Food forestry

Applying the principles of a self-sustaining forest to a food garden

The theme this year for the Sooke Garden Club is: Grow what you eat and eat what you grow. Most of the attraction of gardening has been to create beauty around our homes with local and imported plants and flowers. Beauty is an important aspect of growing plants for it uplifts our spirits.

However, we are also faced with very challenging economic and political times ahead. Many of us have already been growing some food crops, as well as flowers and shrubs. We are realizing a growing need to start or increase food crops. Rather than drastic changes, it’s possible to add in vegetable starts between ornamental plants that have the same needs as the vegetables.

Another direction we can go is to learn about and adapt the concept of Food Forestry. Why do we need to consider food forestry? What is it that we need to know? I have been inspired by Richard D. Walker, who wrote a small book called “Food Forestry North of the 49th.” He lives in Osoyoos in the south of BC’s Okanagan Valley, near the 49th parallel. His climate is drier (with colder winters) but is still a part of the B.C. climate.

From 40 years of experience, he has developed mastery of his chosen work with compassion for the plants and the students that have sought him out. The information in his book is practical knowledge and insights applicable to anyone’s garden site.

(Quotes in italics from Richard Walker’s book by permission)

His definition - “Food forestry is the skill and art of growing food in a way that tries to replicate nature. Doing so increases our chance of success as the multiple vertical layers of trees, shrubs, herbs, and vines cooperate with one another; giving shade as needed, fixing nitrogen, decreasing evaporation, trapping carbon, and storing water.”

He is growing highly nutritious food, beauty, enjoyment and pleasure while trapping carbon, storing water, and mitigating climate change, all while contributing to the well-being of humans, animals, plants and minerals.

“It is a planted garden that aims to mimic the ‘closed loop’, the self-sustaining biological system of a natural forest, with the added benefit of growing food and medicine.” This includes trees, shrubs, and perennials that develop their roots deep into the ground to pull up and utilize minerals.

“The biodiversity of such a system lends natural immunity to disease so that the need for pesticides and fungicides becomes obsolete.”

To mimic the natural leaf drop in the forest, mulching with leaves, straw, etc. and the practice of ‘chopping and dropping’ weeds and vegetable trimmings builds humus and soil. In addition to reading and applying concepts, the main way we can truly learn how to create the results we desire is working with the plants, while observing and observing some more. The plants will teach us what we need to learn.

Richard points out that there are other larger books written about food forestry, permaculture and growing food sustainably. He has chosen to simplify a way to get started and get effective results. This requires learning how to combine annual food plants with herbs and perennials and shrub plants – that fix nitrogen, attract beneficial insects, create anti-viral herbs for teas, provide beauty and food, and create habitat for beneficial critters like snakes that eat slugs.

I am still beginning my experience with Food Forestry but I’m committed to learn what I can and apply it to the land I have to grow food on.