I interviewed Brandon Hurd about his agroforestry plot at the Experimental Farm on Thursday, February 24. He told me about the trees he’s going to plant, from oaks, to peaches, to elderberry trees, and we discussed how his plot mimics an oak savannah ecosystem. He also told me about his experience WOOFing — which is a program that places people to work in farms around the world. He worked at a number of sustainable farms in the United States, which inspired him to pursue sustainable agriculture and this project.
He hasn’t planted any of the plot yet, and most of the trees are small and in pots by the front gate. I shot B-roll of him pruning the trees and walking through his plot — which right now only has cover crop. I also took a few close-up videos of the trees.
I also interviewed the project advisor, professor Nick Babin. Babin explained that Hurd’s plot employs an agricultural method called alley cropping, which is when useful plants like nitrogen fixers or food crops are grown between rows of trees. We also discussed commercial forms of agroforestry, like cacao and coffee farming. Babin said he was excited to use Hurd’s project to teach students about agroforestry when it’s finished.
Music for Your Mind 