Resources for the northerners (3b/3a)

As the title states, I'm after some resources/reading material that covers permaculture and specifically agroforestry in cold climate areas. I'm up in Canada in a the 3b/3a growing region and most of what I can find online or otherwise just doesn't account for regular -30C winters or for 14 week growing seasons. Last year we had several weeks of -40, peaking at -47 without windchill.

Any suggestions on reference materials?

Thanks all,
DM

Hi, Darnel. Welcome to Permies!

I haven't had much luck finding definitive reference materials that are specific to cold climate agoroforestry.

That doesn't mean they don't exist though. The Internet is deeply limited. I would suggest checking a university library and perhaps contacting their agriculture department. Someone is surely working on this right now.

Can you tell us a bit more about the project you have in mind?

I assume that there might be some authors that are specific to Canada.

So I asked Mr. Google "gardening in Canada" and I did get several suggestions.

I also did a search of books on the forum.

Rosemary Hansen lives in British Columbia, her book is about apartment dwellers though there might be something useful:

https://permies.com/t/98392/ebooks/Grow-Salad-City-Apartment-book

About Bernard Alonso ... He currently resides in Quebec Canada.

https://permies.com/wiki/143393/Human-Permaculture-Bernard-Alonso-cile

Maybe you will find this information of some value.

Fellow Canadian here, there's really not a ton of resources geared towards our difficult climate(s). There's also a ton of variation in biomes and climate types from west to east. Some provinces outlaw certain permie species (Autumn Olive is illegal in Alberta for instance).

I spent a ton of time during my PDC course trying to find as much information on ulta hardy varieties and species that will overwinter here. I'd be happy to pass on my research notes - but keep in mind its aimed for a rather dry continental climate, heavy clay soils at high (but not mountainous) altitude. That may not translate directly if you're in coastal BC or the atlantic provinces, etc. At the very least it'll give you a list of edible plants that will overwinter here. Make sure to check your local laws regarding invasive species management.

Minnesotan here! I find much of the material in Sepp Holzer's Permaculture and The Resilient Farm and Homestead to be very useful, even taking into account that my land is flat, lower altitude, and just a notch colder than theirs. I'm curious about the book Farming the Woods, though I don't have much mature forest to work with. Might be just the thing for you!
In internet searches, I always make sure to use the term "cold climate", and keep seeing the same list of candidates: apples, nuts, blueberries, cranberries, seaberries, honey berries, mushrooms. I'm hoping to incorporate all of them eventually.
Eagerly awaiting further advice on this!

Here's a really rudimentary listing of perennials &/or native edible annuals that reseed themselves. that will overwinter in zone 3 or are reputed to do so. Spicebush, Butternut and Yellowhorn are ones where hardiness is fuzzy and I haven't had a chance to plant them myself to confirm. I am sure I'm missing some obvious ones but I hope this gives you an idea just what kind of diversity is possible. Varieties are listed for species which are not universally hardy.

Acer saccharum – Sugar Maple (edible seeds & sap)

Actinidia arguta – Hardy Kiwi

Allium schoenoprasum – Chive

Althaea officinalis – Marsh Mallow

Asparagus officinalis – Asparagus var “Guelph Millennium”

Apios americana – groundnut

Betula papyrifera – Paper Birch (sap is edible)

Caragana arborescens – Siberian Peashrub

Chenopodium berlandieri – Lambsquarter

Elaeagnus umbellata – Autumn Olive

Helianthus tuberosus – Jerusalem Artichoke

Hemerocallis fulva – Daylily (var. Fulva)

Hippophae rhamnoides – Sea Buckthorn

Juglans cinerea – Butternut (hardiness is debated)

Juglans nigra - Black walnut

Lindera benzoin – Spicebush

Lonicera caerulea – Haskap
                            var. Aurora
                            var. Tundra

Matteuccia struthiopteris – Fiddlehead Fern

Monarda citriodora – Lemon Bee Balm
Monarda didyma – Scarlet bee balm
Monarda fistulosa – Wild Bee Balm

Morus nigra – Black Mullberry
                      var. “Taylor”
                      var. “Montreal”

Panax quinquefolius – American ginseng

Portulaca sp. - Wild purslanes

Prunus cerasus X fruiticosa – Romance Cherry
                                          var. Crimson Passion
                                          var. Juliet

Prunus mandshurica – Manchurian Apricot
                                 var. Debbie's Gold
                                 var. Westcot

Prunus salicina – Plum
                      var. Brookgold
                      var. Brookred

Prunus serotina – Black Cherry

Prunus tomentosa – Nanking Cherry

Psoralea esculenta – Prairie Turnip

Pyrus ussuriensis – Pear
                           var. Early Gold
                           var. Ure
                           var. Golder Spice

Quercus macrocarpa – Bur Oak

Rheum rhabarbarum – Garden Rhubarb

Rosa acicularis – Wild Rose

Rubus idaeus – Raspberry var. “Boyne”

Sagittaria cuneata – Arrowhead

Shepherdia argentea – Silver Buffaloberry

Trifolium spp. -- Clover

Typha latifolia – Common Cattail

Urtica dioica – Stinging Nettle

Vaccinium corymbosum x Vaccinium angustifolium – Blueberry

Xanthoceras sorbifolium – Yellowhorn

Xorylus Cornuta – Beaked Hazelnut

Zizania palustris – Wild Rice

edit: Apples. i forgot apples.