In the Northeast, agroforestry practices are shaped by distinct seasons, dense hardwood forests, and demand for local, specialty food products. Because much of the landscape is already forested, many producers focus on "working with the woods" rather than starting from an open field. The top practices for this region include:

​

1. Forest Farming

This is the most popular practice in the Northeast due to the region's dense canopy of maple, beech, and oak. Producers cultivate high-value crops under the forest shade that would otherwise struggle in direct sun.

• Key Crops: American ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, and ramps (wild leeks).

• Log-Grown Mushrooms: Cultivating shiitake, oyster, and lion’s mane mushrooms on hardwood logs is a staple of Northeast forest farming.

• Other NTFPs: Non timber forest products like edibles, medicinals, traditional craft materials, and more. 

​

2. Silvopasture

Northeast farmers often use silvopasture to manage existing woodlots or to add "fodder trees" to open pastures. In this region, it is particularly valued for animal welfare, as trees provide vital shade during increasingly hot summers and wind protection during harsh winters.

• Systems: Rotational grazing of cattle, sheep, or poultry through thinned woodlots or rows of planted honey locust and willow.

​

3. Maple Syrup Production (Multi-Story Cropping)

While often thought of as traditional forestry, modern maple production is increasingly viewed through an agroforestry lens. Producers are "intensifying" their sugarbushes by managing the understory for secondary crops like medicinal herbs, edible species or mushrooms, creating a multi-layered income stream from a single stand of trees.

​

4. Riparian (or Multifunctional) Forest Buffers

With the importance of protecting the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes watersheds, riparian buffers are a massive focus for Northeast conservation.

• Productive Buffers: Many producers are now planting "multifunctional" buffers. Instead of just "unproductive" wild trees, they plant harvestable species like elderberry, aronia (chokeberry), and serviceberry that filter runoff while providing a fruit crop.

​

5. Alley Cropping (Emerging)

Though less common than forest farming, alley cropping is growing in popularity among Northeast fruit and nut enthusiasts.

• Systems: Rows of chestnuts, hazelnuts, or cider apples are planted with alleys of hay, vegetables, or small grains in between. This allows the farmer to get an annual income while waiting for the nut or fruit trees to reach full production.

 

​

Resource Spotlights

​

Cornell Small Farms Program: 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.

 

Interlace Commons: Interlace Commons’ mission is to promote the adoption of agroforestry land-use practices that address climate change and land degradation and move toward resilient, biodiverse landscapes that enhance livelihoods. We achieve our mission through farmer-driven field projects, education, and research initiatives throughout the Northeastern United States.

​

Northeast Forest Farming Coalition (NFFC): The Northeast Forest Farmers Coalition (NFFC) is a partnership of individuals, farms, universities, nonprofits, businesses, and other organizations with the shared goal of growing forest farming opportunities and education within the Northeast region.​

​

Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition (AFFC): The Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition (AFFC), is a network of forest farmers, forestland owners, universities, and governmental and non-governmental organizations that share a common goal of improving agroforestry production opportunities and farming capabilities among forest farmers.​​​​