Northeast Grazing & Livestock Conference
Ranjit Bawa , Jannatul Ferdous, and Aaron Guman presented at the 2026 in Manchester, NH. Their session described the ADAPT researchers’ approach to the design, establishment, methods, and monitoring of silvopasture sites throughout New England, including both experimental and demonstration areas. The presentation included biophysical research which examines establishment success of new silvopastures, ecosystem service benefits and tradeoffs, long-term carbon monitoring, and tree impact on forages, as well as socioeconomic considerations, including barriers and incentives in agroforestry adoption such as consumers’ willingness to pay premiums for silvopasture products and ecosystem services.
Permaculture Learning Opportunities Expand for 2026
The is offering a new season of webinars, workshops, and courses that apply ’s approach to agroforestry and permaculture. These programs support learners working in urban, rural, home, farm, and public landscapes. Participants in the online on March 26 will join for informal conversation about managing water in the landscape. A panel discussion on April 8, , will examine how permaculture concepts intersect with multi stakeholder design in public food forest projects. The School is also developing training on project management for community based food forests and a focus on decolonizing permaculture for designers, activists, and organizers.
This summer, the School will again offer the 100 hour Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) program, held annually since 2012. The in-person, weekend format course teaches participants to create a landscape design, an installation plan, and a long term land management plan using their own site as the case study. As Jesse explains, “If you own the place where you live, you get to make a permaculture design that fits your life. If you don’t own where you live, that’s okay because the skills you learn will be useful for when you do.” The organizers welcome gardeners, farmers, designers, builders, community organizers, and others interested in regenerative land use.
2026 PDC Dates are May 9–10, June 6–7, June 26–28, July 24–26, and August 7–9. The Maine Ecological Design School’s website outlines the program’s principles, topics, project requirements, sliding scale pricing, and family friendly options. More information is available on the .
Edible Ecosystems Emerging: Food Forestry for the 21st Century
The in York, PA will host Edible Ecosystems Emerging: Food Forestry for the 21st Century, a nine-day Forest Garden Design Intensive with instructors Dave Jacke and Jon Darby, running October 16–25, 2026. This course offers an in-depth exploration of how forest ecosystem principles can guide resilient, multifunctional edible landscape design.
As background for the course, forest ecosystems maintain, renew, and propagate themselves without human input, while building clean air and water, conserving soil and biodiversity, and demonstrating long-term stability and adaptability. These qualities arise from whole system dynamics, and the course focuses on how to translate those dynamics into practical, regenerative design.
Participants will dive into the vision, theory, and hands-on practice of designing edible ecosystems at residential and farm scales using temperate deciduous forests as models. The program includes experiential exercises, design projects, lectures, and site walks to illuminate forest architecture, social structure, belowground dynamics, and succession. Design work may include plans for urban or suburban homesteads, educational landscapes, small diversified farms, or silvopasture and alley cropping systems. The course also explores management, economics, and the paradigm shifts needed to co-create what Jacke calls “humanatural” landscapes.
Lead instructor Dave Jacke, primary author of Edible Forest Gardens and founder of Dynamics Ecological Design, brings more than four decades of ecological design experience across North America and abroad. Co-instructor Jon Darby, Farm and Agroforestry Manager at Horn Farm Center, is a wild foods educator, gardener, and farmer who has been part of the center’s team since 2009. For more information and registration, visit: .
Case studies
Through the Agroforestry Coalition, Maya Glicksman has shared a new report featuring six diverse which highlights the diverse motivations that drive agroforestry adoption, alongside core challenges, benefits, and experiences with accessing federal support. Each farmer shares their unique agroforestry journey and vision for a perennial agricultural future, and core themes are summarized to inform improvements to federal programs. For agroforestry enthusiasts in New England, these case studies offer a valuable window into approaches, funding pathways, and community strategies that can inform regional practice despite differences in geography. Some key takeaways are summarized , and the full case studies are .
Northeast Perennial Resilience: Food Forests and the Right to Food
Published just before our Winter Solstice issue (December 2025), an article from the examines how food forests are becoming a practical expression of the "right to food" framework within the unique social and ecological landscapes of New England. In “,” Amanda Hutson highlights successful initiatives like the in Massachusetts and . Her piece illustrates how multi-strata perennial systems transition from simply planting green spaces to enlivening essential public infrastructure that fosters community autonomy and climate resilience. For agroforestry researchers and practitioners, the article serves as a valuable case study in social-ecological integration. It underscores the need for enabling policies like and describes current gaps in federal funding (e.g., or ) that often overlook non-commercial food forests. Extension agents and consultants can apply these insights when working with communities. By navigating municipal Requests for Proposals (RFPs), land trust models, and site-specific designs, they can help ensure that climate-adaptive species are paired with the participatory governance structures that support long-term stewardship. Read more about Amanda’s work .
National Women in Agriculture Study
A survey for women involved in agriculture is open through March 31. Sponsored by the , the explores women’s leadership and involvement across the industry to identify barriers and opportunities and provide actionable insights to strengthen engagement and support systems. .
Herb Growers Survey from the Vermont Herb Growers Initiative
, a farmer‑led project to develop a collaborative network for Vermont’s herbal growers, is gathering input from herb producers working in fields, forests, or both. The is designed to build a clearer understanding of current herb production and to identify the needs, challenges, and opportunities facing growers in Vermont and the surrounding region. For more information, email Sarah Shaw or Julia Etter.