WPBS The Home-Scale Forest Garden, with Dani Baker!
It was back in 2015, more than a decade ago, that I began an article about Dani Baker, the farmer on Wellesley Island.
“Darn!” I exclaimed; “I forgot to buy rhubarb.” My friend and I had planned to make rhubarb marmalade the next morning. “Never mind,” I said, “I think I know where we can find some.”
We pulled into the roadside stand at Cross Island Farms on Wellesley Island, and there in the cooler were some bags of freshly cut rhubarb. We bought them all.
Instead of just leaving my money as directed, I went to the door and disturbed the dog and Cross Island Farmer, Dani Baker. Dani was happy to see us and as it was a beautiful day, she suggested she would much rather take us on a tour of the farm, than continue her inside job-of-the-day.
That was the start of a wonderful excursion. Well, today, I received a note from Dani announcing the premiere of an 8 episode television series based on her book Home Scale Forest Garden, How to Plan, Plant and Tend resilient edible landscape.
The first episode aired on Monday, March 9, and they will continue for the next seven Mondays at 7:30. locally on PBS TV. Then, later in the spring, the series will be available for national distribution.
Yes, this is a big deal, and for all of us who know Dani, we can smile from ear to ear and say, how smart. I know from experience that Dani is a great teacher, and her explanations are easy to understand, even if your green thumb is not so green.This editor of Thousand Islands Life wants to congratulate our friend and North Country neighbour. Job well done, Dani. . . This is one special spring happening.
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
Episode 1 - Principles of Forest Gardening (Airs March 9, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
Host and author Dani Baker discusses the principles that go into this very different kind of gardening, featuring primarily perennial herbaceous and woody plants that produce food. Matching plants to the proper habitat is crucial. Dani travels to Pike Food Forest in Florida, where she and Amanda Pike discuss the importance of
planning for plant hydration in any climate.
Episode 2 - Late Winter Chores (Airs March 16, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
Winter has come and gone, and it’s time to plan for spring. Host and author Dani Baker prunes raspberries and black currant bushes, and shows how to root black currant cuttings using willow water. She shares her tips for protecting plants from deer, rodents, and fluctuating temperatures. At Pike Food Forest in Florida, she and Amanda Pike discuss protecting plants from pests and heat stress and the importance of keystone natives to create a beneficial ecosystem and provide shade.
Episode 3 - It’s Time for a Spring Salad (Airs March 23, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
It’s early spring, but it’s not too early for a delicious spring salad! Host and author Dani Baker harvests edible greens ready even in a northern climate in April. Then, it’s time to transplant a beach plum that isn’t doing well in its current location, to a better habitat where it will thrive. Dani also travels to Pike Food Forest in Florida,
where she and Amanda Pike discuss how to handle struggling plants and the importance of choosing plants that are resilient to a particular climate.
Episode 4 - Early Spring Garden Prep (Airs March 30, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
Host and author Dani Baker is knee-deep in early spring chores. After transplanting Chamomile and Licorice, it’s on to propagating a patch of rhubarb. She demonstrates a technique to train grapevines to follow a high wire, and prunes the vine in preparation for budding. Next up, Dani plants a bare root red-bud tree, sharing her tips for seedling survival. Then, it’s off to the Pike Food Forest in Jupiter Florida, where Amanda Pike discusses propagating tropical plants like bananas and pruning mangoes.
Episode 5 - Late Spring Harvesting and Chores (Airs April 6, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
Flowers such as Sweet William and daylilies are edible and make a colorful addition to any salad. Then, host and author Dani Baker demonstrates how to harvest honeyberries, gooseberries, and rhubarb. There are plenty of late spring chores to do, including pruning suckers, planting licorice, thinning peaches, and re-potting currant cuttings. Dani also travels to Pike Food Forest in Florida, where she and Amanda Pike discuss the importance of attracting pollinators and using trap crops in any climate.
Episode 6 - Special Summer Treats (Airs April 13, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
It’s mid-summer, and the forest garden is in full bloom! While there’s something to harvest in the garden nearly year-round, summer offers special treats ready to harvest. The garden is alive with all kinds of creatures, and host and author Dani Baker shares her tips to attract beneficial insects and pollinators, while using trap crops to discourage garden pests from eating the more desirable plants. Dani travels to Pike Food Forest in Florida, where she and Amanda Pike discuss the importance of matching plants to habitat in any climate.
Episode 7 - An Abundant Harvest (Airs April 20, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
Early fall is traditionally harvest time, and the forest garden is full of ripe fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Host and author Dani Baker reaps the rich bounty, including hops, oregano, beach plums, pears, and more. Dani demonstrates how to build a Hügelkultur mound, a gardening technique of building raised beds over
decomposing wood. Then it’s off to Pike Food Forest in Florida, where she and Amanda Pike discuss the abundant September harvest in a tropical climate.
Episode 8 - A Long, Cold Winter Ahead (Airs April 27, 2026 at 7:30 pm)
It’s November, and it’s time to prepare the forest garden for the cold winter ahead. Host and author Dani Baker demonstrates mulching rhubarb and strawberry plants, painting tree trunks, and using screens and upside-down tomato cages to protect plants from deer and rodents. Even though it’s nearly winter, there are still edibles to harvest, including Goji berries, quince, and horseradish. Then Dani travels to the Pike Food Forest in Florida, where she and Amanda Pike discuss how Amanda prepares her garden for the southern climate’s extreme heat in summer, versus the northern climate’s extreme cold in winter.
Of course one of the most important paragraphs in the press release was the list of funders.
Funding for production of The Home-Scale Forest Garden is provided by Adirondack Fragrance, Brookfield Renewable, The Chapel Hill Foundation, Chelsea Green Publishing, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County, JM McDonald Foundation, Local Living Venture, The Northern New York Community Foundation, The Northern New York Community Trust, Ontario Bay Initiative, River Hospital, Thousand Islands Land Trust, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, and the generosity of WPBS supporters: Sally Doxtater, Cynthia Lacki, Richard and Deborah Macsherry, Allan Newell, Michael and Candace Stedem, Stephen and Nellie Taylor, Victoria Vincent, and Jaime H. Weinberg.
Want to see the PBS promo: https://www.enchantededibleforest.com/
Want to visit the Cross Island Farm, Wellesley Island, NY: Fresh organic produce and grass fed livestock, discover U-pick fruits, farm tours, and grass fed beef. Website: www.enchantededibleforest.com; Phone (315) 482-3663.
By Susan W. Smith, info@thousandislandslife. com
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