2013 Forest Farming Workshop
| Date | Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21 | |
| Time | 9am - 4:30pm | |
| Location | Reinberger Classroom | |
| Instructors | Ken Mudge, PhD, and Robert Beyfuss | |
| Cost | $125 for both days and $75 for one day. Register early as space is limited. | |
| Special Note | The majority of information presented duirng the first day of the workshop is similar to the information presented during last year's Forest Farming workshop. Day two of this year's workshop is entirely new information. | |
| Class Code | NAT522 | |
Forest farming is a component of sustainable forest management that involves cultivation of foods, medicinals and ornamentals beneath the canopy of an existing forest. This workshop is an opportunity to learn more about productive conservation through forest farming. From Ken Mudge you will learn about cultivation of shiitake and other gourmet mushrooms. Other non timber forest products from ramps to fruit and nut trees will be covered, as well as the propagation of nut trees by grafting. Bob Beyfuss, known far and wide as Mr. Ginseng, will teach you how to grow American ginseng and other medicinal forest crops, and he will lead you on a wild mushroom foray in the woods. Both instructors will explore through indoor presentations the important elements of site considerations (infrastructure, resource management) and site assessment and design followed by on-site assessments of a woodland on Holden property to help you determine if your site is suitable for growing certain forest crops. Each participant will inoculate their own shitake log on the first day of the workshop. On day two, participants will graft an apple tree and receive a potted gingseng plant to take home. Please bring a brown bag lunch. Register early as space is limited.
Class Agenda
Day One |
Day Two |
||
| 9:15am | Introduction of participants | 9:15am | Walnuts, hickories and other temperate nut trees |
| 9:30am | Introduction to forest farming, agroforestry, and permaculture. | 10am | Grafting fruit and nut trees (hands on) |
| 10:30am | Natural Resource Income Opportunities | 11am | Forest cultivation of other mushrooms |
| 11:30am | Forest cultivation of shiitake mushrooms | 11:30am | Wild mushroom identification |
| 12:30pm | Lunch | 12:30pm | American ginseng and other forest medicinals |
| 1pm | Forest cultivation of oyster, lion’s mane and other mushrooms | 1:30pm | Lunch |
| 1:45pm | Inoculate your own shiitake mushroom log (hands on) | 2pm | American ginseng, continued. |
| 3pm | Wild mushroom foray | 3pm | Grower case studies |
| 4pm | Site assessment and design of a forest farming of non timber forest crop | 3:30pm | Cooking with non-timber forest products |
| 5pm | Adjourn for the day | 4:30pm | Q&A, conclusions |
| 4:45pm | Adjourn | ||
Instructors
Mudge, an associate professor of horticulture at Cornell University, conducts workshops, online education programs and extensive research in the field of agroforestry in order to enhance rural economic development. Much of his work takes place at MacDaniels Nut Grove, an agroforestry research and education/demonstration center to the Cornell campus, developed in conjunction with the Department of Natural Resources and Cornell Plantations.
Beyfuss recently retired from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Greene County where he served as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Leader and also as the New York State specialist for American Ginseng Production for Cornell University Cooperative Extension. He is the author of American Ginseng Production in NY State; The Practical Guide to Growing Ginseng,a 65-page grower’s guide; Ginseng Production in Woodlots and The Economics of Woodland Ginseng Production, which were both published by the USDA National Agroforestry Center; Growing Gourmet Mushrooms from A to Z and Companion Planting.
