden to last
year's acre-planting, and a celebration with the local permaculture
community before returning home.

For more information visit the course website at www.LivingMandala.com