Humboldt Society

Our April 10 will feature a film by Robert Hart. Some 40 years ago, Robert Hart had a vision of planting a small food producing forest, which could fulfill the needs of a healthy diet and at the same time create a beautiful and ecologically sound environment. His ides, based on tropical forest gardens, combined maximum productivity with minimum labor. Hart’s garden serves as a model of what can be achieved in any backyard. This film explores Hart’s practical and philosophical ideas , and goes on to look at two other projects inspired by the principles of forest gardening. On a windy plot in Cornwall, Ken Fern has set up a farm that could influence the human/plant relationship for generations to come. Fern grows 1,500 species of useful perennial plants. His goal is to create a garden that satisfies a variety of needs-above all,enjoyment. Meanwhile in a suburban setting, Mike and Julia Guerra have created a tiny garden that produces an inspiring bounty of food. Working as little as two hours a week, they produce for six months of the year by combining the techniques of permaculture design, forest gardening, and organic growing. For more details see the Meeting tab above. –Stephen Maciejewski