BRING BACK EDEN
What is a Florida Food Forest?
A food forest, also known as a forest garden, is a sustainable and self-maintaining agricultural system modeled after natural ecosystems. It incorporates a diverse mix of edible plants and trees that work together to create a productive environment. By mimicking the layers found in a natural forest – including the canopy, understory, shrub layer, herbaceous layer, ground cover, and root zone – food forests provide a rich array of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and herbs. This approach to permaculture design not only enhances biodiversity but also promotes a healthy organic lifestyle by producing a variety of nutritious foods.
Look at it this way....
When you're walking through a forest, does mankind need to maintain anything? Do they tell any of the multitudes of systems what they should do and how they should do it? Do they have a hand in the design or the outcome of abundance? No, the system, God's system works the way it's designed to.
We can either fight against the forest or steward its abundance.
HOW DOES IT WORK
Layers of a Florida Food Forest
CANOPY
EX: Live Oaks, Lychee, Black Cherry, Pecan, Chestnut, Maya Nuts, Mango, Star Apple.
UNDER STORY
Ex: Avocado, Mango, Persimmons, Soursop, Pomegranate, Banana, Moringa, Citrus, Loquat, Starfruit, Fig, Papaya, Longan, Panama Berry.
SHRUBS
Ex: Agave, Sugar Cane, Prickly Pear, Jerusalem Artichoke, Edible Hibiscus, Katuk, Cassava.
GROUND COVER
Ex: Longevity and Okinawa, Spinach, Perennial Peanut, Strawberries.
VINES
Ex: Passion Fruit, Perennial Cucumber, Climbing Bean, Chayote, Grapes.
TUBERS
Ex: Sweet Potato, Tumeric, Ginger, Yams.
FUNGAL
Ex: Oyster mushroom, lions mane.
Why Cultivate a Food Forest
Food forests or edible landscapes represent a holistic approach to land management that not only provides immediate benefits to individual health and well-being but also contributes to the sustainability and resilience of communities and ecosystems. Through the thoughtful integration of edible plants into our native surroundings, we can combat the prevalent issues associated with poor dietary habits and environmentally harmful landscaping practices.
