Decision Matrix for Establishing Small Lot Agroforestry

Small-lot agroforestry works on Gabriola Island

Just Another Weed Patch Farm on Gabriola Island has released a decision matrix document, summarizing lessons learned in the development of a diverse nut and timber tree grove grown in combination with livestock and annual vegetable and flower crops.

As a small-lot farm, home to the Gulf Islands’ first agroforestry demonstration site, owners Jeff Rietkerk and Sonja Zupanec, with support from the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative, have transformed a 4 acre, fallow hay field, into an organically-managed alley cropping system of nut trees with specialty foods and flowers between the trees, and overlaid with a silvopasture system utilizing laying hens and sheep.

The farm has achieved its goals of:

1. Growing diverse, organic, seasonal cut flowers for the local market;
2. Growing and processing Styrian pumpkins and other seed crops;
3. Supplying the community with fresh eggs from pastured chickens;
4. Providing leased pasture grazing for owners of livestock that need to rotate animals or give their pasture a break; and,
5. Growing and harvesting a wide variety of nuts in the long term as the farm transitions from annual crops to tree nuts.

Jeff and Sonja are practical and realistic about their abilities, strengths and interests and purposely set about to implement an agroforestry plan that produced value-added crops that were labour intensive to start, but will slowly transition to less physically-demanding work over the next 15 years.  Seeing an opportunity to fill local niches for cut flowers and oil seeds, they plan to continue to build on the 'locavore' market over the next decade, while establishing a diverse, organic nut tree orchard as the backbone of the entire farm, and hope to retire under the shade of enormous chestnut, walnut and hazelnut trees, with bushels full of delicious, local, sustainably-grown nuts.

The transformation to agroforestry has had its challenges, as well.  The production area for nuts was limited in size to the area on the property that had soil conditions most favourable for growing the trees and other annual or perennial crops.  But by careful planning at the outset, the alley design used was situated in those portions of the fields where soil conditions and irrigation needs were most straightforward.  Also, by employing 'hugelkulture mounds' they were able to take advantage of the biomass available on hand to enhance soil conditions and enrich their generally nutrient-deficient soils.  They experimented with grazing sheep in the early stages of the project, but soon realized that too much additional protection of the nut tree seedlings was required to prevent long-term damage.  Pastured laying hens however, have been an ideal addition to the tree alleys and Jeff and Sonja plan to experiment with pasturing sheep and pigs again in the future using electric fencing and rotational grazing once the trees have grown past their vulnerability to animal impacts.

The project has been enormous undertaking for the family farm, and they worked near around-the-clock to prepare the fields and planting holes to give the best start to the nut trees.  This investment in their future is now thriving and they see a bright future, as the old hay field transforms into a productive orchard.  Jeff and Sonja expect to begin harvesting nuts in about 7 years for most of the varieties they have planted, and they have already been approached by local health food advocates to secure nut orders once they have a marketable crop on hand.  While they wait for the nut crops to come to fruition, they continue to reap the rewards of an agroforestry approach, by marketing crops from the alleys (flowers, seed crops and eggs) and selling to a local market rife with buyers who appreciate, local, sustainably grown products.

View Just Another Weed Patch Farm's videos at their YouTube channel

Gulf Islands Agroforestry Project Video

Just Another Weed Patch Farm has released the first of four videos introducing its agroforestry demonstration project on Gabriola Island.

Gabriola Island Agroforestry Workshop, Oct 19

Join Just Another Weed Patch Farm on Saturday October 19th from 1:00 pm – 3:45 pm  on lovely Gabriola Island for an afternoon site visit and in depth presentation on the successes and challenges of their Agroforestry Demonstration Project!
   
Registration is free by emailing weedpatch@telus.net  Nutty, light refreshments will be provided. Spaces are limited! If you cannot attend please note the presentation will be video recorded and posted online at a later date for your viewing pleasure!

Okanagan Farm Demonstrating Alley Cropping with Black Walnut and Pawpaw

Diversification, building connections and demonstrating the feasibility of agroforestry methods are a few of the motivations behind a Kelowna family farm's alley cropping project.  With funding from the British Columbia Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative, Curly Frog Farms will explore a more economical, sustainable way of conducting agriculture through agroforestry.

Curly Frog will transform approximately 1.5 acres from pasture on a high water table to an alley cropping system utilizing black walnut and pawpaw tree rows.  Black walnut produces a high quality, high value wood, much in demand, as well as a source of supplemental income from the nuts as food or seed.  Only 1.4% of the wood processed in BC is hardwood, thus an opportunity exists to diversify the wood market with increased regional production.  Pawpaw produces a unique and unusual fruit which looks like a mango and tastes like a mix of guava and banana, and comes with many potential health benefits.  Currently demand exceeds supply in Canada and if production results from this demonstration are favourable, the Okanagan could become a new regional production centre for this fruit.

Black walnut produces a high quality, high value wood, much in demand

By design, the alley cropping set-up at Curly Frog will create beneficial synergies.  For example, alder trees will be planted within 1.5-m of the other crop trees to supply nitrogen to the soil, to act as a nurse crop to help the black walnut grow straight, and when the alley tree crops begin to mature, the alder will be cut for firewood.  Pawpaw will be planted in between the black walnut trees.  Pawpaw can be found in the wild growing under black walnut and should therefore be able to survive juglone sensitivity (black walnut can produce allelopathic effects on neighbouring plants) and the dappled shade of the walnut overstory.  In order to graft the pawpaw trees to produce known quality and character, Kentucky State University has graciously consented to contribute bud wood from their horticultural research station. 

Synergies are also hoped to develop through the choice of herbaceous crops in the alleys.  As a natural pest control strategy, beneficial insect plants (e.g. yarrow, dill) will be planted between the tree rows to help with pest control and promote biodiversity during the establishment of the trees.  Other potential benefits of this farming system may come through improved economics.  Alley cropping allows you to grow high value crops on less land while sharing the same farm infrastructure (e.g irrigation).

It is hoped this project will serve as a pilot to connect the forest industry, the agricultural industry and environmental concerns.   Once established, the farm will be open for tours that will focus on production methods, resources and costs.

Curly Frog Farms is a family-run farm whose overall purpose is to provide an environment in which spiritual, physical, mental, emotional and financial needs can be met.  Their goal is to integrate people, habitat and agriculture in order to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the environment.  The farm is located on 26 acres in Kelowna; 7 acres are wetland, pond and brook with an existing 2 acres of black walnut and Christmas trees planted beside it.   Another 2 acres of chestnut, oak and yellow horn are in the works slated to be completed by this fall.

For more information on this project or Curly Frog Farms, please visit: www.curlyfrogcreations.com/Farm.html

East Kootenay Food Forest Will Demonstrate Benefits of Agroforestry

Increased interest and demand for regional food forest models and permaculture education is the motivation behind Clear Sky Meditation and Study Foundation's agroforestry demonstration in Fort Steele, BC.  With funding from the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative, Clear Sky will design and implement a showcase food forest model for South Eastern BC that is both ecologically sound and productive.

Clear Sky's 1-acre food forest site will employ an integrated, sustainable agroforestry system that provides diverse harvests and builds soil health.  This project will test diverse food plant varieties arranged into multiple canopy layers and alleys, potentially including blueberry, haskap, raspberries, currants, apple, pear, plum, hawthorn, edible mountain ash, butternut, black walnut, bur oak, asparagus beds, and other herbaceous crops, together with an integrated wind break planting of caragana, linden, Manitoba maple and willow.

The food forest demonstration site will also serve as a learning platform for groups and individuals with the aim that it will help both farmers and urban dwellers understand the potential of, and increase their confidence to establish, diversified perennial-based food systems.  The demonstration will also help to increase the understanding of suitable plant selections for food forests in colder, drier areas of BC. 

There is growing need and desire to increase local food security and community resilience, as seen regionally with the popularity of the Cranbrook Farmers Market and groups such as the Local Food Action Committee.  The East Kootenay is traditionally a ranching area but many agricultural producers are struggling to keep their ranches viable.   Food forest agroforestry systems will offer opportunities for agricultural producers to bring new forms of income to their farms and this project will provide a working example for sustainable agricultural alternatives in the region.

One hands-on food-forest course will be held in 2013 as part of this project, focusing on the practical implementation methods of establishing agroforestry systems. This project integrates previous experience and expertise gained from permaculture trials at Clear Sky and will add additional learning opportunities to their annual Food Forest, Grasslands Restoration and Permaculture Courses.

Clear Sky Meditation and Study Foundation is both a non-profit and charitable organization.  Its primary mandate is to provide a venue for the teaching of meditation, health and well-being and the natural sciences, predominantly at its 310 acre property near Cranbrook / Fort Steele, BC.  Part of the Foundation's mandate is to operate 'Clear Sky Farm' as a dynamic exploration of organic, sustainable agriculture, with a special focus on permaculture and food forest systems.  Clear Sky proudly embraces a quadruple bottom line – financial, social, ecological and spiritual sustainability – while providing education, hands-on learning, and nourishing food to the community.

Clear Sky is run almost solely by a dedicated group of volunteers.  The Centre started an internship program aimed at youth in 2010, which brings young people to the centre for 3 months at a time in which they help with all aspects of running the center, including farming and green building.  This volunteer base will be a major support and asset for this project.

Learn more about Clear Sky at  www.clearskycenter.org, and to learn more about this project, food forest workshops, or to volunteer on this project visit  www.clearskyfarm.ca

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Funding for this work has been provided through the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative (AGF1203)

Garbriola Farm Demonstrating Benefits of Agroforestry For Small-Lot Agriculture

A small farm in the south end of Gabriola Island will soon be home to the islands’ first agroforestry demonstration site, thanks to the inspiration and efforts of owners Jeff Rietkerk and Sonja Zupanec, and with support from the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative.

Just Another Weed Patch Farm, a 22 acre privately-owned parcel of land on Gabriola Island, will be used to demonstrate the development of a diverse nut and timber tree grove grown in combination with livestock and annual vegetable and flower crops.  Jeff and Sonja will transform a 2 acre, fallow hay field, established over 50 years ago, into an organically managed nut tree grove.  The grove will be inter-planted with ‘alley crops’ of specialty foods and flowers between the young trees, and open to silvopasture for 6 to 8 months of the year utilizing laying hens and sheep.

“We’ve been dreaming for years about becoming stewards of a suitable piece of land to grow food and nut trees.  Now that we have the soil beneath our feet we can start growing our vision into a reality.” shared Jeff, co-owner of the farm and local arborist.

This Gabriola Island hayfield will be transformed into an agroforestry demonstration site.

“We share a 300 metre long property boundary with the Elder Cedar Nature Reserve so we have even more reasons to approach agriculture on this property with progressive and ecologically sound practices.”  The buffer of mature forested lands and responsible agricultural land use practices adjacent to this environmentally sensitive area are cornerstone to this agroforestry demonstration.

A project website is being updated regularly with information on their cultivar selection, methodology, integrated pest management approaches and project status.  Just Another Weed Patch Farm will also host a public open house and workshop to showcase the transformation and hopefully inspire other people to incorporate agroforestry techniques onto their farms.

“As they say, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is right now. You can’t ask for a more ecologically sound, long-term investment legacy, than nut and specialty timber trees to grow old with” concluded Jeff.

For more information on this project please visit: www.justanotherweedpatch.com

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Funding for this work has been provided through the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative (AGF1204)

Establishing Hawthorn in the Kootenays

There is great potential in the Kootenay region for growing and processing native BC hawthorn for the natural health products market.

Botanicals used in natural health products are usually sourced from Asia and Europe. For local growers to compete, they need to provide raw material comparable to the imported varieties in both volume and quality.

Since 2004, the Naturally Grown Herb and Spice Producers' Co-operative, or HerbPro, conducted growing trials to determine optimal agroforestry management practices for hawthorn. Leaves, flowers and berries from the trial trees (along with native hawthorn samples) underwent chemical analysis at the BC Institute of Technology and several food prototypes have been created, including juice, syrup and teas.

The trial results show that hawthorn seems to thrive in heavier soil types and moisture that is typical of BC, says Jeanette Lee, president of HerbPro. "Berry production normally takes eight years. The growing trials found that in BC, the plants start producing after about five or six years. This means the growing environment is well-suited to hawthorn."

Although market-ready products are many years off, HerbPro is preparing to carry out a full-scale market analysis, launch a campaign to attract more hawthorn growers and establish processing facilities in the region.

Lee says that without the funding, this project would have remained a mere idea. "The support was tremendous. It really helped us think more strategically and feel more confident going forward with the next steps."

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Funding: provided through the Agri-Food Futures Fund, Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative and Agri-Food Futures Fund, Health Products and Functional Foods Initiative. (AF013 04-07 and AF004-057)

From the Fall 2011 edition of Growing Tomorrow, newsletter from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia (www.iafbc.ca)