By Blake Jackson
The Midwest Forest Farming Coalition, in partnership with University of Missouri Extension and Lincoln University, will host a free workshop on starting forest farming on Saturday, May 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place at the Alan T. Busby Research Farm in Jefferson City.
Joni Harper, MU Extension field specialist in natural resources, explains that the workshop will cover essential aspects of forest farming, including site selection and preparation, budget development, and product marketing.
This initiative aims to help forest owners tap into the potential of forest farming, especially considering that only half of Missouri's new forestry growth is currently harvested, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
Forest farming involves managing the forest canopy to encourage the growth of valuable understory crops while simultaneously producing timber or non-timber forest products like ginseng, goldenseal, and shiitake mushrooms.
This approach offers landowners a way to generate short-term income while their trees mature for long-term gains.
The workshop is free of charge, this is sponsored by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Interested individuals can register online at https://lincolnu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b2QdHzFKP8VcfX0 or contact Joni Harper directly at 573-378-5358 for further information.
This workshop presents a valuable opportunity for farmers, landowners, and anyone interested in exploring the benefits of forest farming.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-paul-hartley
Categories: Missouri, General