Trees and pigs may seem an unlikely combination, but in fact, hog silvopasture has been practiced for thousands of years. In this episode, two practitioners share their insights about raising hogs under trees. During the Perennial Farm Gathering, hosted by the Savanna Institute, we talked with Dayna Burtness of Nettle Valley Farm, and recorded a presentation from Eliza Greenman of HogTree. Dr. Ashley Conway, as guest host, gives us context in the world of silvopasture history, management, and risks.
Oct 18, 2021
39 min
In this episode, we inoculate a deeper understanding of how fungi can play an important role on farms with trees, both as a valuable crop and as a source of ecological revitalization. Steve Gabriel from the Cornell Small Farms Program and Wellspring Forest Farm, and Nicola MacPherson from Ozark Forest Mushrooms share their insights and experience working with shiitake mushrooms.
May 5, 2021
32 min
Secure and affordable long-term land access can be a major barrier for beginning farmers planning agroforestry endeavors. In this episode, we’ll hear from a few people who support solutions to this challenge: Keefe Keeley, co-executive director of the Savanna Institute; Joe Klingelhutz, farm specialist with the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust; and Emily Wright, farmer and president of the board of directors for the Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri.
Theme music by Noah Earle.
Jan 29, 2021
40 min
We close season one of the Agroforestry Podcast with an episode intended to steer your budding tree crop ideas into grounded reality. Larry Godsey, Professor of Agribusiness at Missouri Valley College, and Paul Dietmann, Senior Lending Officer of Mission Finances at Compeer Financial, share insights about economics in the context of long-term harvests.
You can find more information to help you get started with profitability projections and decision-making tools at www.CenterforAgroforestry.org/profit.
Apr 17, 2020
29 min
Urban agroforestry is more than the marriage of city farms and community forestry; there are many ways multi-story perennial food systems can take shape in these spaces. In this episode, we hear from Sarah Lovell, Director of the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry; Cathy Bukowski, PhD Candidate at Virginia Tech and author of a book on community food forests; and Matt Lebon, owner and operator of Custom Foodscaping in St.Louis.
Jan 27, 2020
26 min
Pawpaw has big potential as a specialty crop with conservation value. In this episode, learn about the plant’s biology, propagation, and promising cultivars from Patrick Byers, University of Missouri Extension; and about technical and financial support for agroforestry plantings like pawpaw from Lauren Cartwright, Missouri’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Dec 2, 2019
29 min
Silvopasture, the integration of trees with animals and forage, is a promising approach that can yield many benefits. In this episode, we’ll hear from Ashley Conway, the Center for Agroforestry’s silvopasture research faculty, Dusty Walter, MU’s Wurdack Research Center superintendent, and Greg Judy, a practitioner who’s found success with silvopasture at Green Pastures Farm.
Oct 21, 2019
35 min
This episode features Dr. Leo Sharashkin’s seminar from the Agroforestry Academy, the Center for Agroforestry's annual intensive training program. Leo collects wild swarms of honeybees and keeps them in “horizontal”, or Layens, hives to harvest forest honey that is free of agrichemicals and other contaminants. This special episode offers a deep dive into the world of keeping small bee livestock as part of a forest farming operation.
Aug 13, 2019
43 min
This episode features Dr. Michael Gold, Interim Director of the Center for Agroforestry, and Red Fern Farm’s Kathy Dice and Tom Wahl. Often planted and maintained for their conservation value, trees on farms can also be an integral part of a farm’s crop production. With diversity comes resilience and complexity: hear both academic research and on-the-ground farmer perspectives about the why, what, how, and when of perennial tree crops.
Jun 21, 2019
39 min
Native plants are gaining attention in agriculture, landscaping, and wild places. Many of these perennial plants can also be ideal in agroforestry systems for their varied and valuable products. During the the Center for Agroforestry’s intensive training Academy, Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, native plant expert and consultant, and Terry Durham, champion grower and organizer for American elderberry, shared their knowledge about and passion for native plants.
May 17, 2019
31 min
Load more