It’s been a long three years.

I left my North Florida food forest behind in 2016 and moved to Central America, fully intending on buying some land and getting started on a new food forest that same year.

It didn’t happen. We borrowed land only to lose it and tried to buy a one-acre lot only to have the owner change his mind. For a while we gardened on a small lot, then were told it would soon be developed and we’d have to move on.

Someone told me they wanted a food forest, so I started one for them, cutting down lots of shrubby trees and getting ready to plant – and then they changed their minds.

Then, at long last, we managed to snag our half-acre of the tropics. It wasn’t as big as I would have liked, but the soil was rich and there were already some fruit trees growing.

We closed on the land in December and I have been waiting patiently for the rainy season so I could start planting.

The rain is finally here.

On Saturday I turned 40. When Rachel asked what I wanted to do, my first response was “well, I suppose we could go look at coffins!”

…but that was a joke. I told her what I really wanted to do was start planting our new food forest.

So we did – and filmed it.

The wonderful thing about this new food forest is that the plants cost me nothing. For the last few years of renting I have been starting seeds and cuttings, filling up our porch with a variety of tropical delights. Now we’re putting them in the ground! Cashew, acerola cherry, chocolate pudding fruit, canistel… there is a wonderful array of plants, all free!

Check out the new video here – you’ll see.

If you want to learn more about propagating plants and growing your own food forest for free, you’ll enjoy my new book Free Plants for Everyone: The Good Guide to Plant Propagation.