Presentation by Cathie Bukowski.
Post written by Carol Cox, Master Gardener.
Thirty-five people came to hear the NRV Master Gardeners’ first educational speaker for 2017, Cathie Bukowski, who shared with us her Food Forest initiative at the Hale-YMCA Community Garden in Blacksburg. Ms. Bukowski, a PhD Graduate Teaching Assistant with the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech, works with the Peace Corps and has written a book about her experiences with food forests.
Food forests integrate fruit and nut trees making up the upper canopy, berries, shrubs, edible perennials and annuals making up the lower levels. The aim is a low-maintenance, sustainable, natural landscape that is also a plant-based food production/agroforestry system allowing nearby residents to consume the produce. A food forest can also fulfill a need for a riparian buffer to help shade and partially protect a stream from the impact of adjacent land uses, playing a key role in increasing water quality providing environmental benefits.
Ms. Bukowski has visited 24 installations from upstate New York, Southern California, Washington, and cities around the country. She shared many “before” and “after” pictures of sites that were converted from eye sores to beautiful, oases for all to share. Ms. Bukowski described using polyculture (the technique of using multiple crops in the same space) and perennial layers with a mixture of plants producing food to share. When planning a food forest, Ms. Bukowski, reminded us to consider factors including plant hardiness, climate, and “forest users.” For best results, Ms. Bukowski recommends spending the first year planning, tilling, removing grass and debris, laying down layers of cardboard and mulch. The first plantings would be the canopy of fruit/nut trees. Gradually the understory is added and groundcovers are added.
Possible plants: (There are many more…too many to list)
Herbs (ie. Thyme, Lemon Grass), Asparagus, Rhubarb, Strawberry, Blueberry, Cranberry, Currents, Elderberry, Gooseberry, Blackberry (remember thornless as an option), Nasturtiums, Pansies, Wood Sorrel, Chinquapin, Hazel Nuts, and Persimmon
Nice additions to consider: bee boxes, bat boxes, bird houses, signage, seating areas, an herb spiral (herbs that need less moisture at top & more moisture at the bottom)
Check out Ms. Bukowski’s website for more info – www.communityfoodforests.com. It includes maps, resources, and pictures of food forests from across the U.S. She hopes the NRV Master Gardeners will become involved in the next phase of the Blacksburg Food Forest at 215 Maywood St. This young garden is already thriving. Our organization can help them and will benefit by thinning out the abundant strawberry ground cover that can then be sold at the plant sale in May. Wendy Silverman and Gwen Douglas have already volunteered to help prune fruit trees, and there will surely be more that we can do to become involved. Her enthusiasm was contagious, so if you’re inclined, start your new year of community service ideas by contacting Cathy and spending some time at the YMCA Food Forest in Blacksburg!