Perennial AF

By Savanna Institute

What's Perennial AF about?

The Savanna Institute's podcast and blog about perennial agroforestry (AF) features interviews, questions from listeners, inside jokes, and more. Subscribe to Perennial AF to hear real AF conversations with some of the Midwest's top agroforesters and perennial farmers! More at https://www.savannainstitute.org/perennialAF

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Perennial AF episodes:

05.01.2024
Nightfall Farm, Riveredge Nature Center, Chestnut Research, and More
A compilation of short interviews from our recent videos, featuring Nightfall Farm, Riveredge Nature Center, Scott Brainard & Eliza Greenman, Grassland 2.0 and Canopy Farm Management. Videos by Man Alone Media and Windborne Media. Videos and show notes at www.savannainstitute.org/perennialaf
04.15.2024
“You Can’t Believe It Grows Here” - Project Pawpaw with Adam D’Angelo
Adam D’Angelo, founder of Project Pawpaw, answers commonly asked questions about this elusive and beloved North American fruit. Project Pawpaw: https://www.projectpawpaw.com Show notes: https://www.savannainstitute.org/perennialaf/
04.01.2024
A Thorny Topic: Black Locust and Honey Locust for Agroforestry
A lot of people hate black locust and honey locust trees, but some people think they hold great potential for agroforestry. Greg Judy, Austin Unruh, Steve Gabriel, Brett Chedzoy, Eliza Greenman, and others share their perspective in this episode. Show notes: https://www.savannainstitute.org/perennialaf/
03.15.2024
“Spreadsheets on the Radio” - Farm Viability and the Fruit & Nut Compass with John Hendrickson
Spreadsheet wizard John Hendrickson helps host Jacob Grace get started with the Fruit and Nut Compass, a free spreadsheet tool for producers to track the financial viability of their enterprises. Show notes at www.savannainstitute.org/PerennialAF Free compass tools at https://cias.wisc.edu/our-work/farming-systems/farm-viability/
03.01.2024
Getting Started with Forest Farming - Ingrid Daudert, Karam Sheban, and Robin Suggs
This episode features portions of the PFG 2023 panel discussion "Everything You Wanted to Know About Forest Farming (But Didn't Know to Ask)", featuring Ingrid Daudert from Misty Dawn Farm in Wisconsin, Karam Sheban from the Northeast Forest Farmers Coalition,...
02.15.2024
Agroforestry for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation - with Nate Lawrence and Monika Shea
Savanna Institute research scientists Nate Lawrence and Monika Shea dig into the details of agroforestry for climate change mitigation (through reduced inputs and carbon sequestration) and climate adaptation (through better mapping and management, among other things). Show notes and links...
02.01.2024
“Joy Is What Emerges From Connection” - Q&A with Author Ross Gay
Author and poet Ross Gay speaks with silvopasture farmer Liz Brownlee in a recorded keynote session from the 2023 Perennial Farm Gathering. Show notes at https://www.savannainstitute.org/PerennialAF/
01.15.2024
“Grass Holds the World Together” - A Beginning Farmer Interviews Greg Judy
This episode features a recorded phone interview between Missouri silvopasture farmer and author Greg Judy and Iowa State University student Jesse Matt, recorded in 2018 as part of a Savanna Institute outreach project. Show notes: www.savannainstitute.org/perennialaf
12.15.2023
Q&A With "Braiding Sweetgrass" Author Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer - PFG 2023
Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, ecologist and author of "Braiding Sweetgrass" and "Gathering Moss", answers questions from the audience of our 2023 Perennial Farm Gathering. Moderated by author and Leopold scholar Curt Meine.
12.01.2023
"You Should Consider Maple Syrup Production" - with Tony Johnson
Wisconsin Extension forestry specialist Tony Johnson discusses how maple syrup production can open doors for other agroforestry enterprises, and how Wisconsin woodland owners can get started. Plus, Scott Brainard and Eliza Greenman describe the benefits of persimmons as an agroforestry...
11.15.2023
Choosing the Right Livestock with Cherrie Nolden
Goats, sheep, cattle, hogs, horses, and fowl all have different diets, behavior, and impacts on the land. Choosing the right type of livestock for you and your farm is key to success. Wisconsin farmer and researcher Cherrie Nolden discusses the...
11.01.2023
"What Would It Look Like?" - Introduction to Agroforestry with the Field Notes Podcast
Host Jacob Grace and Eric Wolske of Canopy Farm Management join Will Fulwider and Michael Geissinger, hosts of the Field Notes podcast from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, to answer questions that Wisconsin crop farmers might have about...
10.15.2023
"My Dad and I Are Both Stubborn..." Generational Dynamics with Jacob Marty
Jacob Marty reflects on how his relationship with his father has shaped the dynamics on their sixth generation family farm in southern Wisconsin in this recording from the 2017 Perennial Farm Gathering. Show notes at https://www.savannainstitute.org/perennial-af-generational-dynamics-with-jacob-marty/
10.01.2023
Tree Crop Improvement Research with Scott Brainard
Scott Brainard, a plant breeding specialist working for the Savanna Institute, gives an overview of the institute's goals and strategies for breeding more productive and resilient tree crop varieties. Show notes at https://www.savannainstitute.org/perennialaf/
09.15.2023
“Embrace the Chaos” - Dayna Burtness, Beth Dooley, Eliza Greenman, and Anna Lappé
In this recording from our 2021 Perennial Farm Gathering, farmer Dayna Burtness moderates an online panel conversation with cookbook author Beth Dooley, orchardist and historical horticulturist Eliza Greenman, and author and food justice advocate Anna Lappé. Hear more at https://www.youtube.com/@SavannaInstitute
09.01.2023
“The Benefits of Silvopasture Are Endless” - Farm Tour with Erik Hagan and Michael Dolan
A recording of our July 27th, 2023 pasture walk at the Spring Green Campus with farm director Erik Hagan and farmer Michael Dolan. Erik and Michael share lessons learned and compare "silvopasture by addition" and "silvopasture by subtraction". Show notes...
08.15.2023
Building an Agroforestry Business with Austin Unruh
Austin Unruh, owner of Trees for Graziers and author of "The Grazier’s Guide to Trees", tells the story of how he started his agroforestry business in southeastern Pennsylvania and shares the advice he wished he had gotten as a beginning...
08.01.2023
“It’s Better To Learn From Other People’s Mistakes” - with Kathy Dice and Tom Wahl of Red Fern Farm
Kathy Dice and Tom Wahl of Red Fern Farm in southeastern Iowa have been practicing agroforestry for decades. In July, podcast host Jacob Grace visited Red Fern Farm to ask Tom and Kathy what they see as the three biggest...
07.15.2023
Black Currants: From Farm to Flavor, a Once-Forbidden Fruit
This mini-episode features voices from our 2021 black currant tasting event: farmers Kevin Wolz and Erin Schneider and chefs Odessa Piper and Colton Schara. You can learn more about growing and marketing black currants at https://www.savannainstitute.org/blackcurrants/
07.01.2023
Coppice Agroforestry with Mark Krawczyk
Exerpts from Mark Krawczyk's presentation at the 2022 Perennial Farm Gathering, drawing from Mark's new book, "Coppice Agroforestry". Mark provides an overview of techniques and tree crops for coppicing, or "the ancient practice of resprout silviculture" - cutting off trees...
06.01.2023
"Fearless Farm Finances" with Paul Dietmann and The Cutting Edge Podcast
Paul Dietmann, Senior Lending Officer for Compeer Financial’s Emerging Markets program, talks with host Jacob Grace and with Steffen Mirsky from the UW-Madison Division of Extension's Emerging Crops program and co-host of The Cutting Edge Podcast. Paul has worked...
05.15.2023
Thick as Thieves with Samantha Bosco
Excerpts from Dr. Samantha Bosco's presentation at the 2022 Perennial Farm Gathering, entitled "Thick as Thieves: A social ecology of nucivery in a more-than-human world". Dr. Bosco's presentation covers a wide range of topics, from the influence of foraging animals'...
05.01.2023
The Institute’s Roots with Keefe Keeley & Kevin Wolz
To commemorate the Savanna Institute’s 10th anniversary this year, Kevin Wolz and Keefe Keeley recall the early days of the Savanna Institute, including Kevin’s role as a founding member of the first board of directors and Keefe’s role as the...
04.15.2023
Virtual Fence, and “The Artist’s Way” for Agroforesters
Meghan Filbert discusses virtual fence technology in a recording from our most recent Perennial Farm Gathering, and staff member Bill Davison reads an essay he wrote about how the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron has influenced his thinking...
04.02.2023
Grazing on Solar Farms, Mobilizing Goats, and Finding Farm Dogs – with Aaron Steele
Aaron Steele is an Iowa farmer and entrepreneur, owner of Goats On The Go®, Sheep on the Go®, and host of the Farm Dog podcast. In this episode, Aaron describes why he started his business and his podcast, and discusses...
03.15.2023
New Forest Farm Tour with Mark Shepard
An audio tour of agroforestry and perennial farming systems at New Forest Farm in southwestern Wisconsin with farmer Mark Shepard, author of "Restoration Agriculture".
03.01.2023
Shower Goats and Arctic Kiwis - with Xinyuan Shi
Savanna Institute Research Fellow Xinyuan Shi describes her time as an Agroforestry Apprentice and talks about her current research on silvopasture and multifunctional agroforestry buffers. We also share a teaser for the Agroforestry Podcast, hosted by the Center for Agroforestry. Show...
02.15.2023
“Perennial Dreams and Realities” - Keynote by Dr. Ricardo Salvador, 2022 Perennial Farm Gathering
A recording of Dr. Ricardo Salvador's keynote presentation to the 2022 Perennial Farm Gathering, "Perennial Dreams and Realities", which draws on Dr. Salvador's decades of experience working with scientists, farmers, and policymakers. Dr. Salvador has spent much of his career...
02.01.2023
How NOT to Start a Farm - with Marie Raboin
Marie Raboin is a beginning farmer in southern Wisconsin who has already learned a lot from her first few years of raising livestock and tree crops. In this episode, host Jacob Grace visits Marie to see how many of his...
01.15.2023
The Climate Conversation with Keefe Keeley, Tucker Gretebeck, and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute
This episode is a collaboration with The Climate Conversation podcast, which is produced by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). Hosts Dan Bresette and Emma Johnson interviewed Keefe Keeley, Savanna Institute's executive director, and Tucker Gretebeck, an organic dairy...
12.15.2022
Partnering for Agroforestry, Part II: Nettle Valley Farm, Southern Ohio Chestnut Company, and Delight Flower Farm
Agroforestry can be tough to do on your own. This episode features interviews from our "Partnering for Agroforestry" series about successful partnerships that have made agroforestry possible. As farmer Dayna Burtness says, “We don’t all have to do it alone. That’s...
12.01.2022
"Is This Really A Dairy Farm?" - Ask-a-Farmer with Greg Galbraith
Greg Galbraith, a retired Wisconsin organic dairy farmer turned podcaster, answers questions from listeners and tells some stories about his time as a farmer. Show notes available at https://www.savannainstitute.org/perennialaf/
11.15.2022
Cooking with Perennial Ingredients - Beth Dooley, Linda Hezel, Rick Mullins, & Taylor Neff
As we enter the holiday season, many of us begin thinking about food and cooking - and what to do with perennial crops as they go from farm to kitchen. In this recorded webinar from January 2022, we hear a...
11.01.2022
“We Have Mongoose Pressure” - Silvopasture Farmer-to-Farmer Conversations
For a 2018 grant project focused on silvopasture, some of Savanna Institute's partnering farmers recorded themselves talking with experienced silvopasture practitioners about how they got started. For this episode, we dusted off recordings of conversations between Darren Bender-Beauregard of Brambleberry...
10.01.2022
“Why Do Farmers Wear Overalls?” - Farmers answer commonly Googled questions about farming
In this episode, Marie Raboin of Brix Cider, Jacob Marty of Green Fire Farm, and Thelma Heidel-Baker of Bossie Cow Farm answer some of Google's top questions about farmers and farming. You'll never think about overalls the same way again! Show...
09.15.2022
Agriculture as a Climate Solution: Just Add Trees
Keefe Keeley and Barbara Decré discuss agroforestry as a natural climate solution in a recorded webinar for the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. Learn more about Climate Fast Forward, Oct. 17th, 2022: https://www.wisconsinacademy.org/climate-fast-forward-2022
09.01.2022
“You'll Be Stuck Raising Vegetables!” - with Bill Davison
Savanna Institute staff member Bill Davison answers questions from listeners and shares some of his favorite podcasts, books, and perspectives for succeeding with agroforestry.
08.15.2022
Partnering for Agroforestry, Part I: All Seasons Farm, Organic Compound, and Silverwood Park
This episode features voices from our Partnering for Agroforestry series: All Seasons Farm, Organic Compound, and Silverwood Park. Learn more about these partnerships on our YouTube channel and at https://www.savannainstitute.org/partnering/
08.01.2022
"The Indiana Jones of Agroforestry" with Eliza Greenman
Eliza Greenman is a farmer, "fruit explorer", and Savanna Institute staff member based in Virginia. In this episode, she answers questions from listeners, plays a round of agroforestry would-you-rathers, and talks about her latest agroforestry work.
07.15.2022
"Why Are We Still Using Old AF Technology?" - with Eric Wolske
Eric Wolske is an experienced agroforestry researcher with a fondness for "booze crops" and an interest in modernizing agroforestry equipment and machinery. In this episode, Eric answers questions submitted by listeners and talks about his new role with Canopy Farm...
07.14.2022
Welcome to Perennial AF!
The Savanna Institute's newly rebranded podcast and blog about perennial agroforestry (AF) features interviews, questions from listeners, inside jokes, and more. Subscribe to Perennial AF to hear real AF conversations with some of the Midwest's top agroforesters and perennial farmers! More...
04.15.2022
Profitable Berry Crops for the Upper Midwest - Blue Fruit Farm webinar with Jim Riddle
Jim Riddle has been an organic farmer, gardener, inspector, educator, policy analyst, author, and speaker for more than 35 years. Jim co-owns and operates Blue Fruit Farm near Winona, Minnesota, where he and his wife Joyce Ford grow blueberries, black currants, elderberries,...
03.15.2022
"How Grouchy Would They Be?" - Ask an Agroforester with Matt Wilson
Matt Wilson, our Wisconsin agroforestry technical service provider, answers questions we've received online and plays a round of agroforestry would-you-rathers.
02.18.2022
"I've Learned Fifty Ways to Kill a Tree" - Ask an Agroforester with Kaitie Adams
Savanna Institute's Illinois Community Agroforester, Kaitie Adams, answers questions we've received online and plays a round of agroforestry would-you-rathers.
02.01.2022
Introduction to Grafting with Lupe Rios
Are you going to be grafting or pruning any trees this coming month? Lupe Rios, Vice President of Production at Forrest Keeling Nursery in Missouri, is a grafting master. Lupe sat down with us at the 2019 Perennial Farm Gathering...
01.03.2022
The Many Names of Agroforestry - Kathy Dice
When you grow trees on a farm as a crop, what do you call it? Kathy Dice of Red Fern Farm has been doing that for decades. In this nutshell episode of the Savanna Institute Audio Archive, Kathy talks about...
12.01.2021
How Do You Choose Which Tree Crops to Plant? - with Kathy Dice
Have you ever wondered how agroforestry farmers choose which crops to grow? In this nutshell episode of the Savanna Institute Audio Archive, Kathy Dice of Red Fern Farm talks about her strategy for choosing tree crops to plant.
11.15.2021
“You Should Have Elderberries in Your Life!” - Terry Durham and Chris Patton
Learn everything you ever wanted to know about elderberries in this episode! Featuring elderberry experts Terry Durham of River Hills Harvest and Chris Patton of the Midwest Elderberry Cooperative, this recorded conversation takes you through the benefits of elderberries and...
10.02.2021
Ask-an-Agroforester: Is "Agroforestry" a Confusing Term?
In this episode, we're trying a new format: three agroforestry experts on our staff provide answers to questions we've received about agroforestry. Featuring Kaitie Adams, Sven Pihl, and Matt Wilson, the episode delves into funding a food forest, removing brush...
08.31.2021
Greg Judy: "We Converted a Vegetarian..."
Greg Judy is a Missouri farmer, author, and role model for many aspiring agroforesters and livestock farmers. This episode features Greg's keynote presentation at our 2018 Perennial Farm Gathering, which includes a whirlwind tour of his farm operation, the story...

What's Perennial AF about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Perennial AF episodes:

Nightfall Farm, Riveredge Nature Center, Chestnut Research, and More

“You Can’t Believe It Grows Here” - Project Pawpaw with Adam D’Angelo

A Thorny Topic: Black Locust and Honey Locust for Agroforestry

“Spreadsheets on the Radio” - Farm Viability and the Fruit & Nut Compass with John Hendrickson

Getting Started with Forest Farming - Ingrid Daudert, Karam Sheban, and Robin Suggs

Agroforestry for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation - with Nate Lawrence and Monika Shea

“Joy Is What Emerges From Connection” - Q&A with Author Ross Gay

“Grass Holds the World Together” - A Beginning Farmer Interviews Greg Judy

Q&A With "Braiding Sweetgrass" Author Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer - PFG 2023

"You Should Consider Maple Syrup Production" - with Tony Johnson

Choosing the Right Livestock with Cherrie Nolden

"What Would It Look Like?" - Introduction to Agroforestry with the Field Notes Podcast

"My Dad and I Are Both Stubborn..." Generational Dynamics with Jacob Marty

Tree Crop Improvement Research with Scott Brainard

“Embrace the Chaos” - Dayna Burtness, Beth Dooley, Eliza Greenman, and Anna Lappé

“The Benefits of Silvopasture Are Endless” - Farm Tour with Erik Hagan and Michael Dolan

Building an Agroforestry Business with Austin Unruh

“It’s Better To Learn From Other People’s Mistakes” - with Kathy Dice and Tom Wahl of Red Fern Farm

Black Currants: From Farm to Flavor, a Once-Forbidden Fruit

Coppice Agroforestry with Mark Krawczyk

"Fearless Farm Finances" with Paul Dietmann and The Cutting Edge Podcast

Thick as Thieves with Samantha Bosco

The Institute’s Roots with Keefe Keeley & Kevin Wolz

Virtual Fence, and “The Artist’s Way” for Agroforesters

Grazing on Solar Farms, Mobilizing Goats, and Finding Farm Dogs – with Aaron Steele

New Forest Farm Tour with Mark Shepard

Shower Goats and Arctic Kiwis - with Xinyuan Shi

“Perennial Dreams and Realities” - Keynote by Dr. Ricardo Salvador, 2022 Perennial Farm Gathering

How NOT to Start a Farm - with Marie Raboin

The Climate Conversation with Keefe Keeley, Tucker Gretebeck, and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Partnering for Agroforestry, Part II: Nettle Valley Farm, Southern Ohio Chestnut Company, and Delight Flower Farm

"Is This Really A Dairy Farm?" - Ask-a-Farmer with Greg Galbraith

Cooking with Perennial Ingredients - Beth Dooley, Linda Hezel, Rick Mullins, & Taylor Neff

“We Have Mongoose Pressure” - Silvopasture Farmer-to-Farmer Conversations

“Why Do Farmers Wear Overalls?” - Farmers answer commonly Googled questions about farming

Agriculture as a Climate Solution: Just Add Trees

“You'll Be Stuck Raising Vegetables!” - with Bill Davison

Partnering for Agroforestry, Part I: All Seasons Farm, Organic Compound, and Silverwood Park

"The Indiana Jones of Agroforestry" with Eliza Greenman

"Why Are We Still Using Old AF Technology?" - with Eric Wolske

Welcome to Perennial AF!

Profitable Berry Crops for the Upper Midwest - Blue Fruit Farm webinar with Jim Riddle

"How Grouchy Would They Be?" - Ask an Agroforester with Matt Wilson

"I've Learned Fifty Ways to Kill a Tree" - Ask an Agroforester with Kaitie Adams

Introduction to Grafting with Lupe Rios

The Many Names of Agroforestry - Kathy Dice

How Do You Choose Which Tree Crops to Plant? - with Kathy Dice

“You Should Have Elderberries in Your Life!” - Terry Durham and Chris Patton

Ask-an-Agroforester: Is "Agroforestry" a Confusing Term?

Greg Judy: "We Converted a Vegetarian..."

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