NE OK (Tulsa and surrounding areas)

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Wondering how many of us have found the PERMIES!

I just joined myself yesterday.

hello from arkansas, this is my second post i'm a newbie, lol i was wondering if i was the only one around, lol

Excellent! I'm in Tulsa working while my land north of Sedan KS waits patiently for me...

I went thru Tulsa today. I think they will be done with construction on 44 ummmmm in the year 2525.

welcome, Oooharao! Glad to meet another newbie!

Ronie! You're so right! Road construction takes ffffffffoooooooorrrrrrrreeeeevvvvvveeeeeeerrrrr here! Oklahoma's infrastructure is downright humiliatingly bad! I hope you had a safe and joyous journey while you were here, tho'. Where were you traveling to on your way through?

And, Notomoro, where in Tulsa? I'm in Broken Arrow. I'd like to know more about establishing a food forest in these parts. (Which trees are best, etc).

I was in Pryor and had to go to Sapulpa then to Kansas City.. I had to go west 44 clear thru Tulsa and the new 6 lane has been needed for a long time. In the year 2525 when, they get done with 6 lanes all the way thru, it will be fantastic.

It was not too bad this time - 14 mins all the way through to where 66(Mission) splits with 44 on the west side. The 45 mph area is not very long now and was better than it has been in a long time. ...Now if they would just do something with 75 north..............

So do you have a little land in B.Arrow or how big food forest are you wanting?

Smiling here, at all you've said!

As for land in Broken Arrow, I have nothing. Just a small suburban lot with suburban home, the backyard of which holds my raised bed organic garden. FWiW: Raised bed gardening is nearly the opposite of the entire food foresting concept. I can't help feeling sometimes that the "compromise" was a giant step backwards.

Food foresting is a dream of mine. I have been begging my husband/family for a small piece of land for nearly a decade, half an acre to 5 acres, on which to attempt this dream. (And I would dearly love to include passive solar home design into my overall plans as well.) It must be said however, that he/they do not share my vision. They have difficulty appreciating my feeble attempts to explain such complex integrated systems.

The concept of food foresting really rang true to me, from the moment I first heard of it. I have purchased some books, watched some videos, etc, in an attempt to educate myself. But I have no experience with it, none whatsoever. Perhaps the universe delays because I am not yet ready.

I think the food forest is a good idea, but I have never studied it. I grew up with parents that lived through the dust bowl and great depression - so I think that many of the ideas and even permaculture are not new - just given a new name.

I think you are on the right track in looking into finding a little land and preparing a place to grow things. If the economy or any crazy world event makes it hard to use paper money to buy staples - then having a food forest, garden and a sack of beans might seem like a genius thing to have.

There may come a time when a person with an acre of land, some seeds and a few chickens, will be considered rich and a guy with a wheelbarrow full of cash - can't buy a dozen eggs.

If the economy picks up - having fresh home grown produce is still a fantastic money saving treat - and what better hobby or past time activity can provide so much good and potential and little to no bad side?

I tried raised garden beds a lot of years ago, but they dry out so quickly that they require lots of water and constant attention. I wouldn't return to the raised beds unless I had a lot more home time, an abundant water source, or poor soil that the raised beds would be easier than any other way to grow plants.

Wow, Ronie! EXACTLY!

And yes, the raised beds were due to poor city-lot soil, to help with weed control, etc. And they are 100% dependent upon constant maintenance!

Food foresting requires a natural water source (spring, stream, etc). It's essentially emulating a natural rain forest, except that it's tilted toward food production. So the leaf litter from above becomes the mulch for below. The roots of the trees carry water from the stream to surrounding areas. Vines are coaxed up tall trees. Every layer has a purpose: Canopy, understory, shrub, herbaceous, ground cover, root crops, viners - both horizontal and vertical. All the waste/litter of the system goes back into the system. The water is naturally deviated around the property as necessary to ensure survival of the water intensive crops, into shallow retaining ponds, etc. When designed properly, it's entirely self-maintaining and will outlive you! I love that idea! Especially, if as you say, worse does come to worse. More lives than my own may come to depend on it. That's my chief motivation for wanting to implement it, as soon as possible.

It's a fascinating system! I just wish I understood its complexities a little bit more.

Wow. It sounds like you know quite a lot about the food forest to me. I just let nature run its course and try to coax an increase in some of the things I like best - like raspberries and stinging nettles.

They talk a lot on the permaculture forums about Hugeculture for moisture retention and to improve poor soils.. Where I live they recommend to NOT bury wood like that because of termites - so I'm not going to try it right now. If I build my next place out of materials that termites don't eat, I may try the hugeculture - folks around here swear by its benefits.

Yes, here in NE OK burying wood is out of the question. We have massive termite issues! But the idea of getting organic, water-retaining material into soil is not new! Anything you have access to which achieves the end result is worth pursuing. You may have to do a little creative, out-of-the-box thinking. But I'll bet you can find something that will work.

Yes, that's true. I bury last years compost in the spring - even if it's not completely composted into humus. I never really thought abut it before, but I guess I could bury large dead weeds. Tree leaves buried might hold a lot of moisture..

MoniDew
"And, Notomoro, where in Tulsa? I'm in Broken Arrow. I'd like to know more about establishing a food forest in these parts. (Which trees are best, etc). "

I am in Owasso, having moved from Broken Arrow last summer. I'm still learning about food forests too, but like you, I am fascinated with the simplicity of it. I've got some land north of Sedan KS that I am working with, soon to move there in maybe 5 years. My food forest area will be about 1.5 acres. The land there now is very compacted with weak grasses and tons of lespedeza. I need to chisel plow it a few times to un-compact it, over plant a cover crop something like hairy vetch, soy beans and alfalfa, then plant trees. If I keep mowing the cover crop down and chisel plow a few more times I think the top soil will improve to help the bushes and perreniel veggies I'll put in. The forest site is on a slight hill so I plan on controlling water run off with hugelkulture berms. Lotta big plans and hard work but I am very excited about this!!!

I don't blame you, Notomoro! That sounds very exciting!! I'm so happy for you!

I live in Tulsa and am just getting started. I bought an acre in the NE section of urban Tulsa, 11th and S Mingo area. This is not ideal, but I am on my second year with a small raised bed garden and have been researching and experimenting. My knowledge is not vast yet, but I am willing to learn. Is there any planning for classes, or a meetup to exchange ideas?

I live near downtown Tulsa in a large historic house in Brady Heights. We rent out some of the rooms and I was just thinking how great it would be to get some other people interested in permaculture to rent out rooms. We have purchased four lots around our house and are starting an edible food forest. Planted over 40 trees this winter and lots of other things. Just let me know if you know anyone who is interested in a place to stay and observe and learn from nature with us.