I wish someone told me This when I first started my Food Forest Garden 

James, I hope you know you're a very important person. Even if only one other person adopts your concept and vision, you've made the world a more beautiful, healthy, peaceful place 💚🌎💚

“Every mistake brings with it the seed of an equivalent benefit”. I like it, not just for gardening, but for life.

Book suggestion: “Grow a Little Fruit Tree” by Ann Ralph. Simple pruning techniques for small-space, easy-harvest fruit trees. It’s about keeping fruit trees small and manageable.

Something to consider in the future… If you were to cut a tree like that in late February, leaving some of the low branches alone, then you could utilize the root system, and graft on a variety you like, and re-train it upwards. I have done that with some of the wild apple trees that I have on the property I have. In the woods, there are a handful of established trees, with garbage fruit. With some deliberate grafting, the strong root systems and naturally beneficial placement brought the trees into a beneficial status, and I didn’t need to cut then replace them.

we are getting philosophical yet STILL PRACTICAL... I like the way you relate the cutting of an apple tree to somethings that we have to CUT from our LIVES... Thank you!

Cool thing about apples is if you have the wrong variety for your area, you can cut it down below the graft and graft the right variety onto the root stock. Nice video, James, thanks!

James you are simply awesome. Thank you for your endlessly positive enthusiasm and your super practical teaching and wisdom. You rock! And thanks for spreading the word on permaculture. 👏🏽👍🏽

WAS HAVING A ROUGH START THIS MORNING CLICKED ON YOUR VIDEO AND YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC GOOD ENERGY HELPED CHANGE THINGS AROUND, THANK YOU BRO

Amen to having the courage to create a breath of fresh air in our lives...

THE MORE YOU KNOW........ THE MORE YOU GROW !!!! love it ! Thanks James !

One thing in all my years is that I’m a great judge of character. Not only are you a great farmer but I know you are the type of person who would give the shirt off your back to help others. Never change!!

Just a heads up that the trick to hazelnut harvest is to pick them 2-3 weeks before they’re ripe. They’re edible in any stage of nut formation. Then bake them in the oven for a little while for that delicious, crispy nut experience. I live in Washington where we have amazing wild hazelnuts everywhere, but no one harvests them because the squirrels get them all early. So I spent one summer figuring out how to beat the squirrels, and that’s what I learned. Take the green fuzzies off the tree way early and bake them. Btw, they taste decent raw and immature without baking- similar to coconut. I’m glad to see another fan of the hazelnuts, as I haven’t seen any other youtuber gardeners trying to do them.

💝💝💝 my day starts at its best when I watch your videos!! Education instead of motivation!! I greatly appreciate your quotes!!! You are awesome!

You remind me so much of Jerry Baker, the first gardening book I ever read, Talk to Your Plants. Changed my life. Like Jerry, so in tuned with real nature. Keep on the path, my friend, and all of us will be richly rewarded from your work!💕

James, thanks for your enthusiastic videos. You are an inspiration to many, I’m sure. I keep watching your dog and he is the cutest, little guy! Keep enjoying your garden and stay as positive as you are. 😊

Thank you for your education and guidance. Bought a shirt to support what you are doing.

Applewood smoked, pecan encrusted, rainbow trout.

I did the same thing 3 years ago. Now I am getting disease resistant ones and ones specifically for my zone. I love your energy and learning new things. We are doing a food forest on my land. We have existing pecan orchard so I am learning how to get healthy pecans. I so appreciate your channel!🌱🌻💜Thank you

So satisfying to see you remove that apple tree. You do things right. I really appreciate watching your videos. Thank you!

You inspire me not only in the garden, but in my daily life. Thank you.

That little doggy is the cutest little vegetable eater.

Red delicious apples picked fresh off the tree are my favorite apple. I grew up surrounded by miles & miles of orchards in the Okanagan Valley in BC: apples, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, pears.... many varieties of each.... just outside my backdoor. It was wonderful, most of those orchards have been turned into suburbs now. The delicious apple trees were enormous & the apples huge, up to 5 lbs, the size of a small pumpkin.

ok I love that you just randomly mention you closed the fence so that Tuck can't get in while you're using the power saw because yes, that is important information to your viewers ty

One of my BEST and most prolific apple tree came from a local, organic apple seed- This tree is SOO prolific year after year- only cost me the price of the organic apple.

I love to see TUCK while I hear His Daddy talk.

I feel for ya man, I had to cut down 5 of my tree's due to the boring beetle. I had tears in my eyes when I did it. I had a Nectaplum, all in one Almond that was beautiful, a Fuerte avocado, a peach tree, and an apricot. I live in so cal just so you all know.

Love how your hindsight balances your foresight balances your insights with garden knowledge and tips! Wisdom! 🐝🪴🐞🍀

Love seeing tuck he's so cute🐶🐕💋💚

Hi JP. I bought a house and the first thing I was looking for was a yard. Not just for me to lounge, PS. IM in but for my dogs , but most importantly...The Food Forest.!!!!! Your videos have not only showed me a bunch of knowledge, but Im totally stoked on growing my own food. Who doesnt like vegetable soup ?? Or fresh fruit from the garden, herbs, all that good stuff that my body craves, it actually thanks me when Im eating good. And I love the clinics you give, so much knowledge. Thank You JP!!!!!

You’ve got a tropical paradise in your backyard.,I love listening to you when I’m out tending to my own. Just moved to 3.5 acres with lots of fruit trees already growing and I brought my own gingers and bananas. I just need more cardboard and mulch to get rid of so much grass. Keep growing! I got box turtles eating my fallen persimmons. They are quite delicious.

SERIOUSLY THOUGH, WE LOVE YOUR CHANNEL MAN!!!!!!!

With each of your videos James, I learn a ton. Planning on getting trees at some point and this was super helpful!

Liked: 'burn it and add the ashes to my garden.' You didn't 'take it out', you gave it a new life.

James you are one smart young man . Thanks for sharing what you have learned. Blessings

I really needed to hear that pruning analogy for life today. Thanks man, made me realise I can see the positive in my life if I cut back a bit ❤️

Pear trees are a blessing ... huge amount of varieties the can get very old, 100 years and more ...

That is such excellent advice for new gardeners or people moving into unfamiliar territory - I'm very much guilty of planting things I love, which isn't always such a good idea as they might not love where I plant them! I'm sharing this with my young nieces & nephews who have gardens now. Cheers. 👍🐾🐅🙃

I know u weren’t to concerned about the apple trees roots. But if you hadn’t of cut the main trunk down with the chainsaw. You can easily rock the trunk back and forth and it exposes a couple of roots , you cut one or two with the hand saw and continue rocking the tree and it will come out. I’ve taken many trees out this size by rocking them back and forth particularly if you wet the ground. I usually have the trees out in under 10 minutes. Most people don’t believe me until they try it

I use branch from the tree to be the stick for beans and tomatoes 🍅 as your bamboo sticks function

Hi James, I just love how you ALWAYS tell us what you have learned by mistakes it really helps so many of us. I’ve just got my new garden going, I’m a sm home grower and I’m 70 just moved from PNW to hot humid VA and whole new learning process. Ty so much I come to your channel so much!

Love the energy! Love the wisdom! Such a blessing to see you do your thing. Thanks for another video!

Pears and jonagold apples are my favorite. I dehydrate and also make pear butter and pear honey with the pears. Great video, thank you!!

You got me started on my food forest. 2 or 3 years ago. I didn't know where to start and you said I have to just jump in. Well I did. I'm in west central Florida and it's like a dang jungle. I love it. I've made pockets of semi-tropical and tropical plants and eating pretty well.

Today, after researching varieties that will do well in my zone 9b climate, I ordered an avocado tree and 2 Rabbiteye blueberries for my food forest. That avocado has been my dream for many years now and I'm ecstatic to plant it, watch it grow and reap the harvests. The blueberries will be propagated like crazy via cuttings and the plan is to make a hedge of them, a slice of blueberry heaven. Thanks for the inspiration James and Happy Gardening🌱

You have saved me a lot of grief, thank you from Washington State

Great example of how gardening is constantly learning, growing, and adapting. Great videos James! You are the man! (And Tuck of course!)😊

I love how he lives in New Jersey. Finally gives me a good idea of things I can grow in New York.

Good going on the food forest. We also have issues with squirrels so you might want to consider some netting to put over those hazelnut trees for protection. We've done that with success on some of our berry plants.

I'm really enjoying your videos. I'm a North Coast gardener and we have many of the same climate issues you do in New Jersey (humidity, roughly equivalent growing season, etc). Your food forest take on things is very new and very different to me and I'm learning a lot and getting inspired to try new things. Quick thought on chainsaws: I use an electric chainsaw and they are much, much less hassle than the gas-powered ones. Since you're in your back yard running an extension chord is no big deal. Borrow one from a friend and give it a try - you'll love it.

Really great analogy about clearing out that thing that needs to go, for the benefit and growth of the rest of the garden. :)

Thank you for sharing! Excellent point on growing pest- / disease-resistant varieties suitable for your region. Might want to consider soil type, too. I recommend prepping the ground correctly first and buying only healthy trees from reputable nurseries. Also, if you or your neighbors have a walnut tree, be careful what you grow, especially in terms of fruit trees. Walnut mulch might not be too bad; but I think walnut roots can release a toxin for some plants like apples and tomatoes.

Tuck, you gorgeous sweet dog--I'm glad you get to share in the fruits of the garden!

I recommend shelling and roasting your hazelnuts in the oven (15 minutes at 180 ˚C). They're absolutely delicious that way.

I so appreciate your clear information that saves us time, money, and mistakes. And your mood is catching! Have a great day!

Greetings..hazel nuts are so good in cookies..I love chocolate and hazel nut too... you can give it a go at baking 😁😁..

Raintree Nursery + The Gardening Channel = Best forest ever !!!

So sad to see that apple tree cut down 😢. But Tuck is the cutest dog on earth.... Always love to see him around crunching on veggies.. Best of luck to you and Tuck, James.. ❤🐶

You will want to reconsider your decision on not wanting to take the roots out. The main ones near the surface should come out or they will all send up suckers of new growth, they will be what ever the root stock is.

I almost have all my cardboard and mulch completed in the backyard. Food Forest Goals 2022

Thanks so much for all the knowledge big dawg✊🏾. Starting tomorrow morning and I couldn’t be more excited. Your channel has truly been a blessing. I had no idea that randomly buying a pack of seeds in April just messing around would take me on this journey. I thank God for it and I thank Him you! May He continue to bless you and bring you joy!

You ARE inspiring!

Grow some Clumping bamboo!! There’s lots of types of running and clumping that will grow there. The bamboo leaves and shoots are edible, also, the culms might have a few cups of water in each section

Its so hard to remove a tree when you realise it's in the wrong place, especially after nurturing and watching it grow.

That's the great thing about gardening James, You get to learn from your mistakes, there is always tomorrow and It allows you to take the lessons learned and make improvements in mark 2, mark 3 and so on. Fail to plan, plan to fail. Great video mate love it

I love your spirit and your passion for everything you do. ❤️

Hi James, I sure winced when I watched you cut down the apple tree. You’re tougher than me, for sure! Thanks for the video and the making of tough calls. Happy gardening!🌸

Thank you James for educating people and the passion you have for growing!

Thank you for the informative videos.I started gardening at around 5yrs.old many yrs.ago.My Dad&Grandma taught me and gave me the love of gardening and growing our own food&hvng great tasting fruits and vegs.to share with friends. I've learned alot already just from watching a few of your videos and I can see your very passionate about growing your own foods as well.That's awesome! I'm not sure if your pup is a Yorkie,but it looks alot like one.That is the most mellow and well behaved little dog I've seen! I'd certainly love to know your secret for growing a little dog like that as well? I'm a new subscriber,&I thank you for your helpful and interesting informational videos. One thing I discovered several yrs.ago is that many fruit trees grow very well near the coast in sand or sandy soils.According to what will grow in the temperatures you live in,peaches&apples should grow very well in NJ. No matter where you live in NJ,you can't be too far from the coast and the weather and temps.there are very similar to where I live in Indiana,so I know those fruit trees as well as Cherry trees and Pear trees shld grow and produce very well in NJ. You're growing many of the same vegetables and fruits there we grow here,&you do very well with the things you grow. If your soil is sandy there,you shld try some Watermelon,Cantaloupe,&Honey Dew Melon if you enjoy any of those.They shld grow very well in your climate in sandy soil.Our soil here is so full of clay that we dnt hv much fortune in growing melons which is a shame bcs.I love a good melon of abt any kind. I'm sure you know about not growing certain veggies next to others,&that some will actually help others and help each other grow well.Tomatoes nxt to peppers is a bad idea as you get the pepper flavor in your tomatoes.There are several other examples but I usually have to look them up while drawing up planting plans each year. Take care,&God bless you. Thanks again for the great tips and good gardening wisdom!

Paesano! Your enthusiasm and knowledge is admired and being applied here on the West Coast. Keep up the great content.

you have to make sure you have a pollinator for apple trees. red delicious is a pollinator for honey crisp. so, if you ditch it, your HC might not get fruit. They also need to flow at the same time. Good vid. I am 47 and been gardening since 27. I wish I had as big a garden as you. keep it up. great.

Great video! I just ordered 2 apples, a pie cherry, a peach, a fig, an Asian persimmon, and a plum. 1 of the apples is a liberty and the other is a wolf river apple. I'm excited to add these to my wild homestead! :)

I’ve made a lot of mistakes! I have a 6th of a acre! Like you said and I believe that working with your county extension service to help make better decisions for planting plants that take little to no chemicals! I love yellow delicious apples but here in eastern Missouri they have a problem. Same with Bradford pear! Some plants in a area have special needs that the soil and environment make it hard on them! Grow, eat and enjoy gardening! It good for you and very enjoyable! My daughter is growing the curly variety of hazelnut! I have a small ditch I want to grow hazelnuts in to slow the runoff! Love the curly variety for walking sticks💞❤️ Thank you for your show!

We’ve learned to go slow and steady. There’s so many plants that places sell but aren’t a match for our area. Great video James!

Tuck is the best. I am a Yorkie person too.

Before you got the Chainsaw out, I was thinking that tall stump would be a great pole for beans to grow up! LOL

Love that you are fron Jersey and you are repping how to do it here specifically. Bought a house two years ago and have a long 60 foot garden fenced in with the typical stuff, but fruit trees are next. Very helpful and much appreciated. My Tucker says 👋 to your Tucker.

Use that apple wood to smoke food. You can also take the shoots from trimmings during the process of not letting them get overgrown dry them, bag them, and sell them or give away as gifts for the griller or smoker in your life.

Patience is a must with planting and designing, even though it can be really, really hard to push back against the desire to dive right in. And hey, even if we do give in, we learn, get better, and continue on! BTW, I love Tuck.

I wish I had understood about maple roots when we bought the house. They were young enough to replace easily with oaks farther back. 25 years on, they invade every vegetable bed I lay out.

When you have a fruit tree you don’t like why not cut some branches and graft on one you like. Just remember apple trees with apple, peach with peach, plum and nectarine. Your variety will double and triple. Good luck!

Red Delicious. That is the bottom of the barrel apple. I am glad you have figured it out. I hate taking out trees. I get invested in them and don't want to get rid of them even if they are just not working out. So it is very important that I plant what works.

fully agree the tree needed to go, but where is your safety gear, i suggest you wear an eye patch for a week and put a splint on 1 leg to find out if you would miss them if you got injured.

The good thing with those hazelnuts is you can coppice some of the stems out from the base and use them for poles or wood in the rest of the garden - anything from garden stakes to woven hazel hurdles. Thinning it out might actually improve productivity too!

I totally understand you it is hard to cut down trees, it's even hard for me to cut weeds in spring time. Keep up the good work, blessings Mr. Prigioni.🍎

I'm starting my food forest tomorrow can't wait for spring.

Your the man dude. As a fellow jerseyer i appreciate that you dont say coming from "new jersey" just jersey. :) Love your property. Wish i had that in my back yard!

Pruning dead branches from our lives? Man ... deep stuff brother! I love it.

That apple tree IS great and useful! It's a living reminder to research and prep properly.

Love you, man. Thank you for your fast talking

Hey James, I just retired and want you to know how much your videos are influencing me to garden. I think I have watched, liked, and subscribed to all of your videos. I love tuck. He is so sweet how he looks at you and waits for your attention. Thank you.

I've heard that apple trees (may be true of other fruit trees?) need to be pruned and kept small. That way the tree's energies go into producing more and healthier fruit rather than into the trunk and limbs growing large/huge.

Your puppy eats all veggies ❣️

JIMMY, YOUR THE BEST!!!!!! FROM THE BOYS AT THE JIFFY LUBE!!!!!

Tuck is a sweet fur baby. I want to give him all the hugs and all the love

I love your videos, James. Always such great information.

Love your videos. You might be seeing seckle pear trees. The fruit has a rosy blush. They do very very well here in NY. I think that they are much more delicious than bartlet.

Tuck is just amazing. I have a German shepherd that helps me in the food forest but she doesn't eat anything from the garden. I tried giving her carrots and all but she doesn't know what to do with it lol. She ends up thinking it's a toy.

Love that energy... glad I found you. Gonna start my garden today, found a great use for an abandoned pig pen. Thanks man.

I’ve always dreamt of having a food forest in my backyard here in NYC although I didn’t know to call it that at the time. So I started researching on the internet and James Prigioni popped up. It was almost like God sending a prophet to guide and inspire me. I just want to tell you that you and this channel are the reason I have started my food forest project in my tiny backyard. I don’t want to get into it but after breaking ground to plant my fruit trees I found garbage underneath my yard. I really feel that your incredible and inspirational positivity is what is getting me through this long and arduous process to dig up my whole backyard to remove all this garbage so I can realize my dream like you have. Thank you for this channel and I will be buying a few T’s to show my support. Keep up the good work bro.

Thanks men for video. Very very interesant