Most people are aware of the benefits of planting trees and woodlands. Wild woodlands with native species provide essential habitats and ecosystem services. Wood and tree derived materials make environmentally friendly building, fibre and fuel resources when managed sustainably. The growing of trees for food crops (especially other than traditional fruit orchards) is often overlooked. But planting groves of trees for human and or animal food production can offer many benefits.
Growing tree crops requires less human work
than growing vegetables and arable crops. Once planted and established they better
compete with weeds, they can tolerate droughts and short floods, and need minimal
maintenance beyond harvesting and processing of the crop.
Tree crops can be grown on land unsuitable for mainstream agriculture- on hill sides to steep to plough or land deemed too stony or marginal. They can be integrated into existing farming systems, adding diversity and shelter to existing pasture and arable lands.
From an environmental perspective tree crops perform well- especially when managed agro-ecologically in diverse small-medium scale systems. They require much lower energy inputs (fuel and fertiliser) and soil cultivation than the annual carbohydrate (e.g. cereals) and oil (e.g oilseed rape) crop equivalents. They have greater resilience to pest and diseases and extreme climatic events (greater resilience with climate change).
They are not only ‘less destructive’ but offer many additional environmental benefits. The trees will capture atmospheric carbon and lock it into the soil and biomass. They will intercept rainwater, slow run off and help alleviate flood risks. They can provide a habitat for numerous bird and wildlife species. In sivlopasture systems the tree crops improve welfare of farm animals offer enriched habitats, shade and shelter. Orchards can be beautiful places- just as nourishing for humans as the other life forms they support.
Of the tree crops, I think nut trees in particular
have a lots to offer from a nutritional and sustainability perspective. They
are high in calories and can help constitute a balanced diet alongside fruit
and vegetables. Nuts such as chestnuts are rich in carbohydrates and can be
considered tree grains. Others, like walnuts and hazel are rich in oils which
can be extracted.
They are also full of minerals, vitamins and
antioxidants. The nuts can be processed and used in manufacturing as substitute
for products derived from corn or soya. Looking to the future, the UK could
become climatically better suited to many nut crops, whilst some of the current
main nut producing regions of the world (such as California and Turkey) will
face increasing challenges from droughts and wild fires.
A longer term vision is required, the establishment may take eight-ten years to reach economic productivity, but cropping could continue over the next century to come. Planting tree crops now is creating a resource for the next generation, one that may become more important, with the likely challenges to global food security climate change could bring.
I have been convinced that it is worth a try to include more tree crops into our agriculture systems. Below is some texts and resources that I have found inspiration, informative and useful so far on my ‘learning about tree crop’ journey.
Inspirational reads:
J Russel Smith: Tree Crops (1929)
In 1929. J Russel Smith wrote “Tree Crops”, looking at how an alternative agriculture could be built upon the foundation of trees not grains, feeding humans, animals and conserving the environment. He contrasts two approaches – the large stands of chestnut trees in Corsica which support man and beasts while protecting the hillsides from erosion and West China where the hillsides had been ploughed and left treeless with the loss of huge areas of formerly fertile soil. Smith foresaw a million hills green with crop yielding orchards using unploughable lands for the development of “two-story agriculture” with the produce of trees fed to animals.
He was amazingly foresighted, despite the book now being over 80 years old, it feels just as relevant (if not more so) today. It is easy to read and packed with information and a keen insight into the tremendous potential of trees as crop plants.
A few quotes from the introductory paragraphs
“The tree an engine of nature- put it to work
Testing applied to the plant kingdom would show that the natural engines of food production for hill lands are trees…its present triumphant agricultural rivals, the grains, are really weaklings. All plants require heat, light, moisture and fertility. Give these things and the tree raises its head triumphantly and grows. A given area may have rich soil and good climatic conditions but be unsuitable for grain if the land happens to be rocky, steep or dry. Trees are the natural crop plants for all such places”.
When tree agriculture is established, chestnut and acorn orchards many produce great forage and carbohydrate crops…, pigs, turkey and chickens can forage fruit directly from the ground…other trees could be dropping their tons of beans ….walnut, hazel and other trees will be giving nuts for protein and fat food. Even this partial list of tree products shows all the elements necessary to man’s nutrition. The permanent agriculture is much more productive than mere pasture, or mere forest. Therefore tree crops should work their way into rolling and sloping lands of all sections. New crop trees need to be created. Extensive scientific work in the plant kingdom should begin at once”.
With the climate change presenting challenges for our existing agricultural systems reliant on annual crops- planting tree crops today could be a strategy to extend the resilience of our food systems.
A quote from R.J Smith:
‘Trees are much better able than the cereals to use rain wen it comes. They can store moisture better than annuals because they thrust their roots deep into the Earth, seeking moisture far below the surface. They are able to survive drought better than the annual crops that grow beside them. Trees living from year to year are a permanent institution, a going concern, ready to produce when their producing time comes’.
The book does have a USA focus and many of the crops included are less suited to temperate UK. However there are chapters on chestnut, walnut, hazel, oak and different fruit crops that contain much useful research and information. After reading this book it really opened my eyes and inspired me to start along my journey to try and grow my own tree crops. For anyone interested in food production, this is fascinating reading. It’ll leave you wondering why so little has been done with ideas that seem common sense. Eighty years later, trees as the foundation of agriculture still sounds revolutionary.
The 1929 version is now available as a free ebook from the Internet Archive in a variety of formats. Really interesting reading. Available online: https://archive.org/details/TreeCrops-J.RussellSmith/page/n9
After reading Russel J Smith’s book- I continued to look for other books providing inspiration and useful information on growing tree crops. I recommend:
Robert Hart: Forest Farming (1993)
In his foreword, Schumacher quotes:
“Civilized man has marched across the face of the earth and left a desert in his footprints…agriculture is for the plains, while silviculture is for the hills and mountains. When the plough invades the hills and mountains it destroys the land…”
Schumacher continues that one of the greatest teachers of India was the Buddha who included in his teaching the obligation of every good Buddhist that he should plant and see the establishment of one tree at least every five years. If all of us simply adopted this philosophy of planting and establishing ten trees during our lifetime, this simple act multiplied six billion times, would have a great positive impact on our world and environment. If the trees we selected to plant could also produce food and fodder crops, the benefits are multiplied.
The authors set out to show that forest farming (agroforestry by another name) can increase world production of food and raw materials, whilst preserving and enhancing the environment, arresting existing deforestation, improving land health and providing employment. Currently only about 10% of the world’s surface is used for food production. With the aid of trees at least three-quarters of the earth could supply food, clothing, fuel, shelter and other basic products by better using marginal lands.
The first paragraph of the book states:
“The most urgent task facing mankind today is to find a comprehensive solution to the problems of hunger and malnutrition, with all the disease and misery that they involve, by methods that do not overburden stocks of non-renewable resources, such as oil and minerals for fertilizers, and do not impoverish the environment.”
“Vast areas of the world which are at present unproductive or under-productive – savannahs and virgin grasslands, jungles and marshes, barren uplands and rough grazings, deserts and farm lands abandoned owing to erosion – could be brought to life and made more hospitable to human settlement… The ‘tool’ with the greatest potentials for feeding men and animals, for regenerating the soil, for restoring water-systems, for controlling floods and droughts, for creating more benevolent micro-climates and more comfortable and stimulating living conditions for humanity, is the tree.”
Forest farming looks at how land can be used to its full advantage- creating a three-dimensional farming system that can support food and shelter for wildlife, humans and animals. This book goes beyond just looking at the ideology of why tree crops are great, containing lots of practical information on growing tree crops and farm design.
The learning
For anyone interested in more practical information on growing tree crops (especially nut trees) in the UK, I have compiled a list of texts and resource I have found useful and inspiring. There are plenty of great books on growing fruit trees and fruit crops- but harder to find good information on other tree crops.
How to grow your own nuts (2018): Martin Crawford (Agroforestry Research Trust)
Martin is leading the way in researching growing nut and other unusual tree crops in UK. His through guide on nut growing for the temperate climates features; species selection, cultivating, harvest, and processing. Martin produced several small paper pamphlets containing similar information also, they are worth reading as contain some yield data from his trial site.
He runs a nut growing course which is worth attending. You get to see his trial site, equipment and taste lots of different nuts! Also the set of course notes you get is very good and also contains extra information not in the book. https://www.agroforestry.co.uk
Growing Nuts in Ireland: Andi Wilson (Fruit and Nut Ireland).
Through volunteering and working with Andi I learnt so much about tree propagation and growing. Based in the West of Ireland, Andi has the ability to transform very marginal sites into productive land- through hard graft and great skill. Andi has an encyclopaedic knowledge on trees and one of the best-stocked horticultural libraries I’ve ever seen. Each year, joint with an agroforestry project near Dublin, Andi runs a nut-growing course (http://www.fruitandnut.ie/workshops.html). Attendees get a very comprehensive set of notes, on practical information on growing nut trees in Ireland. Although focused on looking at Irish conditions a lot of Andi’s research is very useful especially for cultivar section for the wetter pars of the UK. At the moment a lot of work is being carried on Pinus pinea and other pine species suitable for temperate pinenut production.
The website: http://www.fruitandnut.ie is also packed with information.
Handbook of North American Nut Trees: NNGA
A really detailed and useful text on tree growing and propagation. Lots of editions published over the years- I have an old version but it is really useful for reference. Has US focus so some species are not relevant in the UK but still contains lots of useful practical information.
Nuts: Their production and everyday use: R.N Howes (1948)
Has interesting chapters on walnut, hazel and chestnut. Has some really interesting information and stories about the nurserymen and early enthusiasts who developed different cultivars.
Restoration Agriculture: Mark Shephard (2013).
Similar to Russel J Smith’s book in some ways but has some details of his system of incorporating trees crops. Useful reading but does lack practical details.
Earth Care Manual: Patrick Whitefield (2016).
Covers a wide range of subject areas- but has a good chapter (Chapter 9) on Fruits, Nuts and Poultry with a UK focus.
The Apple Grower/ Mycorrhizal Planet/ Holistic Orchard: Micheal Phillips
Also Permaculture Orchard film.
Lots of interesting information and ideas about growing trees in organic systems.
Savanna Institute: Planting Tree Crops (free to download and contains some useful practical information for people starting out). http://www.savannainstitute.org
Base in the US they are doing some interesting network building and research on using perennial systems for food production.
European Agroforestry Federation: http://www.eurafagroforestry.eu/welcome
Have some useful resources and information on different European agroforestry schemes and projects. http://www.eurafagroforestry.eu/resources/thesis
AFINET: Agroforestry innovation network: A network of agroforestry researchers and practitioners across Europe. http://www.eurafagroforestry.eu/afinet
Agricology: A great information resources with a section containing articles, webinars and videos on agroforestry in the UK. https://www.agricology.co.uk/resources/agroforestry-farming-future
University of Missouri centre for Agroforestry: Again some interesting research available and webinar series. http://www.centerforagroforestry.org
Webinars: https://agroforestryinaction.wixsite.com/agroforestryinaction
Kentish Cobnut growers: https://kentishcobnutsassociation.org.uk
Shift Bristol: Practical sustainability course
A part time year-long course exploring the different possibilities for how we can build an alternative ‘sustainable’ future. The course is an amazing experience- using permaculture as a navigation tool you cover a broad range of subject areas- from energy, horticulture, green building, economics and communication and community. In each area you start to try to understand and unpick the madness of we find ourselves in current world, looking at what alternatives and practical solutions are out there. I think everyone should do this course- it gives fundamental understanding and inspiration to move forward in a positive direction.
https://www.shiftbristol.org.uk/
Schumacher College: Practical Residency in Sustainable Horticulture:
A Walnut Tree Tenancy 