Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Grazing Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem

by Steve Gabriel, Eric Toensmeier (Foreword)

A system for regenerating land, storing carbon, and creating climate resilience The concept of silvopasture challenges our notions of both modern agriculture and land use. For centuries, European settlers of North America have engaged in practices that separate the field from the forest, and even the food from the animal. Silvopasture systems integrate trees, animals, and forages in a whole-system approach that offers a number of benefits to the farmer and the environment. Such a system not only offers the promise of ecological regeneration of the land, but also an economical livelihood and even the ability to farm extensively while buffering the effects of a changing increased rainfall, longer droughts, and more intense storm events. Silvopasture, however, involves more than just allowing animals into the woodlot. It is intentional, steeped in careful observation skills and flexible to the dynamics of such a complex ecology. It requires a farmer who understands grassland ecology, forestry, and animal husbandry. The farmer needn’t be an expert in all of these disciplines, but familiar enough with them to make decisions on a wide variety of time scales. A silvopasture system will inevitably look different from year to year, and careful design coupled with creativity and visioning for the future are all part of the equation. In this book, farmer Steve Gabriel offers examples of diverse current systems that All of these examples share common goals, components, and philosophies. The systems may take several years to establish, but the long-term benefits include healthier animals and soils, greater yields, and the capacity to sequester atmospheric carbon better than forests or grasslands alone. For all these reasons and more, Silvopasture offers farmers an innovative and ecological alternative to conventional grazing practice.

Genres: Nonfiction, Agriculture, Nature, Gardening

320 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Marty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more of the information he has written.
This adds a lot to the permaculture research I have done and hope to take part in.

The idea of mixing trees and pasture land together -with a plan is intriguing.
Combining all of this with crops will be even more exciting and interesting.

[Kristina Seleshanko · Rating 3 out of 5]

A textbook-dry book that really could have been cut in half. The author does a detailed job of getting the facts out there (along with a heavy dose of liberal thought); if you're interested in farming your forest or adding trees to your pasture, there is some good insight here.

[Alia Awni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of "we don't really know what we're doing because this is new, but do some experimenting on your farm in your marginal land and find out for yourself if it works in 30 years"

but still had some useful information

[Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good resource to a niche topic of silvopasture.

[El Rhino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good depth into a wide array of applicable topics for a farmer or aspiring farmer who wants to learn about the nuts and bolts of how to do silvopasture farming profitably.