Author Archives: Biologicalenrichment

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About Biologicalenrichment

I started a farm in the early 1980’s called Oikos Tree Crops. It was once a 13 acre pasture and with the help of many worldwide plants became a forest. Today I am dedicated more than ever to finding, preserving, creating and disseminating a wide variety of food plants via seeds that I harvest at my farm. I explore new plants and healthy ways to raise them. I currently focus my attention on my seed repository while providing seeds and bring these new discoveries to the public at large. My farm is one of the oldest and most diverse maintained tree crop plantings in the U.S. using many plants from around the world as a form of global agroforestry applied at a local level. Every plant grown on my farm is grown from seeds. I use the tree crop philosophy as a means to expand the use of perennial, woody tree and shrub crops raised from seed without the use of chemical and high energy inputs.The two story agriculture is alive and well at Oikos Tree Crops. This blog highlights ecological enrichment as a means to improve human health and raise awareness of the possibilities of creating a healthy earth and a wealthy farmer. My story is told by describing my 50 years of farming and life experiences surrounding agriculture filled with my love of nature and my constant search for a greater diversity beyond the cultivar on a global stage.

Perennial Solutions to Annual Problems

One of the constant challenges when faced with any horticultural endeavor is finding ways to eliminate or greatly reduce plants that are competing with your crop plant.  Here are a few examples of ways to enhance what nature has already … Continue reading

Posted in Diversity Found, Ecology-Biodiversity-Integration | Comments Off on Perennial Solutions to Annual Problems

Wood is Good:The dream of the American Chestnut

It was only by accident that I found an American chestnut tree one summer while doing yard work for a little extra money in my senior year in college.  The dried burrs I found beneath it made a great ornament … Continue reading

Posted in Ecology-Biodiversity-Integration | Comments Off on Wood is Good:The dream of the American Chestnut