Are You Ready to Start a Food Forest? Take This Quiz to Find Out!

Take this 15-question quiz to find out how ready you are to grow your own edible ecosystem!

1. 🌞 How much sunlight does your potential site receive daily?

• A) 6–8+ hours (full sun)

• B) 3–5 hours (partial sun)

• C) Less than 3 hours (shady)

2. 🌧 Have you observed your land in different seasons or weather conditions?

• A) Yes, over many months

• B) A little bit

• C) Not yet

3. 🌬 Do you know how wind, water, and frost move across your site?

• A) Yes, I’ve mapped these out

• B) Somewhat

• C) I haven’t looked into it yet

4. 🪨 Have you checked what kind of soil you have?

• A) Yes—I've tested texture, drainage, and pH

• B) I’ve dug around and looked at it

• C) No idea what’s going on underground

5. 🛠 Are you comfortable doing basic DIY (like building paths, compost bins, or simple irrigation)?

• A) Totally

• B) I’ll give it a go

• C) Not really

6. 💦 Do you have a sustainable plan for watering your plants?

• A) Yes—swales, tanks, or drip irrigation

• B) I’ll water manually for now

• C) Not sure what they’ll need

7. 🪴 Do you understand the seven layers of a food forest (canopy, understory, shrub, herbaceous, groundcover, vine, root)?

• A) Yes, and I can name examples

• B) I’ve heard of them

• C) What layers?

8. 🌳 Do you know which fruit or nut trees grow well in your area?

• A) Yes—I have a list!

• B) A few ideas

• C) No clue yet

9. 🧑‍🌾 How much time can you realistically dedicate each week to your food forest?

• A) 3–5 hours or more

• B) 1–2 hours

• C) Less than 1 hour

10. 🐦 How do you feel about insects, birds, and small animals sharing your garden?

• A) They’re part of the ecosystem

• B) I can manage them

• C) I’d rather not deal with them

11. 🍃 Are you okay with a garden that may look “wild” or less tidy than a traditional one?

• A) I love the natural look

• B) I can get used to it

• C) I prefer clean and orderly

12. 💰 Are you prepared for the upfront costs of trees, soil amendments, tools, etc.?

• A) Yes, I’ve budgeted or sourced materials

• B) I’ll build it slowly

• C) I didn’t realize it could be costly

13. 🧠 Are you open to learning things like pruning, composting, seed-saving, or propagation?

• A) Absolutely

• B) Some of it

• C) Only if I have to

14. 🕰 How do you feel about waiting 1–5 years for your food forest to really start producing?

• A) I’m in it for the long game

• B) I hope to see some results sooner

• C) That feels like too long

15. 🌏 Why do you want to create a food forest?

• A) To regenerate the land and grow healthy food

• B) For fresh fruit and a garden project

• C) I’m curious but not really sure

Your Results

🌳 Mostly A’s – Future Food Forest Champion!

You’re ready to dig in—literally! You’ve done your homework, and you’re thinking long-term. Start small, grow steadily, and enjoy the process.

🍋 Mostly B’s – Budding Grower

You’ve got a great start and a good attitude. With a little more planning and learning, you’ll be well on your way to growing a thriving food forest.

🥀 Mostly C’s – Still Sprouting

You may not be quite ready to start planting just yet, but that’s okay! Take time to observe your site, learn more about your local conditions, and visit other food forests to get inspired.