Foresters standing in a field during an agroforestry event.

Farms Branching Out

Integrating trees and shrubs with farming systems can provide many environmental, social, and economic benefits. Our Farms Branching Out program seeks to help small- and medium-sized farmers and farmland owners explore and adopt agroforestry practices to diversify their revenue and address environmental challenges.

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This program is a collaboration between researchers and Extension professionals in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Extension portion focuses on connecting farmers and farmland owners with agricultural and natural resource professionals through hands-on learning events like field days, peer-to-peer exchanges, and workshops. To accomplish the work in Wisconsin, we are partnering with the Savanna Institute on outreach for in-field agroforestry practices (for example, silvopasture) and the Midwest Forest Farming Coalition on forest farming outreach.

Upcoming Events & Appearances

We are in the process of planning forest farming events in 2026 for farmers, woodland owners, and foresters interested in growing wild-simulated American ginseng.

There are no upcoming events to display at this time.

Past Events

July 2025—Getting Started with Stewardship

We partnered with Sauk County to host a field day at the Sauk County Farm for new landowners and anyone getting started with land stewardship in Wisconsin. Landowners connected with peers and conservation professionals to look at conservation in action and discuss ways to achieve their goals for their land.

A group of landowners in a prairie on the Sauk County Farm.

July 2024—Agroforestry for Foresters Tour

We partnered with UW–Stevens Point’s Wisconsin Forestry Center, the Society of American Foresters, and the Savanna Institute to hold a field day for professional foresters. Foresters learned about various agroforestry practices that are possible in Wisconsin and received continuing education credits.

October 2023—Forest Farming Field Day

We held a forest farming field day for woodland owners in partnership with Misty Dawn Farm. Attendees learned about mushroom and maple syrup production, living off the grid, woodland management, and how the NRCS and the DNR can help.

a group of people looking at logs that are growing shiitake mushrooms

Partners

Forestry & Wildlife Program, Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Farms Branching Out program is funded in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Additional support comes from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. For more information about Farms Branching Out, contact:

A young man with short hair and a beard wearing a plaid shirt and a vest

Tony Johnson
Natural Resources Educator
anthony.johnson@wisc.edu
608-386-8900

Page last updated February 2026.