Seattle’s Jefferson Park is about to get scrumptious.

Seattle's Beacon Food Forest is projected to be finished in the next few years. COURTESY: Harrison Design

The Beacon Food Forest will spring up in the west end of the park. Hundreds of edible plants will be available to the public. Harrison Design is the landscape architecture firm tackling the project.

“It will be open and accessible to anyone and everyone visiting the park,” says owner of Harrison Design, Margaret Harrison. “We are planning everything from nut growth to berry fields to orchards, apples, plums, pears to herb gardens.”

The sloped area of Jefferson Park spanning seven acres provides lots of sun exposure and offers different levels of contact to imitate other climate zones.

“The difference with food forests is everything planted will be mutually beneficial to each other,” says Harrison.

“The plants selected will attract insect and pollinators and everything from the tree canopies to the understory will benefit and be compatible with each other.”

Seattle’s homeless population of 8,000 drew concerns of the site developing into a camping station.

“What better food for the homeless to eat? It’s there, it’s available. I don’t see it as a problem,” says Harrison.

A study at Ohio State University shows urban agriculture in post-industrial cities could generate up to 100 per cent of their current needs for fresh produce if the suitable spacing and resources are provided. If Cleveland dedicated 80 per cent of vacant lots for raising poultry and growing produce, up to 68 per cent of fresh produce could be local. This could retain millions of dollars in the local economy, create jobs and promote health benefits.

The Beacon Food Forest will open later this year.

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