West Coast Food Forestry: a Permaculture Guide is a tremendous resource for US West Coast permies…it’s a 143-page book by Rain Tenaqiya that’s available on a CD or as a PDF directly from the author, and it’s a critical reference for permies west of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada mountains.

The book starts with a quick introduction, but refers the readers to other more introductory texts like How to Make a Forest Garden and Gaia’s Garden so it can quickly get to the heart of the matter.

An extensive analysis of factors that are unique to West Coast climates and plant life is followed by an excellent section highlighting notable food forests in the region, with lots of photos. You’ll find the Bulluck Brothers from the Orcas Islands, Davis Bynum Winery in Healdsburg, and many more. The photos of real sites, in varying stages of maturity, are particularly helpful in picturing what a food forest actually looks like.

The bulk of the book is “Food Forest Plant Profiles”, and here’s the section that makes this book a must-have resource. Tenaqiya has done extensive research to make this a stellar reference:

This list comprises all of the food plants capable of growing outdoors West of the Cascades and Sierras which I deem worthwhile and appropriate for food forests, excluding the sun-loving herbs. There are many others which I have somewhat arbitrarily left out or have never heard about. Of the 239 plants listed here, I have actually seen 216 of them and have had some experience growing 194 of them.

For each tree listed, he’s included a photos of the full plant, the leaf, the flower or cone, and the fruit. Similar photos are included for shrubs and herbaceous perennials, vines, and groundcovers. Critical details are included in the text. (The full-plant photos and size information alone make this a fantastic resource for designers preparing drawings). Here’s a screen shot of a page to give you an idea:

The book concludes with a useful appendix of general permaculture design information, a list of West Coast permaculture resources, and a resource list for further plant information and materials.

West Coast Food Forestry: A Permaculture Guide is available directly from the author. Send $14 for a CD or $10 for a PDF file to:

Thank you to Rain for such a useful and well-organized book!