"Fruit forest people" refers to individuals and communities creating and living within food forests (or edible forest gardens)—lush, multi-layered ecosystems mimicking natural forests but designed for human food production, offering self-sufficiency, abundance, and a harmonious lifestyle, often seen in permaculture. These projects range from family homesteads to community initiatives, featuring diverse fruit trees, berries, herbs, and support plants, demonstrating sustainable living and rich harvests without heavy external inputs. 

Key Aspects & Examples:

• Self-Sufficiency: Families thrive off-grid for decades, living solely from their food forests, providing a nutrient-dense diet year-round.
• Community Projects: Places like the Beacon Food Forest in Seattle create shared spaces for equitable food access, involving community members in planting and maintenance.
• Permaculture Design: These systems use natural layers (canopy, understory, shrubs, groundcover, vines) to maximize space and yield, often incorporating nitrogen-fixing plants to build soil fertility naturally.
• Examples in Action:
  • A family in a tropical rainforest cultivated a food forest for 60 years, living sustainably across three generations.
  • Individuals transform backyards into edible paradises with rare and common fruit trees.
  • Historical examples, like John Hershey's lost food forest in Pennsylvania, show resilience over a century.
• Educational Focus: Organizations like the Agroforestry Research Trust educate people on creating forest gardens, promoting this sustainable food model. 

In essence, "fruit forest people" are pioneers of an abundant, nature-integrated way of life, using forest gardening to feed themselves and build resilient food systems.