The Kiwi Way: Exploring Brett’s Omanawa Food Forest
Brett’s approach to creating a food forest in Omanawa is something special. He’s all about a laid-back, true-blue Kiwi style—keeping things simple, genuine, and totally approachable. This time, he once again opened his epic food forest, giving us all a front-row seat to his fascinating experiments in syntropic agroforestry.
His property is packed with incredible trees, including towering avocados, juicy citrus, and sweet apples. There’s also a bunch of tropical delights like papaya, sapote, and bananas. You’ll find rows of all sorts of fruit and nut trees, from peaches and plums to almonds, all bursting with goodness.
A Masterclass in Syntropic Agroforestry
What makes Brett’s food forest so unique is his use of syntropic methods. The syntropic rows aren’t just for fruit; they’re “chocka” with a variety of support plants. You’ll see things like comfrey, Jerusalem artichokes, and tithonia, all working together to create a self-sustaining ecosystem.
During our visit, we picked up some wicked knowledge about setting up a food forest in Aotearoa, the benefits of companion planting, and how to encourage optimal tree growth. It was a massive hit last summer, and for those who missed out, it was just as “mint” this time around!
Brett’s food forest is a testament to what can be achieved with a simple, practical approach. It’s inspiring to see how his laid-back methods are creating a thriving and productive space.
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