HARDY PEACHES, KIWIS, (12 SPACES)
Edible Forest in Fargo will feature many fruit trees, prove they can be grown in-state
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STORAGE (existing)
ENTRY GARDENS
BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU
pple trees are a staple on family farms in North Dakota. But how about peach trees? Apricots? Kiwis? Tart cherries? Butternut? That’s one of the goals of the Edible Forest, which will break ground this spring in north Fargo. The forest, which will have 21 species of fruit trees with 70 cultivars, is part of the Northern Plains Botanic Gardens (NPBG). “It’s an educational garden,” said Brandi Malarkey, who is part of the Edible Forest task force. “There is so much focus on local food right now — it’s very much a hot topic.” The forest will have numerous benefits to both producers and consumers, said Vern Hunter, who is president of the NPBG board. Not only will it be tranquil and beautiful, it’ll be free to the public. The forest is on Fargo Park District land. “As a garden society, we look at it as a beauty spot where you can come and relax and walk the path and watch the birds,” Hunter said. “The added value is the produce and what comes of it. We can teach people how to grow what’s here.” The concept started almost a decade ago with Jim Walla of Northern Tree Specialties and James Hanson of Hanson Design and Associates. It was previously thought that it would go on National Park Service land, but that didn’t work out and it was put off until recently. The task force received a boost when they were given a $33,000 matching grant from the Outdoor Heritage Fund that jump-started the process. “If it wasn’t for the Outdoor Heritage Fund, we wouldn’t be going forward right now,” Wolla said. Bob Kuylen, who is vice president of North Dakota Farmers Union, sits on the Outdoor Heritage Fund board. He said the Edible Forest will be good for education on conservation in agriculture. “It’ll help educate people on the trees they can grow in our environment, and they’ll learn how to properly take care of them,” Kuylen said. “It’s all for the greater good of conservation in agriculture. Maybe some can do some farmers’ markets and have fruits there instead of just vegetables.” Mindy Grant de Herrera, who is director of educational programs for the Foundation for Agricultural and Rural Resource Management and Sustainability(FARRMS), said the Edible Forest is to “showpiece the possibility” of what farmers could be
GREENHOUSE (existing)
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2a3 APPLE
BOTANIC GARDEN EXPANSION
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EDIBLE FOREST MAIN ENTRY
GROUP GATHERING & ORIENTATION
JUNEBERRY
FUTURE
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POLLIN GAR
JAPANESE GARDEN EXPA
growing on the side. “We all know that people like to have things they plant in their yard — the classic is an apple tree,” Grant de Herrera said. “People don’t often broaden out beyond that. The edible forest will show that all of these (fruits) can exist within our foodscape. There probably aren’t many younger generations anymore that remember picking chokecherries with their grandparents. It’s something I remember. This supports farmers being able to diversify and sell within their own communities.” Within a few weeks, construction will start, said Hanson. That includes the installation of pathways, the lawn and an irrigation system. A perimeter fence to keep rabbits out will follow. “We’d like to have the grading done, a pathway in and the lawn seeded by June 15,” Hanson said. “Then have the summer to put in edging for planting beds.”
