Alley cropping gives farmers an alternative income while they're waiting for their trees to grow. They could grow and sell corn, for example, in addition to raising livestock. Designing the right tree row configuration to provide optimum light and selecting the right crop are both important for overall productivity of a given piece of land. As for which crops would work best in agroforestry systems and provide the best economic benefits for the farmer, Robert D. Webster, an agronomist at the Booneville lab, is looking at a wide range of alternative crops. These include corn, muscadine grapes, and plants with natural chemical compounds used in industry, medicine, and as dietary supplements.
Salsa just happens to be a top-selling condiment in the United States, right up there with catsup.
The Agroforestry Economic Model, a software program developed jointly by the New Zealand Forest Research Institute and ARS, assesses the future value of planting certain crops. The computer estimates how much money I will make, based on current market information. 6883 S. State Hwy. Click here to see this issue's table of contents.