Turning Your Backyard into a Food Forest with Dani Baker

Turning Your Backyard into a Food Forest with Dani Baker

Author: Susan Poizner, OrchardPeople.com June 28, 2022 Duration: 41:43

Learn how to transform your backyard into a food forest, integrating existing fruit trees and shrubs into the design. Dani Baker, author of The Home-Scale Forest Garden: How to Plan, Plant and Tend a Resilient Edible Landscape is our show guest. Dani is the owner of Cross Island Farms in Wellesley Island, NY and the creator of The Enchanted Edible Forest.

The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website http://www.orchardpeople.com.

 

Formerly known as the Urban Forestry Radio Show, from germination in January 2016 until December 2023, we have grown over the years, thanks to the collective knowledge and collaboration of our monthly guests, organizations, and audience from around the world.

 

We offer something for everyone to support your fruit tree care journey, whether you prefer to learn through listening, watching, and/or reading.

 

RADIO SHOW and PODCAST - FOUR WAYS TO TUNE IN

Join our live show on the last Tuesday of every month at 1:00 PM ET and submit your questions and comments!

Can’t make it live? No worries – catch the podcast later.

 

Here’s how:

 

NEWSLETTER

Do you want to learn to grow fruit trees successfully, organically, and beyond?

Sign up for the free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/

 

PREMIUM EDUCATION

Are you ready to dig deeper and further your relationship with your fruit trees?

Visit https://learn.orchardpeople.com/ for five-star rated premium fruit tree care education.

 

CONNECT AND GROW WITH US

We continually adapt our presence to the communities that resonate with us.

Check out the current ways to connect with us in the footer ↓
Let’s grow together!


  • (00:00) - Introduction to Community Orchards
  • (00:51) - Introducing Dani Baker and Her Book
  • (01:38) - Understanding Food Forests
  • (03:11) - Planning and Challenges of Food Forests
  • (04:50) - Benefits of Food Forests
  • (05:54) - Steps to Create a Food Forest
  • (07:34) - Audience Questions and Answers: Origin of the guest's name Dani, Species to Consider and Considerations of Species, First Step of Food Forest Preparation
  • (11:12) - Nitrogen Fixing Plants for Food Forests
  • (18:52) - Nutrient Accumulators and Their Benefits
  • (20:27) - Revamping the Garden: Dandelions' Role
  • (21:49) - Listener Questions: Food Forest Planning
  • (22:57) - Cover Crops and Soil Management
  • (25:22) - Maintenance and Labor in Food Forests
  • (26:30) - Permaculture and Climate Change
  • (29:10) - Integrating Herbs for Pollinators
  • (32:06) - Empathy in Gardening: A Psychologist's Perspective
  • (34:45) - Practical Tips for Food Forest Success
  • (38:22) - Exploring the Enchanted Edible Forest
  • (41:20) - Conclusion and Book Promotion

Imagine stepping into your own backyard and picking a perfect, sun-warmed apple from a tree you nurtured yourself. That tangible connection to the land and the deep satisfaction of growing your own food is at the heart of Orchard People. Hosted by fruit tree care educator Susan Poizner, this podcast digs into the practical and often surprising world of cultivating fruit trees, whether you have a few pots on a balcony or several acres to explore. Each episode feels like a thoughtful conversation with a knowledgeable friend, as Susan and her guests unpack the nuances of pruning for better harvests, managing pests without harsh chemicals, and understanding the life beneath our feet through soil health. You’ll hear from specialists on topics like grafting heirloom varieties, designing resilient food forests, and integrating permaculture principles into any space. It’s more than just tips and tricks; it’s about building confidence and community around sustainable growing. Tune in to this garden-focused podcast for grounded advice that helps both new and experienced growers foster healthier trees and more abundant yields, season after season.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Orchard People
Podcast Episodes
Fool Proof Apple Preservation with Melissa K Norris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:16
What do you do with your bumper crop of apples? In this episode, learn how to can apples easily while keeping your loved ones safe from risks like botulism and mold! Our guest is homesteading and canning expert Melissa K…
Fruit Tree Pruning Techniques with Tom Spellman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:47
In this episode, Susan Poizner talks to Tom Spellman of Dave Wilson Nursery in Hickman California about the book "How to Prune Fruit Trees and Roses". Tom is one of a team of experts who have updated and revised the clas…
Hybrid Persimmons with Darren Bender-Beauregard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:18
Once you had to choose: Either grow American persimmons that are hardy, but not great for fresh eating - or grow the sweet and tasty Asian persimmons that thrived in warmer climates. Well, now you can enjoy the best of b…
Regenerative Fruit Tree Sprays with Nigel Palmer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:03
Learn how to turn fermented plant juice, eggshells and other locally sourced materials into effective fruit tree fertilizers with Nigel Palmer, author of The Regenerative Grower's Guide to Garden Amendments: Using locall…
Multi-Fruit Trees with Javier Rivera [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:13
Javier Rivera of Stone River Nursery in Central Florida talks about the potential of grafting when creating multi-cultivar trees, fruit salad trees, and even trees that grow in places that you wouldn't expect them to - l…
Protecting Fruit Tree Blossoms from Frost with Kevin Folta [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:27
If you want to enjoy a harvest, you need to protect the blossoms on your fruit tree from late season freezing events. Learn how to do that with Dr Kevin Folta, Department Chair, Horticultural Sciences Department, Univers…
Fig Propagation with Sam Hubert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:24
Learn how to find and propagate wild fig trees with Sam Hubert, a passionate "fig hunter" and nursery manager of One Green World Nursery and Garden Center in Portland Oregon.The host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and…
Foodscaping with Matt Lebon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:42
If you love growing fruit trees and other edible plants, you might consider a career as a "foodscaper." Matt Lebon of Customfoodscaping.com talks about how to transform a garden into an edible oasis and about his upcomin…