Amazing 23-Year-Old Permaculture Food Forest - An Invitation for Wildness

In the small town of Riverton at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island is Robert and Robyn Guyton’s amazing 23-year-old food forest. The 2-acre property has been transformed from a neglected piece of land into a thriving ecosystem of native and exotic trees where birds and insects live in abundance. Robert and Robyn are a huge inspiration to us, not only for their beautiful approach to healing the land and saving heritage trees and seeds, but for the way they’ve impacted on their local community.

They’ve operated an environment centre in their town for over 20 years, where the community comes together to learn and discuss, buy produce and sit by the warm fire over a cuppa. We’ve even heard of folk who’ve up and moved to Riverton because they’re so inspired by the Guytons!

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[theJustinRhodesShow]

“My philosophy in life about what to do in the world isn’t to go to a pristine area and live there and enjoy your life; it’s to find a place that’s degraded and fix it up” - Robert Guyton. Love that philosophy. We need more Roberts in the world. Thanks for the amazing video.

[velasper]

I just got a 50 acres of erotioned land in the east side of Guatemala, my Main goal is to fix and make that place a Paradise, by my example the surrounding communitys Will start doing the same. I belive we can change these world for the better step by step. Cheers from Momostenango Guatemala.

[missdigioia]

I'm 27year old born Jamaican living in London it's my dream to return to Jamaica and live this way, cannot wait, wonderful food forest garden

[BlueMags]

"I haven't done anything at all. I've just stopped interfering..." Words to live by.

[barbll]

I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear from others who are allowing some "wildness" into their yards. I'm doing the same in the suburbs and it's not always appreciated by everyone and it can feel lonely to be so different.

[loriscook]

Having grown up with straight sided very neat vegetable gardens, fruit trees planted in rows with lots of mowed grass underneath and my chickens confined in pens, I’m hopping it’s not to late to change as I head into my 70’s. Moving house soon looking forward to a new garden and challenge doing it the permaculture way this time, it’s never too late to learn.

[goldleaf]

This is my idea of heaven on earth. Beautiful people who truly understand how we are connected deeply to the Earth and all of her Beings. Try living without the earth, try not breathing her air or drinking her water or suspend yourself from her gravitational pull. It's not going to happen. The Earth is our home. We need her to survive and thrive. This video lifts my spirits and that couple truly are amazing people. I wish the world was filled with more like them. Namaste.

[jenniemcdonald]

This is such an inspirational couple. Because of this video I've started to convert my grassy areas into permaculture and now I have a bird, bug, bee oasis. We've never seen this many animals on our 2.5 acres and the bird song is so magical. I shared this video with my 80+ year old friends and that has inspired them to do the same. Our friends think we haven't weeded our flower beds and the weeds have taken over and we say "No, that's on purpose...it creates habitat, keeps the soil moist and feeds the bees". Thank you for producing this video and opening my eyes to alternatives to conventional gardening. LOVE IT!!

[erichimes]

Full respect. I want to do something like this with my life.

[JS.forever]

It's such a joy to watch Robyn. She seems like a butterfly herself. So happy with her lifestyle and garden.

[BubblewrapHighway]

Walking on weeds, rather than using blades, weedwhackers or herbicides, is such a simple, effective and non-toxic idea. I LOVE IT!

[LoveAndPeaceOccurs]

Thank You ... All who are responsible for this video and it being here. This is how my late husband Rick wanted us to live ... along with solar and hydro power. We had 9 acres, had been a fruit orchard at one time so still had some fruit trees there when we came along. We only had 6 1/2 years there before he died but he at least died while working toward this goal, he was a very content man. He would have loved this video ... this man makes me think of him ... a lot. He was such an intelligent but humble and soft spoken man, who believed with all his heart that nature knew best and we needed to learn to work with it ... he would never use pesticides or herbicides ... He lived what he preached in his Environmental Resources class he taught (he was a biologist).

[anthonytroia]

We've been developing a forest garden for over a decade. As I was watching this video, I kept thinking, "these folks sound like they've ACTUALLY grown a forest garden". There is a stark contrast in the dialogue of someone who has just earned a permaculture certification and someone who has been "forest-gardening" for a considerable part of their life. Beautiful documentary!

[charlesprice]

I began gardening in a similar manner about 6 years ago, totally unaware of this potential trend. Lets hope it's a natural revelation emerging in the human psyche. We need it.

[Leaf_meat]

My favorite part is that he goes out at night and plants things on the sides of the road 😂

[MoroseJB]

"There are a lot of things that could depress you out in this world, but if you take that each negative act as an opportunity or provocation to do your thing, then it's a winnable game"

Thank you for such motivational words. Saving the world, planting a food forest. Sometimes I just feel like I will have to do it all alone, as I am not living in a community that is enthusiastic about these ideas. Sometimes I fear failure and loneliness. But thank you from the bottom of my heart, for the words that keep my dream alive.

[moneyluser]

It looks a million times better than a lawn. and is less work to maintain.

[donnavorce]

When I moved here twenty years ago I pretty much quit mowing, put in a huge garden, and bought several fruit trees. The earth took care of making her own permaculture situation. I'm enhancing it now that I'm learning more. Thanks for this video and cheers to the community around the world.

[RameshYadav-tdse]

These lovely people just can't stop smiling, doesn't it say a lot about the kind of life they are living.

[amzilla]

These people have such a beautiful garden and way of thinking about life, it really inspired me!! This way of living is truly my dream. Their forest garden kind of reminds me of the garden of eden!!