Resilience / Future Planning / Being adaptive....

Resilience "I mean the ability deal effectively with disturbance, to bounce back and be adaptive in the face of change." Ben Falk.

I live in the Sonoran Desert and have an urban farm on 1/3 acre, though not technically a homestead...it is 'my' homesite. Climate change has already brought higher heat in the summer, weird weather (warm winter, then abnormally freezing temperatures), continued drought conditions....etc., here in the desert Southwest.

What might be some strategies for the future?

Here are some of the ideas I have pondered, would love your input Mr. Falk:

I have been thinking that it might be wise to plant more of the lowest chill hour deciduous trees to hopefully have them producing even though the chill hours have dropped super low. And, planting many more varieties so flowering irregularities will still work for pollination.

Utilizing more and different varieties of aquaponics systems to have a 'back-up' food production system if the 'in-ground' system can't survive the climatic changes, or doesn't produce as expected one or more seasons.

Continual planting of new fruit trees with the assumption that the lifetime of existing fruit trees may be shortened or drought conditions may cause some to suffer an early death.

All I can think of off the top of my head. Look forward to your comments....

Chris George
3rdAcreFarm / Scottsdale, AZ

Great question and yes, i would agree, those are good answers.
Would also add:
-Breed, breed and breed more. Plants and animals - help them evolve to changing conditions. Save seed and keep selecting.
-Water capture storage, as much possible.
-Soil building/Org. matter accumulation- as much as possible
-Shading, create high amounts and/or make it so you can release shade trees which are maintained as coppice/pollard normally until it gets too hot -that could be over multiple years more than in a single year.
-ensure cooling and address food storage issues relating to

And mulch mulch and mulch some more.
Urban area=massive mulch resource.
Did i mention mulching ?

Kidding, but really.
MULCH!

Thank you Mr. Falk!! Great suggestions and all very do-able! I have one question from your suggestions..."make it so you can release shade trees which are maintained as coppice/pollard normally until it gets too hot -that could be over multiple years more than in a single year." I'm not familiar with the terms 'coppice/pollard'...please explain further. Thanks!

Chris George
3rdAcreFarm / Scottsdale, AZ