BEYOND AGROFORESTRY

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BEYOND AGROFORESTRY
Using a diversity of resources and a low tech
approach to develop sustainable enterprises on
rugged land, previously considered useless, in a
state ranked 50th in commerce
Fred Hays, Divergent Natural Interests, West
Virginia
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Fred Hays 304-548-7117 sustainableresources_at_hotm
ail.com
About the Speaker

• M.A. From Marshall University
• Certified Holistic Management Educator
• District Conservation Supervisor
• SARE projects in Aquaculture Agro-forestry
• WV Ginseng Growers Association, Founder
• Center for Sustainable Resources, Inc.
• Divergent Natural Interests, Owner

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Divergent Natural InterestsElkview,
WV304-548-7117

• D.N.I. is a family farm
• 150 acres of rugged, mountainous, terrain -
  mostly wooded

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Resource Base

• Great biodiversity
• Over 100 species of trees
• As many as 2800 different species of plants
• Non-brittle environment
• with consistent moisture
• and water
• Rural customers
• Skills education

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Managed Resources

• Livestock are used as a tool through grazing,
  animal impact, and herd effect.
• Vegetation is controlled without machinery.
• Poor areas are treated with animal impact to
  improve soil biodiversity.
• Garden areas are hoof- plowed in late winter
  simply by concentrating animals and feeding hay.

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Living Organisms as Tools

• All of our enterprises are based on using the
  labor of living organisms.
• For example, mushroom production utilizes fungal
  organisms.

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Solar Dollars

• Stored organic solar resources are different than
  paper dollars in that organic currency sustains
  life.
• Again, the labor in this picture was done by
  living organisms.

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AQUATIC ENTERPRISES
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Fish as Tools

• Fish, like other livestock, can be used as a tool
  for altering the environment
• Grass Carp or White Amurs are not only more
  effective than chemicals but also less expensive.
• Grass Carp nearly always succeed where chemicals
  almost always fail in producing the desired
  result.

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Fish Production Sales

• Largemouth Bass
• Bluegill
• Hybrid Bluegill
• Channel Catfish
• Goldfish
• Koi Carp
• Grass Carp
• Grown in pond culture in ten ponds on
  the farm.

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Game Fish
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Ornamental Fish
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Pond Stocking Consultation
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Aquatic Plants
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Grass Carp Pond Management

• A large part of the aquatic business has
  become consultation for managing aquatic
  vegetation through natural methods.

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AGROFORESTRY ENTERPRISES
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Forest Organisms as Tools

• High quality hardwood production can be increased
  as much as ten fold if organisms and the solar
  regime are manipulated correctly.

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High Quality Trees

• Potential crop trees are chosen and released
  for accelerated growth.

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Culls are removed and grape vines are kept from
reaching canopies.
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Wood Products
Culled trees are used for lumber or firewood.
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Shiitake Mushrooms

• Shiitake mushrooms were grown on the farm
  utilizing our abundance of oak logs.
• The mushroom logs still produce but crops are no
  longer marketed as they failed testing
  guidelines.

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Under-Canopy Crops

• Woodland Herbs
• on this farm are in great diversity because
  crops are naturally produced yet manipulated for
  favor.

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Other Woodland Crops

• Dozens of medicinal plants are readily marketed
  from
• our forest.
• Black Cohosh is growing in value.

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Ginseng
Ginseng, the most valuable crop on the farm, is
carefully monitored and managed.
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WILD PRODUCTS

• Wild Berries,
• Mushrooms,
• Wild Game,
• Nuts, etc. are all part of our whole.

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Wildlife as a Tool
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Smooth Chanterelles
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Oyster Mushrooms
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Chicken of the Woods
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Wild Roots
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Wild Game
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OTHER ENTERPRISES
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Cattle as Tools
Livestock were meant to eat vegetation-not just
grass. We take advantage of animal impact to
improve the land.
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Another Tool
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Natural Beef
Healthy Land Healthy Livestock
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Custom Knives
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Trade Shows
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Other Living Organisms at Work
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And One Not at Work
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OUTREACH

• Center for Sustainable Resources, Inc. -
  nonprofit that hosts field days training
  events.
• West Virginia Ginseng Growers Association
  -developed legislation to protect this emerging
  industry.

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Fox News
Traveling West Virginia
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The Travel Channel
Cash Treasures
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Ginseng Seed Bulk Purchase Program
WVGGA
Seed available at discounted prices
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Resource Management Consultation
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For more info
Fish Pond Stocking Agro-forestry
ProductsWVGGA Ginseng Seed Natural BeefCustom
Knives Resources Management Consultation
Fred Hays [phone] sustainableresources_at_hotm
ail.com
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Diversity is key.