Barren land to thriving food forest in under 4 years

[@annebird9195]

Theres the 3 soil types and then theres my yard: rocks.

[@GilJ-u1k]

😅

[@jackieo8693]

We moved from a super rocky soil to a heavy clay soil. We just can't win!

[@kaitlynharmer8459]

I’m about to move to a property that’s full of rocks. Honestly not sure how to go about planting since no one ever talks about this. I know roots will find their way if it’s Not too rocky

[@annebird9195]

@@kaitlynharmer8459 I called up tree cutting companies near me and they did a chip drop of their wood shavings and I've spread that around to give a nice mulch layer that's breaking down. Also the ruth something method with straw works pretty well, especially for potatoes. Grow boxes are also an option and I have those out front. I've tried picking the rocks out but i just dont have anything to do with them so it just ends up making random unorganized piles of rocks that's not ideal. So I'm just gonna try mulching a lot.

[@erawright]

When you can’t work with your soil type the best thing you can do, is build soil on top of it by doing raised beds. As long as you keep adding compost it will definitely be able to support anything you want to plant.

[@caranicolewilcox]

P.S. I really appreciate the tip for burying the compost under the mulch. So smart. I am going to start doing that.

[@michaelzorro2738]

Thank you so much for sharing. I am planning on doing the same this year 2024 . I'll keep you posted.

[@susannescheper8350]

I think I would have a lot of fun building a food forest. I love that mulch / wood chips was the solution to your water issue. I love mulch.

[@CatherineandRob]

Well done on the water battery!

[@leonshomegrown]

It’s looking fantastic. 😊😊😊

[@PermaPasturesFarm21]

Great stuff!

[@jeff6899]

As a nearly 30 yr gardener, I have a bevy of gardening, permaculture, food forest channels I subscribe to. There are those that I view regularly. I can see this added to them !😁🤗 The Narration is EXCELLENT. And her Passion & unbounded Joy shines through ! There are MANY things I wish I knew before I started !!! That I would do dramatically different if I had the time to start all over. I go through many of the same challenges in my dry, low interior Metro Phx desert as well. I have a ~20+ yr DRIP System I gradually installed myself that SUCCESSFULLY feeds the majority of my more than 600 plants (not counting raised beds) ! And many told me I could never succeed with that🤣 If I were younger (and not so immersed in my successful career), I would likely also have a regular posted KZbin channel. So I appreciate quality, descriptive channels such as this ! (FYI, a close friend started the Little Free Plant & Garden Stands, now in multiple states ! So we know about trading seeds, cuttings & small plants🤗)

[@siamese117]

So glad I found you. This is my exact dream but possibly in a colder wetter zone

[@MasonMcGowan95]

Yeah, over a year without rain I could not do!! Just as a person, let alone trying anything like this

[@HomesteadHarvest]

Great video and information from Zone 9B South Florida Food Forester 😊 🌴 🌱

[@chessman483]

Well done. We started our food forest 2.5 years ago. We made plenty of mistakes, but glad we started. We have gone big time and have 3 Food Forests now all about 1 acre each. Easily our two biggest successes have been bananas for awesome shade and Cana Lilies for enormous amounts of mulch. Other nitrogen fixing support trees like Pigeon peas were ok and got us started. But Cana lilies have been amazing.

[@Goldifarms]

Woah!!! That’s quite a food forest. Congratulations!!! Sounds like you’re creating a paradise 💛🧡❤️

[@princesspamela1959]

Wow! Wow! Wow! ❤❤❤

[@GilJ-u1k]

💛✨🍄

[@sydneysowingseeds]

I love your videos and always finish them with more knowledge, faith and excitement for the life I wish to live. Thank you for creating and sharing your process❤

[@GilJ-u1k]

❤

[@NatureHerbsandTea.]

Very nice and Beautiful! Thank you!

[@pongop]

Awesome! Thank you! I love the Central Coast! I live in Central Valley, 9B.

[@SaveTheAyeAye]

Good to see someone actually achieving a life I hope to live someday! I would like to understand the specific logistics of how you acquired your land and the selection process that went into finding it. I am a native Californian who is a self proclaimed permaculture advocate, but find this state to be an extreme challenge trying to live a life like yours. You gained a follower, thank you for this amazing channel!

[@xikano8573]

Te ganates la loteria Gilbertito. Muy inteligente y trabajadora que es esta mujercita. Felicidades a los dos por lo que han creado... 😊

[@GilJ-u1k]

❤😊❤

[@Goldifarms]

Muchísimas gracias 🙏🏼💙🦋

[@BroadwayGardener]

I absolutely love this detailed video! I'm also learning more about harvesting rain water for more efficiency in my garden. Your space is so beautiful!!

[@hardstylelife5749]

Great video, loved the process and the inputs.

[@TonysSunnyGarden]

Halfway into the video: you got a new subscriber 🙏 Really like your peaceful vibe. And i took a look into your etsy store and it just made me smile 😊 Thank You Erin ☀️

[@MessyTimes]

Thanks for sharing some details of your journey. Good luck to you.

[@gobigandgohomeschool4882]

Beautiful videos!

[@OlgaMurrr]

This was one of the most informative and well-structured videos I’ve seen on this topic. Thank you so much for breaking it down into clear steps and sharing all that valuable knowledge.🙏🙏🙏

[@heatherburton1629]

Thank you! I’m inspired!

[@judeevolves3347]

So much great information my brain is on 🔥🔥🤯😄🙏🙏💗

[@sues4370]

Very good advice, thank you!

[@goldiemandella7594]

Love the name of your farm! (My name is Goldie)

[@SovereignDarina]

Thank you for sharing.. 🙏 Wishing you all the best on this beautiful journey 🤗🌱

[@thesetruths1404]

Really enjoy your content and voice. Peace

[@user-jp7zh7mq6k]

Awesome video

[@truthbetold2611]

Rodents went through food scraps I buried around fruit trees and had a party so now I put kitchen waste in five-gallon buckets with a lid. After I make a fermented drink rejuvelac from sprouted wheat, the spent grains go into the bucket as well. Hopefully the good bacteria will help with the composting process.

[@elizabethhendriks9030]

Thank you🙏

[@MaishYoung]

Awesome

[@gigglesandchaos5443]

Thank you for such an informative and enjoyable video 😊

[@anulaluna]

I am so glad to have found your channel! (Just subscribed) I live on the mountains in Southern Spain which has a similar climate to yours.I have a lot to learn. Happy and prosperous new year to you!

[@BrendanRobin]

Your video was informative and also extremely relaxing

[@heinrichvonofterdingen6789]

Beautiful jouney!

[@cecileheissr]

Omg this video is so uplifting! I have 2 1/2 acres in llano California. I have one toe in and the rest still in los Angeles. I’m gonna do what u are doing so thank you so much and please continue sharing ur journey ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@MsCherokee70]

@Brokefarmer this is one great video you should watch. 😎👍🏽💯

[@alexhoyt3748]

Your videos are amazing

[@louisegogel7973]

Very nice video recap with great explanations and visuals alongside. Thank you!

[@awildapproach]

Such a beautiful and calming video. Thanks for sharing. I love your genius way of capturing water and the meandering paths and lush close plantings really add a charming cozy atmosphere. I hope to create a similar effect in my native plant garden in East Tennessee. Happy Saturday!

[@SambodhaWellness]

This is super inspiring, thank you for sharing. Seeing such profound growth in such a short period of time is quite uplfiting!

[@stonedapefarmer]

I'm more of an everything at once, Syntropic-leaning, kind of guy, but your results speak for themselves.

[@julzrouge369]

What you achieved together with mother nature is really remarkable and inspiring. I am always flabbergasted about how resilient plants & animals are and how quickly they go back to thriving again if treated with love (depending on the initial state, of course). 💚

[@charlesdevier8203]

Good job! I've been building my orchard for six years; trees are 20 feet apart with fruiting bushes planted between them. Mid-Missouri

[@ilyaschreiber8848]

thanks for the video, what is the name of the tree behind you on 08:37? with blue flowerssss 🤤

[@Goldifarms]

Ceanothus (dark star) commonly called California Mountain lilac. They are so gorgeous in the spring!! California native. Drought tolerant. Some of the hills here are just covered in them 💙💜💙💜💗

[@keter70]

Hi from Argentina and thank you for your videos. Can you tell me the size of your plot? I wonder how big it is in order to give place to everything you show. Thank you!

[@mavisdavisify]

Look up Brad Lancaster. He’s in dry Texas.

[@diego1602]

Nice! I will not do hugelkultur then, I just wonder where to get wood chips. I live in Italy though. But where do you ask in California for those chips? I also have a lot of wood to process because my old trees are dying for Xylella disease, and I need to grind them somehow.

[@pietsnot7002]

My grey water goes into a big mulchpit, it’s not the best growing system for these hot&dry summers for annuals but it’s fabulous in the cooler seasons and it gives sooo much compost.. l’m sure trees would do really well on this system but l have different plans for it 🤪

[@arfaabbas]

beAuTiFuL

[@glass.gardens]

Thank you ❤❤❤

[@beth8775]

The water battery/mulch trench pathways are brilliant!

[@justlooking4202]

Wildly attracted to this way of living

[@dorothypastran2]

How did you keep weeds/grass from growing under the wood chips on your pathways?

[@Goldifarms]

We pile on the Woodchips really thick when we want to keep things from growing up from underneath like at least 4 to 6 inches thick

[@karenr7931]

Curious... Is the reason you use chicken wire around new plantings to keep out critters?

[@donnavorce8856]

Thanks for sharing your work. There are more folks all the time investing in this type of living! Passive gray water systems are my next area of development. As it is now I use a bucket under taps to capture tons of water.

[@nic.h]

I've been amazed at how much water I waste. Just waiting for my hot water to arrive is half a bucket of completely clean water that usually goes to waste and that doesn't even get to the proper grey water.

[@aleksandarvasilev526]

Hi, what you have done is wonderful! How big is your yard?

[@Goldifarms]

Thank you 🙏🏼 the entire property is 1/3 of an acre. The actually food forest is just under 2,000 square feet (40x45 feet)

[@DJG19870]

Beautiful transformation 😍

[@JohnnyOzark]

awesome

[@cresentiae]

Thank you #savesoil

[@zizy6516]

how did you get so many truck loads of wood chips?

[@caranicolewilcox]

I love what you have done with your slice of earth! As a fellow Central Californian, I wanted to let you know that Acacia species are on the invasive species lists in our state. Acacia trees are one of the most invasive species along our roadways. They sow millions of seeds per tree. They are also highly flammable. I encourage you to look for a native alternative for your trees, or at least one that doesn’t put out so many seeds.

[@anulaluna]

I have a question for you. Do you have any pests and how do you manage them? In the hot summertime our plot is still relatively lush in an otherwise arid surrounding as our neighbours lands have been grazed and cut down. This has attracted so many wild animals to take permanent residence on our land. Badgers, Wild boar and moles being the most destructive. I don't want the hunting to go through my plot but at the same time, some of these animals have destroyed so much of my garden.

[@sallydavidson2026]

Absolultely love this video and the wise words at the end. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@visamedic]

Looks like So Cal ? What elevation are you at?

[@VerdantSoul]

Bravo to the 2 of you 😊 what a beautiful place you've created!

[@theredfox27]

Id be weary of PFAS/PFOS forever chemicals in the free compost from city dumps. It has been a farm ending problem in the past in other states a lot. 🤞 Love the design and function of your farm. Any future plans for a large pond at property top to create a flowing creek through or is that too wet?

[@Goldifarms]

Thank you for your comment. This is something I was deeply concerned about in the past as well because our city has admitted they are in our city water supply (which we don’t drink but many people do as it’s “allegedly safe”) but Gilberto and I attended a talk about fungi being used to clean up toxic dumps in LA and it was so inspiring. Certain types of mushrooms can clean up these supposedly forever chemicals. The solution to this problem is already here. Another reason having Woodchips is important- They create a beautiful fungal environment to support this clean up crew of fungi. Of course in an ideal world the air, earth and water would be pure and we wouldn’t have to worry about what’s in our compost or our water- but the more I learn and the deeper I allow nature to guide me on this journey the more hopeful I feel.

[@ooo6o6]

Your garden looks so beautiful. It must be a pure joy experience it from first hand. Thanks for sharing your videos with us.

[@lorebrown5307]

Make sure you know what's in your city's "free compost" Our county's free compost is mixed with "biosolids" i.e. human waste, septic sludge which has pharmaceuticals, cleaning product residue etc.., I wouldn't want that anywhere near my organic garden/property. Love all the work you're doing, Beautiful!

[@mrpinify]

If you have ever used bagged potting mix you have experienced the same compounds

[@SaveTheAyeAye]

+1 on this, the “free” compost I got from my city was not even fully finished and was basically an herbicide. It killed anything I planted in it. @mrpinify Bagged compost is often much more consistent and depending on the brand is tested for toxic elements.

[@krisbrubakertrader7197]

Question: Erin, What is the height and width of your berms and swale/pathways? Thank you.

[@mariofraga3377]

Great work. Really inspiring. ❤

[@GardenerRose]

So amazing what you can accomplish with friends and a passionate vision ! I really enjoyed your video so inspiring 😊

[@IntuitiveHealthSolutions]

how much of your groceries are you getting from your food forest

[@agpawpaw5912]

Why do you wire cage roots?

[@GilJ-u1k]

Hungry gopher's

[@dalebillings6703]

Does anyone know the tree/bush at 17:09?

[@Goldifarms]

Ceanthous! Can’t remember which one though 🙃 possibly dark star

[@Goldifarms]

Wait! Actually it’s a ceanothus ray Hartman 💜💜💜

[@dalebillings6703]

@@Goldifarms TY for the info!!

[@LobsterLover530]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@ayatti26]

Ive wondered about gray water system, would they benefit from having hardwood charcoal mix in with the soil or in the pot where the hose enters?

[@ericaennis3088]

Any vegan friendly alternatives to beeswax?

[@boldpicturesgardeners]

❤❤❤

[@Dove325]

Just starting my permaculture journey, I feel slightly overwhelmed mixed with fear and excitement 😬

[@Goldifarms]

Congratulations! What’s causing the fear?

[@Dove325]

@Goldifarms I would have to say, I'm afraid I'm going to spend all this money on something that fails and then I'm not able to feed my family nutrient rich food and have to succumb to the subpar food at the store for another year

[@Goldifarms]

That makes sense🧡 I had that fear in the beginning too, and plants can be expensive!! I’m actually in the process of working on a video that answers this question, but basically the way to minimize your risk is to simply start with just one guild and then expand from there. That guild will teach you so much in the first season and then use those lessons and propagate plants from that guild to create your next guild and continually expand your forest as you’re ready ✨✨ I hope that makes sense. I’m releasing a video soon that goes into a lot more detail. I also have some free guides to help you at Goldifarms.com. Let the plants show you the way and happy gardening 🧡💛🧡

[@MrMilio]

Woodchips for free? How is this possible? In germany its so expensive..

[@adamtash2891]

tell us your inventory of everything you have :) also, did you think of getting chickens or other animals?

[@Goldifarms]

Hi Adam! I actually have a spreadsheet that’s pretty thorough linked in my “how I select plants” video and I go into more detail on plants in that one. We have chickens. Bees are next 🐝 💛

[@adamtash2891]

@@Goldifarms cool! I will have to check it out!! great content btw ;)

[@AshleyBrenwalt]

❤❤

[@tri3609]

No offense but your voice really sounds good, especially listening with headset. It was like an ASMR

[@1brandongriffin]

Do you own the land? How do you work full time and do this?

[@Goldifarms]

I do own the land. Lots of Saturdays!!!

[@pastihijau5043]

🎉

[@juliewholohan2850]

Why have you put a ring of chicken wire around your trees root ball before burying please?

[@Goldifarms]

Hi ✨ thank you for your question. It’s gopher wire to stop the gophers. Ive gotten a lot of questions so I’m going to do a video about it. Unfortunately we have a lot of gophers. The cats help but we’ve had the most success planting in gopher baskets and prevent all our perennials from getting eaten.

[@saikatsen8037]

first problem is costly land

[@arifkhan3946]

Here in Bangladesh🇧🇩 More people,less land😒

[@MrNickEarly]

no twitter?

[@FallofftheMap]

Mid video, a sales pitch and lost internet

[@Byrod1]

Why is the Man completely eliminated from her videos ?

[@GilJ-u1k]

The wizard behind the curtain likes it that way!🙀✨🍄

[@wedruskimistrz5122]

You need huge amount of Nitrogen Fixers (Mycorrhiza and Lichen) at your Land and loads of Black Soil decomposed from rotting tree logs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp7MaaiCqbKhq68 Wood-chips are great for the start (Paul Gautschi Back to Eden No-Till Organic Gardening), yet with digging holes above 1 metre ( 3 ish feet) deep and throwing huge logs will keep Your composting/mulching pile for 10-15 years without a service from you. And when You have lots of deciduous trees, especially Birches and Poplars pioneer Trees growing mainly on Swamps, their Leaves as well as Wood decompose super fast into Black Soil like the one in Ukraine. After, 4-5 years You will have your own tiny Ukraine. Yet, Your region California might be far too hot and windy for Poplars and Birches as those are from my region of Eastern Europe, so You might look for equivalent, native in your area, maybe Maple Trees would do. Hugelkultur aka “mound culture” is only valid for damp, moistures areas where there is proper raining season like Sepp Holzer and his Son's mountain range in Austria above 1000 metres (around 3300 ish feet) Sea level or Charles Dowding's No-Dig Gardening approach in England. Masanobu Fukuoka has pretty great ideas in his book too as Japan has lots of Water to grow Rice. However, the best idea for You would be creating Vulcano Beds (I saw that idea with guys from Permaculture in Phoenix, Arizona) like Ant-eater does to hunt Ants in sandpits, so all the Water gathers in there and stays put. You can use Clay on bottom as it keeps Water in 90-95% of leaking, leaching, however if You have access to Loess (clastic rock) that would be ideal. I Believe You have that near Mississipi River as it is almost Waterproof like Birch bark. There are nations within Africa and India where they show how to do proper Land Revitalization into Greenery from Dessert to Eden Oasis. Those Land restoral practices would be perfect for You I suppose, all the best. Now I have some old variety of Fruit Trees to Plant Myself with Lunar Calendar to aid me. Now having small Forest Garden You can start playing with Plant Guilds, etc. Have a BLAST!!! DovaKiin

[@mariahmarshall3585]

Commenting to hold myself accountable that I will bring this longterm vision into reality. 🤍

[@meloniestewart2940]

Thank you for sharing. Inspiring 🙏🏼

[@wedruskimistrz5122]

You need huge amount of Nitrogen Fixers (Mycorrhiza and Lichen) at your Land and loads of Black Soil decomposed from rotting tree logs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp7MaaiCqbKhq68 Wood-chips are great for the start (Paul Gautschi Back to Eden No-Till Organic Gardening), yet with digging holes above 1 metre ( 3 ish feet) deep and throwing huge logs will keep Your composting/mulching pile for 10-15 years without a service from you. And when You have lots of deciduous trees, especially Birches and Poplars pioneer Trees growing mainly on Swamps, their Leaves as well as Wood decompose super fast into Black Soil like the one in Ukraine. After, 4-5 years You will have your own tiny Ukraine. Yet, Your region California might be far too hot and windy for Poplars and Birches as those are from my region of Eastern Europe, so You might look for equivalent, native in your area, maybe Maple Trees would do. Hugelkultur aka “mound culture” is only valid for damp, moistures areas where there is proper raining season like Sepp Holzer and his Son's mountain range in Austria above 1000 metres (around 3300 ish feet) Sea level or Charles Dowding's No-Dig Gardening approach in England. Masanobu Fukuoka has pretty great ideas in his book too as Japan has lots of Water to grow Rice. However, the best idea for You would be creating Vulcano Beds (I saw that idea with guys from Permaculture in Phoenix, Arizona) like Ant-eater does to hunt Ants in sandpits, so all the Water gathers in there and stays put. You can use Clay on bottom as it keeps Water in 90-95% of leaking, leaching, however if You have access to Loess (clastic rock) that would be ideal. I Believe You have that near Mississipi River as it is almost Waterproof like Birch bark. There are nations within Africa and India where they show how to do proper Land Revitalization into Greenery from Dessert to Eden Oasis. Those Land restoral practices would be perfect for You I suppose, all the best. Now I have some old variety of Fruit Trees to Plant Myself with Lunar Calendar to aid me. Now having small Forest Garden You can start playing with Plant Guilds, etc. Have a BLAST!!! DovaKiin