The Food Forest Handbook

Learn how to mix and match plants in unique combinations to establish bountiful landscapes and create genuine self-reliance in years to come.

A food forest is a productive landscape developed around a mix of trees and perennials. Rooted in permaculture principles, this integrated approach to gardening incorporates a variety of plants such as fruit and nut trees, shrubs, vines, and perennial herbs and vegetables. Food forests can help increase biodiversity, protect valuable habitat for beneficial insects, and promote food security and resilience, all while providing an abundant harvest.

The Food Forest Handbook is a practical manual for the design and management of a home-scale perennial polyculture garden. Simple, straightforward instructions guide the reader through:

• Getting started—site assessment and planning
• Tending the forest garden—maintaining soil health, succession planning, mulching, pruning and more
• The fruits of your labor—crop profiles, harvest, storage, nutrition and recipes

This timely book makes the concept of food forests accessible to everyone, offering a unique approach to low-maintenance, high-yield, sustainable food production.

“What happens if we were to drop the boundary between the built environment and nature? Wouldn’t we all be much better off? The Food Forest Handbook guides our first steps along that path.” —Albert Bates, author of The Biochar Solution

“Through this in-depth practical book you will learn the strategies for effective planning, design, establishment and management of perennial polycultures . . . I recommend this book to all those who are bringing diversity to their planting schemes.” —Jude Hobbs, permaculture land-use consultant, designer, and educator, Cascadia Permaculture