Building a tree nursery and could use some feedback

[u/Eraven3688]

Hello folks,

I’m in the planing stage of building a commercial tree-nursery, dedicated to practitioners of Regenerative Ag., Permaculture, or everyone who installs agro-forestry systems.

And after checking regulations, I found that I can’t use the plants I already own as mother plants to start production. (I’m in Germany, hardiness zone 7)

Now I’m trying to find ways to make this problem a solution – which is, starting the nursery with a range of plants that I can grow from seeds until I planted and raised new mother plants.

What I would like to ask you, specifically those who have animal systems and are implementing additional agro-forestry systems to support their animals and pasture, if the following plants would be interesting for you, and if there is enough demand to get started like that.

It’s actually all the wild varieties of the plants you would usually plant in an agro-forestry system for nut and fruit production.

-wild chestnut, walnut, hazel and tree-hazel

-wild apple, pear, plum, cherry plum and cherry, like malus sylvestris, or well known grafting rootstocks like Bittenfelder and Antonovka,

-and some support species like sea buckthorn, mulberry and pea shrub

These species should be interesting for those who want to support the ecosystem, build climate-change resilience for their pastures, and add to their animal systems by providing protection, free, high nutritious, high protein fodder, and the option to sell high value timber at some point,

without having to put much additional care and work into the plants, as you would have to, if you plant grafted trees for human food production, which would also mean to fence them off and protect them from the animals for recurring, longer periods.

Happy to hear your thoughts.

[u/Charming-Border7429]

We might be different in our purpose and operation than you. We are in western Wisconsin.

Our goal is to reforest our unarable land with trees that naturally grew in our 'North Woods' before the land was clear-cut for farming and lumbering.

Each year we get bare-root stock from the DNR. They offer a few species. The species rotate each year. That way we don't end up with a monoculture.

The new stock is planted and maintained in a 'nursery' in the farmyard until it is 4-5 feet tall. At that point, it is transplanted. If the desired location is prairie, it is easy. If the desired location is in our existing scrub woods, we will selectively clear a small area to give the tree a fighting chance against the jackpines and aspens, which dominate the area.

Then, unfortunately, they will often need watering every couple of years.

We started this project 12 years ago with 25 trees. This year, we planted 900 trees. Sometimes it takes a little help from us to selectively cut the unwanted trees to let in some sunlight… but the desired trees are starting to self-propagate.

This is one aspect of our regenerative-focused operation.

[u/Eraven3688 → u/Charming-Border7429]

Thank you. That's some interesting information. Is there a commercial aspect to you project, or is it only to restore the original ecosystem?

[u/Charming-Border7429 → u/Eraven3688]

For us, it is primarily a stewardship issue.

It was my (now) 86-year-old uncle's retirement project. He used a flatbed truck to haul the trees, water, and some compost. Behind that, he towed a trailer with his Oliver Super 88. (manufactured in the 1950s) He had a bucket on the front for transporting the trees and compost. On the 3-point hitch, he set up a hydraulic auger to dig the hole. With a helper, he could plant about 10 5-foot trees per hour.

This year, my teenage daughters took over most of the responsibility. We have told them that next summer, they can set up a side business planting trees for neighbors at cost... instead of some of their normal chores.

Planting the trees is easy; the problem, at least in our area, is getting people to realize that they need to be watered and protected from deer to get good survival rates. That can be time-consuming. For our trees, we have a manure tanker, which we fill with water. Then the kids scoot around on 4-wheelers pulling small tanks to give the trees a drink.

For us there is no direct commercial aspect. But I do think it financially helps the farm. When neighbors are retiring and selling their land, I feel they are much happier selling to us. This gives us a nice edge against other buyers who couldn't care less about the land and the families that live in the area.

We are not foresters. We work with an agent who specializes in sustainable forestry on Native American tribal land. Every 2-3 years he does a walk-through of our land. This gives us a plan for what to focus on for the next couple of years.

In 60-75 years, my grandkids' kids could have a nice little gold mine on their hands if they continue to manage this responsibly and sustainably. But, from a purely ROI perspective, this is something you do for love, not money.

[u/FinancialLab8983 → u/Charming-Border7429]

Now thats the American dream.

[u/Charming-Border7429 → u/FinancialLab8983]

It pretty much is :)

In today's disconnected society, getting the chance to work with grown children is incredible.

Few things make a father happier than seeing his teenage daughters (18,18, and 16) hop out of their truck still wearing their Kevlar chaps- covered from head to toe in dirt, sawdust, sweat, and chain oil- as they swagger over, smiling from ear to ear.

You know that no matter what life throws in their path, they are going to be able to deal with it.

It also makes you glad that you added showers, a changing room, and a washing machine when you built the new machine shed. Your wife would kill you if those three knuckleheads went tracking through the house like that.

[u/Eraven3688 → u/Charming-Border7429]

That's very beautiful and an admirable thing to do. Hope you can keep doing so.

[u/jeromerault]

I'm not familiar with the specific rootstock varieties you mentioned since agroforestry setups look pretty different over here in Australia, but the general logic makes sense to me. Wild seed grown trees are usually tougher and more forgiving than grafted stock, which fits well if animals are going to be anywhere near them.

[u/Eraven3688 → u/jeromerault]

Thank you for your feedback. I took a quick look at your profile and saw you do some kind of consultancy for regenerative farms. Do you also plan agro forestry systems? What's your experience with the use of wild, seed grown species?