Apple Creek Community Food Forest

The TLC Farm Program is building a food forest in Woodstock! Located at the southeast corner of Hercules Road and Dean Street, the property was originally slated to become houses as part of the Apple Creek subdivision. However, the economy slowed and the houses were never built; the City took ownership of the land, and in 2016 it was donated to TLC.  Until 2023, the property continued to be conventionally farmed using a corn and soybean rotation. The first year we planted winter wheat as a cover crop to hold the soil in place and crowd out weeds while we developed a plan for both planting and infrastructure.  

After years of extractive farming, the soil is too depleted to really sustain plant growth, as we found out when our gardens struggled in 2024. To increase soil health and boost fertility going forward, we started adding compost and mycorrhizal fungi powder to new plant beds and when planting new trees and shrubs.  These additions will increase organic matter, improve soil structure, and allow the microbes, bacteria, and other crawlies in the ground to flourish! 

In fall 2024 a yard hydrant was installed, which will be a game changer for future plantings!  Previously we were limited mostly to planting in the fall when the weather is milder and easier on new plants, as well as being limited to smaller plantings because we’d have to bring any water to the site which was both laborious and time consuming.  Now with the yard hydrant we can plant throughout the growing season with confidence!

Additionally in 2024, our staff jack-of-all-trades, David, was able to build six new cedar raised beds for the food forest! While the  goal is to have mostly perennial plants, annual gardens will help bridge the gap before the trees, shrubs, and other herbaceous perennials are mature and fruiting. This year the raised beds will showcase edible plants that have cultural significance as part of a project called A Shared Plate–more to come on this soon!

90 2’x4’s + 18 2’x6’s + 8 4’x4’s = 6 GORGEOUS raised beds ready for planting. David burned the inside of the boxes to give an extra layer of protection against the moisture of the soil.

Healthy soil grows healthy plants, which feed healthy people, which builds healthy communities.

If you build it, they will come

For years our stewardship team has been hard at work restoring the land at the southeast corner of Dean Street and Hercules Road. As the native vegetation flourished, local wildlife settled in, including beavers, a keystone species – a species who creates habitat that other species depend on.  In addition to multiple dams in the creek, the beavers constructed a lodge in one of the Apple Creek retention ponds as well as a bank lodge along the creek. 

In April 2023, we worked with Midwest Beaver Management to install our first pond leveler. This device allows us to control the height of the water by installing a permanent “leak” in the dam. A black corrugated pipe was threaded through the main dam at a predetermined height to appease the beavers, our food forest and our farmer neighbor. The pipe has two separate caged intakes, about 30 feet from the dam, which prevent the beavers from being able to clog or dam the pipe. When the water level rises to the bottom of the pipe, it ejects to the other side of the dam, allowing us to better control how much water is held. Since installing the first leveler, we have seen lots of birds on the trail camera, including a Great Blue Heron who regularly hangs out where the ejection pipe spills out.

In March 2024 we installed a second leveler to help divert water to the north side of the creek. After the initial installation, the beavers continued to build more dams to raise the water downstream of the original dam. By diverting water to the north, we were hoping to encourage them to channel further into the wetland. This would allow more water to be held on the surface without raising water levels in the creek or threatening to slow the drainage tiles of our neighboring farmer. 

The orange circles highlight aerial shots of the spots where the beavers have started channeling to the north side of the creek.

Map/Garden Descriptions

Bramble Patch: This area of the Food Forest is going to be filled with blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. This location was selected to overcome the fact our neighboring farmer has drainage tiles that run across our property and discharge into Apple Creek. As a result, we want to plant robust species that won’t infringe on the underground pipes and would be able to rebound quickly should they need to be dug up to access the tiles. Brambles are the perfect solution!  They have fibrous root systems that aren’t very deep, and are also resilient should we need to dig them up and replant!  

Pavilion: This will provide a spot of shade until our trees grow tall!  The goal is eventually to host workshops at the Food Forest which would talk about the different trees, shrubs and plants grown in the demonstration gardens. For example, a class on how to prune brambles or an opportunity to harvest and make an herbal tea? The pavilion will allow us to gather and provide shelter from the elements.

Tasting Orchard: The Tasting Orchard is the equivalent of a fruit salad forest!  The plan is to put in a variety of different fruit trees – plum, peach, cherry, apple, pear, etc. – for people to to see growth habits and taste many different species. Many of these trees thrive in rich soils that need good drainage, which is tricky to accommodate since the Food Forest is located on what has historically been a wetland. As such, we have positioned our Tasting Orchard where there is a good mix of loam, sand and clay and where the slope will allow water to shed freely. 

Volunteer Opportunities

With so many things happening at the Food Forest, there are lots of opportunities to get involved! We will be hosting several two-hour work sessions to make progress on the many projects we have slated for this year, including: preparing new in-ground beds, building grape trellises, laying wood chip paths, regular mowing, planting, planting, more planting!  No matter your skill level or skill set, we want you to join our team!   

The Particulars: