Alley Cropping for Climate Resiliency, Farm Diversification and Cropping System Services (Part 1)

David Butler, Jody Thompson
Conference Session - Saturday, January 27, 2024
Recorded during the OAK 2024 Conference in Frankfort, KY, January 25th-27th.
Alley cropping is an agroforestry practice where agricultural or horticultural crops are grown in the alleyways between widely spaced rows of woody plants. Alley cropping can diversify farm income, increase crop production, enhance nutrient cycling, improve landscape aesthetics, enhance wildlife and pollinator habitat, and provide crop protection and conservation benefits. Alley cropping may also offer a viable solution to mitigate crop stress and improve the sustainability of organic crop production amid climate extremes in the Southeast. Participants will learn about the history and basics of alley cropping, how research projects in Kentucky and Tennessee are exploring agroforestry's on-farm use and benefits to the region and whether alley cropping could be a helpful practice for their farm. This session is part one of a two-part series and is followed by a panel discussion with farmers.