Agroforestry

Project Lead: Connor Youngerman, Tracey Testo

Give Trees a Chance

Agroforestry describes a wide range of practices that integrate trees, forests, and agricultural production. These systems can be adapted to almost any site and condition, and can help farmers produce new revenue while buffering their operations from the challenges of climate extremes.

In response to increasing interest in agroforestry over the years, Cornell has created an extension program work team and a number of tools and resources to help farmers turn forested and marginal lands into productive contributors to farm revenue, produce multiple crops from the same piece of land in a symbiotic way, all while increasing biodiversity and improving soil health.

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History of Agroforestry at Cornell

Cornell University faculty, Extension, and other staff have been leading agroforestry research and education efforts for 100 years!

Events

  • Introduction to Syntropic Agroforestry

    CCE Orange County & Hudson Valley Farm Hub are proud to present a talk on Syntropic Agroforestry, delivered by the system's creator, Ernst Götsch. Syntropic Agroforestry is an agricultural system…

    $20
  • Spring Hazelnut Workshop at Dilmun Hill Student Farm

    Dilmun Hill Farm 705 Dryden Rd, Ithaca, United States

    The Cornell Small Farms Program Agroforestry team is pleased to announce the first of two comprehensive hazelnut production workshops. Join Brian Caldwell (Hemlock Grove Farm) and Jonathan Bates (Agroforestry Educator,…

    Free
  • New York Nut Growers Association 2026 Spring Meeting

    Danby Volunteer Fire Company 1780 Danby Rd., Ithaca, NY, United States

    Stay up to date with nut growing in New York and meet experienced growers! All are welcome to register to attend the New York Nut Growers Association 2026 Spring Meeting on…

    $25
  • Air Pruned Raised Beds 101

    The Sherman Creek Center 3725 10th Ave., New York, NY, United States

    Join Connor Youngerman of Cornell Small Farms and NYRP’s Parks & Urban Agriculture teams for an introduction to Air Pruned Raised Beds (APRBs) from construction to implementation. APRBs have been shown as an excellent method for growing a suite of urban tree species and hold great promise as a tool for forestry practitioners in NYC.…

    Free
  • Introduction to Air Pruned Raised Beds (APRBs)

    Smiling Hogshead Ranch 25-30 Skillman Ave, Long Island City, NY, United States

    Join Connor Youngerman of Cornell Small Farms and the team at Smiling Hogshead Ranch for a hands-on, train-the-trainer workshop introducing Air Pruned Raised Beds (APRBs) from construction to implementation. Designed…

    Free
  • Air Pruned Raised Beds for Tree Seedling Production – Allegany County

    Wild Geese Farm 8499 Agett Rd, Franklinville, United States

    Cornell Cooperative Extension Allegany County in conjunction with the Cornell Small Farms Program will be offering a hands-on workshop on Air Pruned Raised Beds (APRBs). The workshop, hosted at Wild…

    Free

Collaborators

  • The Cornell Agroforestry Program Work Team (PWT) is co-chaired by:

    Graham Savio, gs695@cornell.edu, Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County

  • Connor Youngerman, czy2@cornell.edu, Cornell Small Farms Program

  • Tracey Testo, tet35@cornell.edu, Agroforestry Resource Center, Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia-Greene

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News and Updates

Video Series Shows How Farmers Can Profit From Forests

By Kacey Deamer | November 5, 2018

New York farmers are completing business plans for their woodlots, with the assistance of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County and a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute.…

Chainsaw Safety, Part 5: Tree Felling

By Kelsie Raucher | October 5, 2018

Rich Taber, CCE Chenango In the previous four installments of this series on chainsaw operation we have looked at some of the myriad rules for safe and efficient chainsaw operation.…

Nuts for Nuts: Seeding a Nut Industry in the Northeast

By Mark Mark Phillips | July 2, 2018

In the Spring of 2017, 35 people gathered at Back the Lane Farm in Stephentown, New York, for a workshop with Mark Shepard, author of Restoration Agriculture, to witness the design and implementation…

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Cornell Agroforestry - Subscribe for Updates and Opportunities

This list-serve provides information and resources to connect small and mid-sized farmers to larger markets such as food hubs, grocery stores, restaurants, online marketplaces and cooperatives. Farmers, educators and prospective buyers are all welcome: