Missouri tree syrup makers are connected to the forest in an intimate way, attending to late winter temperature fluctuations, noticing their trees’ health, and delighting in a sap flow that will result (with much time and care) in a sweet reward. Maples are not a preferred species in these forests, but where abundant, tapping them can yield a sustainable source of nutritious sugars. The Center for Agroforestry’s new project “Putting Maple on the Map in the Lower Midwest” highlights the important role these trees play in forest farming and ecological health. 

Dr. Benjamin Knapp is faculty manager at the University of Missouri’s Baskett Forest where we visit during the annual open house tapping event. Beth Morgan and her family at Hart|Beet Farm in Eolia, Missouri show us around their sugarbush and the ins-and-outs of their “sapinator” where they make a unique syrup for their CSA customers. 

After decades of trial and error, cultivar test orchards, and local breeding efforts, chestnuts are about to take a big leap towards becoming more regionally adapted and rooted in productive agroforestry systems across their range. The Chestnut Improvement Network is a participatory breeding program led by Dr. Ron Revord, tree crop geneticist at the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry, with key producer partners, including Dr. Greg Miller, chestnut grower and tree geneticist at the Route 9 Cooperative.
Native Land Map: https://native-land.ca/

Trees and pigs may seem an unlikely combination, but in fact, hog silvopasture has been practiced for thousands of years, and is only recently making a comeback in the US. In this episode, two practitioners share their insights about raising hogs under trees. During the last in-person Perennial Farm Gathering, hosted by the Savanna Institute, we talked with Dayna Burtness of Nettle Valley Farm, and recorded a presentation from Eliza Greenman of HogTree. Dr. Ashley Conway is our guest host to offer some context within the world of silvopasture history, management, and risks.