FAMILY FOOD FOREST

What is my plan for my 3 acres? Actually I changed my vision to: What will my grand kids see when I am gone? What do I want to leave them?

Well I want to leave a food forest. Someplace to walk through that will provide shade, a place for reflection and memories of their time with me that will feed them.

How did I start...well I bought my farm 10 years ago without a vision. I did a lot of stuff that was hit miss and fail. I planted lots of trees and promptly killed them.

But in 2017 I got my vision! And I put it into action. I made my plan in writing. I bought 2 dry erase boards both of which are hanging in the hall. One is a to scale drawing of my farm. Each time I add something to the farm I draw it on the board.

The second is a running list of the trees and bushes I plant.

Yes I still do kill some and yes so do the bunnies. But I am getting better.

So far this year I have installed:
AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM...OR THE BEGINNING OF ONE..PS MAKE SURE THE PERSON YOU HIRE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND WARANTIES THEIR WORK
1 PINK LADY APPLE
1 HONEY CRISP APPLE
2 ALMONDS
4 HARDY KIWI (FROM TRACTOR SUPPLY...DON'T THINK THEY ARE ALIVE)
2 RED RASPBERRIES (AGAIN TRACTOR SUPPLY DON'T THINK THEY ARE EITHER)
4 MULBERRY TREES
2 ELDERBERRY BUSHES
25 SASSAFRAS TREES JUST ORDERED
I BUILT A BIG RED BARN ONE SIDE BEING CLAIMED BY THE GRAND KIDS FOR NOW...THEY ACTUALLY SLEEP IN THERE AND PLAY VIDEO GAMES
NEW ELECTRIC IS BEING RUN TO THE BARN THIS WEEK
DRAINAGE IS BEING PUT IN TO THE FRONT OF THE BARN AND A DRIVEWAY/PARKING AREA PUT IN
AT THE SAME TIME A LEVEL GRAVEL AREA WILL BE INSTALLED FOR WATER CATCHMENT TANKS

What I learned this year....is it worth the cost savings to buy tiny treelings? I am just not thinking it is. However if I have a green house it may be. So on the to buy list will be a good solid greenhouse or high tunnel.

Before the end of the year I hope to have the following planted:
2 pecan trees,
10 large blackberry bushes
10 hardy kiwi females and 2 males (have you tasted kiwi!!! wow)
2 goji berries

and the following projects completed:
3 frost free yard hydrants
pig pen built with auto feeder, hut and auto waterer
2 baby pigs purchased in the fall
5 batches of 60 meat chickens raised processed and in the freezer (first batch is now out on pasture)

This is a lot for a year for a single 57 year old woman with arthritis. I wish I had a farm hand once a week. I may need to make that a priority.

Guys some days I just don't want to get out of bed. But then I hear hungry cheeping and it gets me moving.

I love and hate planting trees. Hate digging holes but I love thinking about my grand kids and kids walking under them and picking fruit.

What motivates you with your life plans?