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Food Forest “Chop and Drop”

Even though I would like to see more rain the “wet season” is here. This means that rainfall is higher than evaporation so it is time to “chop and drop”. This saying is a permaculture saying meaning that we cut back our support species and drop them on the ground to accelerate the natural forest floor buildup and to cycle the nutrients and carbon.The first photo is a “before” shot and the next not so brilliant shot is an “after “.

Food Forest Chop and Drop 01

Food Forest Chop and Drop 02

I was very impressed with the growth since last year showing that there is a marked improvement in the biomass. This is actually a poor fertility piece of soil and since the food forest was initiated it has improved so much.

This was the first maintenance since this time last year . It took two people one hour , gotta love this concept. The main carbon species- mugwort and tulsi basil. Both grow whether wet or dry and both beat grass! In this section main legume-icecream bean. Too easy.

Bye Tom

p.s some fungi I came across today. So many different ones at the moment.

Food Forest Chop and Drop 03

Food Forest Chop and Drop 04

For more great articles by Tom, please visit https://diyfoodandhealth.com/

Tom Kendall

Tom Kendall is a permaculture farmer with a lifelong broad acre agricultural background. He is co-founder of the PRI Sunshine Coast Inc and PRI Luganville, Vanuatu and runs PDC and Practical Life Skills training courses on his Permaculture Demonstration Site “Maungaraeeda”. He is part of the Permaculture Sustainable Consulting team and does regular personal consultations. He has extensive experience in tropical, sub tropical and dry land climates and has the ability to read large scale as well as smaller scale landscapes. With his farming background, Tom is a very hands on and practical man and is solution focused. He has extensive travel experience, integrates easily with local cultures and people and enjoys studying landscapes, buildings and the effects of climate on structures, flora and fauna.

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