The Agroforestry Podcast is a place to dig deep into the world of trees on farms and farming in forests. Check out a sample of some of the people and ideas that inspire us at the Center for Agroforestry, and subscribe to this podcast on any app ..read more

Missouri tree syrup makers are connected to the forest in an intimate way, attending to late winter temperature fluctuations, noticing their trees’ health, and delighting in a sap flow that will result (with much time and care) in a sweet reward. Maples are not a preferred species in these forests, but where abundant, tapping them can yield a sustainable source of nutritious sugars. The Center for Agroforestry’s new project “Putting Maple on the Map in the Lower Midwest” highlights the important role these trees play in forest farming and ecological health.  Dr. Benjamin Knapp is faculty ..read more

After decades of trial and error, cultivar test orchards, and local breeding efforts, chestnuts are about to take a big leap towards becoming more regionally adapted and rooted in productive agroforestry systems across their range. The Chestnut Improvement Network is a participatory breeding program led by Dr. Ron Revord, tree crop geneticist at the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry, with key producer partners, including Dr. Greg Miller, chestnut grower and tree geneticist at the Route 9 Cooperative. Native Land Map: https://native-land.ca ..read more

The 13th Annual Agroforestry Symposium Food, Fire, & Agroforestry for the Future: Ecological Knowledges for Climate Resilience will be held on January 20th, 2022 from 10am to 4pm CST online and on Zoom. The theme for this year's event brings attention to the ways that intercultural perspectives in land-based sciences are essential as we collectively face current climate realities. The event is free and open to the public. Registered attendees will receive full access to the online Symposium for community participation and recordings. Sessions include a film screening of Inhabitants, discus ..read more

Trees and pigs may seem an unlikely combination, but in fact, hog silvopasture has been practiced for thousands of years, and is only recently making a comeback in the US. In this episode, two practitioners share their insights about raising hogs under trees. During the last in-person 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 is our guest host to offer some context within the world of silvopasture history, management, and risks ..read more

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 ..read more

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 provided by Noah Earle - “Cake and Ice Cream” Interstitial music: Podington Bear - “Memory Wind”, “Pink Gradient” (CC BY-NC 3.0) Lobo L ..read more

We close the first season of the Agroforestry Podcast with an episode intended to steer your budding tree crop ideas into grounded reality.  Larry Godsey, Associate Professor of Agribusiness at Missouri Valley College and former agroforestry economist with the Center for Agroforestry, shares his insightful perspective about economics in the context of long-term harvests and ecosystem services associated with perennial farming.  And while economics isn’t all about finances, it’s an important part of the equation; Paul Dietmann, Senior Lending Officer of Mission Finances at Compeer Fin ..read more

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. Each shares their perspective on urban applications of agroforestry, from permaculture design and edible landscaping, to food forests and urban farm co ..read more

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 ..read more