Tree Crops, Silvopasture, and Permaculture
Our tree crops are more than future harvests—they're a living blueprint of how animals, food, forest, and fungi can thrive together. Inspired by permaculture design, we're converting a pasture that has suffered from years of over-grazing into a resilient, multi-story ecosystem. The project includes native canopy, mid-story and shrub species: Chestnuts, Pawpaws, Mulberries, Persimmons, Plums, Redbuds, Hazelnuts, Elderberries, Honey Locust, Black Locust and Serviceberries. We also included a few hazelnut trees that were inoculated with truffle spores. We've planted along contour-aligned swales to slow and retain water. We carefully selected tree and shrub species, as well as specific varieties within species, that drop their fruit and nuts at different times to provide food and forage. This model allows us to keep our livestock in the field for weeks or months longer than if we relied on grasses alone, and significantly reduces reliance on a non-regenerative hay model.
