Edible Forest Gardens

There is a practice of growing and gardening that is captivating many people today, growing an edible forest garden.  However, this is neither a newly developed technique nor something even created by man.  These sorts of gardens mimic patterns of natural forest succession, providing appropriate shade and sun availability to a wide variety of plants, and growing into gardens with canopy structures resemblant of forests.  If humans choose to plant a perennial, edible garden that mimics this natural structure they are simply utilizing the design to benefit themselves (and definitely their health and their wallet!).

The edible forest garden Lobsang, Shristi, and I visited in Holyoke, MA, is called Food Forest Farm.  The property is owned and run by two passionate, eager-to-share guys named Eric Toensmeier and Jonathan Bates and boasts more than 200 varieties of perennial and self-seeding plants.  Eric, the author of Perennial Vegetables and co-author of Edible Forest Gardens (with Dave Jacke), and Jonathan, who offers site design consultations and a variety of workshops, were both so enjoyable and accessible to talk to about their visions for their designs.

"We've pretty much achieved what our original goal was, which was EATING FOR FUN, handfuls at a time as we walk through the garden." - Jonathan Bates

Edible plants, even the weeds!  Seriously!

Wild amaranth.  The leaves are edible and would be cooked similar to beet greens.  The seeds can be harvested and popped - like popcorn!

Hardiness zones of 1 (polar) -12 (tropical) classify where certain plants will be able to grow (based on heat, sunlight, resource requirements, and more).  There is a zone 8 in front of the house at Food Forest Farm, formed by the micro-climate between the asphalt of the driveway and the front porch of the house, which is similar to a zone you would find in Georgia!  Hearty banana plants, figs, eggplant, and sweet potato were some plants growing in that zone.

There is a greenhouse currently under construction and it will mimic a tropical zone.  It will feature avocado, plantain, and banana plants, in addition to an underground worm composting site.  The airflow will be maintained using passive cooling techniques (a draft will occur naturally from mesh windows at the bottom of the greenhouse and exit through vents near the top) and heat will be maintained using smart insulation designs (super insulation, use of granite in building which will attract and store heat, storing water used for plants in black bins to attract heat).  

Raised beds with a covercrop of cow pea to the left; vermicompost trenches in the middle; granite to maintain temperature used as building material; eventual garden beds to the right.

< < The worm compost (vermicompost) trenches!  When it rains they will overflow and provide nutrients to the bases of the raised beds around them, which will provide nutrients to the avocado, banana, and plantain plants!

It was extremely thought-provoking to visit Eric and Jonathan at their home and see the simplicity and ease with which they managed what could be an overwhelming project.  I was most impressed with the multi-faceted functions of the greenhouse and their complete understanding of how many processes could overlap and intersect to create one homogenous circuit within the structure.

In addition to the greenhouse and garden, Jonathan sells the overflow of plants he cultivates from his nursery.  This generates a tidy income, approximately 1/4-1/3 of his current total income.  Folks who want to learn about efficient greenhouse design and help with the project at Food Forest Farm can also pay to participate in a workshop and get hands-on experience with construction, covercropping, planting, and design.  These two forms of income are something Jonathan and Eric say they never even anticipated or thought of when they began developing their patch of weedy land in Holyoke, MA, years ago.  It has obviously helped them sustain their passion, however, and has become an important part of the process.

I hope to visit Food Forest Farm again sometime in the future.  Jonathan informed me of the Permaculture FEAST (for ecological and social transformation) design certificate course that will happen from September to December 2012 in Northampton, MA.  For more information on the design course, visit this site.

 "In permaculture we seek to mimic the patterns nature has to offer, like the use of the spiral in our gardens." - Jonathan Bates

Stay with us the next few days as we post about our individual experiences at The NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) Summer Conference!

Peace, love, and gardening,
Allison