Justin's site review

I'm posting for an upcoming site review of my property where Paul will attempt to make my cry. I have about 3.1 acres about an acre of which is currently woods. The main goals of the property are to grow all the food I eat, produce all the fire wood, and building materials I need, and mow as little as possible. One of biggest limitations I see is much of the property is nearly pure sand and although it has the perfect amount of moisture in the late winter and early spring it dries out fast.

Common species in the woods: silver maple, japanese honeysuckle, black locust, white mulberry, common hoptree, black cherry, I think some willow near the creek and few others I haven't identified.

I'm slowly working on changing the woods to trees of higher value to wild life. I made two small clearings and planted american chestnut early this year one died. And I'm working on planting gooseberry and current in the clearing around the living one. I also planted 3 pawpaw trees. In the future I plan to plant sugar maple seeds and acorns. And other stuff I don't know about yet.

Common plants growing around the property: johnson grass! lots and lots of johnson grass, in early spring I see lots of black medic, common soapwort, later there is queen ann's lace, late boneset, common ragweed, horseweed, hairy white oldfield aster, carolina horsenettle, blue mistflower, american trumpet vine, purple lovegrass, mullein, white vervain, tall bellflower, goldenrod, red and white clover, blackeyed susan, wild brambes, callery pear tree, and mulberry trees and many other things I havent identified.

Questions:
How well does hugelkultur work in sand without irrigation? Does it really make sense for growing trees on big mounds? Seems better suited to veg and berries

How can I grow from seed without irrigation?

Should I dig small pits around the seed to move more water to it?

I have lots of woodchips will spreading them out over pure sand help me grow trees from seed in that area? (I know Paul hates woodchips but I got these before I heard him bash them but I'm assuming they are not too contaminated because red clover grows in and around them)

What was Paul's layout for tree root patterns? Part of the property to the east of the house I'm looking at turning into a forest for firewood and building material, the soil is pure sand down to six feet where gray clay is found. Trees I'm looking at black locust, mulberry, chestnut and hazelnut. The plan was to cut on a coppice rotation and a harvest of food in-between would be awesome.

Is it even necessary to do a coppice rotation for firewood with a rmh?

Will huckleberries grow in Indiana on my sandy site? Will they taste different because of the lower elevation?

Best conifers to improve the soil for huckleberries and blueberries? Nut pines?

I have a hedge row near the orchard of almost straight johnson grass. I would like to turn this area into a wild flower garden thoughts and ideas? I've already scythed the grass this past spring moved it over and planted seeds but of course the johnson grass came back and took over.

We planted a garden for the first time this year based on the square foot garden book. We lost all the squash and melons to squash bugs and powdery mildew ideas?  

In the aerial map the blue box the connects to the house is a weld wire fence, the pink lines are an attempt to set up a orchard as per the permaculture orchard dvd, the blue line going to the house is the water and power lines, the brown box and lines are the septic system and the large patches of what look like bare earth are huge piles of woodchips.

forgot one photo

more photos for the site review