When I saw the email about your book, I became so excited! I thought "This just might be what I need!" My husband and I have just purchased 1.5 acres here in North East Alabama, and over half of it is established woodland.
Most of the information and advice that I find on starting a food forest are geared toward starting from scratch. There doesn't seem to be a lot out there for converting an already well established woodland.
My husband and I figure we'll go at it a little bit at a time. The first priority is, of
course, to identify what's out there. Then, to clear what we don't want (or what is not beneficial to us) recycling it into
compost -or forest flooring as it were.
Things I have identified thus far are as follows: Mimosa Tree, Willow Tree, Pine Tree, some form of Wild Blackberry (Dewberry?), Honeysuckle. Staghorn Sumac Tree, Sweet Gum Tree, and Pecan Tree. That's just what I can see from the back
yard.
We are probably going to wait until the cool weather sets in before trompsing out through there as we have no clue what we might find (so far wasps and yellow jackets seem to prevail on the property).
Some things I've thought of adding are Maple
Trees, Ginkgo Trees,
Black Locust Trees, Paw Paw Trees, Autumn Olive, Kousa Dogwood, and of course an assortment of fruiting and nut trees and shrubs that do well around here. I'm sure my plan will flesh out more as I go and as I learn.
That being said, congratulations on your book! It looks AWESOME and extremely helpful!!!
