Frequently Asked Questions

A Mini Food Forest is designed to grow into a self-sustaining, resilient system over time. It’s a densely planted ecosystem that mimics a natural forest and that can also produce food. Unlike traditional gardens or forests, these islands of biodiversity combine vegetable and annual plants with perennial edible plants, fruit trees, supportive species, and also long-living "future trees" that can thrive for generations. Together, they work to enrich the soil, attract wildlife, and create a balanced, climate-resilient environment.

Our method combines the principles of Agroforestry, Syntropic Agriculture and the Miyawaki Method to create thriving, biodiverse ecosystems that improve soil health, water retention, and local biodiversity—all while producing food along its journey. Each Mini Food Forest grows in resilience, supporting life and restoring land health over time.

Most Mini Food Forests are self-sustaining after 2–3 years. With some training, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to care for your forest independently and confidently manage your regenerative system. During this time—and beyond if needed—we’re always here to offer guidance and support to ensure your forest thrives for years to come.

Our consulting services support you at every stage. We assess your land, provide customized advice on design, plant selection, water management, and work with you to create a vibrant, living system that fits your needs. Whether you’re interested in the Biggest Mini Forest method or other agroforestry techniques, we offer both online and onsite support to help you make the most of your land.

Absolutely! A Mini Food Forest can be adapted to small and mid-size farms, eco-resorts, and wellness centers, providing a productive and sustainable ecosystem. While the modular Mini Food Forest system is ideal for small-scale implementation, it can also be integrated into larger agroforestry systems to balance biodiversity and production efficiency.

For larger-scale operations, Mini Food Forests can be strategically combined with more conventional agroforestry approaches, such as row-based tree planting. This allows for:

• Optimized Farm Logistics – By interspersing Mini Food Forest plots between crop rows or orchard lines, farmers can maintain standardized operations while enhancing soil fertility and pest resilience naturally.

• Improved Crop Productivity – The presence of diverse species supports pollination, improves soil structure, and increases moisture retention, creating healthier conditions for high-value crops.

• Regenerative Impact on Established Orchards – Mini Food Forests can be planted within or around existing orchards to improve soil fertility, attract beneficial insects, and strengthen tree health over time.

This approach merges the efficiency of structured agroforestry with the resilience of biodiverse ecosystems, offering a scalable and regenerative alternative to monoculture.

You can begin with as little as 9 square meters: a standard 2m x 2m (4m²) module of perennial species, surrounded by a 0.5m border of annual plants. This modular “block” design lets you expand at your own pace, adding more units as you go to create an interconnected forest over time.

Yes! Integrating a Mini Food Forest into an orchard or monoculture setup is a powerful way to bring regenerative benefits to traditional agriculture. Adding biodiverse, densely planted patches creates “booster zones” that attract pollinators, natural pest predators, and enrich the soil with organic matter, improving nutrient availability and water retention.

These patches create microclimates, protect crops from extreme weather, and foster a balanced, self-sustaining ecosystem. Over time, they boost the health and productivity of surrounding crops, reduce reliance on chemicals, and transform conventional setups into more resilient, biodiverse landscapes in harmony with nature.

Our model is built on a flexible, modular approach that allows you to start small and expand, like “Lego blocks,” into a larger, thriving forest. It combines edible plants, supportive species, and future trees to adapt to various climates and spaces, creating a resilient ecosystem that works with nature and can grow to meet your needs.

Mini Food Forests offer a range of benefits, including:

• Boosting Biodiversity – Attracting pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife, strengthening the entire ecosystem.

• Regenerating Soil & Retaining Water – Improving soil fertility, increasing organic matter, and enhancing its water-holding capacity.

• Restoring the Water Cycle – Deep roots break up compacted soil, allowing rainwater to soak in instead of running off, replenishing groundwater and preventing erosion.

• Food Security & Self-Sufficiency – Empowering individuals and communities to grow their own food, reducing dependence on external sources.

• A Living, Thriving Space – Creating a vibrant green sanctuary that allows connection with nature, bringing well-being, and local resilience.

You’ll see growth and some food production within months, but a Mini Food Forest typically becomes self-sustaining in 2–3 years. By that time, it’s a thriving, balanced ecosystem that requires less maintenance and offers increasing benefits like biodiversity, and resilience against extreme weather events.

Our experts assess your land conditions to recommend plants and trees that will thrive in your environment. We consider factors such as soil type and microbiology, sunlight exposure, and local climate to ensure the best choices for your plantations and eventually for the Mini Food Forests you will create there. While we have extensive experience with Mediterranean climate conditions and species, our methodology can be applied to a wide range of climates and different species that will fulfill their roles in your specific conditions.