....so, I just received the updated edition of Gaia's Garden
and of course I immediately want to throw in the towel on being an attorney and/or babywearing vendor and rush out and convert my suburban yard into a paradise of beauty with food plants interspersed, get certified as a permaculture designer, spread the permaculture gospel throughout New Jersey with a new design business, maybe start a commune, you know, the whole nine yards. 
OK, but short of that -- I live in a shady forest! Our house is in an older, well-established neighborhood from the 1950s (ugly split levels, but beautiful trees) and there's HUGE trees all over our property -- maples, pines, an oak or two, even some cypress. I've converted our only sunny patch into a blueberry patch with some raised beds for veggies, but the front and back yards range from partial shade to deep shade.
I mean, trees are good and all, but can you really do a lot of permaculture stuff, interspersing food-producing plants, with lots and lots of big established trees?
I don't much have a point to this post, other than to ask -- has anyone BTDT? I don't want to cut down trees, but I'd also like to be able to put in new plants that are not only decorative but useful, the whole multi-functional thing.
And does anyone have any favorite permaculture websites to recommend?
and of course I immediately want to throw in the towel on being an attorney and/or babywearing vendor and rush out and convert my suburban yard into a paradise of beauty with food plants interspersed, get certified as a permaculture designer, spread the permaculture gospel throughout New Jersey with a new design business, maybe start a commune, you know, the whole nine yards. OK, but short of that -- I live in a shady forest! Our house is in an older, well-established neighborhood from the 1950s (ugly split levels, but beautiful trees) and there's HUGE trees all over our property -- maples, pines, an oak or two, even some cypress. I've converted our only sunny patch into a blueberry patch with some raised beds for veggies, but the front and back yards range from partial shade to deep shade.
I mean, trees are good and all, but can you really do a lot of permaculture stuff, interspersing food-producing plants, with lots and lots of big established trees?
I don't much have a point to this post, other than to ask -- has anyone BTDT? I don't want to cut down trees, but I'd also like to be able to put in new plants that are not only decorative but useful, the whole multi-functional thing.
And does anyone have any favorite permaculture websites to recommend?
Why do you taunt me! I live in New Jersey, with really huge trees! I'd have to a) clearcut and b) set up solar collectors/reflectors to be able to garden like them. 
