Growing our Grove

 You may know that our goal at Third-Acre Farm is to explore permaculture in sub-urban settings, and one of the most overlooked perennial food sources, I believe, is trees. In fact, one of our areas of focus is "food forests," which implies the presence of trees right in the name. So today I want to put a spotlight on the trees we are growing.

Fruit and Nut Trees:

Reliance Peach: late blooming to avoid deadly frosts. Moderate freezing hours. Free stone. Great for eating fresh or canning.

Persimmon: described as a cold tolerant tropical fruit. A tough skin and soft flesh that is described as tasting like honey.

Mulberry: a prolific producer that grows fruits that look like blackberries, which the taste also resembles. 

Butternut (White Walnut): a Walnut without the bitter or astringent bite. Tree sap can be cooked into syrup.

Flowering Trees:

Eastern Redbud: named for the beautiful leaf buds this tree produces in the spring. The buds are edible when picked young.

Shade Trees: 

Red Maple: A fast growing maple tree with beautiful red foliage. Tree sap can be cooked into syrup.

Sugar Maple: produces a sap with a 2% sugar content. Tree sap can be cooked into syrup.

Paper Birch: The papery bark of this tree has been used for building material for centuries. It can also be dried and ground into a flour. Tree sap can be cooked into syrup or drank fresh. 

Weeping Willow: the bark of the Willow tree is filled with Salicylic Acid, which is a precursor to asprin. Chewing on the bark can reduce inflammation, manage pain, and help control heartburn.

Bald Cypress: most often recognized as the tree growing out of the swamps in the coastal south, this tree also thrives in dryer conditions. A fast grower, this is one of the only deciduous conifer natural to the US. The needles turn brilliant orange in the winter before they drop.