The Faber Forest Project
From field to forest.Purpose
Live out my dreams of being a farmer and of producing food from my own land. Learning how to care for plants in a way that also cares for the soil and the animals, promoting diversity and robust abundance.
Vision
- Convert this field in Kent (England) into an edible food forest landscape.
- Intrigue people to visit and learn more about sustainable permaculture and alternative small scale farming.
- Promote these ideas and values throughout the UK.
Goals
- Year 1 - Plant the top 1/3 of the field with the broad spectrum of species at the density of a forest.
- Year 2 - Cover the next 1/3 of the field with seeds started from Year 1. Continue bushing out the first 1/3.
- Year 3 - Cover the final 1/3 of the field with seeds started from the first two thirds. Continue bushing the previous thirds.
- Year 5 - The first 1/3 should now have matured into a thriving forest.
Plan
This project started in September 2024, when I acquired the field. My plan is to document this process best I can, in a way that doesn't take away from any time working on the field. Going in, I don't have much, if any, prior experience in farming or tree planting. I'm going for an experimental approach and learning as I go, using mostly hand tools and my own (wo)manpower.
This first winter I'm planting as many trees and hedges as I can while in the dormant period, with the hopes that they'll take off in spring. My main risks are the large rabbit and deer population that roam the area. They will eat and destory any tree or plant that is within their reach.
Wish me luck. :)
Timeline
5 October 2024
This week I’ve been prioritising my land, my food forest; pending an official name. Now I’ve completed on it, it’s officially mine, about 3.5 acres of land. Estimated size is 40m by 200m…
Introduction to the Forest Plan
Here I will be documenting the journey from converting a field into a forest. In the summer of 2024, I purchase 3.5 acres of land in Kent, England. I
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