Transforming Monoculture Olives into a Biodiverse Food Forest at Jerash University

[@dominicrichlevien]

I’m so glad you are posting updates on this as it is very inspiring for me personally. I have an Olive orchard in Andalusia which I have started to transform into a permaculture polyculture and I am gaining further trust and motivation watching your videos!

[@louisegogel7973]

Keep us posted about how it’s going, please. And bravo.

[@estebancorral5151]

@@dominicrichlevien Spanish television has reported the rise of olive poachers in all of Spain. Please, considers a permaculture solution for that as well. The mulch for the olive trees can be inoculated with mushroom mycelia e.g. wine cap mushrooms. Nutrient and water up take would be increased

[@dinosaur0073]

We are moving in the right direction...thank you Geoff.

[@stijnc6606]

Amazing that United Nations Human Settlement programme (UN-Habitat) is funding this project! This project will increase the resiliende of both displaced persons and host communities to climate change-related challenges in Jordan. I can't wait to see the results in the coming years

[@jevanmills6486]

Thanks for educating the world Geoff. Best wishes to you, the crew and your family this holiday.

[@fillfinish7302]

All over the Mediterranean countries os scattered with olive mono culture deserts .this is the best approach to look after the sun baked earth in summer .

[@louisegogel7973]

Thank you so much. I’m glad your inspiration is catching on more and more. It is awesome to see this transformation to diversity.

[@jameswestgate416]

Would be interesting to see if olive production increases and by how much

[@fillfinish7302]

With all that mulch olive trees would definetly benefit

[@ThoneJones]

Me too.

[@snokehusk223]

it probably won't but rather reduce

[@cyrusp100]

In my experience with projects like this the production of olives will stay around the same or probably go down. But it is made up for in quite a few ways: 1. Reduced need to buy fertiliser. Now a lot of the fertiliser is grown on site which will save a lot of time and money. 2. Reduced pesticides. The polyculture will confuse pests and encourage pest predators. So again - a lot of time and money saved on controlling pests. 3. It grows food - a lot of fruit and herbs can also be harvested from this system which will provide an additional income. 4. It grows forage - those very fast growing nitrogen fixing trees can be cut back and fed to goats/chickens.

[@louisegogel7973]

@@cyrusp100 nice list of benefits! Thank you.

[@paplexpli]

This is exactly what i needed, thank you so much! I m in the process of turning an olive monoculture into a food forest / silvopasture system. Very encouraging!

[@richardmossfrance6353]

Would be wonderful to see the olive grove during rain. To see the swales in action (even if not exactly on contour) is always inspiring.

[@b_uppy]

Wondering about that. They're other than swales (by common definition) if they lack a way to sequester water...

[@theoriginalmonstermaker]

Are you just referring to the mulched hills the trees are planted into?

[@richardmossfrance6353]

@@theoriginalmonstermaker Indeed. In an earlier video Geoff described them as swales - even though they weren't created in the normal way for swales. Even though they are not exactly on contour, they should still hold back some rainfall run off.

[@b_uppy]

@theoriginalmonstermaker There seems to be some dirt around that too...

[@xavierroy5254]

Thank you Geoff for this beautiful moment.It's so peaceful to watch your video.Your work is amazing.

[@celt456]

I can't wait to see how it grows over the years. Wondering if you could grow vines, in there, too? Your video is inspiration for me to further diversify my own small olive grove. Many thanks.

[@PsychicIsaacs]

Do NOT plant a grapevine at the base of an olive tree. If there's ever a bushfire, it will burn like a torch! This warning comes from the ancient Greeks and Romans, BTW... Regarding other vines, such as passionfruit, I think they'd be okay because they are not as flammable as grape.

[@celt456]

@PsychicIsaacs how interesting; thanks for this information.

[@b_uppy]

Mark Shepard advises interplanting biome-appropriate vines among trees, among shrubs and perennials as well. This helps conserve groundwater as well as improve soil fertility and reduce erosion He also creates rainwater harvesting structures and uses keylining to redistribute groundwater to prevent overdrying of the landscape. Mark does this on larger pieces of land to upscale permaculture practices for larger scale farmers. Mark has cited Geoff as an authority in some of his talks... Saw where a guy used donkeys in Australia to manage excess foliage on steeper hillsides as part of wildfire management.

[@celt456]

@b_uppy love the idea of biome-appropriate vines amongst my trees. Thanks!

[@ayyubvernon1557]

Grapevines grow quite well in Jordan. Many of the houses have frames in the front of the property (a kind of leafy car park) that grapevines are weaved through.

[@mrzoukdotcomzouklambadaboo8212]

This is a fantastic idea to change the landscape and soil, plus more production and products .... Love it❤❤.❤❤

[@barristophilliesiii5863]

simply awesome. love seeing these updates! now to crack on with finishing the PDC :D

[@KielerMatrozen-to5ly]

Thank you guys for sharing such a project. Its very helpful to see it happening than just talking about it to other people, who have difficulties to believe that such a transformation is of course possible.

[@HFTLMate]

Loving these vids! woo! Nice project! broadcasting cover crop seed during the rain???

[@joaocarlosferro]

A place like that can be enriched with so many interesting species, I can easely imagine Ceratonia siliqua, Pistacia vera, Punica granatum, Cercis siliquastrum, Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia, Moringa oleifera, etc. Good luck guys!

[@halnelson5936]

No ailanthus please

[@brianquinn5060]

Magical moments. Thanks Geoff.

[@GreenandAbundant]

Great stuff again Geoff! Gives us hope every time for our system here in the Namib Desert!

[@FreakyFunnies]

Very nice project hats off to you! Being super inspired and can't wait to plant my land god willing = )

[@PedroOrtiz-b1h]

Wow geoff , i'm converting a date palma farm the same way

[@estebancorral5151]

@@PedroOrtiz-b1h the Palm fronds make excellent silage for animals. Sell only the higher quality dates. Retain the lower quality dates as the sweetener to activate the ensiling bacteria. Sell silage as an added revenue stream.

[@Reese-wg7jb]

This is fantastic to see. Can't wait to see it when it matures!!

[@JayByrdJ]

Thanks for sharing possibilities ..

[@b_uppy]

At 1:38 do you mean allelopathic?

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you

[@diego1602]

What do you use to record? Images are good quality!

[@d2ez695]

Great one Geoff!

[@javorgeorgiev6130]

I'm interested to see if the ground around the orchard will get greener. A book I read recently advised against having anything but the tree growing in arid environments because of increased water consumption, but I think in the long run it can lead to better water retention. I don't know specifically how, but if less trees means lower ground water tables and shallower rivers, then it might apply at a smaller scale as well. If compost/soil carbon helps water retention, then producing necromass on the spot instead of hauling it from a separate location could be less labor intensive.

[@b_uppy]

Typically dry areas have a problem with a loss of soil porosity, and even during flood events most water is lost to direct evaporation, instead of seeping into the ground. They've found biome-appropriate, living mulches/plants do cause the soil to retain more water because the ground is more permeable to rain and air. You start adding a lot of appropriate diversity and water consumption goes up slightly, but biomass production increases greatly. The diverse biomass is more likely to boost rain because of pollen causing rain droplets to form. Direct evaporation is a problem whereas evapotranspiration is good because plants have used the water first.

[@louisegogel7973]

@@b_uppy❤❤❤❤❤

[@estebancorral5151]

I believe you do not understand what is going on. They have applied both mulch and compost to circumvent dehydration of the soil. The soil will release water to the trees at a rate which trees require no more no less. On top of this, they are adding another safe-guard. They are planting a ground cover at the appropriate time of the year. Your worries are unfounded.

[@HoboGardenerBen]

I question the value of having a high density of growth in the desert. Just doesn't make sense to me. The water should be down in the ground and deep rooting trees accessing it. Organic mulch and lots of surface plants are keeping a bunch of water up near the sun to evaporate away. Rock mulch makes more sense to me than biomass. Trees, rock mulch, earthworks for most of the property and grow more normal veggie gardens in the shaded greenhouse. Growth is only dense in the desert where there is enough water for it or some invasive has come in. If that site doesn't provide that level of water, I don't think it makes sense to have a high water consumption design for the property. I don't want to base my design on irrigation and needing lots ongoing labor to work. I like passive stuff that gets better over time on it's own if left completely alone, like gabions and some other earthworks.

[@b_uppy]

@HoboGardenerBen In order to get water into the ground, you need to work on porosity. Porosity occurs with plant life and ultimately soil life. Rock mulch decreases soil porosity, and ultimately reduces water sequestration. Rock mulch also increases ambient heat, whereas plant life is cooling. Plants work symbiotically with soil life including microbes, protozoa, earthworms and mycelium, to create openess in soil that increases water infiltration. The plants then shade the ground, preventing heat build up. Plants also protect from solarization/sterilization of soil. Plants have utility _beyond_ being shade, building soil, preventing erosion, etc, in that they have _utility_ as well. This utility includes fiber, wood, animal feed, shade, beauty, and food. While plants use water, they put it to good use and they certainly create the soil diversity that increases fertility, soil carbon sequestration, reduces pollutants, stops erosion, and restorates/maintains hydrologic cycles.

[@haraldhilbert7002]

Howsit Geoff, are some of these trees not planted too close together ? many thanks

[@fermebiozouhair]

Hi , caroubier Can be support like Luccinia tree i have 500 olive tree and 50 caroubier and 2000 cactus in my farm

[@estebancorral5151]

I have prickly pear cacti ( opuntia ficus indica) where do you grow it? I also have agave.

[@flyingrabbit829]

Projet looking great and so do you big thanks 😊

[@Ifyouarehurtnointentwasapplied]

This is going to be very cool

[@jewoningzelfverkopen]

Question, Jeff, how does it work when your top soil is shallow and massive solid rocks prefent (easy) digging? Treeroots cant go down.

[@b_uppy]

You get a pickaxe and break up the hardpan/caliche. If you can afford it, and it's relatively low harm, you can consider heavy equipment. Be aware sometimes the latter can create more harm than it repairs. Also some trees/plants are well adapted to bedrock conditions and can even break up rocks to create more soil, with time. It's important to use plants to build soil because plants will prevent erosion, and even capture air/waterborne soil and thus build soil that way.

[@estebancorral5151]

@@jewoningzelfverkopen prickly pear cactus roots can split a 16 foot boulder in two and widen the fissures every year. You can see this phenomenon in the Chihuahuan Desert.

[@Mustard_Mann]

Hi Geoff, do you think this would be possible in the Hijaz mountains or the Red Sea hills?

[@estebancorral5151]

I believe so but check which species is better suited for the elevation,and find out about the orographic winds associated with those mountains. The last thing you want to do is find out that your tree were killed by frost.

[@Permuh]

What place do you think solar panels have in a permaculture system? They can offer natural shade to underlying structures, so although not a plant, they do have a benefit for other plants

[@roufditta4156]

What is name of the grain cover plant being used?

[@aron8949]

Plant loquat!!!

[@georgecarlin2656]

I wonder what kind of rock is the bedstone of their soil, limestone?

[@estebancorral5151]

Were it Limestone, they should be planting prickly pear cactus because it a high accumulated of calcium and magnesium.

[@cis961]

Grande Geoff !!

[@Agapimo]

Wonderful 🎉What is being done for water capture and retention? Also, how will the surrounding plants be protected during olive harvesting? Which plants support pollinators? Such an exciting project🌈

[@jeromearucan6494]

hi! new subscriber here from the philippines. i love your works. i love to watch your videos. sana magkaroon din ako ng farm katulad ng zaytuna farm balang araw. ❤❤❤

[@daveheller4488]

Are you adding biochar to the compost? If so, what’s the source material and what method do you use to make it?

[@b_uppy]

Looks like that olive grove is arranged so water drains off quickly. Is that by design or by accident?

[@estebancorral5151]

That is by design. This technique has been applied for thousands of years on olive groves.

[@b_uppy]

@estebancorral5151 To what purpose?

[@estebancorral5151]

To prevent water logging of the roots in the case of water, and to prevent frost by the staganation of air from orographic winds.

[@b_uppy]

@estebancorral5151 I can see how it would definitely prevent waterlogging of roots because of hidden bedrock/hardpan (the irony of that statement, haha). I fail to see how the other areas which are level (visible in the background) would be okay but this section _must have sloped,_ directional rows that increase windspeed. Do get the rainshadow and it's converse, that goes with orographic winds on the different sides of a mountain range. This olive grove is on the dry side of the range, yes, but there appears to be little there otherwise that would cause cold pockets to stagnate from wind coming over the mountains. Did you word it wrong, or what is it I am missing that will explain what is happening at this site that halts desirable (versus less desirable) wind movement?

[@j.m.5199]

Walking on the swale mount, a problem

[@Ruby-K]

Diversity will help imo. The lack of diversity caused many problems for the olive trees in southern Italy.

[@lobotomie66]

where are the swales? disturbing the steep slope!

[@TudorFarms]

Swales wouldn't be appropriate if the slope is too steep, as it would cause erosion. Terracing, as shown here, would allow for erosion control while still harvesting as much water as possible.

[@lobotomie66]

@@TudorFarms the so called terraces in the olive yard do have obviously a steep slop in themselves....so there is NO water harvesting at all

[@b_uppy]

​@@TudorFarms Failed to see any teracing. Did see where walking is encouraged along the slope instead of perpendicular to it. Think it was a temporary oversight that will be corrected. Also saw material that sat perpendicular to the slope running along the bases of the trees. It was less terrace, rather more mulch. That said it's better than bare soil, and encouraging paths parallel to the slope...

[@TudorFarms]

@b_uppy I guess it's more like pseudo-terracing. I'm sure it stops some soil from washing away.

[@MrMaxKeane]

I wonder if olive production will go up? If you are planting many other fruit trees in between them AND leukina, then surely those trees would take some sunlight etc and the olive trees would get less. But on the other hand, you are fixing nitrogen, increasing water retention and nutrients in the soil... If olive production does indeed go up, AND you get tons of oranges, pomegranites, etc then that would simply blow my mind.

[@b_uppy]

You might get only 90% of olives, but you get the benefits/gain from the other plants/harvests, plus soil improvement, increased water and carbon sequestration, reduced erosion, more biomass, increased fertility, etc. Secondary crops usually represent an additional 80% crop.

[@MrMaxKeane]

@ thanks for the reply. I think you’re probably right. I do wonder where the ~90% figure comes from. Why do you think it will be, say, higher than 50% or less than 110%?

[@b_uppy]

@MrMaxKeane I am reporting what others that have used polycropping have reported from their diverse experiences.

[@estebancorral5151]

Biodiversity always improves the soil and increases yields.

[@MrMaxKeane]

@@b_uppy Thanks for the reply! Good to know :)

[@titofdez9243]

Siempre me he preguntado si el modelo de bosque de alimentos funcionaria en un clima mediterráneo,el cual es bastante seco con importantes oscilaciones de temperaturas,muy altas en verano y muy frias en invierno,nada que ver al clima tropical donde todo crece exuberante.... Seguiremos la evolución de este bonito proyecto. Nosotros apostamos por este modelo agroecogico y regenerativo libre de quimicos Abrazos a manojos desde España

[@estebancorral5151]

Para la grabadora a esa pregunta! La respuesta es claramente que si. Porque niegas a lo que están mirando tus propios ojos? Geofredo, esta llevando al cabo a ese mismo propósito. Apenas está en las primeras etapas.

[@CommunityofEngineers]

Dont forget, pomegranate as well.

[@estebancorral5151]

I have pomegranate and fig as well, and want to plant castor as well.

[@maearcher4721]

Some people say the production of olives might go down. Idk if that is trze. But from farmer's perspective. If you have monuculture-you rely on on type of crop or fruit tree-and should anything happen to it-you're screwed. Whiles if you have more diverse species of trees-very rarely comes a year-when something would happened to all of them. Way more likely you will have excess of one species one year, and several which do fairly fine, and few which don't have anything to harvest. And next year another species thrives, while others are bit lower. But you do not have situation-where you have nothing.

[@andresamplonius315]

Las casuarinas son fijadoras de nitrógeno. Unos algorrobos (Prosopis pallida) también irían bien. Moringa, Neem, Gliricidia. En La Vanguardia de Barcelona hay un excelente artículo de Francesc Font (The Regen Academy) acerca de su finca de Menorca, donde se produce aceite de oliva, miel y huevos de pastura. La cobertura verde es de una leguminosa casi nativa de la isla que de adaptarse a otros lugares sería un interesante aporte. Es una plantita algo exigente en cuanto a clima y se requiere inocular su propia bacteria, pero muy interesante.

[@estebancorral5151]

@@andresamplonius315 Geofredo, lo a dicho muchas veces . Ya sabemos. He ido an Iberia y vide con disgusto los monocultivos en los olivares. Es un gran reto cambiar la mentalidad de los Iberos.

[@SraNje-t2r]

​@@estebancorral5151la verdad es => es mas facil qué cultivar solo olivas, Camino dentro del arboles...si gente puedo vivir Una vida mas saludable, gente necesitar USAR MANOS. Esto cuesta mas Y ganancias (moneda) es menos. Lo siento mi Castelano es mal😱

[@estebancorral5151]

@SraNje-t2rTengo ningún impedimento al inglés. En el quieres mi respuesta?

[@SraNje-t2r]

@@estebancorral5151 Si por favour, claro que si!

[@estebancorral5151]

You have not understood permaculture at all. A shirker will never receive high compensation . The more diversity you put into the fields the greater the greater the rewards. More often than not, they come as pleasant surprises.

[@philipbutler6608]

Seems like your contour lines in the olive grove are going the wrong way.

[@ThoneJones]

I was thinking the same, but I think the camera is making them look that way. They must be on contour.

[@b_uppy]

​@@ThoneJones Or they are a booboo that will soon be corrected because sometimes it just happens.

[@louisegogel7973]

If you look at his previous video about this grove, you’ll hear that they had to work with the grove the way it was planted and worked to mitigate the slope runoff without shifting the trees. This is what I understood from it. If you go there, let me know what you find out, please.

[@philipbutler6608]

@ well I think that could be mitigated with adding speed bump like contour lines between the rows. Something equipment can drive over slowly for harvesting. Olive harvesting is not done in the wet season.

[@MaxSwedenAgroforestry]

Looks great! Keep it going!!

[@kebunryo]

Ok, good Sir....

[@atruefreethinker1944]

hey Geoff, any thoughts on weirs in the walk ways. seems like that downhill might need them. some kind of terrace system?

[@ThoneJones]

I think they’re on contour, but the camera made them look like they’re going downhill. I was thinking the same thing at first.

[@atruefreethinker1944]

@@ThoneJones oh. I'll relook. good evaluation.

[@b_uppy]

​@@ThoneJones It was going down hill in one area, though in others it was oriented to retain water rather than drain it.

[@b_uppy]

Also, look up "weirs."

[@atruefreethinker1944]

@@b_uppy per a search: Weirs are used to control the flow of water for outlets of ponds, reservoirs, and lakes. They can also be used to monitor and control the flow of a river, including the water level and the speed of the water downstream.

[@ashtree9693]

🏆

[@YoneCortopassi]

gardenplanbyai AI fixes this. Transforming Olives into Biodiverse Forest

[@ManivaHouse]

💚

[@sercem7314]

Awesome 👌

[@almeidacheang7853]

My friend, why don’t plant dates??

[@alpineflauge909]

awesomesauce

[@1millionpumpkins542]

👏👏👏

[@magapefarmshomestead6453]

Again with Elaine Inghan a soil biologist and KNF both teaching that compost and fungal elements are fundamental why not try yeast based products in addition to everything you are already doing

[@pinkelephants1421]

For the commercial compost, is the project hooked up with the local council's food waste collections from the nearby town rather than all of that organic matter ending up in landfill? Does the local council even (have) a food waste collection system. If not, do you see it being feasible to develop and deploy such a scheme, perhaps using the auspices of the UN Food Programme? In regions whereby soils have become significantly degraded, having local authority based food waste collection systems working in tandem with NGO's and/or other government departments - say, agriculture, healthcare education, or a combo of two or more - properly structured, there could be some useful financial & societal benefits for all of the stakeholders concerned. The teaching & deployment of permacultural practices as part of such schemes would make it a win win for all around, including for nature and the environment as a whole. Because of the way in which groves/orchards like this one have been planted following the slope and not on contour, how will the project address water runoff and the subsequent inevitable erosion and nutrient losses? Thanks. 😊

[@b_uppy]

Regarding the contour issues, it will likely soon be corrected...

[@Hunar1997]

The swales dont look level

[@melissasueferrin3409]

If I ever make it over I will make you a delicioso guaximole with those luquinas

[@almeidacheang7853]

Hello my friends

[@dantheman9135]

Crush on

[@thenextpoetician6328]

For those interested in the most recent causes to the extreme aridity in the general area, 3,000 YBP there was a Dansgaard-Oeschger Event (a nasty solar eruption) which collapsed 7 civilizations in a century in the Middle East. 6,000 YBP there was a Heinrich Event/Chine/Russia/Noah Event (a much nastier solar eruption) which caused severe volcanic activity, a partial pole shift and basically scorched a swath of the planet from China to the Atlantic, thereby ending the greenest green Sahara in the geological record. Unfortunately, permaculture is unequipped to deal with super flares in the +/-X200-1,000+ range. With the magnetosphere weakening exponentially, a Suess-de Vries cycle flare would partially pull down the grid for an extended period where earth impact was worst. We're descended from survivors who were brilliant, knowledgeable, and ruthless, just like those today whose bloodlines are longest. How's that for an eyeful? :)

[@b_uppy]

Actually it's conventional agriculture that's very vulnerable (by definition and common sense). Conventional ag helped destroy many of previously thriving ecosystems in conjunction with the vagaries of larger climate changing events... Permaculture is meant to be much more resilient than conventional ag because the latter is so brittle. Permaculture avoids the frailty of conventional ag's supply chain shortages; brown outs/blackouts; worker shortages; monocrop failures due to disease, weak, short lived plants; tech dependency; lack of very favorable weather; etc;. Because of permacultures use of low tech/appropriate tech, reliance on longer-lived, heartier plants, more diversity in both soil, plants, more self-reliant systems, etc. Btw the Noah event is a one time thing, I've been assured. That said permaculture does recognize that the current, conventional system's very vulnerable indeed...

[@RizkanSpecific]

is this stolen land of Palestinian?

[@ftimatxjdj]

This project In jordan

[@RizkanSpecific]

@ oh sorry. I see olive trees; I remember Palestine 🇵🇸

[@halnelson5936]

​@@RizkanSpecificThere are olive trees all over the Mediterranean