Skip started this page to share his story...OUR story. Now it is up to me to finish it, so here goes.
Some words are his that he typed himself. Others are from me alone. Some parts I blended. Please bare with me as I try to share what WE shared. I have no idea what I am doing. Ramblings of a heartbroken widow, I suppose, with important information directly from the man I loved more than life.
Skip was all about being useful and helpful. He was often sending e-mails to me and his friends that had the header ; "This is Interesting", wanting to share what he learned with other people. He was always trying to be a better man than he was yesterday. I only hope I can live up to the high expectations that he held for himself, and to some day be half the person he thought I was.
SO, lets start. 558 food forest farm & nursery is a 2.41 acre Organic micro-farm raising nutrient dense foods. There are currently over 110 varieties of edible tree and bush crop. Over 700 trees, fruit bushes and vines have been planted on 20 rows of raised wood chip mounds. The permaculture approach to a forest garden just made sense to Rolla (Skip) when farming such a small section of land. He was an avid reader and lived to learn and create. Not only an artist with a paint brush and drawing mediums, but also with his hands and a mind that never stopped. He used his knowledge of soil and mycelium and incorporated thousands of hours of hard work to create what is here now. Skip started this farm in 2010 with his then wife, Klaudia. Unfortunately she was diagnosed with cancer and passed away not very long after they had moved in. I had met Skip buy chance a few years later. I was intrigued by his intellect, quick wit and warm heart. He had a tall, lanky frame and warm blue eyes and thick salt and pepperish hair that was the softest I'd ever felt on a man. His raspy voice was low and he was very deliberate when he spoke. The first night we met we conversed for hours. I remember thinking then that I could talk to this man forever. He told me about his "Food Forest" plans and within a few weeks of meeting, asked if I wanted to see it. Of course I did! BUT, When he first brought me here, I wasn't sure what to think. Was this guy a crazy person? Why is there nothing in his yard other than piles of wood chips with plastic tubes sticking out of them? It was pretty confusing, but I was fascinated and more than smitten. Over the years I have had the privilege of watching all of his hard work begin to blossom. Literally.
Unfortunately about the time everything was beginning to grow tall and take hold and pop, my love, my light, best friend and soul mate, passed away suddenly in April of 2020. He felt sick and within a few days I had to rush him to the hospital. I couldn't go in due to it being at the height of the Covid-19 epidemic. Within hours, he passed away from pneumonia. My heart is broken. My soul aches worse than it ever has and I cannot stop crying. Skip would be upset that I am still such a mess over him dying. I miss him every minute of every day. He hated seeing me sad. When you have a love that takes over your whole being, a best friend that you live with and work with and dream with and laugh with...losing them is a pain unlike any other. Lord, I didn't know my soul could hurt so badly.
This soil still holds all of his blood, sweat, and tears. His very dream has actually come to life in every living thing on this little "Patch of Eden". I have come to adore the beauty and abundance of this small , peaceful farm. It was Skips hope that people could see what we are doing and inspire others to do it too. I hope you will give it a go. Who knew when I met that super smiley, lanky older guy on that day in September that my life would change so much? I wouldn't trade one single second I got to spend with Skip for anything. I wish everyone on this Earth could experience a friendship and love like we had. It would surely be a much, much better place.
If you are interested in such a place, it is, with deep sadness and regret, for sale.
Follow Jennifer on Facebook at 558 food forest farm & Nursery
2.41 Acre property
- How to make a good living on a SMALL farm -
Our business model is being designed for small farms. Takes advantage of naturally occuring, economically viable, 5-layer perennial food forest. No-tillage of the soil and reintroduction fruit's like perennial black currant berries, chestnuts and hazelnuts to the local market. The farm is designed to spread out the harvesting loads over several perennial crops and expanding our sales window by producing shelf-stable product. Offering much more than just "fresh Fruit" to make a living.
The whole key to success is building soil quickly. This process is easy and happens by properly managing a small number of live animals like chickens, cows or pigs and Worms.
Our trees grow 30% faster per year by building soil, making a good home for earthworms.
Our local Michigan family farms are going broke by not integrating livestock into their operations. In the last decade - we've lost nearly 600 farms and 25,000 acres of farmland... in Branch and Calhoun County. This is happening across the entire state.
- Our goal is to reach $10,000/year/acre of income. With a special focus on the fruit and nut trees, chickens and pigs.
- Harvesting crops from 4 or 5 layers of a self sustainable forest garden should allow us a reasonable return from our planning and labor.
- Perennial Black Currant, Aronia, Hazelnut, Service Berries and herbs from the bush levels. Peach, pear, kiwi and pawpaw harvested from small tree and vine level. Finally cherries, pears, edible crab apples and chestnuts from tree canopy level.
- Once the Forest Garden matures in 6 to 8 years, organic pest management & fertilization is done with 3 chickens and one grazing pig per acre.
- Farm Management Approach: Sep Holzer's book, A Practical Guide to Small-Scale Integrative Farming and Gardening, is a type of permaculture practiced in northern europe. It has worked well for us here in southern Michigan.
- Martin Crawford's video explains Forest Gardening.
The earthworms and mounds mitigate the need for irrigation and help jumpstart natural soil fertility, eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizers. Striking an ideal balance between bacteria and fungus speeds up the early growth of tree saplings and vegetables.
The hugelkultur type of mound growing system is two-fold, a very high retention of moisture within decomposing wood chips and leaves, also a large percentage of mycelium is present. Fruit trees, mycelium and earthworms have a beneficial symbiotic relationship.