Food Forests and the Great Green Wall

These food forests are more than just environmental safeguards; they bring profound socioeconomic benefits. They have drastically transformed agricultural practices, evidenced by the shift from cultivating just two crops annually to a diverse range of 18 crops within a mere two years in Africa's Great Green Wall region. This diversity not only bolsters nutritional intake for families but also provides a more stable economic foundation than traditional farming methods. Furthermore, these forests create a more dynamic habitat for wildlife, fostering a biodiverse and resilient ecosystem. Alongside planting 40,000 trees in Forest Gardens and contributing to ocean cleanup efforts, these food forests are pivotal in building economic resilience and supporting communities grappling with the impacts of climate change. This multifaceted approach to agriculture and environmental stewardship presents a significant leap towards a sustainable and ecologically balanced future.

Bringing Back the American Chestnut (Video)

By my calculation, the average mature American Chestnut tree, prior to the arrival of blight, could potentially put 100,000 calories into the environment each year. Considering how many of these trees there were in North American forests, the loss to the ecosystem is staggering to me. In the video below one of the key ways that people are trying to bring back the American Chestnut, in a hybridized form, is explained. I truly hope that whether through this or gene editing (or both), the American Chestnut can be restored to our woodlands for future generations.

Growing Elderberries in the Midwest (Video)

The Savanna Institute has released the video below promoting elderberries as an agricultural product. While I wonder about the strength of the existing market for them, I found compelling the suggestions of using them as part of either an alley cropping or riparian buffer system. The latter in particular would be great for holding ground around ephemeral creeks (ditches) on farms. For more from Savanna Institute about elderberries, visit: savannainstitute.org/elderberries.

How Goats are Regenerating a Forest and Protecting this Town from Bushfire (Video)

A second cousin back in Missouri recently posted on Facebook about some work he'd done cleaning out fence rows on his mother's farm, mentioning in particular eastern red cedar and multiflora rose. I commiserated with him on the latter, which is invasive and a real nuisance. Someone else commented that he should consider getting some goats in there to clean things out, which sounded like a great idea to me. In the video above you'll get an idea, albeit from Australia, about the positive impact that planned foraging with goats can have on the land. They really are quite useful creatures.

The Man Who Plants Baobabs: A Burkina Faso Hero (Video)

YouTube description:

El Hadji Salifou Ouédraogo has nurtured thousands of baobab trees from tiny seeds to expansive forests for the past 47 years. The trees in turn help his family, his village and the Earth. Filmmaker Michel K Zongo’s uplifting film, The Man Who Plants Baobabs, meets this charismatic old man with a youthful spirit and a lifelong commitment to his trees, which are both a lifeline and a legacy for his community. 

How to Start a Regenerative Farm from Scratch (Video)

This video from Heifer USA shares how Derrick and Paige Jackson got into farming in North Carolina. It's a lovely story, both informative and encouraging for anyone considering a move towards farming or else within agriculture to a more sustainable approach. One takeaway for me was the suggestion to lease rather than purchase land, because of the flexibility that can provide. I'd still rather have my own property and not have a land owner to satisfy, but they make a compelling argument.

Chestnuts as a Viable Farm Product

via Wikimedia Commons

The first time I ever had chestnuts, so far as I can recall, was just a couple of months ago. I saw them for sale at a local supermarket and picked up a couple of packs. At first I found them off-putting, but once I acquired the taste they were practically addictive. In terms of an agroforestry crop they are a pretty solid option, as you can hear in the audio below from Nebraska Public Media. Greg Heindselman, a chestnut farmer from the northeast Missouri town of Lewistown, Missouri, is interviewed for the report, and suggests that as little as five acres is plenty for a good operation. I'm assuming that means as part of a diverse portfolio of farm products. Here's how the article puts it:

“In a lean year, if you only have 1,000 pounds per acre, that figures right around $6,000 an acre. Now, granted, not all of that is profit,” he said. “That’s still a whole lot better than I can do in grain.”

While the future or chestnut growing in the Midwest appears bright, it’s not all Christmas carols and tasty recipes.

“Growing chestnuts is hard work. It’s labor-intensive, and you always have something to do, almost year-round,” Heindselman said. “But it’s still worth it. It’s a great way to farm.”

It's also worth noting that the professor of my first agroforestry course, Dr. Mike Gold, was also interviewed for this report. 

If I ever have say over what goes onto some farmland, chestnuts will be at the very top of the list. 

'Tremendous Demand' Awaits Chestnuts Grown in Midwest