Our Forest Farming Manifesto

Farming as the Forest 

We believe that the forest is an inspiration for how we can farm. What we call forest farming has many names and different variations across the world, most notably developed and propagated by Ernst Goestch as Syntropic Farming in Brazil. Whilst there are many different approaches, we have learnt from various teachers and have adapted from our lessons on this journey. Still learning as we go, we are creating our own manifesto for forest farming.

1. Trees

A first glance at a forest teaches us our first lesson for farming: trees. There are many ways we can introduce trees into a farm (commonly known as agroforestry), depending on the main crop we are seeking, whether it’s in rows in between arable alleys and orchards or as woodlands for animals. Forest farming takes us beyond agroforestry as we go deeper into the complexity and abundance of the forest.

Methods - We plant tree rows every 3 metres, 6 metres or 9 metres, depending on the farming focus.

2. Biodiversity

The key differentiating point beyond agroforestry starts with biodiversity. Forests thrive because of diversity, not because of trees. The way the ecosystem grows to be able to sustain more life is by having a variety of species, each performing different functions. In our food forests, we introduce as much variety as possible and we also allow nature’s volunteers to grow (we don’t believe in weeds). We often have hundreds of species per acre throughout all levels of the ecosystem. On our farm, we currently aim to produce mushrooms, salads, vegetables, herbs, fruits, nuts, timber, ducks, geese and pigs. 

Methods - We plant a minimum of 50 species per acre.

3. Levels

The cross-section of a forest shows us how different species grow at different levels, and each level is important to the forest's health. We therefore aim to plant our food forests so that we occupy as many growing levels. Not only does this increase biodiversity, but it also increases our potential for crops. A basic breakdown of levels looks like this: large mother trees, such as a walnut or oak, smaller trees such as fruit trees, bushes such as berry bushes, vegetables and herbs, and finally fungi. 

Methods - We plant a minimum of five stratifications in our tree rows.

4. Succession

Evolution, the reason we are here today, is a constant process in nature. Traditional agriculture resets the land every year and replants the desired crop, although we believe this is necessary for certain crops, and we also do it, for example, with our beetroot. It is important that the wider ecosystem of our forest farm is constantly evolving. The more the ecosystem is allowed to evolve, the more life it will be able to hold and that leads to more food production. Forest Farming is a future for agriculture where the next generations will have more food than the ones before. 

Methods - A densely planted, perennial system means that each year there will be more food than the year before.

5. Closed Fertility 

A developed and healthy forest will continue to create more fertility for itself if allowed to grow - the rainforest doesn’t need fertiliser. As more life enters the ecosystem, the soil becomes healthier and mulch from the canopies is readily available. The more the forest develops, the less you need to add external fertility. This creates zero input, resilient farming systems. At the start of our systems, we use local mulches because a regeneration of a degenerated land is required; however, quickly the forest will self-fertilise.

Methods - We allow for organic inputs if needed to regenerate land in years 1-3, whilst the biomass in the forest is still growing, after which we should be using just mulch from what is growing on the farm.  

6. Pests and Disease

Pests and diseases are a perception of the human-farming mind. Pests are often insects or bugs and diseases are often fungi or bacteria. They are all part of nature and are important in a healthy ecosystem. They each thrive in a particular context, and when we respect diversity has a useful place and time. When farmers see them becoming a problem is always in monoculture, where there is an unbalanced ecosystem of just one crop. Evolution and nature always want to create more diversity and more abundance. If there is an unbalanced presence of one crop, we will quickly see “pests and diseases”. If we have diversity, the different plants, insects, bacteria and so on support each other, keeping our ecosystem in balance. 

Methods - No pesticides or herbicides of any kind.

7. No naked soil 

The forest never has naked soil. The natural mulches from the canopy and pioneer species are constantly keeping the ground covered. 

Methods - Cover crops or mulch are always on the soil.

8. Leave the soil

The soil is very minimally disturbed in a natural forest, unless by animals, such as pigs. We therefore seek not to disturb the soil and to follow the natural order.

Methods - We don’t turn mulch into the soil; instead place it on top to allow for natural decomposition. For the annual field scale, we only use mechanised soil preparation in year 1.