Ah, clever, the broken bags technique. I used to have a big nursery/greenhouse operation as one of my web clients and I learned about that option there. There are a LOT of broken bags in an operation that size. I always took the broken bags--nothing wrong with them at all.
What's the difference between a food forest and a regular garden, like a raised bed garden? I looked up a definition on the web but not sure it's what you're talking about.
I was curious about the cardboard because I use it a lot to hold down weeds, however, you can also compost cardboard like egg cartons. I'm not so sure I want to take the time to shred all the cardboard around here, though. Also, since I am organic, I wouldn't want to put cardboard with colored pictures or printing on it in my mix as I don't know how organic that is. White cardboard, of course, has been bleached. Tearing cardboard when it's wet is pretty easy, though.
Thanks for the info in the first paragraph on how much the pathway chips broke down. I can see now I'll be ordering more on Monday. I love it that wood chips are free! I order mine from a tree guy here who goes by "Squirrel." If you ask his real name, he says "all you need to know is 'Squirrel."
Let us know when you get that first pineapple!
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