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Discovering Profits in Unlikely Places:
Agroforestry Opportunities for Added Income

5. Getting Started in Agroforestry

  1. Identify places on your land where trees and woody crops can be planted. Think about how each practice described might fit into your overall farming operation, which species might work, and whether the production requirements are appropriate for your climate zone.

  2. Visit and learn from farmers using agroforestry techniques. To help locate farmers, see #5.

  3. Learn about the costs, benefits, markets and production requirements of each species and/or cultivar you are considering using (seedlings, equipment, establishment and maintenance concerns, etc.). Before implementing any of the practices outlined in this publication, investigate the markets that are available to you, keeping in mind geographical location and prices. Remember that income from agroforestry depends on the availability of markets for the products it yields, and on your ability to identify and meet market needs. No one makes money from growing trees—they make money from selling them.

  4. Visit your local Soil and Water Conservation District, University of Minnesota Extension Service, or Natural Resources Conservation Service office for information on the species that are best suited for your land, and to learn about agroforestry cost-share and technical assistance programs, such as the:

    5. Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Land enrolled in CRP and planted with windbreaks or riparian forest buffers can receive up to 90% cost-share for establishment, sign-up bonus plus maintenance payments, and earn a 20% bonus on annual land rental payments.

    The Forestry Incentive Program (FIP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are other programs that support agroforestry efforts.

  5. See Agroforestry in Minnesota: A Guide to Resources and Demonstration Sites, a statewide directory of resources for people interested in learning more about agroforestry.
    6. This directory provides a comprehensive list of agroforestry resources in Minnesota. It includes demonstration sites (listed by agroforestry practice), individuals with agroforestry knowledge to share, organizations, nurseries that supply planting stock, and agroforestry-related publications. You can find the directory at your local Extension, Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Department of Natural Resources office. Or, you can order your own copy from the University of Minnesota Extension Store. See the Additional Resources section for order information.

6. Additional Resources

Organizations

Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA). P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702. 800-346-9140, Fax 501-442-9842 www.attra.org

Association for Temperate Agroforestry (AFTA).
203 ABNR Bldg., University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. web.missouri.edu/~afta/
Center for Integrated Natural Resource and Agricultural Management (CINRAM).
115 Green Hall, 1530 N. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108-1027. 612-624-4296, Fax 612-625-5212 www.cnr.umn.edu/FR/cinram
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA).
411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108-1013. 612-625-8235 or 800-909-MISA, Fax 612-625-1268 misamail@umn.edu, www.misa.umn.edu
Native Fruit Development Program.
Dr. Richard St-Pierre, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA, S7N 5A8. www.ag.usask.ca/departments/plsc/nfdp/index.html
USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC).
East Campus, UNL, Lincoln, NE 68583-0822 402-437-5178. Fax 402-437-5178 nhammond@fs.fed.us, www.unl.edu/nac

Publications

The following publications are from CINRAM and the University of Minnesota Extension Service, and can by ordered by calling 800-876-8636. They can also be ordered or viewed in full text on CINRAM’s web site.

Agroforestry in Minnesota: A Guide to Resources and Demonstration Sites.
S. Josiah, L. Gordon, E. Streed, J. Joannides. 1999. BU-7275. Provides a detailed look at agroforestry practices around the state and lists demonstration sites for a variety of practices.
Catching the Snow with Living Snow Fences.
1999. MI-7311. A comprehensive national award winning technical resource about living snow fences, produced by Minnesota’s Interagency Task Force on Living Snow Fences.
Commercial Hazelnuts in Minnesota.
S. Josiah. 1998. FO-7280. A summary of the potential to produce hybrid hazels in the Midwest. Provides a review of planting and maintenance information.
Hybrid Poplar Profits.
E. Streed. 1998. FO-7279. Detailed information on the financial aspects of growing hybrid poplar as a crop in Minnesota.
Living Snow Fences.
S. Josiah, M. Majeski. 1999. FO-7277. Discusses the benefits and the technical aspects of establishing living snow fences.
Marketing Specialty Forest Products.
C. Vollmers, E. Streed. 1999. FO-7278. Discusses products that can be grown in a forest farming system, the role of value added processing, and recommendations for marketing plans.

The following publications are available directly from CINRAM (see Organizations for contact information).

Agroforestry Advantage Newsletter.
Free quarterly newsletter. (Subscribe/view on web site).
Growing Trees as a Crop.
Spring, 1999. Agroforestry Advantage Newsletter, Vol. 2 No. 1. Presents the “how to” of growing hybrid poplar. (Available on web site).
Proceedings from the 1998 Specialty Forest Products/Forest Farming Conference.
A complete collection of papers presented at the 1998 conference held in Minneapolis, MN. A terrific source of up-to-date research information on specialty forest products (medicinals, foods, decorative florals, handicrafts. (Table of Contents available on CINRAM’s web site).

The following publications can be obtained from the USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) (see Organizations for contact information). The publications are also available in full text on their web page.

NAC Brochures:

Working Trees for Agriculture.
Undated. Explains rural agroforestry practices and benefits.
Working Trees for Carbon Cycle Balance.
Undated. Using trees and shrubs to produce social, economic, and conservation benefits.
Working Trees for Communities.
Undated. The application of agroforestry technologies in community conservation.
Working Trees for Livestock.
Undated. The application of agroforestry technologies for livestock protection and silvopasture operations.
Working Trees for Wildlife.
Undated. The application of agroforestry technologies designed specifically for wildlife habitat.
Working Trees for Treating Waste.
A natural alternative for using nutrients from livestock and farm operations, municipalities, and industries.

NAC Agroforestry Notes: These brochures provide agroforestry information in a useful “how-to” format:

Agroforestry in the United States.
B. Rietveld, K.Irwin. 1996. AF Note-1.
Alley Cropping: An Agroforestry Practice.
S. Hodge, H. Garrett, J. Bratton. 1999. AF Note-12.
American Ginseng Production in Woodlots.
R. Beyfuss. 1999. AF Note-14.
The Biology of Silvopasturalism.
S. Sharrow. 1997. AF Note-9.
Economics and Marketing of Ginseng.
R. Beyfuss. 1999. AF Note-15.
Establishment and Cultural Guidelines for Using Hybrid Tree Species in Agroforestry Plantings.
G. Kuhn, W. Rietveld, D. Riemenschneider. 1998. AF Note-11.
Farming Exotic Mushrooms in the Forest. D. Hill.
1999. AF Note-13.
Forest Farming: An Agroforestry Practice.
M. Dix, D. Hill, L. Buck, W. Rietveld. 1997. AF Note-7.
Forest Production of Goldenseal.
J. Davis. 1999. AF Note-16.
From Pine Forest to a Silvopasture System.
T. Clason, J. Robinson. 2000. AF Note-18.
Guide to a Successful Agroforestry Demonstration Project.
K. Irwin. 1997. AF Note-6.
How to Design a Riparian Buffer for Agricultural Land.
M. Dosskey, D. Schultz, T. Isenhart. 1997. AF Note-4.
Opportunities for Growing Short-Rotation Woody Crops in Agroforestry Practices.
G. Kuhn, W. Rietveld. 1998. AF Note-10.
Outdoor Living Barn: A Specialized Windbreak.
K. Irwin, J. Bratton. 1996. AF Note-2.
Riparian Buffer Design for Cropland.
M. Dosskey, D. Schultz, T. Isenhart. 1997. AF Note-5.
Riparian Buffers for an Agricultural Land.
M. Dosskey, D. Schultz, T. Isenhart. 1997. AF Note-3.
Silvopasture: An Agroforestry Practice.
N. Klopfenstein, W. Rietveld, R. Carman, T. Clason, S. Sharrow, G. Garrett, B. Anderson. 1997. AF Note-8.
Wastewater Management Using Hybrid Poplar.
G. Kuhn, J. Nuss. 2000. AF Note-17.
Waterbreaks: Managed Trees for the Floodplain.
D. Wallace, W. Geyer, J. Dwyer. 2000. AF Note-19.

The following materials can be obtained from ATTRA (see organizations for contact information). The publications are available in full text on their web page.

Agroforestry Overview.
A. Beetz. 1999.
Black Walnut Agroforestry.
A. Beetz. 1999. ATTRA. Not available on web site—call 800 number for copy.
Ginseng, Goldenseal & Other Native Roots.
K. Adams. 1998.
Mushroom Cultivation & Marketing.
A. Beetz, L. Greer. 1997.

The following materials can be found at your local library or can be ordered or accessed from their respective sources

Badgersett Research Farm Web Site.
Phil Rutter. RR 1, Box 141, Canton MN 55922, 507-743-8570, www.badgersett.com
Conservation Trees for Your Farm, Family, and Future.
Undated. National Arbor Day Foundation. Nebraska City, NE.
Forest Farming: Towards a Solution to Problems of World Hunger and Conservation.
1984. J. Sholto Douglas and Robert A de J. Hart. 207 pages. Intermediary Technology Publications. 103-105 Southampton Row, London WC1B4HH, United Kingdom.
Growing Hybrid Poplars as a Crop.
Agricultural Utilization Research Institution (AURI). 2000. www.auri.org/poplars/poplars.htm. Information on hybrid poplar production and contacts for more information and sources of nursery stock. Ed Wene; Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, PO Box 599, Owen Hall Annex, University of Minnesota-Crookston, Crookston, MN 56716, ewene@auri.org. 218-281-9014. Fax: 218-281-3759.
Heavenly Hazelnuts.
Craig Cramer. Feb. 1994. The New Farm. Rodale Institute. Emmaus, Pennsylvania. pp. 36-39. Check your local library or contact the MISA office to borrow a copy.
Income Opportunities in Special Forest Products: Self-Help Suggestions for Rural Entrepreneurs.
USDA Forest Service, Agricultural Information Bulletin 666, May 1993. USFS, Washington, DC. Minnesota-Grown Opportunities: Hybrid Poplar. E. Streed. 2000. Center for Alternative Plant and Animal Products (CAPAP-U of MN). 352 Alderman Hall, St. Paul, MN 55108.
Minnesota-Grown Opportunities: Hazel.
S. Josiah & E. Streed. 2000. Center for Alternative Plant and Animal Products (CAPAP-U of MN). 352 Alderman Hall, St. Paul, MN 55108.
Permaculture: A Practical Guide to a Sustainable Future.
B. Mollison. 1997. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA.
Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture.
R.J. Smith. 1950. Island Press, Washington, DC.
Windbreak Technology: Economics of Windbreaks.
1997. Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Suite 600, 375 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101. 651-602-7900.
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