I'm a belgian who has moved to Sicily, Italy. Since 2010 on a 5ha plot of land I'm putting back an abandoned farm in working order. Part of it lies next to a river, another part is a plain halfup the hill. Big part of the slope is terraced by dry-stone walls.
The land has never been transformed into a monoculture of species but has been build up logic. Near the river are the trees which are in need of more water like walnuts, citrus, loquats, kaki... also a small vegetable garden is here. Uphill are olives, almonds and carob trees. Scattered around are some apple, apricot, pear, pistachio, pomegranate, myrtle, mulberry etc.
By adding other species like avocado, white sapote, cherimoya, guava,... and experiment with permaculture guilds I am transforming this current situation into a food forest.
More concrete: the walnut guild, alley cropping, mulching, using nitrogen fixing trees, on contour planting...
The goal is to enhance biodiversity, become an educational, demonstrative and working permaculture project (not just words but action), self sufficiency and off grid living.
I grow vegetables for own use and make my own marmalade and dryed fruits.
There are also two old buildings on the land. I already started rebuilding parts of it. By using local material (like cane) and traditional building techniques i want to keep it as ecologic as possible.
