Forest Farming: A Conservation Strategy and Income-Generating Opportunity
By Shannon E. Bell, Professor of Sociology, Virginia Tech
Forest farming and forest gardening are great ways to help protect at-risk forest botanicals for future generations. Selling the medicinal herbs and forest foods you grow, or turning them into value-added products like teas or tinctures, can also provide an income-generating opportunity for you or your family.
Forest farms do not require a large tract of woodland to be successful – there are plenty of examples of small-scale forest farms that are operating on less than 1 acre. And many forest botanicals grow quite happily on slopes, so flat land is also not a requirement! Even better, forest farming does not have to be done intensively; research suggests that growing different plant species together in a “wild-simulated” fashion, rather than monocropping, can reduce the spread of fungal diseases and other pests.
Site selection is key in forest farming. The presence of certain plants and trees can give you clues about what will thrive in a given location. The forest farm in this photo, for instance, is cultivating Solomon’s seal, American ginseng, bloodroot, trillium, goldenseal, twinleaf, and false unicorn together beneath a canopy dominated by maple and beech trees. A site dominated by other tree species will signal different growing conditions and may be better suited for another combination of understory medicinals.
This photo shows American ginseng, bloodroot, and twinleaf planted together in one wild-simulated forest farm plot.
This photo shows a starter bed of young ramps. Once these plants reach maturity, they will be planted in a wild-simulated forest farm plot where other companion species are growing.
Check out the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition’s website at www.appalachianforestfarmers.org for instructional videos, funding opportunities, training workshops, and more!