We love small farms and rural homesteads sites because of the rich possibilities for creating edible abundance, from food forests, to greenhouses, to agroforestry systems that integrate livestock with fruit and nut trees. Our homestead designs prioritize water cycle restoration through the creation of berms, swales and other appropriate earthworking, as well as ecological care with an emphasis on natives and perennials.

Portfolio

Fruit Trees & Berry Patches

One of the greatest pleasures of growing fruit trees and berry patches is the access to incredible fruit that isn’t typically found at the grocery store. We love to connect clients with locally-adapted and native fruit plants that thrive in the St. Louis region yet are hard to find due to a lack of public awareness. We’re here to change that! Cultivated varieties of pawpaws, jujubees, currants, goumis, persimmons - even plums and apples - can thrive with a minimal amount of maintenance and without the use of harmful pesticides. Here’s a look at some of our clients’ delicious harvests!

Edible Landscapes

A BACKYARD BOUNTY

This urban food forest features meandering pathways, a rain garden and a myriad of perennial edibles. Fruit trees like pawpaws, figs, hybrid persimmons and Asian pears occupy the top layer of this yard, while multipurpose flowers, herbs, and groundcovers fill in to take advantage of all the sunlight this site has to offer. Each year this food forest will become more and productive while requiring less and less work to maintain.

A woodland foRaging experience

For this partly shady backyard, CF emphasized native shrubs and groundcovers that are commonly foraged in the wild areas of Missouri. The sunnier main corridor of the yard features raised garden beds for incorporating vegetables into this backyard landscape. A live edge bench and trellis invite the homeowners into the landscape while serving as a screen to the carport.

Rainwater Management

ecological rainscaping, rain gardens & water catchment

Water is life. It can also cause many problems if it’s not properly managed. Water belongs in the ground, not in our sewers or basements. Through ecological water management techniques, water can be captured for irrigation use during dry times, guided through rain gardens and swales, and generally be allowed to seep back into the Earth where it can do what it does best.

Greenhouses

Season Extension for your farm or Garden

A greenhouse or high tunnel has so many benefits! With some supplemental heat you can use these structures to raise seedlings and grow an abundance of greens and root crops throughout the winter. When the heat moves in, roll up the sides and watch heat-loving crops perform beautifully all summer long.