This 60’x 80’ fenced space underwent an evolution from its beginnings to where it ended up. As it fit our lifestyle better, the space transitioned from high-producing/high-maintenance annuals to moderately-producing/low-maintenance perennials. After clear-cutting the space, doing the dirt-work and piling the stumps at the center of the growing space; they were burned to add ash to the soil quality. Even after mixing the surrounding soil, the best growing plants were in the center. The ash additive was known from previous observations. Every time some ash was thrown on the grass in the yard in sparse areas of growth, it would green significantly. So burning the stumps was a better way of disposal than burying because burying eventually leaves a sinkhole, where-as burning left a useful by-product.
This was the first year of annuals in 2016. When just getting started with what plant varieties work in Alaska and which don’t, maybe 2/3 created food production. It was also a learning time of what works better direct planting vs. the greenhouse transplanting. Some plants get growth setbacks in which they are better off with direct planting. The tractor fit between some rows to help with the weeding, the rest was manual.
If you’ll notice, there are much more weeds in the photo. Robyn got a little overzealous in optimizing linear feet of rows. With maybe 1/3 more rows it was optimized decently in that manner. However the maintenance became more difficult because the tractor no longer fit between any of the rows. Much better production with more work.
Lesson not learned on spacing rows back further apart. Other projects in progress at the time. Chaos reigns, with the fix being to knock it all down by mid-summer. The weeds had choked out the plant growth enough that they were too stunted for the short Alaska summer.
By 2020 apple trees were planted. This is the best representative picture of a nearby area. The wood chip mulch in this picture was a local freebie that eventually broke down to dirt. The fenced area where the annuals were, looked like a field of grass with little stick trees every so often. I think there isn’t a picture of that era because it looked so silly.
In 2023 the grass is overgrown but goals of having fruit producing trees are still intact. The mulch around the trees is just grass clippings continually layered. That layering method keeps the weeds down from blocking light and feeds the trees as the mulch is essentially a compost pile. Green grass clippings layered on top of dried brown clippings will break down into dirt that feeds the trees. The area was planned out with the apple trees planted in a grid pattern.
By 2024 an orchard was becoming a Food Forest. The 3 piles of compost are not optimized for organic breakdown but generally each pile represents the year prior. Ash is added to the compost pile whenever available. As a little is added each year, the mulch around the trees is temporarily removed when the compost is ready to apply. The compost is always added into the bottom of the hole when planting anything new. As it isn’t necessary, there is never purchased chemical additives to the Food Forest.
The Food Forest keeps working better as plant variety is introduced rather than mono-cropping with apple trees. Insects like sawflies that eat the current bushes, have at least some predators like spiders. The sawflies that eat all the leaves are manually removed once or twice a summer. Overall the Food Forest maintenance has fit our lifestyle better. Even though not fully mature its food production output is respectable. More importantly the quality of the apples and berries far surpasses what is available at the store.