Food Forest Walk and Talk

[@mtownzach]

Geoff, I think that whenever your time comes to leave this world, you will leave it forever altered and marked in a positive manner, by your presence, wisdom, work and family. Yours is a life not squandered.

[@jeff6899]

Agree, Mtownzach ! Have enjoyed Geoff's work & video's now for maybe 15 yrs or more !!

[@beverlybelcher3423]

I so agree.

[@beverlybelcher3423]

I admire and love your work, Geoff!

[@fairdinkum1079]

Guava vinegar I would love to know what you use it on and how do you make it

[@jameskniskern2261]

I'm in zone 6b Temperate in Kentucky USA. I've always been amazed at our foot forest potential. Now after 8 years in place, I've cut back on the "work" and adopted a more casual attitude towards it. Less establishment of new trees, and much more chop and drop/biochar production. The trees are different, as we are continental winters here, and everything goes dormant in winter. Your idea of a course on food forest management is excellent, as it is so different from commercial monoculture practices. The idea that I can ignore the thing for a year or three and come back, do a bit of chop and drop, and set things to rights is amazing! It is truly a marvel and a garden of eden type thing. It just keeps on doing its thing. Thanks for the walk through.

[@timmycline8087]

Im in souther WV, do you have alot of steep mountains around your location or are you more eastern KY?

[@jameskniskern2261]

@@timmycline8087 we are situated in the foothills of Appalachia. Rollers. But drive 15 minutes and we have some mountains to the south.

[@jameskniskern2261]

@Земледелие и экология That has not been my experience. Food forest has a more balanced yield, with each element yielding less, but cumulatively yield is actually more than "conventional" gardening.

[@estebancorral5151]

I have flown over Kentucky from North North Carolina. The natural conditions for a food forest favor you unlike the the pitiful conditions that Geoff Lawton had to overcome in Australia. A betting man, would place big chunk of change you to succeed in Kentucky.

[@estebancorral5151]

@СадоводствоBill Mollison clearly gave full credit to Russell Smith who been a scientist with the US Department of Agriculture. Unlike the blatherings of five-year plans which lead to nowhere, Smith’s treatise leads to abundance based on science.

[@ainabearfarm8075]

Been working very hard on my food forest for 4 years and can’t wait for the “low maintenance” era 🤙

[@ainabearfarm8075]

@user-ep4kc6kl8phaha totally!

[@JensHeijkoop]

hahah I hear you!

[@FATTONYKAUAI]

Yeah me to.

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

Yes, it's taking me a long time, it doesn't help that I am in a climate with incredibly dry summers the last few years, everything really suffers and it's taking longer for systems to get established. At the moment it seems like a very weedy, untidy garden, but I hope the neighbours will realise the method behind my madness soon!

[@bondiagarden]

Keep up the good work! Our small urban hilly food forest is on season #4. My 80 year old neighbour said that she was amazed by the transformation. It is a rewarding feeling when we give away bags of vegetables.

[@sauermaischeyahoo7834]

Reminds me of the way we used to live when I was a child, we had four 80 year old pear trees, which provided more pears than we could eat, a blackberry patch which we only robbed fruit from, while my uncle had Bramley apple trees and Victoria plums which too were only approached to take their fruit, and another uncle who had gooseberry bushes. That's how we operated back in the early 1960s, we planted the fruit plants and did no maintenance.

[@ajb.822]

I'm a bit younger, but yes, that's more how we did things where I lived, too. I think the pruning of apple trees for ex., is more required if one wants a predicable or equal harvest every year. It thins the apples via the light pruning in early spring I think (?), without having to actually go out there an thin then once they're out. My Grandparents then parents farm, had two "pie apple" trees, big, green, tart apples, which they didn't used to regularly prune, and after a while they tended to have a poor-er production year every other year . We had wild black raspberries which were great and all we did was pick em, but the wild red raspberries got more and more tiny and sparse & always had bugs in em, so I finally just left em. The gooseberries were extremely thorny and had too little taste, weren't worth picking to me, and would have taken forever to find and pick enough for a pie or something. So, I definitely see some positives for management and things like pruning, and less thorny, more tasty, bred cultivars, for sure !

[@erfan4244]

thank you for sharing your memory, it's lovely, truth is food forest quality produce not only taste much better than store bought bland ones they're actually better in terms of nutrients as well not to mention how much biodiversity and positivity they bring to our lives

[@Zone3Growing]

This kind of walkabout video is EVERYTHING I wanted from Zaytuna farm. I could watch this for HOURS. Just literally have Geoff walk around talking about anything that catches his eye. Amazing

[@troygoss6400]

A magic project. As I see it, the only hope for the future of humanity♾

[@CurleyTheDog]

no doubt yes

[@MonikaMundell]

Love love LOVE the wild food forest. Could totally live there, amidst the magical beauty of it all. ❤

[@01duffy]

Thanks for sharing what's possible Geoff. Its a glimpse of paradise.

[@johnowens5342]

The low maintenance sounds great, I wonder when and how thing will change as it becomes an old growth permaculture forest. Our time to observe these changes is so short, a human life time is but a moment to the forest. At 200 years Zaytuna forest will just be a teen and in 500 years reaching real maturity. Humbling to think of the reach our lives can have by planting. I planted 7 trees today for my children and grandchildren. My sons are 12 and 14 but I am teaching them to think in terms of generational planning.

[@robertdoupe4142]

Shout-out from zone 4a Montana, loving the beard Geoff. We are holding water back and growing what we can every year. There is no going back once you start, as above so below. Repair your land to harmony and it happens inside as well.

[@deancarlyle7431]

Thank you Geoff. What a legend!

[@groover6782]

Thank you Geoff. We’re just at the start of our project(Alentejo Portugal) your walks through the mature and new food Forrest’s are totally inspiring. They fill us with hope and each time we learn a little more 🙏🏻

[@estebancorral5151]

Hopefully, water harvest is your first goal.

[@Im-just-Stardust]

Thanks a lot Geoff. I'm starting my food forest around my garden and it is extremely exciting.

[@one_field]

Could you add to the description of this video a list of all those trees you named in the video? The bubbles that show up on screen with the common and scientific name are fantastic, and many thanks to whomever edits them in! But a full list would be really handy for looking these species up afterward.

[@pinkelephants1421]

It's all really impressive but the best way to compare the difference between how impactful a food forest can be and land minus its tree cover, is the big clearing/intersection next to the Tamarillo tree. One's terribly lush and productive, the other fairly dry with compacted soil. Can absolutely appreciate how easy it is to take a walk through the property and get lost in marveling over everything, despite you having been one of the key instigators of Zaytuna Farm's transformation. I find myself doing just that in my tiny backyard garden; nature is amazing given half a chance. My garden's a typical (mostly) concreted over landlord's courtyard. But in the summer, after my having stuffed it to the gills with planters of various sizes to the point whereby I can now only do the penguin shuffle to get around in it, everything is so lush, it looks like it's all planted into the ground.

[@philurbaniak1811]

👍👍 just lovely to see, great passion and great knowledge, thanks for sharing!

[@sarimahnurilabas9962]

MasyaAllah. Tqtqtq Geoff. A magic project what as I dream it in my dry land. We’re just at the start of our project. Your Food Forest really inspiring.

[@MogiMann]

This was a fantastic journey! I hope to one day visit and take a course from you (Or an online course), as you Geoff, are one of my permaculture farming heros. All the best to you, from the west coast of Canada. I am planning our Usda zone 7 food forest plantings and expansions, and talking them over with the land mates as we speak. As I am warm and cool stratifying sooo many tree, shrub, bulb, and herb seeds this winter, for spring growth. Should be funn! I also tracked down some fun perennial vegetables to try out as well for continuous yields for up to 10 years if not more! Thanks for being an inspiration!

[@litaanderson1589]

Hi! Geoff, I’m back visiting your vedio blog again always a delight to see your property full of your fruit labor. Geoff you are the Guru of forest greenery how the time passes by so fast before our eyes. Those fruit trees and trees you planted are towering your property it is very delightful to see what you had accomplished and reap from them now. You are a great teacher always find the way to preserve our mother planet. Salute goes to you sir. God bless you and your family🙏.

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Thanks Geoff, for the beautiful tour of Heaven on Earth 🌎 I'm in Windermere, Florida (Orlando) zone 9b USA 🇺🇸 🌞 🇺🇸

[@danielnaberhaus5337]

Geoff you are my hero, please do videos more frequently you are a Godsend!

[@Reciprocity_Soils]

Thanks for the walk, work, and wander/wonder, Geoff. Always entertaining, educational, and inspiring. Peace and health.

[@intimatespearfisher]

I wonder how Bill Mollison's farm is doing after all these years? I bet those jack fruit have killed a few passers by lol Thanks for sharing Jeff

[@ideotek]

As usual, a pleasure to see you talk about your work. I have a question about your comment about cutting back trees when "rainfall is greater than evaporation". In a temperate climate, does cold also determine timing for pollarding? In a wet continental climate, can I pollard before the last frost? I'm in urban Budapest, so we have a bit of a microclimate from the heat island effect. There are warmer days above 10, but weeks where nights are below zero. Can honey locust, for example, take a pollard mid-winter or should I wait for spring?

[@jesuscarmonaesteban4521]

Thanks Geoff! , amazing that walk through Zaituna food forest. Always interestings details to learn by acompany you virtually there.

[@RoyHolder]

Wonderful tour, thanks Geoff! 👍

[@PodOblaski]

I love it.

[@B30pt87]

Ah, that was just what I needed right now!

[@OG-Everthing]

everybody loves Geoff too :) ... thank you brother

[@jeff6899]

Always learn so much from Geoff ! By beyond that, his enthusiasm is still contagious. As mentioned below, I think I have been following his work & video's now for nearly 15 yrs or more. He has been a staple for a long time.

[@turtle2212]

Absolutely amazing, thanks Geoff!

[@maherj351]

This is epic, truly revolutionary for humanity! thank you !

[@jourdainhiini6548]

I remember walking that track when we camped at Zaytuna. Its grown a heap. Was lucky to meet you Geoff when we were there. I just harvested some mugwort today.

[@justinskeans3342]

I love the walk throughs like this so cool

[@MattPowersSoil]

Beautiful Geoff!!

[@VK-qo1gm]

Great tour, love immersing myself in this

[@SHANONisRegenerate]

Great look around thanks

[@permacultisdruid3867]

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

[@ad2040]

The Kei Apple pronounced to rhyme with eye. Wonderful place.

[@gpn9]

I can’t wait to make food forest 🌳 love it thanks a lot.I was worrying about wild animals because my place close to jungle ,now I found a way to protect plant bambooooo around hopefully it’s works Thanks again Geoff 🙏

[@DavidDavida]

as we travel "thisPath" , we learn ..

[@honey-bee-farmstead]

Geoff, we have purchased a 120 acre property in the Wheatbelt in WA and are working on regenerating the land and repairing it to create something similar to Zaytuna farm. My husband and I are completely inspired by all the incredible work you do. It would be amazing to have you out and get your take on what we should do and where, a bit of a property plan out 😁 do you ever do that?? There are heaps of homesteaders out here that would LOVE to come and listen and learn 🤩

[@maroosk]

I know I love it❤, beautiful work

[@don.timeless4993]

showing the scientific name along side the plant name is genius. awesome video as always!

[@hhwippedcream]

Thanks so much, Geoff for sharing your craft!

[@emeliahoffmann3965]

Love your work

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you!

[@paulcleary7437]

love your work mate

[@celsopdacunha000]

@12:20 - I love Brazil cherry. I have a few plants in my place.

[@Lepotagerdesgourmands]

Bonjour superbe endroit,magnifique félicitation top video🙏🙏🙏

[@floriswou]

Thanks for sharing this beautiful walk through! :) Loving the visual addition of plant names (incl. Latin name) in the videos, this is very helpful!

[@shovelspade480]

I sure enjoyed wondering Zaytuna Farms water harvesting systems and Food Forests. Cutting forage for the goats. 🤜🤛🙏☀🔥💧🌍💚☯ Thanks Geoff for the update and sharing your thoughts

[@futurecaredesign]

Loving the beard Geoff! Keep it going! ^_^

[@Sasasaurus]

I’d love to know more about the harvesting cycles of a food forest. Do you just pick as needed or take it all when it’s ripe or leave to share with the wildlife?

[@iTeerRex]

Probably all the above. Of course when it’s ripe, but there’s so much that the ripening times differ.

[@ameeraljadie1282]

Thanks for sharing ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@chronicfatiguehermithiker3022]

Stunning

[@CaptZaky]

Missed these walks around Zaytuna! Inspiring as always 👏🏼🌿

[@felipevilches7128]

Thank you Geoff! 👏👏👏👏

[@Sir_Ol]

Thank you so much for putting the binomial names! Great video!

[@Xatruch504]

Zaytuna Farm looks better every passing day, but i'd like to point a couple issues, the banana plants are being affected by some kind of disease, i don't think is Sigatoka (and I really hope is not that damned fungi ), but perhaps is beetle larvae eating up the roots, and the other issue is with you coffee plants, coffee grows luscious in deep foliage, but bear no fruit, if you want to harvest coffee beans then you must have your coffee on partial shade with lots of light but not direct sunlight ( If Zaytuma Farm climate is more hotter than cool then you may want a bit more of shade for your coffee), bananas are good shade and oranges, the latter affect the coffee's flavor and become citric, Guama trees are also excellent for coffee shades as they are easy to keep pruned.

[@mikeiancotter]

Love the content as always. I believe that locust is a honey locust, Gledista tricanthos. I live where they are native. Black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia is also naturalized where I am.

[@thegr8stm8]

Gr8 stuff, m8!

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

Fantastic landscape! Thank you for sharing! 😎

[@gardentours]

You've been really inspiring. My food forest is still very young but it's coming 🤗

[@lucschoonen]

What about snakes, when working in the foodforest? Any issues there?

[@chopbeard9216]

love your videos Geoff

[@richermorin]

this is amazing

[@paulanelson2183]

A lot of your fruit trees are quite tall, which would be difficult to pick their fruits. Do you trim them back often?

[@onechristianwallace]

Khat is called Miraa here in Kenya.A big fan of yours here!

[@walkingbacktogardening381]

loved the video 📹🇨🇦

[@philinit6476]

Would be interesting to see talk about some of the downsides or just not ideal plants you didnt want to pop up in that forest. And thenlet the goats go for gold in a section for a couple days

[@jameskniskern2261]

The downside can be seeing all of the food production that happens and not have enough time or energy to bring in the entire harvest! :) That was a concept that I had to deal with. A good friend asked me, James... What are you going to do with all of those pears? To which I answered, eat them, give them away, and the excess feed the critters. Haha

[@erfan4244]

@@jameskniskern2261 you can always share or sell or even trade the surplus for favor or fun.

[@shaneswing2016]

I'd love to see a harvest video of these mature species. I'm thinking it's harder to do when they are too tall.

[@Theforestlore]

Wow Geoff it’s looking amazing in the summer tropics, good to see you out tending to the systems and opening it up. I don’t suppose you are open to woofing or full time volunteering on site? I am headed north back home and want to get back on country hands on. Much love 👍

[@josenicolini1528]

Muito bom, abraços do Brazil

[@estebancorral5151]

Um abraco do mundo para voce!!!!

[@Quercusssss]

Do any of these trees self-seed ? Have you noticed the system spreading itself ?

[@fairdinkum1079]

Guava vinegar I would love to know what you use it on how you use it and how you make it

[@asktheanimals]

Lovely! Is there ever a challenge with the (in)famous poisonous snakes & spiders of Oz at Zaytuna?

[@estebancorral5151]

You are a hopeless arachno-and oridiophobe .

[@asktheanimals]

@esteban corral , actually, I very much love & respect snakes & spiders. 🐍 🕷 💛 I don't kill spiders in my home, even black widows. I put them in sheltered places outside. I encourage spiders & celebrate beautiful snakes in my gardens. I have had widow colonies in specific safe places who helped keep out other bugs who easily overpopulate. I have held many boas (one named David Boa 😁🐍) & one large python (the large constrictors require the correct number of people to be safe with them). I have been thrilled, from a respectful distance when I have run into rattlesnakes in the Western US. In awe seeing a water moccasin when I was visiting TX. I have gently handled many tarantulas. I respect arachnid & serpentes behaviors as being different from mine, & it's wise to know which ones NOT to handle without protection & care. I am wondering, as a permaculture designer, how the super-venomous creatures of Oz are handled. Particularly interested in non-lethal solutions.

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

Greetings from the LooseNatural farm in Andalusia Spain

[@estebancorral5151]

Where in Analusia?

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

@@estebancorral5151 Huelva province. Aroche

[@estebancorral5151]

@@SuerteDelMolinoFarm I went to Andulsia a long time ago. I saw kilometer upon kilometers of olive trees. Everyone on the train turn cheerful upon seeing all the greenery. I did too for a while. But like Don Quixote, a saw a behemoth, a monoculture. There were no peaches, plums, cheeries, etc. Perhaps you can change that.

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

@@estebancorral5151 Yes. You are so right. Olive trees are planted after everything else has been killed. A very sad sight indeed. We definitely want to change that. Thanks for sharing

[@1timothydillon]

I'm wondering how well some of those trees would survive in hardiness zone 5.

[@shovelspade480]

It looks like "just shrubby scrub" to the untrained eye; you bring it alive Geoff.

[@essenelight6361]

Guava vinegar? Please share.

[@Bearded360]

Jeff needs his own discovery program!

[@leevmealone2273]

Nice one Geoff.

[@jasonkennedy1670]

that's a mighty fine beard 👌

[@aron8949]

Wild is my style

[@RickLarsonPermacultureDesigner]

Remember Geoff when I asked a stupid question? Hahahaha! Beard fits you.

[@mamonyamanetrading6902]

good one

[@makeitkate3240]

Geoff, I have a question about Russian olive trees. Around here, Russian olive is considered to be invasive in many areas of the state. It grows “like a weed,” it’s hard to eradicate, and is said to consume up to 75 gallons of water a day, per tree. That last point of water consumption is what makes it considered an enemy here in the desert. However, my opinion is that if it spreads so easily, and really flourishes here, there must be a reason that nature wants it here. Would it be irresponsible to plant Russian olive on my land as a pioneer species?

[@tomatito3824]

I'm sure a lot of us would love to see a high production food forest. We've already seen enough "sometimes I grab a fruit" food forests.

[@ahmadhasif979]

Maybe because sometime tree fruits. Forest is not monocroping seems like productive but for ONE CROP, a forest has diversity of food,medicine,Timbers. You can design which trees to plants while PRODUCING SOIL. “If you produce more soil than you consume you can be sustainable “

[@tomatito3824]

@@ahmadhasif979 I know all that, but I'm still interested in seeing a high production food forest, like Geoff mentioned.

[@cletushatfield8817]

@@tomatito3824 He just walked through a high production food forest and a "sometimes I grab a fruit" food forest. The difference, shown thus far, appears to be how much hands on activity there is on an on-going basis.

[@tomatito3824]

@@cletushatfield8817 I guess I want to see this high production management then

[@ajb.822]

@@tomatito3824 IDK if these exactly fit what your looking for OR maybe you already know about them, and are just wanting this from Geoff, but just in case these are of interest and help, the following MAY fit : Miracle Farms in Ontario, Canada with Stefan Sobkowiak ( a monoculture, production orchard turned into a Permaculture one), he has videos on YT. Mark Sheppard/New Forest Farms of Viola, WI, USA . He has books, offers tours for a fee, and has presentations and a few interviews here on YT, incl. a great one done by Justin Rhodes, seen in his ' Great American Farm Tour' series/playlist on HIS channel, very eye opening. For what you're looking for, probably his book is best, watch a presentation of his to help give u an idea. He probably knows of others to learn from, doing what you have in mind, as well. James Prigioni's channel ( I forget the name..) is about his own, small-ish backyard and he doesn't sell anything I think, BUT he rocks out the production of his, now about 7 or so yr old, food forest and definitely manages it fairly closely. Pete Kanaris of Green Dreams FL channel does food forest installations, has a nursery and own other projects, and had a variety of vlog content. May have some of what you're looking for, at least showing places doing it, which u may be able to follow up with. No offense to Geoff or anyone ! I haven't watched enough of Geoff's videos closely enough to know if all that is already here or if I'm missing knowledge of other more well-known people doing what you're seeking info on.

[@josafar8321]

The spiky tree after the mugwort actually looks like a honey locust (Gleditsia tricanthos).

[@estebancorral5151]

You need nitrogen fixers in the food Forrest. Therefore it’s presence is relavent.

[@josafar8321]

@@estebancorral5151 I am aware. They also provide good firewood and edible pods, while casting a fairly dappled shade. If not left to grow into a tree, they provide an excellent hedge as well (the thorns help). The black locust isn't that suitable for a hedge and is a bit less friendly to neighboring plants, but as a tree it provides a load of honey (given honey bees), which the honey locust (ironically) does not. I was just pointing out a misnomer without any intention of demeaning the content or Geoff, whom I find rather insightful and knowledgeable.

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

Is your new house (at zaytuna) finished?

[@munamous2181]

Hi Geoff, how do you handle “Playing God” in the food forest when it comes to choosing what lives and dies? Do you ever feel emotional burden from that?

[@josephyarbrough9316]

Can anyone tell me who comes close to Geoff in his personality, knowledge, expression, and desire?

[@elenagarcia731]

🙏

[@JE-ee7cd]

😊👍

[@karlb1695]

"What Permaculture Got Wrong - Dispelling Five Common Myths. off grid with curtis stone , and Richard perkins, ridgedale farm" these two gents created two beautiful videos on this subject, i myself interested in good feedback on their videos from permaculture movement. I'm planning on living in Lithuania, and I'm interested if swales makes sense, please could you make video with some good counter arguments, or there is none on what these farmers are saying ?

[@colleen6940]

Did you ever visit the American Southwest? I sure would like to show you something!

[@titofdez9243]

Una pena que no haya subtítulos en español....😥😥

[@estebancorral5151]

Una pena más es que no haz dominado el ingles. Menos juegos y pon te a la tarea.

[@deancarlyle7431]

👍

[@romanspreiter8572]

I dream of living in a place like this some day. But I‘m afraid it wouldn‘t be possible in my climate zone (Switzerland). Does anyone know someone with a more or less mature food forest in a colder climate?

[@estebancorral5151]

Sepp Holzer high up in Austrian mountains. He speaks German for you to understand better.

[@kimcasault2582]

Lots of fruits and a few starches, but what about veggies?