JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Midwest Forest Farming Coalition will hold a free workshop on how to start forest farming 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Alan T. Busby Research Farm in Jefferson City.

The coalition is a partnership of farmers, landowners, researchers and other organizations, including University of Missouri Extension and Lincoln University.

The workshop covers how to select and prepare a site for forest farming, says Joni Harper, MU Extension field specialist in natural resources. Attendees will also learn how to prepare a budget for forest farming and where to sell products.

Harper says the workshop can help forest owners learn how to expand opportunities in forest farming. Only 50% of Missouri’s new forestry growth is harvested, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Forest farming involves managing the forest canopy to create an environment that favors the growth of understory crops, while also allowing for the production of timber or non-timber forest products such as ginseng, goldenseal and shiitake mushrooms. Forest farming offers a way to earn income in the short term while waiting for high-quality trees to mature for timber or other products.

There is no charge for the workshop, which is sponsored in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Register at https://bit.ly/3XTTpeq, or call Joni Harper at 573-378-5358 for more information.