The Regenerative Agroforestry Podcast

#55 Economic modelling and agroforestry design with Harry Greene

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 17:46:24 GMT

Propagate is a leader in the agroforestry space, specialising in project development and planting agroforestry systems at scale. It's a huge pleasure to chat with Harry, co-founder and Chief Research Officer of the US-based company. Tune in as we geek out on agroforestry economics, economic modelling, design implications and financing options. We delve into questions such as: How do you business plan agroforestry systems? How do we find a balance between economic performance and ecosystem services? And much more!

• RESOURCES

https://www.propagateag.com/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

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• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#54 The importance of peer to peer learning to activate local agroforestry dynamics with Claire Lemarié

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:29:26 GMT

In this episode I discuss with Claire Lemarié her experience working with farmers in the Pays de la Loire region in France, where she is a technical adviser for the chamber of agriculture. She has precious insights into the management of mature hedges, as this region still has a significant amount of bocage: a traditional french hedge layout.

In this interview we gain an understanding of why effective information sharing between farmers is crucial to creating innovative agroforestry systems and how she enables peer to peer exchange through the 'Club des Agroforestiers'.

• RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lemari%C3%A9-34b667155/?originalSubdomain=fr

Youtube video Chambre d'agriculture de la Loire

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• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#53 Practicalities of integrating coppicing into your farm with Mark Krawczyk

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 11:50:58 GMT

Coppicing is an ancient and modern tree management system. Coppicing is known for its multi-functionality: capable of producing biomass, animal forage, firewood and much more. Today we interview Mark Krawczyk, practitioner, consultant and author of 'Coppice Agroforestry'. In this interview we tackle some of the practical challenges of coppicing, to better understand the economic potential of this technique. Mark demonstrates a variety of nuances and compromises, showing us the versatility as well as the key challenges of this technique.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:22 Introduction

00:13:19 What are the key concepts of coppicing

00:27:50 What impact on tree health?

00:39:12 What prospects for mechanising management?

00:51:44 What uses for coppiced wood?

01:17:42 What effect of coppicing on surrounding plants?

01:22:24 Productivity of coppice stands

01:29:14 In relation to soil types

• RESOURCES

https://www.keylinevermont.com/

http://www.coppiceagroforestry.com/

https://regenerativeskills.com/mark-krawczyk-on-coppice-agroforestry-and-woodland-management-part-1/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

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• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#52 Agroforestry at the landscape scale to transform ecological function and boost productivity with Bruce Maynard

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 08:44:12 GMT

Bruce Maynard and his family are livestock managers and row crop farmers in New South Wales in Austalia. Over his carreer, he has succesfully integrated shrubs and trees to their livestock and row crop operation. He has been able to double his stocking rate through increasing the ecological function of the farm. We dig deep into the design of his tree systems and how it has evloved over the years. We unpack in detail how he has been able to transform his landscape on such a large scale and how this was possible from a business perspective.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:21 Bruce's story and description of the farm

00:10:06 No-kill cropping

00:15:05 Complexifying the landscape

00:22:57 Design over time

00:30:19 Taking machinery into account

00:37:57 Specifics of saltbush

00:42:30 Recovery times between bush and pasture

00:54:06 Microclimatic benefits

00:57:30 Planting trees at scale and its logistics

01:10:30 Management of trees/shrubs

01:16:00 Business strategy and cashflow

01:19:32 Ressources to go further

• RESOURCES

http://selfherding.com/index.html

https://stressfreestockmanship.com.au/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHzo0fDBZs0

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

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• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#51 Feedback from 30 years of research on alley cropping systems with Christian Dupraz

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:47:03 GMT

What have we learnt from 30 years at one of the most prominent agroforestry research sites in the world? In collaboration with AGROMIX, We are excited to present an interview with Christian Dupraz, a leading agroforestry researcher from INRAE Montpellier. This is one of our rare 'in person' interviews where we discussed years of findings under the alley cropping walnut trees of the Domaine de Restinclières. We analysed many technical details such as tree - crop competition, tree pruning and adapted tree species. We also discussed socio-economic aspects such as the relationship with the local farmers and the reason why alley cropping systems have not yet been scaled. Enjoy!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:25 Introduction

11:12 Experiment today

13:38 Growth rate of trees

17:43 Impact of AF on the quality of the wood

20:13 Considerations to produce a straight trunk

00:22 Impact on arable crop

00:26:45 Competition between crop and tree

00:30:18 Effect of pollarding on tree quality

00:33:56 How do the trees effect the row crop farmer?

00:38:08 How would tree crops fare in alley cropping?

00:39:32 Increase in bat population and its benefits

00:44:36 Main mistakes

00:48:05 What context for alley cropping to be successful?

00:56:30 Why do we not see more alley cropping?

• RESOURCES

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christian-Dupraz-3

https://agromixproject.eu/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

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• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

• FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR COLLABORATION WITH AGROMIX HERE

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#50 Hedges and trees as pillars of a viticulture agroecology transition with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 16:48:25 GMT

Conventional viticulture and its intensive management has created some important challenges for wine producers and the regions where they are located. Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier has been able to intimately experience the conventional approach, seeing the fertility and biodiversity of his family's château gradually degrade. For the first time since the start of the show, we are able to delve into the story of an incredible viticulture agroforestry transition. With cover crops, hedges and alley cropping, Jean-Baptiste is innovating new solutions for a management intensive crop. We delve into the story, context, agronomy and practical details of his strategy, for an interview rich in experiences and lessons learnt.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:55 Introduction

00:07:53 Trial and error to find regenerative solutions

00:13:39 Effects of planting hedges on the vineyard

00:23:08 Design process

00:36:58 Managing weeds and pruning hedges

00:43:33 Managing the pruning at scale

00:48:12 Mulching and the importance of cover crops

01:04:02 Trees planted within the vineyard

01:10:35 What are the expected agronomic results?

01:16:49 Why advantages outweigh challenges

01:21:23 Looking at the economics

01:31:16 Are neighbouring vineyards interested?

01:34:20 What effect do you expect on the quality of wine?

• RESOURCES

https://chateauanthonic.com/en/

https://www.instagram.com/chateau_anthonic/

https://www.facebook.com/chateauanthonic/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

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• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#49 The potential of agroforestry in human scale regenerative enterprises with Richard Perkins

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 14:35:23 GMT

I am today with Richard Perkins from Ridgedale Farm in Sweden. For those who do not know, Richard is a leading educator and author in the field of regenerative agriculture, specialising in human scale enterprises. We discuss the tree systems he has planted on his farm, and more specifically the opportunity of integrating trees to market gardening and pastured poultry, two of his key enterprises. Richard is also an educator with the mission of helping farmers to build and manage successful small scale farms. He is therefore the ideal guest to have a conversation on how to make small scale agroforestry systems viable, and their place in the farm strategy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:41Richard’s story

05:45 What perennial systems on the farm?

16:08 What place for perennial crops in your long term strategy?

21:30 How do you manage your skill set?

26:07 What oportunity for low managment tree plantings?

31:00 How do you balance complexifying your ecology and maintaining efficiency?

35:48 How to intergrate trees in your market garden?

37:35 Trees and pastured poultry

41:06 How do you make agroforestry profitable on a small scale?

44:32 Funding tree plantations

48:41 Where should we prioritise planting trees in the landscape?

• RESOURCES

https://www.richardperkins.co/

https://www.youtube.com/c/RichardPerkinsofRidgedale/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#48 Striking the balance between complexity and efficiency in large scale Syntropic systems with Daniel Fröbel

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 20:48:46 GMT

Today we continue investigating Syntropic Farming with Daniel from the Mata do Lobo farm in Brasil. In the past 4 years, they have been working solutions to scale these complex agroforestry systems, soon reaching 50ha planted. Daniel and his partner, Maria Vittoria, have accumulated some tremendous experience as they build one of the most innovative coffee plantations out there. In this episode, you will find out what is the difference between the health and quality of agroforestry coffee and conventional coffee. You will also understand how they are striking a balance between efficiency and complexity - in order to integrate the principles of Syntropic whilst managing these systems at scale. This was a highly practical conversation, inspired by the questions we received from our listeners on social media. We hope you enjoy!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

03:47 Daniel’s story

12:35 Objective of the agroforestry plot

16:01 How do you manage inputs?

20:02 What makes Syntropic less input intensive?

22:39 What does the agroforestry produce?

31:09 How much diversity is integrated to the coffee crop?

35:51 How is the coffee crop responding to the Syntropic system?

41:46 How are coffee yields expected to perform in comparison to conventional?

45:41 How did he plant so many trees effectively?

51:01 How many people working on the agroforestry system?

55:23 How do you manage so much biomass?

01:07:26 What harvesting process for coffee?

01:12:16 What potential of mechanisation for Syntropic systems?

01:14:57 What commercialisation strategy?

01:19:44 Is he planning a processing facility?

01:21:48 Could Syntropic systems work in a European context?

01:24:08 Where does he get knowledge from?

• RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/matadolobo/?hl=en

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

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• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#47 The synergies of trees and poultry and adopting silvo-poultry at scale with David Brass

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 16:16:04 GMT

David Brass is the CEO of the Lakes Free range egg company. Almost 30 years ago he started planting trees in the fields to encourage his laying hens to go and range. Since then, he has been busy planting trees throughout his supply chain. With about 70 farmers and 2 million birds supplying eggs to his company today, this is an example of agroforestry working at scale. The interview brings forward both practical considerations for the layout and maintenance of trees, and explains how they have managed to onboard their suppliers. David is enthusiastic about the numerous benefits trees have bought, carefully documented with various studies. He is convincd that there is a very clear case for integrating trees in all poultry production with very limited trade-offs.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:05 Story and overview of the company

04:08 Bringing trees onto the farm

10:14 Current design

12:16 Potential to add a perennial production?

16:51 Is it realistic to incorporate trees as part of the feed?

18:06 What does it mean practically for a poultry farmer to intergrate trees?

22:35 How are the tree plantations evolving?

27:12 Scaling tree plantations within their suppliers

30:58 Funding

34:34 Trees and animal welfare

37:00 Impact of tree planting on profitability.

39:49 Initial reluctance of some farmers

42:34 Is the agroforestry approach something that is valued by your customers?

44:18 the numerous benefits of planting trees

46:15 Do you see payment for ecosystem services as part of your model.

50:21 Supply chain requirements are driving change

54:52 Impact of tree planting on biodiversity

• RESOURCES

https://lakesfreerange.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/lakesfreerange/

https://www.farmtreestoair.ceh.ac.uk/ART

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#46 How can regenerative agriculture be scaled into the food industry supply chain?

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 14:37:06 GMT

Our team attended the Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems Summit, organised by Kiasko Research in order to catalyse a regenerative transition in the food industry. The event was attended by large corporations such as Nestle, Unilever and Yara, as well as numerous companies and organisations that work actively with Regen Ag on the ground. We attended the conference as media partners, producing mini-interviews with a diversity of summit attendees. The objective of this episode is try and understand the value of the strategies being implemented by large corporations, as well as the way in which technical and specialised companies are working to scale Regen Ag. Whilst many of our listeners may not feel aligned with some of the companies we have interviewed, we believe in the value of having open and objective conversations with all players in the field, in order for each of us to form our own opinion. We also believe that the food corporations are hugely influential in the food system today, and must be considered if we are rapidly scale regenerative agriculture. We hope you enjoy this rather different episode!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:08 Anne-Sophie Alibert - Pur Projet

00:10:55 Roberto Vega - Syngenta

00:20:54 Andrew Voysey - Soil Capital

00:29:15 Daniel Baertschi - Quantis

00:38:07 Bastien Sachet - Earthworm Foundation

00:52:25 Charles Leonardi - Nestlé

01:12:14 Felix Jakobsen - Klim

01:22:20 Phillipe Birker - Climate Farmers

• RESOURCES

https://www.purprojet.com/

https://www.syngenta.com/en

https://soilcapital.com/

https://quantis.com/

https://www.earthworm.org/

https://www.nestle.com/

https://www.klim.eco/

https://www.climatefarmers.org/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#45 Rethinking the agricultural status-quo by mimicking natural ecosystems with Mark Shepard

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:56:36 GMT

Mark Shepard is the founder of the Restoration Agriculture farming method and New Forest Farm, where Mark grows food in perennial polycultures, without using external fertilisers, with very limited management activities, whilst integrating animals. In this episode, Mark shares with us the results he has achieved by actively engaging with tree crop breeding on his farm - one of the foundations of his system. Mark is also the author of two books: ‘Restoration Agriculture: Real World Permaculture for Farmers’ and ‘Water for Any Farm’. He is also the founder of Restoration Agriculture Development, an enterprises that catalyses Restoration Agriculture projects worldwide. We hope you enjoy the interview!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:15 How did you get to agroforestry?

10:44 What is restoration agriculture?

19:33 Low inputs and precocity of yield

31:29 Description of New Forest Farm

40:10 How do you harvest?

45:42 Managing the system

49:20 Biodiversity on the farm

57:22 Process of plant selection

01:02:40 Starting a nursery

01:07:28 Why haven’t more people replicated your system?

01:12:00 Which cultivars to include in mass selection?

01:21:19 What is the key knowledge required to get started?

• RESOURCES

http://www.restorationag.com/

https://restoringagriculture.com/

https://www.forestag.com/

https://newforestfarm.us/

https://www.instagram.com/restoration.ag/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/restorationagriculture/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#44 The potential of fast growing biomass trees in agroforestry systems with Michael Weitz

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 13:13:12 GMT

Michael Weitz is a European expert in fast growing biomass trees, with a special passion for Poplar. These fast growing crops are especially interesting for agroforestry systems thanks to their early returns and their capacity to produce ecosystem services early on. Furthermore, the need to find alternatives to fossil fuels and sustainable building materials is leading to evolving economic opportunities for farmers. In this interview we are hitting the nail on the head when it comes to integrating valuable tree crops on our farms! Michael has the ability to zoom into the technical details and zoom out to the bigger picture questions around biomass crops. Enjoy learning about the flexibility and beauty of poplar as well as the challenges that need to be overcome to scale these systems. This is hopefully the first of many interviews on the topic of fast growing trees!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:41 Introduction

09:24 Biomass crops

16:45 Poplar industry and market

22:57 Flexibility of the poplar crop

29:28 Medium term cycle poplar for agroforestry

34:56 Which cycle to optimise biomass production

37:20 Management requirements

45:00 What is the minimum scale for economic viability?

53:46 Favouring medium cycle on a small scale

57:24 Planting on marginal land

01:06:58 Shouldn’t agricultural land stay dedicated to food production instead of biomass production?

01:18:42 Biomass crops and diversification

01:25:26 Carbon credits and biodiversity credits

01:28:41 Market trends on wood products

01:34:26 Can a third party implement and manage the biomass crop?

01:44:22 How can we diversify biomass species?

• RESOURCES

www.instagram.com/lignovis

www.facebook.com/lignovis

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#43 The story, philosophy and principles of Syntropic Farming with Marc Leiber

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 17:14:42 GMT

Syntropic Farming has recently gained international attention, and it is about time we interview an expert on the podcast! Whilst I call him an expert, Marc Leiber prefers to see himself as a student of Syntropic Farming. He has been trained by Ernst Gotsch, the founder of the movement, and continues to work intimately with him on his farm, Quinta das Abelhas, in Southern Portugal. We believe there are few people better positioned to talk about this subject than Marc. In this interview you will understand the history, the philosophy and the principles behind Syntropic Farming. Whilst many questions remain as to how it can be scaled and the economics on our climate, Marc told such a fascinating story that we had to leave if for next time. We hope you enjoy!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:40 Marc’s story

00:11:55 The work of Ernst Gotsch

00:41:37 The principles of Syntropic Farming

01:12:20 Marc’s research farm

• RESOURCES

www.growback.net

www.instagram.com/marc.leiber

www.agendagotsch.com

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#42 Stories and facts: how to convince decision makers about the importance of agroforestry

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:11:39 GMT

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Patrick Worms on the show. He is a policy advisor for World Agroforestry and the ex-president of the European Agroforestry Federation. We discuss together agroforestry from a policy perspective to understand how we convince decision makers and what type of funding is needed to scale agroforestry. Although much of the conversation is focused on Europe, Patrick gives some insights that will be of great interest to anyone who wants to convince key players of the opportunity of agroforestry. Patrick is an amazing speaker and you will find this interview to be not only highly informative but also entertaining and full of punchlines.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:49 Personal background

04:52 The appeal of agroforestry

06:23 Work at ICRAF

08:00 The power of stories

11:22 Missions of EURAF

18:00 Perception of agroforestry in policy circles

20:44 What is preventing a scaling of agroforestry?

23:37 What is blocking agroforestry within EU member states?

27:55 Agroforestry in the African context

34:50 Successful examples from East Asia

41:54 Funding agroforestry

46:04 What role for private funding?

52:36 Is the case for agroforestry clear and properly demonstrated?

• RESOURCES

https://euraf.isa.utl.pt/welcome

https://www.worldagroforestry.org/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#41 The transition to Regen Ag and Belgian alley cropping trials with Soil Capital Farming

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 20:55:20 GMT

Thomas Lecomte and Guillaume Sneessens are agronomists and experts in the field of regenerative agriculture. Through Soil Capital Farming, they both manage and consult a significant amount of acreage. Thomas and Guillaume both see an important role of agroforestry for their clients, integrating more and more perennial systems in farm transitions. We wanted to understand more about what a regenerative transition means to them, and the potential they see in trees. We were extremely well served, and could have kept talking for many more hours. As farm managers they have also started a 5ha alley cropping trial with walnuts and cereals. They go through the details of their design methodology and the key decisions they made.

This episode is divided in two parts - check the table of contents for more details. Enjoy!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part I - Regenerative Transition

02:24 Personal journeys

12:06 Soil Capital Farming’s mission

19:05 Does a transition to Regen Ag mean a loss of yields?

23:52 Initial steps for the transition of a farm

35:53 Barriers to transition to Regen Ag

42:48 Selling Regen Ag produce

53:08 Where does agroforestry fit in the farm system?

Part II - Alley Cropping Trial

01:03:22 Alley cropping trial plot in Belgium

01:15:50 Challenge of diversifying knowledge

01:24:57 Funding of the alley cropping system

01:29:39 Labour costs

01:35:14 Scaling agroforestry systems

01:46:13 Integrating agroforestry into a global design of the farm

• RESOURCES

https://www.soilcapitalfarming.ag/

https://www.instagram.com/soilcapfarming/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#40 How to diversify a milk and meat farm using silvopasture and alley cropping with Felix Riecken

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 15:32:13 GMT

I talk with Felix Riecken who is planting out silvopastoral and silvoarable systems on his 90ha family farm in the North of Germany. The farm traditionally produces cow milk and meat. He explains the journey that led him to agroforestry and integrating these techniques into the family business. His systems being still quite young, we focus the conversation on the design, the objectives and the establishment of the tree systems. This goes from choosing the right genetics, to protecting the trees and managing the weeds. Felix also explains how he successfully funded the agroforestry systems.

In Collaboration with the German Agroforestry Association (DeFAF)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:48 Felix’s story

08:18 Overview of the farm

20:16 Agroforestry systems

30:56 Objectives and design

40:13 Choosing varieties and genetics

46:38 Protection of the young trees

50:30 Weed management

55:34 Balancing complexity and labour

01:01:24 Funding

01:10 Next steps

• RESOURCES

https://rieckens-landmilch.de/eichhof/familie-riecken/

https://agroforst-info.de/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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Special Episode #1 - EURAF Conference 2022

Tue, 31 May 2022 12:23:32 GMT

As Dimitri and I travelled recently to the 2022 EURAF conference in Sardinia, we wanted to share with you the work of the European Agroforestry Federation. In this short interview with their president, Patrick Worms, he explains what the organisation does and its next steps. We also discuss how we can build additional bridges between research and practitioners.

• RESOURCES

http://www.europeanagroforestry.eu/about

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#39 The nuances of farm forestry and the opportunities of integrating biodiversity with Campbell Mercer

Tue, 03 May 2022 10:25:10 GMT

Campbell Mercer owns 40ha outside Melbourne, Australia where he has set up a world class olive farm - producing award winning organic olive oil. Campbell uses a variety of fascinating agroforestry practices, from windbreaks to farm forestry and silvopastural systems. We have an in-depth conversation on small scale farm forestry, from design considerations to harvest and selling. We also discussed the Keyline cultivation pattern and its implications for tree planting, finishing off with the various functions of his windbreaks and their interaction with neighbouring olive trees. Overall, Campbell has not been shy to make use of tree systems to align his production with the ecology he works in. He has managed to harness the ecosystem services provided by trees whilst ensuring they remain economically productive.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:42 Story and context of the farm

11:09 Why go organic?

13:28 Use of black wattle

19:52 Selling small quantities of timber

23:16 Main objectives of agroforestry on the farm

27:56 Design of the systems

39:04 Sawing material

40:56 Drying the wood

43:37 Pruning

46:35 Profitability of timber plantations

57:22 Interactions between grass and trees

01:01:24 Planting along the keyline pattern

01:05:17 Feedback on deep ripping and swales

01:10:46 Would you do keyline again?

01:19:41 Windbreaks

01:28:34 Choice of species in windbreak

01:38:17 Production from them

01:40:28 Interactions between windbreak and olive trees

01:45:00 Improved overall productivity

• RESOURCES

https://mannahillestate.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/mannahill.estate/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#38 Understanding a EU funded pig agroforestry system with Carl Sheard

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 07:55:57 GMT

My guest today is Carl Sheard who produces pigs in France. He has received EU funding for his project so we try and understand with him what kind of opportunity it offers farmers in Europe. He also shares some of the challenges he has encountered with deers and we assess together the potential for increasing the proportion of perennials in pigs’s diet.

**In Collaboration with Agromix**

https://agromixproject.eu/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1:38 Introduction

08:18 Design and technical support

10:22 EU funding

13:38 Tree layout and description of systems

19:47 How much feed to expect from agroforestry systems?

29:56 Challenge of deer damage

32:48 Managing the tree lines

45:36 Do you think your trees can pay for themselves?

• RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/bluepigfarm/

https://thebluepig.monsite-orange.fr/index.html

https://agromixproject.eu/in-the-field/pilot-projects/blue-pig-farm/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#37 Increasing tree cover from 3% to 20% for resilience, profit and biodiversity with Jill and Andrew Stewart

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 06:02:47 GMT

Andrew and Jill Stewart are owners and managers of Yan Yan Gurt West Farm in the Otway Ranges, Southern Victoria, Australia. For the past 30 years, they have taken regenerative agriculture extremely seriously in order to solve problems of soil salinisation, soil erosion, climate change and animal welfare. In order to do so they have planted 23kms of shelterbelts and riparian buffers, connected into a complex ecological mosaic to produce both ecosystem services and a huge variety of new enterprises. Since they started planting trees they have increased tree cover from 3% to 20%, without reducing any of their sheep productivity. Quite the contrary, they have opened up a whole new set of enterprises from saw logs to woody florals. Tune in to find out more about this incredible transition!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:40 Introduction

08:50 The story of the farm

15:00 Main productions

25:34 Timber production

36:07 Harvest and milling

44:43 Economic decision of harvesting shelter belts

52:36 Do trees increase too much fixed costs?

59:13 Are subsidies necessary to justify economically agroforestry plantations?

01:06:29 Tree - Pasture interaction

01:15:01 Managing weeds when planting young trees

• RESOURCES

https://www.facebook.com/yanyangurtwestfarm/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3KXLsj2qLw&t=306s

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#36 Managing a diverse landscape for healthy and productive animals with Fred Provenza

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 13:04:36 GMT

Fred Provenza is a researcher in behavioural ecology who has carried out fascinating research on the nutritional wisdom of animals, on their ability to select their diet and learn. We explore with him the practical implications of his research. He explains why a biodiverse landscape is crucial to animal health and what tools we have to favour such a foraging environment. We explore at length how to train animals either to avoid certains plants or to introduce new plants into their foraging habits.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:42 Fred's story

08:35 Nutritional wisdom of living creatures

17:25 Pratical applications

24:08 How do trees and shrubs contribute to an animal’s diet

30:59 How can farmers act upon these insights

38:54 Training animals to avoid certain species

42:47 Eating tree bark : looking for tanins

52:32 How do you promote beneficial plants?

58:04 Resource availability and diversity

01:01:28 Fertility and secondary compounds

01:05:38 Introducing new plants to an animal’s diet

01:09:28 Toxicity of certain plants

01:11:43 How much is training and how much is genetics?

01:21:48 Animal’s ability to balance their diet

01:27:32 Planning the movement of the animals

• RESOURCES

https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/nourishment/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22395309-the-art-science-of-shepherding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi_vii9XcBM&t=41s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTWYh2LpSjM&t=5640s

https://soundcloud.com/art-of-range/episode-4-fred-provenza

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#35 Hedges and farm scale forestry to diversify and regenerate with Federico San Bonifacio

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 16:51:18 GMT

Federico San Bonifacio is the owner and farm manager of a 30ha farm in the plains of Verona, Northern Italy. For 12 years he has been engaging in an agroecological transition where trees and shrubs play a fundamental role. Breaking the monotony of the surrounding corn and soy plots, he has planted hedges in long strips to provide the ecosystem services that support his grain production. At the same time, Federico planted 5ha of polycyclic forestry, a forestry practice that balances economic return and ecological health of the soil and ecosystem. It is always fascinating to interview farmers, as they interact with their agroforestry systems daily, and provide rich feedback to others who wish to walk similar paths.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:50 - Federico's story

10:20 - Farm production and sales channels

16:25 - Direct selling

20:25 - Hedges: objectives and description

27:10 - Funding the hedges

32:10 - Plastic vs biodegradable mulch & planting technique

39:05 - Medium and long term management of the hedge

47:10 - Interactions between the hedge and the grain crop

50:10 - Introducing polycyclic forestry: design, harvest, sale

01:06:30 - Why polycyclic and economic considerations

01:20:05 - Farm forestry vs alley cropping

01:22:40 - Funding considerations and lessons learnt

• RESOURCES

https://www.inbiowood.eu/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

• FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN PROJECTS https://explore.ecosia.org/regenerative-agriculture

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#34 Building relationships to scale agroforestry with Kaitie Adams

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:41:28 GMT

Today I talk with Kaitie Adams, she leads the Savanna Institute's Illinois Demonstration Farm program and helps build community through agroforestry education across the state and beyond. Kaitie and I explore together how they build relationships with different stakeholders to make agroforestry projects become a reality in the mid-west. We engage with themes such as cultural perceptions of agroforestry and the multiple ways the Savanna Institute is leveraging change. We also took the time to discuss their demonstration sites, their design methodology working with local farmers as well as debriefing on certain of their mistakes and lessons learnt.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:09 Introduction

04:54 The Savanna Institute

10:02 Engaging with cultural perceptions

23:30 Agroforestry as an additional layer of use of the land

46:12 Raising capital

52:44 Design of demonstration sites

01:11:06 Complexity of systems

01:18:14 Plans for commercialisation

01:24:53 Mistakes and lessons learnt

• RESOURCES

https://www.savannainstitute.org/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#33 Perennial polycultures and a 500 acre landlord driven agroforestry conversion with Scott and Sandy Williams

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 18:24:19 GMT

Scott and Sandy Williams got involved in farming after acquiring 500 acres of productive land in Illinois, USA. After meeting the Savannah Institute, they were inspired to transition their land towards conservation agriculture, with a keen interest in agroforestry systems. This interviews delves into the 17 acre perennial polyculture project they planted 5 years ago, and explores how they collaborate with their farmer tenant to implement extensive silvopasture, windbreaks and riparian buffers. Whilst we often see the perspective of the farm manager, it is fascinating to understand how dedicated landlords work to implement agroforestry practices.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:10 Story of the Williams siblings and the farm

07:05 The perennial polyculture project

18:45 Objectives and economic strategy of the project

33:05 Learning how to farm

37:05 Mechanisation and management tasks in the polyculture

41:10 Lessons learnt in the past 6 years

49:20 Silvopasture agroforestry experiments in collaboration with farm tenant and the Savannah Institute

59:35 Long term vision for the land and the relationship to the tenant farmer

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#32 Carbon sequestration and current research on alley cropping with Eric Toensmeier

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 15:24:27 GMT

Eric Toensmeir is the author of The Carbon Farming Solution among other great books on agroforestry and perennial crops. The first part of the interview is focused on understanding the carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry, focusing especially on silvopasture. We then move on to discussing the challenges we are faced with to shift towards a more perennial diet. Finally we explore with him the research on alley cropping he is carrying out on the behalf of Interlace Commons : where it makes most sense and what prevents its uptake.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:38 Introduction

04:32 Are trees necessarily the solution to store carbon?

10:40 Intensively managed rotational grazing & Carbon storage

15:57 Why does silvopasture store so much carbon?

34:29 How can we shift culture towards a perennial diet?

40:33 Can we make perennially fed livestock affordable?

44:03 Mechanisation of perennial systems

51:14 Research on Alley-cropping

55:56 Where is alley cropping really adapted?

01:10:51 Motives for adopting alley cropping

01:13:03 Factors limiting uptake

01:25:07 Factoring in climatic uncertainty

• RESOURCES

http://www.perennialsolutions.org/

https://www.patreon.com/erictoensmeier

http://carbonfarmingsolution.com/

https://www.interlacecommons.org/

https://perennialagriculture.institute/2023/01/10/trees-with-edible-leaves-pais-latest-publication/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#31 Designing, planting and managing a silvopasture system with Brett Chedzoy

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 19:25:03 GMT

We have the pleasure of welcoming back Brett Chedzoy on the podcast. While last time we dedicated much of the conversation to transforming woods into a productive silvopasture, this time we focus on planting trees into pasture. We go into a lot of depth into the design of such plantations as well as their management implications. We conclude the interview by discussing his way of using coniferous plantations to shelter his herd from extreme winter storms and how that is saving him from building expensive infrastructure.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:46 Introduction

00:07:08 Why bring trees into pasture and which ones

00:21:21 Design process

00.44:20 How do we combine high quality forestry with silvopasture?

00:51:06 What simple systems for easy adoption by livestock farmers?

01:00:25 Implementation and management

01:29:10 When to reintroduce animals into the plantation?

01:35:39 Living barns

• RESOURCES

https://silvopasture.ning.com/

https://sites.google.com/site/theangusglenfarm/home

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#30 Soil fertility and the role of trees in the agricultural transition by Francis Bucaille

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 17:34:03 GMT

Francis Bucaille is a leader in the field of agronomy. Farmer, consultant, educator, author and owner of Gaiago, he has built a reputation nuancing some of the commonly held beliefs of regenerative agricultural practices. As a soil expert he talks about the key principles of agroecology, why fungi and lignin are so important, and how trees can help farmers improve their soil. This interview contributes to our ongoing investigation as to how trees can be an agronomic tool for farmers. Their impact on soil health and fertility is a natural place to start. Enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:00 - Francis' story and his vision of agriculture

20:10 - Cover crops, questioning agroecological beliefs, and practical agronomy

32:45 - How to get started and his key agronomical principles

42:05 - The importance of fungi for soil health

46:30 - Key agronomical principles continued

55:50 - The role of agroforestry

1:04:50 - The potential of rameal chipped wood for soil health and why we shouldn't feed 'salad' to soil organisms

1:15:10 - Meeting soil health objectives with

• RESOURCES

https://www.gaiago.eu/

https://www.dunod.com/sciences-techniques/revitaliser-sols-diagnostic-fertilisation-protection

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNdCItE62Ds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jIu5-x7rJs

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#29 How trees can increase livestock's welfare and productivity with Lindsay Whistance

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:59:47 GMT

Dr Lindsay Whistance is a Livestock Researcher at the Organic Research Center in the UK. Through her extensive knowledge of silvopasture, she enables us to see agroforestry from the animal’s perspective. Trees can provide livestock with shelter, food, medicine and even encourage social interactions between animals. These benefits are not only important to provide livestock with a stimulating and pleasant environment but they also reduce sources of stress and increase the productivity of the herd. The discussion focuses on cows but anyone considering to integrate livestock and trees will find this conversation fascinating and full of data.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

05:24 : What is the ORC?

10:30 Seeing trees from the perspective of livestock

13:51 Effect of cold on livestock

15:57 Effects of hot weather

24:09 Trees for nutrition

36:57 Anti-parasitic tanins

39:55 Fodder in times of drought

45:57 Influence of trees on the social behaviour

54:37 What tree cover to aim for?

57:54 Some agroforestry designs

01:09:15 What are the main obstacles to implementing agroforestry systems?

01:15:54 Increased biodiversity

• RESOURCES

https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/about-us/our-team/lindsay-whistance/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#28 How leucaena can double cattle units per hectare and transform profitability with Jaime Elizondo

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 17:52:51 GMT

After many years of experimentation, Jaime Elizondo is scaling his leucaena silvopasture system in order to increase his stocking rate from 3 to 6 cattle units per hectare: doubling his profitability.

This bold statement has been made by one of the most experienced regenerative graziers we know of, and shouldn't be taken lightly. Beyond improving his grass productivity and providing fodder for his cows, Jaime is planting trees for a multitude of benefits such as biodiversity, cattle wellbeing and soil regeneration.

In this interview Jaime is talking directly to farmers and graziers with a wealth of practical information as we break down key topics in his pollarding system. He discusses how he establishes the trees, rotates the animals around them, how he pollards and how cattle digest strong chemical compounds produced by trees.

We hope you enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:00 - Introduction

09:20 - Why started planting trees

15:20 - Why leucaena?

18:30 - Tree density and cattle stocking rate

20:50 - How to direct seed leucaena

30:25 - Competition between trees and grass

34:00 - Adapted animal genetics for silvopasture

38:00 - Leucaena rate of inclusion in cattle feed intake

39:40 - Pollarding vs direct browsing of leucaena

44:05 - Fencing and protecting trees

48:30 - Tree - grass interactions and tree densities

53:10 - Silvopasture and non-selective grazing rotations

• RESOURCES

https://www.rwranching.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RealWealthRanching

https://www.instagram.com/realwealthranching/?hl=en

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#27 Practical feedback on establishing silvopastoral systems with Ben Raskin

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 12:54:00 GMT

Ben Raskin is Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association. He is also working at Eastbrook Farm in the UK, where he is overseeing the implementation of various agroforestry systems over the last few years, mainly focused on silvopasture. Ben gives us some detailed feedback on these first years on the farm : the design of the different fields, what species they have chosen and why, as well as how they approached weed control and tree protection from livestock. Ben is passionate about wood chips and he explains how they are using them on the farm and with what results. We also discuss how to integrate agroforestry in the workflow and skillset of an existing large scale farm.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:17 Introduction

06:52 Eastbrook farm

08:17 Motives for planting trees

13:17 Agroforestry systems on the farm

29:22 Suppressing weeds and wood chips

41:47 Scaling the supply of woodchips

49:07 Protecting trees

57:39 Bringing the agroforestry skillset onto farms

01:07:17 Knowledge and managing a complex system

01:12:02 Selling the produce of diversification

01:18:29 Mistakes and learnings

• RESOURCES

https://helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk/eastbrook-farm/

https://www.soilassociation.org/farmers-growers/technicalinformation/agroforestry-handbook/

https://www.benraskin.com/general-8

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#26 Holistic grazing and acorn fed pigs in the Portuguese montado with Francisco Alves

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 15:19:29 GMT

Francisco Alves manages 700ha of montado, a traditional agroforestry system of Southern Europe, with herds of cattle, goats, sheep and the famous Alentejo pig. His experience at Herdade Sao Luis exposes us to the future of recently planted silvopastural systems. We discuss important topics such as how mature trees interact with pasture, the optimum tree quantity per hectare, how they contribute to his animals' health and growth, as well as the key management constraints.

On top of this, Francisco is using the holistic management technique for animal grazing. This enables him to regenerate his soil and pasture, limit damage of animals to seedlings, clearing bramble regrowth and preparing field seeding all with his diverse animal herds.

Overall, Francisco is extremely enthusiastic about having mature trees in his grazing system, and sees a huge benefit as compared with open pasture.

As always, 1h30 was too short to ask him all the questions we wish we could. Enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:50 Introduction to Farm

14:40 Holistic management and animal system description

24:30 The pig's function, description of system, and feeding on acorns

31:10 Goats, sheep and cows and the economics of diversifying animal species

39:30 Tree density per hectare, managing this unique agro-ecosystem

42:45 Economic flexibility with diversity, and commercialisation

48:20 Interactions between trees and animals

01:02:20 Optimum tree quantity per hectare for pasture production and microclimates

01:08:40 Learning about and designing silvopasture systems

01:12:30 Tree fodder on the farm and oak pruning

01:20:40 Using animals to manage forest regrowth and keep the pasture productive

• RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/herdadesluis_porcusnatura/?hl=en

https://www.projectomateria.pt/pt/produtores/porcus-natura_57

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#25 Low cost and highly productive chestnut agroforestry systems with Tom Wahl

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 18:09:07 GMT

We have an extremely practical conversation with Tom Wahl, co-founder of the Red Fern Farm, convincing us he has developed a very functional and economic system. The team there has chosen a variety of rustic crops that need little care, are high in demand, and picked by the customers themselves. Planted on fantastic soil for growing trees and you have a system where all Tom and his team need to do is 'mow the grass'. In the interview we focused on chestnuts, his main crop, looking at why the economics make it a no brainer, and finish off talking about ground cover management and woodchips. We hope you end up as inspired we did.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

02:15 - Introduction to a low input farm model

13:10 - Tom understanding of agroforestry and imitating a savannah biome

17:40 - orchard architecture, spacing and competition between species

25:50 - Chestnut production and potential

30:30 - Integrating animals in the orchard

52:30 - Why is chestnut so interesting economically?

59:40 - Thoughts on mechanising chestnut harvest

01:02:30 - Characteristics that make a crop profitable

01:05:20 - The potential of chestnut as a staple

01:09:25 - U-pick as a commercialisation strategy and some more economics

01:18:30 - The honey berries experiment

01:21:20 - Managing the ground cover and comments on woodchips

• RESOURCES

https://www.redfernfarm.com/

Presentation discussed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAf1lUrqSq4

https://www.facebook.com/redfernfarm.iowa

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#24 Planning and designing holistically with Darren Doherty

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 17:34:36 GMT

Farms are an expression of a climate, soil and farmer's potential. All need to be considered in order to create holistically functional systems. Reaching this depth is a complex task, but thanks to the work of innovators like Darren Doherty we have tools and techniques that help us make smarter decisions.

This episode deals with the big picture: the patterns, the behaviours and the context that are vital to any farmer and his 'whole under management'. Too often, planning is not given enough emphasis, causing huge losses in resources. Darren bring his vast experience to the table, in an interview that we hope will make you think as much as it made us!

Enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

03:00 - Introduction to Darren and the Regrarians Platform

13:10 - The role of IT in the agricultural transition

18:00 - The limits of consulting

26:50 - Trees as a farm's backbone (potentially)

38:55 - The economic potential of timber trees on farms

47:40 - Reasons why we struggle to add trees to landscapes

01:01:00 - Design tools and methodologies

01:09:10 - Delving into the scale of permanence

01:22:30 - Holistic management as a planning framework

01:27:30 - Challenges of farming regeneratively

01:37:50 - The next Regrarians REX training

• RESOURCES

http://www.regrarians.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Regrarians

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#23 Scaling agroforestry in France with Fabien Balaguer

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:01:31 GMT

We have a discussion with Fabien Balaguer, director of L'association Française d’Agroforesterie (AFAF) where Fabien provides an overview of where agroforestry is at today in France. This is a great episode to understand the methodology l’AFAF is using to scale agroforestry but also to understand the specific challenges that come with that mission. For example on-field technical expertise is a much greater limiting factor than access to funding. The conversation focuses on some strategic considerations such as economic models and commercialisation but we also manage to get some really interesting perspectives on the limitations of alley-cropping and long cycle timber production.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:53 Introduction of Fabien and L’AFAF

00:07:24 Their main agroforestry projects

00:17:23 Limitations to long cycle timber production

00:22:41 Landfiles : a tool to build collective knowledge

00:33:44 What economic models for agroforestry?

00:41:59 Funding agroforestry projects

00:54:27 Commercialising

01:04:40 Why is agroforestry not yet established economically?

01:11:52 How to deal with long time frames?

01:14:39 Recurring mistakes in agroforestry projects

01:20:52 As a farmer, how do I get started?

01:21:52 Is there always a place for trees?

01:23:32 Limitations of alley cropping

• RESOURCES

https://www.agroforesterie.fr/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#22 How agroforestry improves farm biodiversity and impacts insect dynamics with Tom Staton

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 17:26:02 GMT

There are many claims that agroforestry can benefit ecosystem services and biodiversity. Delving into the nuance of this subject, we start our journey with Tom Staton, PhD student at Reading University, who has been conducting research in the UK at some of the farms who's farm managers we have interviewed on the show. Tom has been measuring insect populations (of predators, pollinators and pests) in silvoarable vs arable systems. To our pleasure, this conversation helps us understand the pros and cons, and brings us closer to understanding the potential of agroforestry for the transition of our agricultural system. This is the first of many episodes where we hope to understand how agroforestry can improve ecosystem services, and in turn how these can benefit the farm economy. We hope you enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:40 Introduction to Tom and his research

09:05 Pollinator dynamics and the importance of wild bees

14:50 The economic benefits of functional diversity

19:10 Agroforestry vs flower strips: an economic case

23:20 Description of experiments

26:35 Connection between biodiversity and pest populations

34:15 The economics of agroforestry

39:40 Management of tree line understory

47:20 Type of herbaceous plants and insects

54:40 Can a farmer expect the same results in his context?

59:35 Impact of frequency of tree lines and width of agroforestry alleys

01:02:10 Challenges in agroforestry research

• RESOURCES

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tom-Staton

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#21 How to get started farming with Matteo Mazzola, Koen van Seijen and Dimitri Tsitos

Thu, 20 May 2021 19:34:30 GMT

Matteo Mazzola from Iside Farm, Koen van Seijen from Investing in The Regenerative Agriculture podcast and your host Dimitri (founder of Mazi Farm) sat down to answer one of the most prominent questions we received whilst reaching out to you: how to get started farming.

Matteo and Dimitri have both been through the process of creating a farm and educating themselves in agroecology, whilst Koen has been engaged in the financial side of regenerative agriculture. We talk about training, the creation of a holistic context, talking to investors and much more.

• RESOURCES

www.investinginregenerativeagriculture.com

Iside Farm Instagram

www.mazifarm.com

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#20 Investing in large scale agroforestry with 12Tree

Mon, 10 May 2021 17:02:56 GMT

We have a conversation with Oliver Hanke from 12Tree finance to understand what scaling agroforestry looks like. With 160 million $ already invested in 12 projects, 12Tree is bringing large investors into agroforestry. We go into some detail on their largest project in Guatemala to understand its implementation. We understand who is investing in agroforestry at that scale and their motivations for doing so. We also discuss the balance between agronomic innovation and profitability, if agroforestry is delivering the benefits they expected, and whether such big farms leave any space for small-scale farmers. This episode brings to the forefront some of the thought-provoking questions we face if agroforestry is to be deployed at scale.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:29 Introduction

11:40 Case study : Finca Chimelb

30:45 Investing in agroforestry

40:21 Taking risks with agroforestry

51:51 Forecasting profitability while integrating complexity

01:06:29 What place for small scale farmers?

01:14:04 Is 12Tree relevant to the western context?

• RESOURCES

https://www.12tree.de/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#19 Planting trees to build capital and reach conservation goals with Rowan Reid

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 16:13:19 GMT

One of the pillars of agroforestry is the production of timber as a product of farmers. Rowan has been working for the past 30 years as an academic and farmer, developing a unique approach to agroforestry. He explains the importance of timber on farms, firstly as a key tool for conservation and sustainability objectives, and only secondly as a valid source of capital gain and financial return for a farm. Realistically speaking, why and how should farmers integrate trees? What should they expect from this new venture? Rowan's vast experience comes out in each of his answers. Enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:56 Rowan’s background and farm introduction

08:20 Why his interest agroforestry

12:20 Why and how to create high quality timber

22:30 Economic viability of small scale high quality timber

31:20 How to integrate trees on farms and controversial thoughts

43:10 The reasons for planting trees on your farm

58:10 The risks of planting trees for timber

01:06:30 Dealing with the challenges of knowledge requirements

01:13:25 The reasons for planting a diversity of species

01:19:40 Creating high value timber in difficult climatic contexts

01:31:40 Tree species attributes we must look for

01:37:20 The right scale for a farmer

• RESOURCES

http://www.agroforestry.net.au/

Rowan's book: 'Heartwood'

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

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#18 Grazing turkeys in an organic fruit orchard with Garrett Miller

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 17:53:36 GMT

Garrett Miller has an unconventional path into agriculture, starting his farm at 22 and growing it into an extremely diverse enterprise since then. From cider production and a cider house, to strawberries and agrotourism, we were extremely interested in asking him questions about how he manages his business. Diversity is an inherent part of agroforestry systems, so understanding how farms manage a variety of productions is key. We then zoom in on how he integrates turkeys and apple trees, analysing the various benefits he has observed, such as reduced insect problems, better leaf decomposition and reduced weed pressure. Garrett is very satisfied with his silvopastural system, so tune in to find out why!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:45 Intro to the Good Life Farm: story, context, production

17:05 Selling diversity

23:50 Direct selling and U-pick

33:45 Transformation as a sales strategy

39:05 Integrating turkeys in the orchard: understanding the system

51:10 Impact of turkeys on leaf decomposition and weed pressure

60:20 Turkeys’ impact on pest and diseases

01:05:20 Turkey’s impact on orchard management costs

01:07:10 Turkey scratching

01:11:20 Challenges integrating turkeys

01:14:45 Scaling the system

• RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/flxciderhouse/

http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#17 Insights from research on agroforestry with Sally Westaway and Jo Smith

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 18:45:31 GMT

In our previous interviews with Iain Tolhurst (#10) and David Wolfe (#6), both mentioned the research undertook by the Organic Research Center on their farms. We really wanted to go one step further and understand what came out of these research projets. The result is a great interview with Sally Westaway and Jo Smith where we discuss interactions between crops and trees, the productivity of agroforestry and the results of their trials on wood chips. Sally and Jo do a great job at bringing some nuance to the conversation while also linking their research to very practical considerations.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

01:34 Introduction

06:20 Interactions in Agroforestry systems

25:21 Nuancing diversity

29:36 Biodiversity

36:02 Productivity of agroforestry and LER

51:05 Ecosystem services of hedges

57:45 Trials on wood chips

• RESOURCES

https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/

https://wakelyns.co.uk/

https://www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk/

https://www.regenerativeagroforestry.org/episodes/episode/28159983/10-fertile-woodchips-and-managing-the-tree-line-understory-with-iain-tolhurst

https://www.regenerativeagroforestry.org/episodes/episode/9a9eeee3/6-managing-a-25-year-old-alley-cropping-system-with-david-wolfe

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#16 Feedback from 40 years of pecan intercropping with Dan Shepherd

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 19:29:29 GMT

One of the key questions we are trying to answer is 'in what contexts does agroforestry work, or doesn't'. Dan started intercropping grains between his pecans before he knew it was called agroforestry, because it made sense to him at the time. The first part of the interview focuses on the business strategy of the farm. Whilst providing many tips and fascinating info, you'll also understand the context in which the agroforestry system sets itself. You will be able to understand the details of how he created and managed his intercropping operation, and follow the system whilst it gains maturity. Dan expresses some of his concerns with intercropping in more recent times, and when asked if he would do it again, he provides a surprising answer. We hope you enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:21 Introduction of farm and pecan agroforestry system

00:13:20 Business strategy behind diversifying farm production

00:25:10 Direct selling 300 acres worth of pecans

00:29:35 Creating a quality product

00:33:27 The importance of scale

00:45:15 Why start intercropping the pecan orchard?

00:53:05 Challenges with managing both the intercrop and the tree crop

00:57:00 Trendsetting instead of doing what everybody else is doing

01:00:25 Managing the intercrop strategy with an evolving orchard

01:08:45 Competition between intercrop and tree crop

01:17:05 Silvopasture challenges

01:19:45 Management of the tree row

01:24:10 Biggest mistakes

• RESOURCES

http://shepherdfarms.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDcBULb4WsE&t=8s

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#15 Ducks and stacking entreprises on a small farm with Josh Heyneke

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 18:32:56 GMT

We have the pleasure of talking with Josh Heyneke from Parc Carreg in Wales. In just 4 years Josh and his partner Abi have achieved a lot and we dig deep into his main enterprise : pastured duck eggs. Because they have quite a small acreage they have stacked enterprises and we wanted to understand the interactions between them. We get a detailed understanding of what it takes to raise ducks, how they control certain pests and what their behaviour means for weeding and mulching perennial crops. We also touch on blueberry production and the best options for mulching them in a humid climate. We conclude the interview with a discussion of the tree lines that they have planted to subdivide the initial pasture and how he manages such a diversified production model.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:34 Introduction

00:10:07 Main productions and climate

00:14:53 Market

00:23:05 Duck egg production

00:30:01 Impact of ducks on voles and slugs

00:34:30 Rotation of ducks on the farm

00:42:30 Integrating ducks with berries

00:48:31 Motivations for integrating them both.

00:54:22 Impact of ducks on grass

01:02:09 Planting the understory of the blueberries

01:05:44 Mulching: limits of wood chips

01:14:46 Planting tree rows

01:22:25 Main reasons for planting tree rows

01:25:06 How to manage so much diversity?

• RESOURCES

https://www.parccarreg.com/

https://www.instagram.com/parccarreg/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#14 Integrating fruit trees and arable crops with Stephen Briggs

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:15:44 GMT

Another fascinating interview with a leader and pioneer in the field. Stephen Briggs, managing Whitehall Farm in the UK, delves into the details of his apple intercropping system, and shows us how his farm operation has benefited from the positive interactions of his trees and his arable crops. He is convinced of the strategic benefits agroforestry provides, both for his business and agro-ecosystem. Needless to say, he also has made many mistakes, and shares with us what he would do differently. He finished off discussing where he believes agroforestry is heading in the next 10 years. A must listen, enjoy!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:25 Introduction

00:11:50 Agroforestry system description

00:18:56 Tree line grass management

00:23:10 Interaction between trees and crops

00:30:10 Pest pressure and soil biology

00:36:15 3D farming and agroforestry productivity

00:38:21 Lessons learnt and practical tips

00:43:50 Tree mulch to manage weed pressure

00:45:03 Controlled traffic farming system

00:46:50 Integrating tree and arable work flows

00:50:25 Integrating apple sales into the business

00:55:14 Acquiring new knowledge and time management

00:59:14 Managed complexity

01:01:25 Next steps for Whitehall Farm

01:04:50 The future of agroforestry

01:10:15 Planting trees on rented land

• RESOURCES

https://abacusagri.com/

https://www.agricology.co.uk/field/farmer-profiles/stephen-briggs

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#13 Sheep silvopasture and farm ecology with Steve Gabriel

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 19:57:36 GMT

In this episode Steve Gabriel shares with us his experience on Wellspring Forest Farm, focusing on his sheep silvopasture system. Steve has used the different ecological niches present on his land to build up various enterprises and has refused to separate productions, preferring rather to take advantage of interactions and edge effects. You'll find out how he uses trees to diversify the habitat of his sheep and how this very same diversity can become a key asset in time of crisis. We also cover the importance of the breed, the role of tree fodder, patterns of tree planting and many other fascinating things!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:54 Introduction

00:05:33 Wellspring Forest Farm context

00:09:42 Starting with ecological niches

00:14:47 Ecosystems of the farm

00:18:22 Silvopasture systems on the farm

00:21:37 Creating diversity between paddocks

00:27:22 Dealing with complexity and diversity

00:30:48 Trees systems

00:36:57 Why mix pasture and trees?

00:44:07 Planting in clusters vs planting in lines

00:46:01 How do you protect young trees from animals?

00:50:57 Limits of stacking productions

00:57:58 Tree fodder

01:07:48 Potential to mechanise tree fodder collection

01:14:56 Role of breed in tree fodder acceptance

01:18:25 Managing the rotation of the flock

01:23:25 Advice for setting up a silvopasture

• RESOURCES

http://www.wellspringforestfarm.com/

https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/silvopasture/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#12 Grazing cattle in the woods with Brett Chedzoy

Sat, 26 Dec 2020 14:04:31 GMT

In this episode, Brett Chedzoy shares with us his extensive experience practicing and teaching silvopasture. Brett clearly discussed some of the key issues, challenges and opportunities associated with silvopasture. We spent quite some time covering the importance of rotational grazing and how silvopasture differs from pasture grazing. We cover specific topics such as tree fodder, animal behaviour and the different interactions between trees and animals. We finish the conversation with a practical step by step method to convert a forest into a silvopasture system.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:00 Introduction

00:06:58 Silvopasture basics

00:13:40 Challenges and risks

00:17:26 Grazing on pasture vs rotational grazing in silvopasture

00:34:08 Effect of animal presence on tree growth

00:39:16 Animal behaviour

00:43:25 Tree fodder and browsing

00:47:45 Forage quality

00:56:29 Skills necessary to transition to silvopasture grazing

01:00:38 Stocking density and rotation timing

01:06:30 Three step process to convert forest to silvopasture

01:16:23 Resources

• RESOURCES

https://silvopasture.ning.com/

https://sites.google.com/site/theangusglenfarm/home

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#11 Designing modular agroforestry systems with Preta Terra

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 17:23:45 GMT

Paula and Valter share with us how they are designing and implementing complex agroforestry systems. They put an emphasis on creating flexible, modular designs which fit the needs and preferences of local farmers. We talk with them through some key points of their work such as the role of mechanisation, how they plan economically viable systems and finding markets for diverse productions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:01:59 Introduction to Preta Terra

00:11:32 Project in the amazon around cassava

00:18:02 Pasto Vivo: silvopasture system around cattle ranching

00:28:00 How can we make more complexity economically viable?

00:35:47 Mechanising management

00:45:23 Selling ecological diversity

• RESOURCES

https://www.pretaterra.com/

https://www.facebook.com/apretaterra/

https://www.instagram.com/preta.terra/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#10 Fertile woodchips and managing the tree line understory with Iain Tolhurst

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 20:13:31 GMT

In this episode, Iain Tolhurst explains why and how he integrated trees in his vegetable operation. It's interesting to get a clear image of what his tree layout looks like, and what this means in term on infrastructure and management. He has tested planting perennial crops in the tree understory, a tempting idea that encounters some practical and commercial limitations. We cover some issues such as if we should be worried of weeds growing in the tree line or if root and light competition are a challenge for him. We then explore another interesting aspect of his farm : how he uses woodchips to fulfil 100% of his fertility needs and how much of his land he would need to dedicate to tree cover if he were to produce all his inputs onsite. As a little bonus, we indulge in a little off topic but fascinating conversation on organic matter.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02.22 Overview of the farm

00:07:31 Why agroforestry

00:11:43 Which trees did he chose?

00:13:40 Funding & cost

00:16:06 Layout and spacings of trees

00:21:08 Experimenting with understory planting

00:26:20 Impact of trees on vegetable production

00:33:04 Time for managing the trees

00:37:55 Are weeds in the tree line a problem?

00:44:52 Is it worth planting the understory?

00:49:40 Composting woodchips

00:54:50 Applying rameal chipped wood on soil surface

01:01:29 Are wood chips economically interesting as an input?

01:05:22 How much tree cover to be autonomous in inputs?

01:07:05 Effects of excess of organic matter

01:19:00 Compost recipe and which trees species to favour as input?

01:22:52 Machinery to woodchip and compost

01:25:53 Advice for vegetable grower wishing to integrate trees

• RESOURCES

https://www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk/

Managing_the_tree_understorey_for_food_and_biodiversity.pdf

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#9 Selecting fruit tree varieties for climate resilience with Pierre Barbieux

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 18:23:06 GMT

In this episode, Pierre shares with us his work at the Bois de Rode Bos, where he is experimenting with tree varieties to find the most adapted ones to the evolving Belgian climate. It is amazing to realise the genetic diversity that we are not familiar with and the potential it can offer for agricultural production, yet at the same time we understand how technical this work is. Pierre talks us through his selection process, from sourcing rare genetics to trialling them on his land. As we delve into the details of some specific trees such as mulberries and figs we can see how much he has learnt through experimentation and how this knowledge lays the foundations of his emerging business. You'll come out with a clearer picture of what it takes to do such work and of the possibilities and challenges this offers for fruit production.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:03:55 Introduction

00:17:20 Varietal selection and experimentation

00:22:15 Selecting for climate irregularities

00:24:30 Mulberry tree specifics

00:29:50 Sourcing unusual varieties and the inside world of tree collectors

00:42:05 Can farmers do this work?

00:44:20 Description of his regenerative orchard

00:56:15 Biomass production

01:04:10 Weed control and fertilisation

01:11:05 Diversity

01:16:25 Main challenges

• RESOURCES

https://boisderodebos.be/

https://www.facebook.com/boisderodebos/

https://agendagotsch.com/en/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#8 Paying farmers for positive ecological outcomes with Regen Network

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 15:33:41 GMT

In this episode we talk with Christian Shearer and Sarah Baxendell from Regen Network to understand how they are monitoring the ecological outcomes of farming practices and offering an additional income stream to farmers who are regenerating land. These type of tools are crucial to scaling agroforestry as they help make ecologically sound practices economically viable in the short term. We discuss in depth how Regen Network is monitoring ecological change on farms, what data they use, and what taking part in their platform means for farmers. Will biodiversity and carbon credits become key sources of income for agroforestry projects? Listen and decide for yourself.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:10 Introduction of Christian and Sarah

00:09:10 What is Regen Network

00:15:55 How they help farmers implementing agroforestry

00:28:20 What they measure and how

00:39:05 The carbon credit market

00:47:47 What farmers are required to do and the income they can make

01:00:45 Funding farmers' transition to regenerative practices

01:06:23 Carbon vs biodiversity credits and the complexity of their work

01:11:22 Minimum farm scale for selling credits

01:16:08 Other uses of the data

01:22:37 Main challenges Regen Network faces

• RESOURCES

https://www.regen.network/

https://www.wilmotcattleco.com.au/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#7 Creating regenerative supply chains based on multi strata agroforestry with Ryan Zinn from Dr. Bronner's

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 14:10:23 GMT

In this episode, we have the pleasure to talk with Ryan Zinn from the company Dr Bronner. We explore with him how they are using multistrata agroforestry to transform their supply chains in order to increase their resilience and the improve the livelihood of the farmers they work with. We are able to understand why such a company is investing in regenerative agroforestry and what it takes for them to transform their supply chains. We go into some practical details such as the challenges that come with diversifying production on smallholdings and the key role of infrastructure to make it work. If you want to understand how forward thinking companies can be partners for driving forward agroforestry or if you're just curious to understand some of the stakes of agroforestry in the context of smallholders in the tropics, this episode is for you!

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:25 Introduction of Dr Bronner and their work with agroforestry

00:09:20 Scale and types of designs on the ground

00:16:27 How Dr Bronner works with farmers from their supply chain

00:24:07 Building regenerative techniques with the farmers

00:31:15 Dealing with extra labour induced by complex systems

00:37:29 Selling and working with diversity

00:46:49 Infrastructure for success and scaling

00:56:34 Mistakes and lessons learnt

01:05:48 How far is Dr B in the process of integrating regenerative practices in its supply chain?

01:09:10 Regenerative Organic Certification

01:16:39 Will other companies follow?

• RESOURCES

https://www.drbronner.com/about/our-earth/combatting-climate-change-on-the-ground/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#6 Managing a 25 year old alley cropping system with David Wolfe

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 13:27:54 GMT

In this episode we have the chance to interview the manager of Wakelyns Farm, amongst the oldest agroforestry systems in Europe. David gives us a great insight into what a fully running agroforestry system looks like. We get into understanding the decisions involved when managing mature trees, what tradeoffs arise with time, and how to balance their needs with the crops grown in the alleys.

David also explains how he is shifting the strategy of the farm from a research project to a demonstration site with more diverse revenue streams, bringing many new people and productions on site in the process.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:44 Introduction of Wakelyns Farm

00:11:40 Intercropping systems description

00:22:17 Alternative intercrops: vegetables and animals

00:28:13 Coppicing vs pollarding systems

00:33:28 Mechanisation

00:36:13 Ecosystem benefits

00:42:23 Diversifying the business

00:51:59 Mistakes

00:58:27 Economic viability

• RESOURCES

http://www.wakelyns.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/wakelyns

https://www.instagram.com/wakelyns/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#5 Creative strategies for balancing diversity and economy with Adolfo Rosati

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 16:09:05 GMT

In this interview, Adolfo gives us practical information on the management of his agroforestry systems, from integrating chickens to weed wild asparagus and olive, to punning the forest for tree fodder. He gives us an insight into the type of decision making it takes to run a small diversified farm in Italy, and how finding the right balance between ecological diversity and economy of scale is key to success.

He provides some great guidance on how to navigate bureaucratic constraints, how to market diversity and how to create synergies between different enterprises on the farm. He concludes the episode with some advice on how to start a small diversified farm.

And as a little bonus, he even uncovers the unexpected potential of Ailanthus altissima for silvopasture...

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:30 Introduction (story of the farm, why agroforestry, climate, market, local context)

00:16:52 Integrating chickens and sheep in the asparagus-olive orchard

00:32:08 Challenges of diversification and innovative ideas to overcome them

00:51:20 Machinery vs animals to manage the farm

00:57:36 Thinning the forest and tree fodder

01:15:55 Commercial strategies for diversified unusual products

01:22:03 His biggest mistakes and some advice for starting a farm

01:28:21 How can you earn a living from a small diversified farm

• RESOURCES

https://www.facebook.com/Localit%C3%A0-il-Piano-117317244965377/

https://localitailpiano.it/

https://www.instagram.com/localitailpiano/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#4 How to create profitable agroforestry systems with Propagate Ventures

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 16:48:48 GMT

We have an exciting conversation with Ethan, Harry and Jeremy from Propagate Ventures, to understand how they are blending cutting edge agronomy, economic modelling and innovative financing to scale up agroforestry. They walk us through their analysis and design methodology, from what data they use to how they define tree spacing and choice of species. We also discuss their favourite systems so far, the implementation of their projects, how they track success, the technical support they offer farmers as well as the commercialisation of agroforestry products. We finish by exploring what makes agroforestry profitable and how they find a balance in their projects between productivity and ecological complexity.

• RESOURCES

https://www.propagateventures.com/

https://www.propagate.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/propagate-ventures/

https://www.instagram.com/propagateventures/

https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/2018/05/21/jeremy-kaufman-harry-greene-ethan-steinberg/

https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/2019/12/31/ethan-steinberg-and-jeremy-kaufman/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn

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#3 Introducing agroforestry to a 1000ha grain farm with Benedikt Bösel

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 13:38:51 GMT

Benedikt Bösel shares with us his journey from investment banking to regenerative farming. We explore why he is testing out agroforestry on his large scale grain farm. We also discussed how grains benefit from trees, how to lead a 20 people team towards regenerative techniques and the process of diversifying his farm.

• RESOURCES

https://www.gutundboesel.org/

https://www.instagram.com/benediktboesel/?hl=de

https://twitter.com/altmadlitz?lang=de

https://www.schlossgutaltmadlitz.com/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#2 Innovative agroforestry systems on a diversified CSA farm with Matteo Mazzola

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 13:39:53 GMT

Matteo Mazzola shares with us some technical knowledge on how he is associating plants and animals to create productive and diversified systems on a small farm. We get into some detail on how he prepares his tree lines before planting, which plants consortiums he associates with his orchard and why, as well as the crucial relationships between grazing animals and trees.

• RESOURCES

https://www.facebook.com/agricolaiside/

https://www.instagram.com/iside.farm/

http://www.terraorganica.it/

https://iside.farm/online-soon/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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#1 Our challenges at Mazi Farm and how the podcast came about

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 16:56:30 GMT

In this episode we discuss the process we are going through to create the Mazi Farm agroforestry system, as well as some of key questions and challenges we are faced with. We realised there are some typical topics and challenges agroforestry farms face, and the solutions aren't always easy to work out. From this position we decided to start the podcast and find some answers for ourselves.

• RESOURCES

www.mazifarm.com

https://www.facebook.com/Mazifarm/

https://www.instagram.com/mazifarm/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• SUPPORT US www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

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The Podcast Introduction

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 00:06:21 GMT

In this episode you will find out who we are, what agroforestry means to us, why we use the term regenerative, and what you can expect from this podcast.

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

• DONATE www.gumroad.com/regenagroforestry

• FOLLOW US on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.