@Aurin_the_classtraitor Love this thread! 🌿💚 We’ve been exploring more ways to include edible trees and shrubs in our food forests because
it’s amazing how much they give back, not just to us but to the whole ecosystem. 🌳
What are some of your favourite temperate species for leaf harvest or staple use?
#FoodForests
#FoodSecurity
🐼 The climate conscious bandit eats leaves and shoots! 🔫🍃🌳
some reasons for eating tree leaves (and using trees for staple crops too):
🌳 yummy! 😋
🌳 can forage wild for free 🕊️
🌳 connect to nature 💚
🌳 very nutritious - leaves of woody plants are on average much higher in key nutrients than annual vegetables 🥗
🌳 woody plants, especially trees, sequester carbon! ⤵️
🌳 they improve soil health and reduce erosion 🪱
🌳 climate resilience 🌍
🌳 trees are more resilient to fluctuating weather and climate conditions than annual crops 🌥️
🌳 they're better at soaking up and storing rain - important with increasingly unpredictable rainfalls 💦
🌳 increase water quality 💧
🌳 habitat 🐦
🌳 pollination 🐝 🦋
🌳 less susceptible to diseases and pests, especially in diverse systems (not monocrops) 🐞
🌳 reduced need for pesticides ☠️
🌳 they provide shade ☂️
🌳 less labour intensive 🏖️
🌳 great diversity, increases biodiversity and diversity of foods 🌈
🌳 they promote longterm thinking and concern for the ecosystem 🧓🤝👶
🌳 can be important culturally, especially to indigenous peoples 🧑🌾
🌳 there are species suitable to all climates and conditions where food is grown 🏜️ ❄️ ⛰️ 🌲
🧵 for some temperate examples off the top of my head
#climate #nutrition #agriculture #FoodForest #FoodForests #vegetables #veggies #permaculture #tree #trees #perennial #perennials #PerennialGarden #foraging #WeedEating #WildFoods
Getting to know our food, and how being good stewards of the land can help us eat better
by Katharine A. Jameson, Vermont Country magazine
03/01/2024
Excerpt: "Learning from the land
"Chief Stevens points out that it’s all in one’s perspective. He gives the example of #dandelions. 'You might look at them as a weed but I might look at them as a food source,' he explains, noting the wine and greens for which they’re used.
"When Europeans arrived in what they later named Vermont, they saw the lush #ForestGardens Natives had fostered, but didn’t recognize that it had been cultivated. 'The sophistication of the agriculture system was so high that people couldn’t see it at all. It just looked like abundant wild lands, but really they were so abundant because of our deep connection and long-term #stewardship of them,' #Abenaki tribal member, #JohnHunt describes in a new, short film posted to YouTube about Abenaki food systems.
"What can we learn from these growth practices? Professor Tiana Baca of Sterling College explains in this film: 'Nature doesn’t grow in #monocrops.' She notes that Native people’s lush gardens maximized yields by #CompanionPlanting crops like the #ThreeSisters. 'The three sisters is a companion planting group of corn, beans and squash. They’re plants that grow together and support each other. The corn is growing up, it’s providing this living trellis. The beans use that to climb on. The beans are then fixing nitrogen and supporting the growth of the corn and then the squash plant kind of sprawls out and creates this living mulch. All of them working together makes all of them produce better.'
"Respect runs deep in the Abenaki tradition. From the elders and ancestors from whom they learn to the food and animals they consume, they bless the animals they dispatch with tobacco and hold sacred the chain of custody of each of their seeds.
" 'We have to have some foresight about it. Treating the land with respect and not looking at it always through our need, but as a collective community need. In the old days we used to look at community more than individual needs.' Stevens discusses the Native mentality that land, contrary to the European way, is to be shared by all creatures, not owned.
" 'There is hope,' Chief Stevens says. 'There is a way to reconnect and change the outcomes of what is happening. But the only way to do that is to put the effort, time and resources into connecting with us, the native people and others to try to remember that historical knowledge of connection to our land, our animals and our wild food sources. The forests and the wild foods sustained our people for thousands of years. Why would we not think it wouldn’t do that now?'
"The Chief set out a few things we can all do to help save the planet."
https://vermontcountry.com/2024/03/01/abenaki-food-systems-native-stewardship/
#NativeAmericanHistory #NativeAmericanFood #FoodSovereignty #FoodForests #Stewardship #RelationshipToPlace #SolarpunkSunday #KnowWhereYourFoodComesFrom
One person's pest is another person's dessert! For those of us who intentionally cultivate #Blackberries...
14 Plants to Grow Alongside Your #Blackberry Bushes to Keep Them Happy
By Kate Chalmers
March 11, 2025
"Blackberries are among the easiest fruits to grow. In addition to providing an abundance of delicious fruit, blackberry bushes boost biodiversity and can be used to create a natural hedgerow.
"However, as with any plant, choosing the right blackberry companions is essential. Careful companion planting can boost soil health, deter pests, attract beneficial insects, and guarantee huge yields of delicious blackberry fruits."
https://homesteadhow-to.com/plants-to-grow-alongside-your-blackberry-bushes-to-keep-them-happy/
#Gardening #SolarPunkSunday #CompanionPlanting #FoodForests #Berries #GrowYourOwn
Northey Street City Farm in #BrisbaneAustralia
"We consider the vital connection to the elements of nature to be integral to learning and offer practical skills that can be utilised every day in your own garden space or working environment. Being based in the Magical #Bundjalung Country - the Northern Rivers 'Rainbow Region' of Northern #NewSouthWales, Australia, 'Growing Roots' offers a huge range of functional and cutting edge experimental #permaculture systems for students to explore. From the intensive, highly productive market gardens of ‘The Farm’ at Byron Bay through to Rural #FoodForests, #Agroforestry Systems, #BushTukka Gardens and the Great Wilderness of our Subtropical and Cool Temperate Rainforests, the teachings of nature - and humans creative dance within it - are vast and profound. We utilise the following 12 principles of Permaculture."
Learn more:
https://agroecologymap.org/l/northey-street-city-farm-in-brisbane
#AgroEcology #sustainability #regenerativeagriculture #FoodSecurity #Permakulture #AgroForestry #BushTucker #BuildingCommunity #SolarPunkSunday
From Seattle’s Beacon Food Forest to Austin’s Festival Beach, communities are turning unused land into thriving food hubs. These ecosystems fight food insecurity & restore biodiversity. The future of urban food is here! #FoodForests #Sustainability
A beginner’s guide to #EdibleLandscaping
Learn how to create an aesthetically pleasing garden and also grow some food crops while you’re at it.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/a-beginner-s-guide-to-edible-landscaping/vi-AA1nIQOb?ocid=socialshare#details
#Gardening #SolarPunkSunday #EdibleLandscapes
Mini #FoodForests
How farming in #forests could sustain the planet
While growing crops under the canopy may not feed the world, it can help save forests from the axe.
By Sophie Yeo
Excerpt:
"The practice of incorporating trees into agriculture is known as agroforestry, and it has been practised for thousands of years in a number of variations. Some involve planting trees on existing farmland, while other methods use an existing forest as a living laboratory for growing shade-loving species.
"For instance, the traditional #hedgerows that enclose many English fields are an unremarkable sight for many people, yet they provide many ecological benefits including opportunities for foraging and a habitat for #wildlife like #hedgehogs. Less familiar are methods such as alley cropping, where trees are planted in wide rows with crops grown in between them. The approach practiced at Big River Chestnuts farm is known as forest farming, a technique which involves the intentional cultivation of plants beneath the forest canopy (as opposed to foraging for wild species in an existing forest).
"These methods can avoid many of the pitfalls of our current food system, which has caused a precipitous decline in biodiversity and currently contributes around a third of global emissions. But #ForestFarming also provides an incentive to protect existing forests themselves, by giving them an economic reason to remain standing, rather than being logged or cleared. #ForestFarms are usually associated with high-value species that thrive in a shaded environment, including foodstuffs like shiitake mushrooms, but also herbal and medicinal plants."
Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/how-farming-in-forests-could-sustain-the-planet.html
#SolarPunkSunday #FoodForests #Agroecology
So, it's getting late for new posts... I will be posting more #KleeBenally excerpts tomorrow -- and links that corroborate what he says! Boosting some of my #SolarPunkSunday posts from earlier today in case folks missed them. Not sure if I'll be posting SPS posts next Sunday. I might be busy with current events that weekend (just a hunch). But, I will be posting more about #Permaculture and #FoodForests and #Gardening again soon -- since I'm planning on doing more of that this year -- as well as preserving the harvest.
#introduction Where to begin and what labels do we use to describe who we are? I say we as I feel I am many people, but all with one goal. To live as freely and with as much resilience as one can do in the face of extreme conditions.
I'm into #permaculture #foodforests specifically, #syntropicagroforestry I #homestead and raise animals and #growfood I also help shape little people via #forestschool and I'm guide for #adventurewalks and a soon to be official, #author
Let the journey begin.
Highlight: #BeaconFoodForest in #SeattleWashington
"The Beacon Food Forest, an important pioneer in the community food forest movement, defines it this way: 'a land use system in which trees, shrubs and agricultural crops are interspersed. This creates a multi-story ecosystem that can mimic the self-sustaining functions of a natural forest while incorporating food plants for human consumption. The result is a semi-natural landscape that requires far less maintenance than row crops, provides habitat for pollinators, bugs and birds, and can sustain perennial as well as annual food plants.'"
Community grows here
"We cultivate a community dedicated to building equitable food systems for all people, and stewarding our environment for the benefit of all species.
We believe in Caring for the Earth.
"We steward our local ecosystem by building healthy soil and increasing the diversity of plants and habitat.
We believe in Caring for the People.
"We bring people together to grow and share food, learn from each other, and know their neighbors.
We work to create a Fair Share for all.
"We are on land stolen from the Duwamish, Suquamish, Muckleshoot, and other peoples, stewards and co-creators of abundance with the land since time immemorial. We work to dismantle an unjust food system rooted in white supremacy and conquest by nurturing its replacement, already alive and ready to grow. Through open harvest and collaboration within and among communities, we work to create a fair share for all."
Learn more:
https://www.beaconfoodforest.org/
#FoodForests #SustainableGardening #FoodSecurity #FoodJustice #DismantlingColonialism #CommunityFoodForests #WashingtonState #SolarPunkSunday
From the #PortlandOregon #FoodForest Initiatve website:
#FoodSecurity and Regeneration
"In the face of #ClimateChange and industrial food production challenges, food forests provide resilient, localized food sources. Key elements include:
- Nut Trees: Deliver essential fats and proteins.
- Fruit Trees and Shrubs: Offer nutrient-dense calories.
- Perennial Greens and Mushrooms: Thrive in low-effort environments, improving nutrition and diversity.
"Food forests exemplify regenerative practices like syntropic agroforestry, silvopasture, and deep-mulch gardening, revitalizing land while producing abundant food. These approaches contrast with conventional agriculture, which depletes soil and sterilizes ecosystems, underscoring the need for regenerative solutions."
https://www.portlandplacemaking.org/food-forests
#FoodForests #AgroForestry #Gardening #SolarPunkSunday
As of today, there is an interesting MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) from Wageningen University & Research.
Will this technology also be applicable to complex agroforestry systems? Interesting question, let's find it out!
Free till Jan 5th.
#weletigrow #agroforestry #foodforests #mooc #regenerativeagriculture
Meanwhile, here in #Maine...
Students explore nature and sustainability with #MaineLocalLivingSchool
Kingfield Elementary School students participated in an immersive day of place-based learning, guided by the Maine Local Living School, which focuses on practical skills and ecological #stewardship, and Arbor Mountain Tree Service, exploring #sustainable forestry, acorn ecology, and bridge construction.
By Rebecca Richard, December 5, 2024
KINGFIELD — "There was a whirlwind of activity last month at Kingfield Elementary School [KES] as students immersed themselves in a day of place-based learning with Maine Local Living School and Arbor Mountain Tree Service. Tailored for each grade level, the lessons highlighted ecological connections, sustainable practices and community engagement through hands-on projects.
"The Maine Local Living School, dedicated to teaching practical skills and fostering ecological stewardship, partnered with Arbor Mountain Tree Service to guide students in exploring sustainable forestry, acorn ecology and hands-on bridge construction.
"Kindergarten and first grade students worked with Chris Knapp of Maine Local Living School to explore the seasonal abundance of acorns. 'This fall was a tremendous acorn harvest,' Knapp said, explaining how the lessons tied to the season. Students acted out the germination process of an acorn and identified oak leaves using compare-and-contrast exercises.
"Knapp also emphasized the cultural significance of acorns. 'We honored the long history of peoples for whom acorn has been and is a staple crop,' he said. The day ended with students playing a food web game, simulating predator and prey roles while gathering acorns and enjoying freshly baked acorn biscuits.
"Second and fourth grade students collaborated with Knapp on constructing a community footbridge to cross a stream in the biodiversity field at the front of the school. “The footbridge project reflects Maine Local Living School’s and KES’s shared goals to engage in project-based learning,” Knapp said.
"The students began by identifying cedar trees, prized for their rot-resistant properties and thinned over 20 saplings from a dense stand. 'Students were asked to consider which trees were the best candidates for the future forest based on crown health, upright habit, and space,' Knapp explained."
Original article:
https://www.sunjournal.com/2024/12/05/students-explore-nature-and-sustainability-with-maine-local-living-school/
#SolarPunkSunday #NatureBasedLearning #TEK #KingfieldMaine #ForestEcology #MaineSchools #SustainableForestry #Acorns #ArborMountainTreeService #Sustainability #FoodForests #Biodiversity #ProtectTheForests
Are you thinking about creating a #FoodForest here in #NewZealand? Here are the steps you need to take to successfully plan and grow your own #EdibleForestGarden.
by Dana at Piwakawaka Valley Homestead
"Reasons to use Permaculture principals to design your Food Forest
- Permaculture is a fantastic way to reduce your workload, particularly on lifestyle blocks.
- Permaculture design reduces workload by mimicking natural systems, natural systems maintain themselves, so that you don’t have to.
- Permaculture can save money. Successful permaculture properties operate as a closed loop, requiring few products to be bought in to maintain it. Ideally all your fertility will be made or grown on site.
- To provide resilience from natural disasters. Permaculture landscapes mitigate against flood events, resist the effects of drought, provide food security, enhance habitat for animals /birds / insects, process their own waste (turning it into a valuable resource), and provide can even fuel in winter if you have enough space to add a woodlot.
- Reduce exposure to chemicals in the environment. Permaculture and organics go hand in hand – an organically managed property will be free from the potential harmful effects of chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.
"Here are the steps you need to take to successfully plan and grow your own edible forest garden...."
Read more:
https://foodforestplants.co.nz/create-food-forest-new-zealand/
#SolarPunkSunday #FoodForests
#SustainableAgriculture #FoodSecurity #FoodSovereignty #OrganicGardening #GardeningWithoutPesticides
#Gardening #CommunityAgriculture
#Monoculture #PlantDiversity
#BigFood #BigAg #WebOfLife #Polyculture
10 incredible #UrbanFoodForests from around the world
"If we take a moment to observe nature we realize that a woodland doesn’t require artificial interventions to remain flourishing." – Picasso Food Forest
Climate Society
14th June 2022
"Everywhere around the world cities are facing the challenge of providing their growing population with fresh, local food. Instead of buying food cultivated in monocultures hundreds of miles away from home, both farmers as well as engaged citizens are turning to a radically different approach. They are transforming school yards, parking lots and even boats into edible food forests.
"Food forests are the complete opposite of our industrial agricultural model. Instead of large-scale monocrops covered in harmful pesticides, food forests are diverse ecosystems, mimicking natural forests. The different layers of a food forest, ranging from tall fruit and nut trees to fruit bearing shrubs and bushes, vines, roots and other ground-hugging plants, offer a variety of fresh, local, organic produce.
"Especially for city dwellers, these urban food forests provide a huge opportunity. Rather than depending on the heavily industrialized food system, it enables people in cities to gain access to healthy and sustainable nutrition. In addition, by actively participating in taking care of a food forest, the connection to both nature and community gets an instant boost.
"These ten inspiring examples of food forests prove that it is possible to provide inhabitants of urban areas with food that is good for both people and planet."
Read more:
https://sustainableurbandelta.com/urban-food-forests/
#SolarPunkSunday #FoodForests #SustainableAgriculture #FoodSecurity #FoodSovereignty #OrganicGardening #GardeningWithoutPesticides #Gardening #CommunityAgriculture #Monoculture #PlantDiversity #BigFood #BigAg #FoodSovereignty #WebOfLife #Polyculture
Food Forests in Permaculture: An In-Depth Guide
Discover how to create a food forest—an abundant, sustainable ecosystem mimicking natural forests. Learn about planning, layers, and benefits.
July 26, 2024
"The concept of food forests is deeply rooted in history, with ancient practices found in various cultures around the world. Traditional forest gardens have been practiced for centuries in regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central America. These systems were developed by indigenous peoples who recognized the benefits of integrating trees, shrubs, and other plants to create sustainable food production systems.
"One of the earliest examples of a food forest is found in the ancient Mayan civilization, where forest gardens were an integral part of their agricultural system. These gardens included a variety of fruit trees, medicinal plants, and other useful species arranged in a way that mimicked the natural forest structure.
"In modern times, the principles of food forests were popularized by permaculture pioneers like Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the late 20th century. They advocated for the use of natural systems and processes to create sustainable agricultural practices. Today, food forests are recognized as a vital component of permaculture and are being implemented worldwide to promote food security, biodiversity, and ecological health."
https://www.permalogica.com/post/food-forests-in-permaculture-an-in-depth-guide
#Permaculture #FoodForests #Monoculture #ForestGarden #Biodiversity #IndigenousPeoples #Ecosystems #FoodSecurity #Resiliency #SustainableAgriculture #SolarPunkSunday
Downloaded a book last night and began to explore it, "Native Plant Agriculture Volume 1".
For those with culinary interests, it includes photos of meals made and enjoyed with many of the plants. It is currently out of print, but should be available in hard copy again in 2025.
Would love to get reviews/wisdom from #Indigenous people about this book.
https://lovenativeplants.com/npabook
Baamaapii
#book #NativePlants #Agroforestry #EcologicalRestoration #FoodForests
This will be my last 'toot' on this subject.
It's not that i don't find it interesting or valuable.
Some of you may remember that I reported my YTaccount being blocked, and a day later my whole Google account. After a couple of weeks I got a new account back. Lost a whole lot of valuable [to me] information and most importantly my year long training of the YTalgorithm.
Now I'm training it from scratch. And it is because of that alogorithm and its training that I won't be looking for #PermaCulture or #FoodForests or #BioDiversity any more.
For those that still like that information, this video:
"Introduction to Permaculture - FREE Class!"
by amillison
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LjREThLpDiY
If you're interested in the free class find his YTchannel:
-> @amillison/featured <- or his webpage:
-> andrewmillison.com/ <-
