Food forest permaculture system on a previously abandoned 1/4 acre residential property in the city of Los Angeles.
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Fruit trees are irrigated with greywater and fertilized by chickens, who visit daily from their coops by tunnel. The chickens have regular access to Aprium, Apple, Mandarin Orange, Meyer Lemon, Peach, Pluerry and Plum trees.
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Moringa, a nutrient-dense supplemental food source, grows in abundance,
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Dried tobacco hanging from a Grevillea tree, which is being pruned over time to provide a living staircase for roof access.
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Grapes grow from a chicken pen, where composting results from occasional wetting and mulching of the pen floor rather than clearing it. The vine grows up a trellis that shades a south-facing staircase, and is constructed from Bamboo poles collected from a neighbor's garden. At least 50 pounds of grapes per year grow on this vine with minimal irrigation and no commercial inputs.
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Four types of bananas are grown around a greywater-fed mulch basin. Banana plants are cut down and composted in the central pit after fruiting, increasing soil fertility, water-holding capacity, and biomass. The plants and large leaves create a cool shady environment, reduce air temperature and increase moisture in an otherwise hot and dry southwest-facing microcllimate. They also shade and help insulate the house interior while providing privacy and an immersive view from the bedroom. -
Chickens for eggs, fertlizer, and many other functions.
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The mediterranean climate is perfect for growing citrus. Using greywater and chickens for irrigation and fertilizer the property includes Mandarin, Navel Orange, Eureka Lemon, Meyer Lemon, Key Lime, Tangelo, Makrut, Loquat, and Oro Blanco Grapefruit.
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Chickens have constant access by tunnel to a composting pen, where they deposit manure that is occasionally layered with wood chips and water. The composted manure is dug out as needed. Grape vines grow from the pen, feeding from the compost. No cleaning or additional maintenance is needed.
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Stairs and retaining walls are plastered with a mix of sifted clay-rich dirt, goat manure and straw (from a desert neighbor), fermented prickly pear paddle juice (for binding, smoothing and water resistance) and human hair (final coat).
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Dragonflies breed in the natural pool and are an important part of the food chain.
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Many useful and edible annual plants re-seed on their own every year.
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Solar panels and battery storage provide electricity for the property and prevent outages.
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Passionfruit vines grow up the side of the house onto a bamboo trellis that shades the southwest side of the deck and produces hundreds of fruits multiple times a year. The bamboo is harvested from the property and a neighbor's yard. The vines are irrigated with stored rainwater through a vermicomposting basin.