Agroforestry is a bit out of the ordinary, even for me. Having worked in conventional agriculture for
most of a long career, I had not been exposed to it at all. Experiences with Small Farm Canada magazine and looking for opportunity for our own woodlands, has rectified that and I am excited by the possibilities. In this article I will discuss three agroforestry possibilities that are quite diverse – silvopasture and silvoarable systems and seasonal greens.
Old literature and old ideas are sometimes surprising. In 1953, in a handbook called Woodlots on Ontario Farms, woodlands were often overlooked for management due to “economic problems.” The pay-off in terms of time spent just could not measure up to field crops being farmed with big machinery. This mindset continued into the eighties, when the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and a slightly bigger emphasis on management of the woodlot by farmers occurred, with recognition of indirect benefits including a form of self-insurance in case of commercial crop failure, the benefits of crop cover for sub-marginal land and to generally increase property value (improved aesthetics).
Why the look back? I am a firm believer that history can help show us the way forward. Agroforesty systems have been used for millennia, as intensively managed symbiotic systems that can yield on multiple levels. Tree nuts in the canopy, fruit bearing bushes and vines mid-level, poultry on the forest floor and herbs like wild ginseng and bloodroot below ground. The intensity of forest farming can vary depending on the producer’s goals, available markets, processing, and the location. Expert opinions do stress the applicability of agroforestry to smaller operations.
SILVOARABLE
A silvoarable system is the cultivation of crops under the protection of a managed tree canopy. It is not just wild harvesting (some call wildcrafting) of native understory woodland plants with no management. Planning and management are essential parts of a silvoarable system. It intentionally uses both vertical and horizontal growing planes and the interactions of the plants within the microclimate to advantage.
Due to intensity, biodiversity and a growing system that could include multiple species and levels of production, knowing the land and species in the habitat is important. And putting this know-how to the test can pay in the short, medium, and long-term. Take the example of a silvoarable system that includes wild ginseng – an over foraged and now rare herb that can fetch five to ten times the market value of cultivated ginseng.
SILVOPASTURE
The difference between conventional livestock management and silvopasture is tremendous. But one thing that they share is the need for a plan. Silvopasture’s ability to serve multiple sectors simultaneously makes it an attractive option. It can be developed to produce livestock, selectively produce timber, and also provide wildfire mitigation. This does not happen overnight.
If planning to start silvopasturing with an established forest, the farmer needs to change the “ecology” to support the establishment of forages, shrubs, and trees (of a certain age) meant as fodder for the livestock particular to the system.
According to the Cornell Small Farms Program, a well-managed silvopasture system can offer livestock more diverse and healthy options for nutrition that can include medicinals, and an environment that promotes wellness. “In essence, the design of a diverse silvopasture offers animals a habitat that might resemble their “original” experience grazing in the wild.”
Canadian proponents say that silvopasture is building slowly and benefitting from a significant amount of research available in similar climatic regions in the U.S. Gains are much to the credit of grassroots efforts by small land holders looking to create systemic synergies that agroforestry can provide.
SEASONAL GREENS
Seasonal decorative greens are a bit of a misfit, but one that is full of forest farming possibilities. In an investigation published by Small Farm Canada in the March-April 2023 issue, local seasonal greenery was identified as a small farm market opportunity.
Buyers in most of Canada (B.C. being the exception) rely on offshore material, much of which comes from mega foliage farms in the Pacific Northwest U.S. There are few foliage farms on the Prairies and further east in Canada. Greenhouse owner and designer Sarah Pell of Crawford’s Greenhouse in Milton, Ontario would like more local sources.
Sarah would like to source locally for many reasons like price of fuel for transport, shelf-life, storage risks not to mention climate change. It is a pressure cooker until trucks arrive and after as well. Hoping for weather that provides cool conditions for storage. With a reliable local source and coordination, local designs could be produced that appeal based on beauty, longevity, and a more sustainable approach to seasonal greenery.
FOREST 2020
In 2005, the federal government planted trees on close to 6,000 hectares of underused farm fields across Canada under a program called Forest 2020. It was an experiment to measure the forests effectiveness at capturing carbon. The program required landowners to manage the trees for fifteen years.
Dolf and Anne Wynia, landowners in Norfolk County, signed on for the program. They were renting their land to a tobacco farmer at the time and did not feel good about it. Was the reforesting worthwhile? Dolf noted to Canadian Geographic in June 2020 that, “right now, timber is growing faster in value than bank deposits. We can pass it on to the next generation.” Anne also notes the masses of edible mushrooms that appear in the fall. And in winter, crews trimmed lower branches of the pines to make wreaths for Christmas. Pruning branches also improves the trees' value as timber.
The additive affect of forest centric farming impresses the most. From these grassroots also springs consumers and community that are closer to farming and the forest, fostering a community that is supportive of the ecological and environmental benefits that farming the forest can bring.
This article was written by our editor, Julie Harlow, for The Ontario Woodlander.
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