For those finding this post for the first time, OP is now an admin of https://lemmy.vg/ which is a Lemmy instance run by vegans for vegans.

Which Köppen-Geiger or Trewartha climate zone? USDA hardiness zone 13b could be the Brazilian Amazon or the southern coast of Tamil Nadu or somewhere in Somalia… If I recommend mangosteen, and you live in Somalia, then I’m complicit in the death of the queen. Specific climate info please!

That was fast! The leaves are slightly different than the photo there on Wikipedia, but perhaps Palicourea elata? The genus seems right. Thanks!

It most certainly is NOT Chrysophyllum cainito, but thanks for trying. Those are some beautiful photos.

Thank you for taking the time!

OP: Whenever you’re looking for a specific plant, it helps to give the scientific name, as many plants share vernacular names or go by different vernacular names in different areas. I think that “white clover” pretty much always refers to Trifolium repens, but including the scientific name is still a “best practice” to keep in mind.

For anyone else reading, Fedco (Not Sponsored™) sells bulk white clover seed in the USA:

• Dutch white clover
• Alice white clover
• Ladino white clover
• Rivendell white clover

Where does the biomass come from that’s being referenced?

Referenced where exactly? Biomass in humanure comes from… well, your rear end. Biomass in syntropic agriculture is formed through photosynthesis, either in the plants deliberately grown on the farm or in native species used for chop-and-drop.

Is external fertilizer needed after the food for us to set up?

Unless the soil is severely depleted of micronutrients (e.g. calcium, magnesium, trace minerals), no external fertiliser should be required. Carbon comes from photosynthesis, nitrogen comes from microbial fixation, and phosphorus and potassium are usually not the limiting nutrients, but even in areas where they are, the only fertiliser needed to replenish them is ash. All of the people destroying the forest for fuelwood and charcoal are making plenty of fertiliser for you to use! (I’m not familiar with Malta specifically, but there seems to be some of this happening there as well.)

Is it self-sustaining, or does it need external inputs?

Ideally, a syntropic farm should cycle nutrients similarly to natural forest. Is a forest ecosystem self-sustaining, or does it need external inputs?

Let us also not forget the importance of syntropic agriculture practices for sustainability. Tree-based food production is the most effective way to maintain (and even improve) fertility, biodiversity, and habitat for free-roaming animals.

Let us also not forget the importance of syntropic agriculture practices for sustainability. Tree-based food production is the most effective way to achieve “a healthy, diverse ecosystem” on the veganic farm.

My understanding is that manure, and the crop rotation (three field system) both rely on animals; Does composting provide enough to replenish the soil sustainably?

No animal exploitation necessary. Humanure can return fertility to the soil, and syntropic agriculture takes a successional approach to crop rotation, building fertility over time.

In short, replicate nature. Any ecosystem given suitable conditions will progress through the natural succession process until it eventually becomes a forest, so in the vast majority of lands suitable for agriculture, a food forest is the solution. By using syntropic agroforestry techniques, soil fertility can actually improve over time.

Examples:

• https://adam.nz/syntropy
• https://cocolandia.org/locations/

Some other useful resources on sustainable agricultural systems:

• https://goveganic.net/article19.html
• https://www.phoenixzonesinitiative.org/resource/vegan-permaculture/
• https://annas-archive.org/md5/3fb1955bfa0002ac3bab2bb28336d71b
• https://adam.nz/syntropy

It’s a fairly deep topic, and I’ve still got a lot to learn, but veganic farming and permaculture is certainly on the rise. There are quite a few small veganic farms spattered all over the place. Iirc, there are several online directories you can find.

Bee bop boop:

• https://veganic.world/find-a-farm/
• https://www.ethicalglobe.com/category/farms
• https://goveganic.net/veganic-farm-map/
• https://cocolandia.org/locations/

Properly scaled up, this type of community reforestation effort could work.

The nice folks at Peaceful Village also have a plant list:

• https://peaceful-village.com/plant-list/

The nice folks at Peaceful Village also have a plant list:

• https://peaceful-village.com/plant-list/