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What does it take to transform a bare paddock into a thriving food forest?
In this episode of White Strawberries, I’m joined by Jo Duff, co-founder of Kahikatea Farm, who shares the lessons she has learned after more than 20 years developing a three-acre food forest in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Jo and her family started with bare land — no water, driveway, or buildings — and slowly designed a productive ecosystem using permaculture principles, observation, and experimentation.
We discuss passive irrigation using swales, designing for dry climates, growing plants suited to your conditions, and why Jo would plant more densely if she was starting again.
🌱 What You’ll Discover
- How a bare paddock became a three-acre food forest
- Why observation should come before planting
- How swales can capture rainfall and support tree growth
- The importance of planting for function: biomass, fertility, food, medicine and habitat
- Why food forests are about creating a place to live, not just growing food
- Lessons Jo would apply if she started again
Jo also shares some of the plants that have worked well in her Hawke’s Bay climate, including comfrey, prickly pear, tree lucerne, globe artichokes and other multifunctional plants.
🔗 Resources Mentioned
Kahikatea Farm – Food Forest Nursery, Plants & Education
Kahikatea Farm plants mentioned in this episode:
Peaches
Dwarf Peach
Prickly Pear (Opuntia / Nopales)
Thornless Prickly Pear
Comfrey (biomass plant)
Russian Comfrey
Lemon Sorrel
Globe Artichoke (biomass plant)
Cardoon (biomass plant)
Willows (woody biomass)
Examples include Willow ‘Hiwinui’ and Willow ‘Tangoio’
Tree Lucerne / Tagasaste (biomass and nitrogen fixer)
Alder (nitrogen-fixing tree)
Chinese Alder
Yuccas
Buttercup Bush / Senna
Eucalyptus (support species / biomass)
Explore all Kahikatea Farm plants
Certified Organic Nursery – edible, useful and food forest plants
Join Kahikatea Farm for some onsite education.
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