Agroforestry Basics

What is agroforestry?

The USDA describes agroforestry as the intentional combination of trees and shrubs with crops or livestock to gain benefits for production, soil, water, and wildlife. It is not a single method but a family of practices that you can scale to a small property.

Most practices take years to mature, so they suit people who plan to stay on the land.

Think about your own labor and equipment. Alley cropping needs room for machinery between rows, silvopasture needs fencing and grazing management, and forest farming needs knowledge of the crops involved. Choose a practice you can actually manage with the time, tools, and skills you have.

What are the main practices?

The National Agroforestry Center groups practices into several types. Each does a different job, and some can be combined on one farm. Ask your NRCS service center or extension office which ones are used in your region.

Not every practice fits every site, and some need a lot of space.

Soil and water decide what will grow. Check drainage, depth, and fertility with a soil test and your county soil survey before choosing species. Trees planted in the wrong soil struggle for years, and the lost time is hard to recover. Visit a working example if you can. Many extension offices and conservation districts know of farms nearby that use these practices and will describe what worked and what did not. Ask about survival rates, labor, and how long it took before the trees paid back any of the effort. Local experience is worth more than any general promise about results, and it helps you set honest expectations before you plant.

• Windbreaks and shelterbelts that protect crops, animals, and buildings
• Riparian buffers that guard streams and banks
• Alley cropping, with crops grown between rows of trees
• Silvopasture, combining trees, forage, and livestock
• Forest farming, growing shade-loving crops under a canopy

How do you choose a practice?

Start with a problem or goal: wind, erosion, a stream bank, shade for animals, or an added crop. Match it to a practice and check that your soil, climate, and acreage can handle it. A sketch of the property with the problem areas marked helps a lot.

Begin small. A single row or a small trial area shows how the trees and the farm work together before you commit much land.

Think about markets before you plant anything for sale. Nuts, fruit, timber, and specialty crops each need buyers, processing, and sometimes licenses, and prices change. Talk with your extension office and nearby producers about what actually sells in your area before you invest.

What about trees with livestock?

Silvopasture combines trees and grazing, but animals can damage young trees and some trees are harmful to certain animals. Planning, fencing, and species choice matter, and a plan usually protects trees until they are big enough. Ask your extension office and veterinarian about tree species that are safe in animal areas.

Do not graze animals in woods without a plan, since heavy grazing can harm tree roots and soil.

Learn from neighbors and demonstration sites. Many extension offices, universities, and conservation districts run field days or have farms that use these practices, and seeing the work in person teaches more than a brochure.

How long until you see results?

Trees grow slowly, and benefits like shade, wind protection, and income appear over years, not seasons. Some practices give earlier returns, such as crops grown between young rows, but expectations should stay modest and your plan should hold up if returns are slow.

Keep records of what you plant, what survives, and what you spend.

• Plan for years, not months
• Track costs and survival
• Protect young trees while they establish
• Ask what others in your area have learned

What does it cost and what help exists?

Costs include trees, site preparation, protection, fencing, water, labor, and time. Income from trees, nuts, or specialty products varies and cannot be promised. Ask your NRCS service center, Farm Service Agency, state forestry agency, and extension office about technical assistance and programs, and whether any might apply to your property.

What rules might apply?

Planting near streams, roads, utilities, or wetlands, and cutting or selling timber, can involve local and state rules that vary by state, county, and town. Property tax treatment of woodland can also differ. Ask your county zoning office and your state forestry agency, and speak to a tax professional for any tax question, since this article does not give tax or legal advice.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.