#6 Managing a 25 year old alley cropping system with David Wolfe

In this episode we have the chance to interview the manager of Wakelyns Farm, amongst the oldest agroforestry systems in Europe. David gives us a great insight into what a fully running agroforestry system looks like. We get into understanding the decisions involved when managing mature trees, what tradeoffs arise with time, and how to balance their needs with the crops grown in the alleys.

David also explains how he is shifting the strategy of the farm from a research project to a demonstration site with more diverse revenue streams, bringing many new people and productions on site in the process.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:02:44 Introduction of Wakelyns Farm

00:11:40 Intercropping systems description

00:22:17 Alternative intercrops: vegetables and animals 

00:28:13 Coppicing vs pollarding systems 

00:33:28 Mechanisation  

00:36:13 Ecosystem benefits 

00:42:23 Diversifying the business 

00:51:59 Mistakes 

00:58:27 Economic viability

• RESOURCES

http://www.wakelyns.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/wakelyns

https://www.instagram.com/wakelyns/

• GET IN TOUCH www.regenerativeagroforestry.org

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