American hazelnut (Corylus americana) is a medium-sized shrub that is easily grown in average, medium, or well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. This shrub is part of our Starter Kit, and Emily Steinwehe, Chief Planting Officer for Wisconsin Food Forests, lists the reasons why we like this shrub in our food forest: They
Ripening in July, currant (Ribes) bushes give us fruits that hang down like little jewels in the hot summer sun. That has been said so many times, it’s a bit of a cliche, but these fruits are lovely to behold. Like their cousins, gooseberries (the genus Ribes), currants are native to Wisconsin woodlands, fence rows,
On August 20, Emily Steinwehe and Madelon Wise from Wisconsin Food Forests went on a road trip to the Blanchardville area in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area to visit The Little Red Home(Stead). Emily had been on a bus tour with the Soil Sisters, an organization of women farmers in and around the farming communities of Monroe,
Honeyberries (Lancer caerulea L.) are a new fruit that plant breeders have been working on for around 13 years. Plants in this group are edible members of the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). According to Uncommon Fruit, Observations from Carandale Farm, “Haskap is often used as a common name for honeyberry, but technically they represent two distinct subspecies.”
On June 8, 2019, Emily Steinwehe of Wisconsin Food Forests planted our Food Forest Basic Package at Sol Criations Farm Sanctuary, Endeavor, Wisconsin. Sol Criations offers sanctuary to farm animals and wildlife in a biodynamic space and peaceable kingdom. Brenda and Jon Vetter, guardians of the animals, are both World Peace Diet Facilitators. Teaching people
I don’t know about you, but I love spring bulbs (tulips, daffodils) that are planted in the fall. They are so reliable and cheerful and add color to a dreary spring landscape. But did you know that the shallow roots of bulbs keep grasses from moving into a food forest guild? Grasses, though planted deliberately
On this Earth Day, we think about other species. We all know that honeybees, such as the one feasting on this borage flower, are declining and that their pollination efforts are crucial to the success of the food we eat. We love to attract birds and insects to our edible landscaping, too. The tempting blossoms
Working With Nature Rather Than Against It Natural Forest A food forest mimics a forest edge that is planted with edible plants. Picture all of the vertical layers of a forest growing together: Tall trees, small trees, shrubs, herbs, and ground covers. Tall, canopy trees grow inward from the edge. Correspondingly, smaller trees peek out