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Forest Farming: Working BothSides of the FenceAgroforestry is well recognized as analternative approach to farming andforestry. Essentially, this land-use prac-tice is the intentional combination ofagricultural and forestry activities onthe same land to increase productionwhile improving conservation of natu-ral resources. Trees, crops, and/or ani-mals are integrated into a manage-ment unit, with an objective to betterutilize and conserve the land’s produc-tive capacity. The components (trees,crops, animals) are managed intensive-ly to maintain productive and protec-tive functions. Agroforestry manage-ment strives to manipulate interactionsbetween the biological and physicalcomponents to boost harvest of allpieces, as well as providing conserva-tion benefits.

The National Agroforestry Center(www.unl.edu/nac) recognizes fivegeneral types of agroforestry: forestfarming, alley cropping, riparianbuffers, windbreaks, and silvopasture.Forest farming has been defined as theintentional introduction of agricultur-al or cropping practices into forest sys-tems. It has been characterized as themanagement of forestlands to produce

things other than timber, particularlyfood, herbal medicines, ornamental,and other non-timber products. Somefolks have described forest farming asthe cultivation of high-value specialtycrops under a forest canopy. The gen-eral definition can also include activi-ties that incorporate farming type ofactions. For example, the productionof pine straw when integrated into thegrowing of timber species requiresfarm machinery and other farmingtype of activities. Likewise, silvopastureintegrates forestry (growing trees) andfarming (planting forage grasses andgrazing cattle) actions to improve over-all production. Utilizing shade gener-ated from the tree canopy to producefarm type crops (e.g., honey, mush-rooms, syrup) would be included in anexpanded definition of forest farming.

Non-Timber Products andForest FarmingNon-timber forest products (NTFPs)come from plants; parts of plants,fungi, and other biological material.They are harvested from within and onthe edges of natural, manipulated ordisturbed forests. NTFPs come fromfungi, moss, lichen, herbs, vines,shrubs, or trees. Roots, tubers, leaves,

bark, twigs and branches, fruit, sap andresin, as well as wood, are harvested tomake non-timber products. In general,NTFPs are found under the forestcanopy and thrive in shade, whichmakes them appropriate for forestfarming. They are commonly classifiedinto five categories: culinary products,crafts, floral and decorative products,medicinal and dietary supplements,and landscape products.

Culinary non-timber productsinclude mushrooms, fungi, fruits,ferns, greens, as well as roots andtubers. Mushrooms and fungi areprobably the most well-known forestedibles. The production of maplesyrup is big business, particularly in thenortheast. Eastern black walnuts, mus-cadine grapes, berries, and persim-mons are gathered, consumed, andsold as well. Wood-based crafts are pro-duced from trees or parts of trees,excluding products made from cut tim-ber. Many forest species, includingmoss, lichen, and princess pine, areharvested and used in the floral indus-try as compliments to flower arrange-ments. More than 125 plant speciesare harvested from southern forests fortheir medicinal value. The estimatedvalue of the non-timber forest products

ForestFarmingExpanding Farm and Forestry OpportunitiesJim Chamberlain, Non-Timber Forest Products SpecialistNational Agroforestry Center, Southern Research StationUSDA Forest Service

ABOVE Ginseng under walnutcanopy, September 1995. (Photocourtesy of Bill Slagle, WV.)

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industry in the United States exceeds$5 billion.

Farming the Forest for PineStrawManaging pine forests for the harvestof the needles, also known as straw,offers an interim income stream whiletimber or pulpwood stands are matur-ing. Pine straw makes attractive land-scape mulch as the mulch protects theroots of plants from extreme tempera-tures; supplies some nutrients upondecomposition; and reduces weedgrowth, erosion, and evaporation ofwater from the soil. The low pH of theresin on the needles creates a pre-ferred environment for acid lovinglandscape plants such as azalea, rhodo-dendron, camellia, gardenia and blue-berries. Compared to other mulches,pine straw may last longer and covermore area per cost of materials. It hasbecome a preferred mulch across thesouth.

A good site to establish a pine strawoperation should be relatively flat withminimal soil erosion potential. Thespecies that produce the most desir-able straw are longleaf (Pinus palustris)and slash (Pinus elliottii) pine. Loblollypine (Pinus taeda) also may be used,though the needles are shorter andmore difficult to bale. Stands withbasal areas of 75 to 125 square feet peracre can produce approximately 125to 175 bales per raking, respectively,

each weighing about 30 pounds. Ifpine straw is the secondary crop to tim-ber, then spacing should be deter-mined by the primary objective ofgrowing wood. The first harvest canbegin as early as 8- to 12-years-old inold plantations, later in natural stands.

Farming Forests for CattleProduction The term “silvopasture” refers to thedeliberate and thoughtful combina-tion of trees and pasture in the samelandscape to accommodate livestockand timber production. The conceptcan be realized by deliberately plant-ing forage grasses among trees, or con-versely by planting trees within estab-lished pasture. Silvopastoral systemsprovide opportunities for multiple-useproduction that can ensure short- andlong-term economic benefits. They canhelp landowners to diversify farm pro-duction to include wood and non-wood products, fuelwood, fodder, andlivestock

A silvopasture system consists ofthree main components: trees, forages,and livestock. The key to success isselecting a suitable site, matching treesand forage to that site, and selectinglivestock appropriate for the system.Subsequently, success is dependent onmanaging these three componentsjudiciously and simultaneously.Successful silvopasture relies on pro-ducing high-quality marketable trees

that are fast growing to reduce above-ground competition with grasses, andhave deep roots to reduce below-ground competition. Planting 100 to400 trees per acre, with a 4 by 8 footspacing of a double row of trees with40 feet between the rows, is recom-mended for silvopasture systems.Perhaps the most important character-istic in selecting forage species is toler-ance to low light levels. Pensacola bahi-agrass (Paspalum notatum) may be themost shade-tolerant forage grassspecies. The yield of bahiagrass undera stand of 21 to 25 year old treesranges from .5 tons per acre to almost2 tons per acre, depending on sitecharacteristics and environmental con-ditions. When the silvopastural systemis well established, cattle can remainon pine-based silvopastures year-round, with active management.Stocking rates should be based on for-age yields and cattle conditions. Theamount of forage that is grazed is criti-cal to the success of a silvopasture sys-tem. A good rule of thumb is to grazehalf and leave half of the forage fornext year.

Loblolly pine planted with high-qual-ity forage has been shown to have up to70 percent greater net present valuethan pure pine plantations. In general,silvopasture has been shown to bemore profitable than plantationforestry and as profitable as pure cattleproduction.

RIGHT Slash pine silvopasture sys-tem with Bahia grass/crimson cloverforage and longhorn rodeo steers.Good grazing distribution and for-age production under trees, Chipley,Florida, 2003. (Photo courtesy of JimRobinson, USDA-NRCS.)

Farming the Forest for EdibleMushroomsMany edible mushrooms, such as shi-itake (Lentinula edodes), maitake (Grifolafrondosa), lion’s mane (Hericium eri-naceus), and oyster (Pleurotus spp.) canbe farmed under a forest canopy. Theshiitake mushroom is the most popularfor small-scale forest farming.Production of shiitake in this countrystarted about two decades ago, whendemand exceeded the ability ofimporters to fulfill orders, and thetechnology for landowner productionbecame readily available and simple.

Shiitake mushrooms grow best onhardwood logs, cut from live trees in amoist climate ranging in temperaturesfrom 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.Moderate temperatures and highhumidity promote fast growth of thethreadlike structures from which themushrooms grow (called mycelium). Asite with at least 60 percent shade ispreferred for best production. If possi-ble, select a mixed softwood/hard-wood forest because the softwoods pro-vide shade throughout the year andcontaminants common to hardwoodforests are less prevalent.

Farming the Forest forMedicinal PlantsThe hardwood forests of Appalachia,known for their diversity of plants, areparticularly attractive for farmingmedicinal plants. With more than 100species of plants collected from theseforests for their medicinal qualities, aforest landowner has many opportuni-ties to diversify farm income. The mostpopular and well-known medicinalplant of the eastern hardwood forestsis ginseng, but, this woodland herb isonly one of a dozen species that thrivein these forests. Other plants withmedicinal qualities include blackcohosh, slippery elm, and bloodroot.

Sugar maple, butternut, yellowbirch, and American beech are a few ofthe trees under which ginseng and adozen other medicinal plants grow.Selecting the site to undertake forestfarming for medicinal plants is crucial.Trying to farm woodland herbs in for-est sites where they would not natural-ly grow is not advised. Having compan-ion plants growing on the site may bethe most important indicator that thelocation will work well for forest farm-ing of woodland herbs. Many understo-ry, medicinal plants prefer well-drained, loamy soils. Gently slopedforestlands with a northern exposureare best for growing woodland herbs.Ginseng and many other medicinalherbs grow best under a canopy thatprovides about 75 percent shade. Theunderstory of shrubs and saplings can

be cleared to reduce competition andto make tilling easier. Raised bedsunder the canopy will improve produc-tion, as well. With current markettrends, growing medicinal herbs in aforest farming setting can be lucrative,even though 7 to 10 years may passbefore the first harvest.

Final Thoughts on ForestFarming OpportunitiesThere are many other opportunitiesfor landowners to integrate farmingand forestry activities to generate addi-tional income. Forest landowners whohave cattle may consider intercroppinghigh valued forage grasses and trees toincrease overall economic productivity.Those with large holdings of pineforests might think about tapping treesfor the resin or selling the needles forstraw. A forest landowner with an incli-nation for growing or digging nativeplants might do well to investigatestarting a business to provide landscap-ers with native plants. If oil and naturalgas prices continue to sky-rocket, forestlandowners might consider growingshort-rotation woody crops for bioen-ergy. Those with a partiality to garden-ing or animal husbandry could growmushrooms or raise bees under a for-est canopy for additional income.

Landowners interested in farmingtheir forests for alternative enterprisesneed to examine all internal and exter-nal factors that could influence theirsuccess. Many new enterprises mayrequire additional skills and expertise.There may be additional capital orlabor investments for which landown-ers will need to budget. The competi-tion in some markets, such as ediblemushrooms, firewood, and bees, maybe such that the profit margins makethese alternatives less attractive.Interested landowners need to exam-ine the markets and fully understandthe potentials and pitfalls of each pos-sible venture. Though there are manychallenges for developing alternativeforest enterprises, a diversified landuse and management strategy can beeconomically rewarding to landownerswilling to invest time and energy.

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BELOW Harvested pine straw,Chipley, Florida, April 2002. (Photocourtesy of Richard Straight, USFS,National Agroforestry Center.)