Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

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Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby George Collins » Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:58 pm

I have made the initial planting of a food forest.

I was about to compose an email to a friend and tell him what all I have done thus far. Instead, he will receive a link via email to this post. My purpose in doing so is four-fold:
My friend can see what I have done thus far,
This site gets some additional exposure (if only by one),
Fellow Permsteaders can critique what I have done and offer criticism and feedback as they see fit, and
Lastly, this post is intend for use as a tool to be updated with significant developments as part of my own record keeping and planning process.

The current canopy layer consists of:
Apples
- Fuji (planted 1-2-12)
- Granny Smith (planted 1-2-12)
- Crab (planted Jan 2011)
Pears
- Keiffer (planted 1-2-12)
- Bartlett (planted 1-2-12)
- Pineapple (planted 1-2-12)
- D'Anjou (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
- Comice (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
- Moonglow (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
- Perdue (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 3-11-12, planted on 4-4-12)
- Warren (ordered from Johnson Nursery on 3-15-12?, planted on 3-26-12)
Cherries
- Montmorency (planted 1-2-12)
- Brooks (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 3-11-12, planted on 4-4-12)
- Coral Champagne (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 3-11-12, planted on 4-4-12)
- Tulare (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 3-11-12, planted on 4-4-12)
Figs
- Celeste (planted 1-2-12)
- Brown Turkey (planted 1-2-12)
- (plan to add a Black Jack Fig)
Mayhaw (planted 1-2-12)
Plums
- Bruce (planted 1-2-12)
- Methley (planted 1-2-12)
- Santa Rosa (planted 1-2-12)
Nectarines
- Pochohontas (planted 1-14-12)
- Sunred (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-23-12)
Tanenashi Persimmon (planted 1-14-12)
Peach
- Florida King (planted 1-22-12)
- Four trees of unknown variety (planted 3-31-12)
8 Allegheny Chinquapins (planted germinated seeds on 1-22-12)
1 Allegheny chinquapin (transplanted on 3-8-12)
Hazelnuts
- Yamill Hazelnut (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
- Jefferson Hazelnut (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
Hall's Hardy Almond Tree (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
Jujube
- Li (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
- Lang (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
Gold Nugget Loquat (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
Big Red Mayhaw tree (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-2512)
Manzanilla Olive tree (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
Asian Pears
- Shinseiki (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)
- Honsui (Ordered from Willisorchards.com on 2-18-12, planted on 2-25-12)

Additional canopy layer specimens on the short list to obtain include:

Pears
- Warren
- Shenandoah
- Potomoc
- Magness
- Honeysweet
- Harvest Queen
- Harrow Delight
- Aurora
Peaches
- Contender
- Surecrop
- La Premier
- Bobeva
- Ruston Red
Nectarines
- Karla Rosa
- Carolina Red
Persian and Pakistan Mulberries


Citrus patch (to be planted on SE corner of the house around mid-April)
- Meiwa Kumquat (plated on 3-20-12)
- China 9 Satsuma (planted on 3-24-12)
- Kimbrough Satsuma (planted on 3-24 12)
- Yuzu (planted on 3-24-12)
- Nippon Orangequat (Planted 3-19-12)
(Stan McKenzie provided the citrus trees. Unfortunately he doesn't provide spacing suggestions so any input here would be welcome.)

Low Tree Layer
- Dwarf Northstar Cherry (planted 1-2-12)
- Seckel Pear #1 (planted 1-14-12)
- Seckel Pear #2 & #3 (planted 3-28-12)
- Paw Paws (Planted Jan/Feb 2011) (Will likely obtain some additional named cultivars)
- Three more paw paws transplanted from Bogue Eliah Creek on 3-8-12
- 2 Chickasw plums transplanted on 3-24-12)
- 5 figs of unknown variety transplanted on 3-24-12)
For the Shrub Layer
- Tifblue blueberry (planted 1-14-12)
- Powder blue blueberry (planted 1-14-12)
- Climax blueberry (planted 1-14-12)
- Brightwell (1-23-12)
- Premier (1-23-12)
- One blueberry of unknown type transplanted on 1-22-12)
- Seven blueberries of unknown type transplanted on 2-29-12)
(All blueberries situated on Southern or western exposure relative to trees in the canopy layer.)
- (Planning on adding 1 each of Austin, Centurion and Baldwin)

(Addiitonal shrub layer specimens on order and to be planted soon after their expected arrival date sometime in April)
- Invicta gooseberry
- Jahns Prarie Gooseberry
- 10 Autumn Olives (nitrogen fixators)
- Kamchatka Honeyberry
- Blue Velvet Honeyberry
- 10 Goumi seedlings (Nitrogen fixators)
- Crimson Star Goji/Wolfberry
- 10 Seaberry seedlings (Nitrogen fixators)
- Crandall Black Currant
- Jostaberry
- Rovada Red Currant
- 10 Siberain Pea Shrubs (Nitrogen fixators)
- Chernika Bilberry

Herb Layer
- Yarrow (planted 1-14-12)
- Nodding onion
- Red Welsh Onion\
- Amaranth
- Aquilegia
- Borage
- English Lavender
- Lespedeza bicolor
- Lovage
- Golden flax
- Lemon Balm
- New Zealand flax
- White Sage
- Chia sage
- Garden Sage
- Mexican Bush Marigold
- Blue Pepe Nasturtium
- Stinging Nettle

Ground covers (On order and to be planted soon after their expected arrival date sometime in April)
- Koralle Ligonberry
- Wintergreen
- Pilgrim Cranberry
- Emrald Carpet Raspberry

Approximately half of the existing canopy layer is on slope. For each tree that is, a swale ranging 6-10' has constructed immediately upslope. All trees have been heavily mulched with hay. Nurse logs have been positioned by 6 trees thus far.

The canopy layer currently occupies approximately 27,500 square feet or about 2/3rds of an acre. That translates to having about 5 times more area under cultivation as a forest garden than Robert Hart did.
Last edited by George Collins on Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:46 am, edited 20 times in total.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
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Location: South Central Mississippi, Zone 8a

Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby pa_friendly_guy » Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:25 pm

That is great work. I am very impressed. You have a wonderful varity of fruits and berrys. I grow the moonglow pears and they do very well. I lost the 2 barlet to the fire blight, but the moonglow were resistant. I do not have the variety that you have, I have been much narrower in my selections. I would like to get some gooseberrys this year, what types would you recommend? How far south are you, from some of your selections I am guessing a good bit below the Mason Dixon, ;) I am too far north to grow some of what you are planning. You seem to have really incorporated alot of the Permiculture ideas into your plan. The swales, the layering, the Hugalculture, all tie in exactly to what permiculture recommends doing. You seem to have been following the Permiculture play book to the letter. How big is your property? It sounds like you have a Great Place to Live. Keep up the good work.
Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
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Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby George Collins » Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:48 pm

Sorry, I meant to include in the original posting that I live in South Central Mississippi, Zone 8a and we receive 65+" of rain per year.

Our number one impediment to growing stone fruits is the inevitable late frost. That was THE determining factor in all of the peach cultivars chosen.

I own exactly one acre. However, my father owns about 300 acres. On his 300ish, he has about 80 acres on which he runs about 25 head of cattle. He also produces his own hay, has a large vegetable garden and large tracts of timber which, prior to Hurricane Katrina was the closest thing to old growth forest I'd ever seen outside of a national forest. That one event transformed where I recently built my own house from an absolute paradise into a pine thicket. He probably has about 30 acres of pretty, bottomland hardwood left.

And yes, every idea I've had was a direct result of studying the clothes that hang in the permaculture wardrobe.

As for recommendations, I wish I had the knowledge to help you. This entire process has a been a BIG learn-as-you-go endeavor and just making reasoned decisions in my back yard has proven to be a far bigger challenge than originally anticipated. Part of my problem is that there are lots of irons in the fire. In addition to the food forest, there is also a black walnut orchard (goal is 7 acres in 7 years), a Ruth Stout meets Sepp Hozler vegetable garden, hogs, chickens, a yard, erosion problems being addressed by extensive hand-dug swales and a bunch of other stuff too numerous to mention.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
George Collins
 
Posts: 535
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:57 pm
Location: South Central Mississippi, Zone 8a

Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby matt walker » Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:59 am

George, what a fantastic project. Thank you for sharing it with us, I'm looking forward to learning a lot. When did you start planting? Will you post some pictures when you can, please?
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Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby George Collins » Thu Jan 19, 2012 4:39 am

I will happily post pictures but at the moment I live in a world that is merely shades of brown and wouldn't make for very appetizing eye-candy. I have purposefully delayed even taking pictures because the lack of contrast makes pictures look like brown streaks on a brown canvas. Hopefully (if everything lives) pictures 6-10 weeks from now will give a better idea of what has been done. Additionally, eventually everything will be one contiguous stretch of awesomeness. As it stands, I was forced to start on either end and am working my way toward the middle.

I put my first fruit tree in the ground New Year's weekend 2012. I still have one overstory tree to plant which I will likely plant this weekend. Next will come the shrub layer which will be planted in February if the shipment arrives on time. After that, the citrus will likely round out my planting activities for this year on the food forest for I will then need to shift my attention to my black walnut . . . is plantation the right word? The nuts, though edible, aren't the primary reason for the trees. Rather it is part of my kids' future inheritance. My goal is to plant 7 acres for timber production.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
George Collins
 
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Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:57 pm
Location: South Central Mississippi, Zone 8a

Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby Lollykoko » Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:30 pm

I have no idea how much land is required to be in play to use the terms grove, plantation, or orchard. I have about 5 acres of black walnut trees and have used the terms grove and plantation interchangeably.
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Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby matt walker » Thu Jan 19, 2012 5:28 pm

Yeah, heck, call it whatever you like! I absolutely love the overall concept George, and the timber planting for the future generations is great. I'm actually excited that it's all only a few weeks old, as I am really looking forward to following along and watching your progress. I'm feeling inspired once again! Since my place has old fruit trees I've not continued to plant more. I'm thinking that is a mistake, and if I can afford to I am going to try to plant a couple more every year from now on. I'm sure it wasn't an inexpensive process to set in motion, but I imagine the rewards will be great.
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Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby George Collins » Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:38 am

Two things:
1. I was a tree planter prior to learning about Permaculture.
2. Privacy isn't my forte, so I'll share:

At ~17 years old, I set out 1000 cypress tree seedlings. $160.00 (Cows relieved me of all but about 200. Who knew cows were so fond of rubbing on cypress trees?)

After the logging crew finished up the destruction that Hurricane Katrina began, my father planted a double row of live oaks ~ every 50' for ~ 1/4 mile and which now line the road that leads to my house. Total cost was ~ $1000.00 which he bore the entirety of (that was 4 years prior to us even deciding to build where we did.)

Last year, I joined the American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation and for doing so, received 10 pure American chestnut seeds. $20.00 but I tipped them another $10.00. They are currently planted in a very isolated grove well away from my home.

Fencing too keep the cows out of the 10 pure American chestnuts ~ 200. And they have already destroyed one of the cages I made which will need to be replaced and which happens to be on the project list for this coming weekend.

Last year, Pops and I split the cost of planting 10 Dunstan chestnuts which was ~ $200.00 (A skunk of all things relieved us of one so we now have 9 planted in a double row on a perfect North-South axis and which frames my house which lies on a perfect east-west axis.

CZ 455 for long range skunk control ~$400.00.
Box of .22 bullets ~ $3.00
The price charged to skunks that dig up $20.00 trees - It all! (And yes, I did collect the amount owed . . . at 80 yards.)

The canopy layer of the food forest thus far ~ 300.00.

The shrub/ground layer of the food forest thus far ~ 300.00.

The black walnut orchard which currently has ~170 trees bordered on free. The seeds had been obtained by my uncle who planted ~ 1/2 acre and who then gifted me his left over seeds. There were some minor expenses for soil amendments, marking flags, etc., but all total, it's doubtful there is more than $50 invested thus far. (Sweat equity getting all those little buggers through two droughts over the course of the summer substantially raised the $ value of the investment. Consider there is no gate so access was by climbing over a quasi-stile, the location is on our back .40 which means water had to be trucked there in barrels then siphoned downhill into 5-gallon buckets and each tree individually watered with cups every other day for a total of ~ 6-8 weeks. And then there was that one trip to the emergency room when my middle daughter wore her shoes to go water the trees like she was supposed to but then pulled them off, threw them over the fence, climbed over barefooted and jumped down on a piece of glass. Required 4 stitches. KIDS! . . . G!)

The seeds in stratification right now were obtained form three sources:
-My uncle gifted 6 bushels of seeds of the improved variety from Purdue Universty
-The kids and I picked up ~2,000 additional seeds from a neighbors land
-I purchased ~ 5 bushels from the only person near our part of the world that has a black walnut orchard for ~50.00 (they too are nuts from the improved variety developed by Purdue University which are supposedly selected for timber production.)

New electric fence to keep cows out of future black walnut planting site was ~ 200.00.

Lastly, I have about 200 allegheny chinquapin seeds (which are basically dwarf American chestnuts) in pots germinating. These were obtained for free back in September/October from a tree found growing on the side of the road. Surely some of these will go into the canopy layer of the food forest but the majority will be interplanted with the black walnuts and Dunstan chestnuts. Those interplanted with the Dunstan chestnuts are destined to ultimately be part of a diversified nut/acorn orchard. The distance between the Dunstans is ~100' on the EW axis and 50' on the NS axis. The 100' lane between the chestnuts will be left open. On either side, the intent is to plant the maximum number of mast producing trees possible for one of two possible future uses:
(1) to top out hogs in the fall of the year or
(2) to provide one HECK of a squirrel hunter's paradise.
(Maybe both? You know hogs eat squirrels.)

Surely there will be plenty of other things that will help themselves and that is certainly OK, but squirrel hunting has always been my favorite outdoor sport.

Finding the chinquapins growing on the side of the road and subsequently learning they are so easy to germinate and grow has provided a huge potential boost to the number of nuts that I will be able to produce in the nut orchard. The Chinquapin is a natural understory tree and thus shade tolerant, and is supposedly precocious and very productive. As a added benefit, its taste is reputed to be the best of all of the chestnuts.

The tall canopy, mast producing trees on the short list for the mast forest include red oak, water oak, white oak, swamp chestnut oak, shagbark hickory, sawtooth oak and beech. The afore mentioned live oaks will be partially included into this mix on one side of the road for ~ 1/8 mile.

I'm also open to having some exotic type nuts like filberts, almonds, etc but I haven't researched them enough yet to even put them on the long list. (Recommendations are always welcome.)

So there it is . . . a list of 90+% of all of the money spent thus far on this type of thing.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
George Collins
 
Posts: 535
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:57 pm
Location: South Central Mississippi, Zone 8a

Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby Lollykoko » Fri Jan 20, 2012 4:53 am

George, you've mentioned Purdue a couple of times. Are you nearby there? If so, we could talk about getting you some more seed.

My black walnuts are about 25 years old and fruited very well three of the last four years. I also have hickory and oaks that I can identify and various others that I can't. :) Heck, I probably have half a hundred baby trees that could be moved to better locations, if I only knew what I was looking at and doing! The learning curve is getting steeper all the time, though which is a good thing.
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Re: Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

Postby George Collins » Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:16 pm

I live in South Mississippi. I didn't even know where Purdue was until I looked it up just now. The only times I've even heard of Purdue was one year I think they had a good college basket ball team and then again when I was researching black walnuts I ran across their publications concerning the same and so learned they had developed an improved timber variety.

And if I get an even 50% germination rate, t'will be a struggle just to get them all in the ground. This one reason is why I must be completely finished with the food forest by the time they start germinating for IF they have the same 60%ish germination rate this year as last year, my non-8-5 life will be consumed with little else for quite some time. I have ~5 acreas that are ready to plant meaning that my father has given me permission to go ahead, fencing has been bought, etc. The only limiting factor at this point is how much can realistically be done by one dude and his mini-dudes and mini-dudettes and the as-yet-to-be-seen-germination-rate of this years seed crop.

If the nuts cooperate and I get an additional 2-acreas planted, I'll be happy. If all five get planted, well I might just allow my wife to have a bite of my daily D'Anjou pear.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
George Collins
 
Posts: 535
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:57 pm
Location: South Central Mississippi, Zone 8a

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