WITH TODAY'S PIONEERS--
FOREST FARMERS WHO ARE CULTIVATING
HIGH-VALUE SPECIALTY CROPS,
UNDER THE PROTECTION OF A FOREST CANOPY
THAT HAS BEEN MODIFIED TO PROVIDE THE CORRECT SHADE LEVEL.
THESE FOREST FARMERS ARE DERIVING INCOME TODAY,
WHILE HIGH-QUALITY TREES ARE BEING GROWN
FOR QUALITY WOOD PRODUCTS TOMORROW.
TO SUCCEED AT FOREST FARMING, YOU MUST KNOW YOUR PRODUCT,
KNOW YOUR FOREST, AND KNOW YOUR MARKET.
Man:
REALLY RINGS TRUE
IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL PLANTS
AND INDIVIDUAL SPECIES.
THEN YOU'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTS.
Man:
IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
IS ON ROW-CROP FARMS.
IT'S THE BACK-FORTY,
THAT NOBODY LOOKS AT LIKE IT'S AN ASSET.
Man:
Marlin:
BUT ONCE THEY DO,
IT'S ESSENTIALLY GOING IN AND DIGGING OUT.
Man:
SO WE'RE GETTING A HUGE BENEFIT OUT OF THAT.
DEPENDING ON THE SPECIE,
I CAN GO IN AFTER A COMMERCIAL HARVEST
TAKE WHAT THEY'VE LEFT--
THEY CAN TAKE OFF THE VENEER LOGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE--
AND TAKE WHAT THEY'VE LEFT IN THE WOOD LOT
AND MAKE AS MUCH OR MORE MONEY OFF OF IT
AS YOU CAN THE LOGS THAT YOU REMOVED.
IT'S ALL IN THE WAY YOU CUT IT...
AND THE WAY YOU MARKET YOUR PRODUCT.
IT'S NOT WHITE OAK OR RED OAK OR ONE GREAT BIG THING.
IT'S ALL THE SMALL THINGS-- ALL THE PIN BLANKS,
THE GUN STOCKS, THE TURNING SQUARES,
THE HOBBY WOOD.
IT'S THE UNUSUAL THINGS THAT YOU MAKE AND MARKET
FROM LOW-GRADE LOGS.
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THAT,
THEN YOU GET ALL OF THE PIE INSTEAD OF JUST A PIECE.
KEEP IT SMALL, KEEP IT SIMPLE, KEEP ALL THE MONEY AT HOME.
DON'T BUY ANY MORE EQUIPMENT
THAN IT TAKES TO GET THE JOB DONE.
BUT THEN GO TO WORK AND DO THE JOB.
AND STICK A SMILE ON YOUR FACE, HAVE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK,
BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT.
SHOW PEOPLE ABOUT BOOK MATCHING,
ABOUT THE HIGHLY FIGURED WOODS THAT YOU'RE CUTTING.
YOU KNOW, THE STUFF THAT EVERYBODY ELSE CALLS GARBAGE,
YOU CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE.
THIS IS FIGURED WOOD.
THIS IS DOMESTIC EXOTICS.
THIS IS HOBBY WOOD, NOT SCRAP.
AND MARKET YOUR PRODUCTS THAT AWAY.
AND IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THAT
AND IF YOU'RE WILLING TO TALK WITH PEOPLE,
IT'S AMAZING WHAT'LL HAPPEN.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OUT,
IT WAS A MATTER OF GENERATING ENOUGH PUBLICITY.
FRANKLY, PUBLICITY IS FREE.
ADVERTISING IS EXPENSIVE.
SO, I'M NOT BASHFUL,
SO I SET ABOUT GENERATING PUBLICITY.
START AT THE LOCAL LIONS CLUB.
THEY'LL FEED YA, YOU KNOW?
AND YOU GET TO TALK ABOUT STUFF YOU LOVE.
DO A NEWS RELEASE.
NEWS RELEASES ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
YOU GO TO ANY KIND OF A SEMINAR OR PROGRAM, AN EDUCATIONAL EVENT,
YOU GO RIGHT HOME, AND YOU WRITE ABOUT THAT EDUCATIONAL EVENT.
I ATTENDED THUS AND SUCH AT CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI,
AND THERE WAS X-NUMBER OF PEOPLE THERE,
AND WE LEARNED ABOUT--
AND INCLUDE A PICTURE OF YOURSELF
AND/OR PRODUCT.
AND SEND IT OUT TO ALL THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS,
TITLED: "NEWS RELEASE."
YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY OF THEM WILL PRINT THAT.
WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S PUBLICITY.
AND THAT'S FREE.
ONE OF THE KEYS TO SUCCESS HERE AT ELIXIR FARM IS
DIVERSITY OF THE ECONOMIC BASE.
AND SO THAT INCLUDES SEED PRODUCTION,
PLANT PRODUCTION, GROWING OF SPECIALTY CROPS
FOR CONTRACT CLIENTS,
AS WELL AS ECOTOURISM, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS,
AND ANY OTHER WAY WE CAN FIGURE OUT TO MAKE A LIVING.
THE THING ABOUT SPECIALTY CROPS, IN GENERAL,
IS IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO PULL IT OFF.
YOU JUST CAN'T GET RID OF 500 ACRES OF CORN
AND REPLACE THEM WITH FIVE ACRES OF BASIL
OR SOME OTHER CROP
THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN ON TV
OR HEARD ABOUT IN THE NEWSPAPER.
AND BEFORE YOU EVEN PUT A PLANT IN THE GROUND,
YOU WANT TO SPEND AT LEAST A YEAR
RESEARCHING THE STATUS OF THE MARKET
AND REALLY DIG AND FIND OUT
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN BEHIND-THE-SCENES RESEARCH.
AND DO IT FROM A MULTIDISCIPLINARY STANDPOINT.
SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT MEDICAL LITERATURE AND CHEMICAL LITERATURE
AND PHARMACOLOGICAL LITERATURE.
YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT FORESTRY LITERATURE
AND HORTICULTURAL LITERATURE.
AND EVEN ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS LITERATURE
IN THE DIETARY SUPPLEMENT MARKETPLACE.
YOU HAVE TO BE DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH.
YOU HAVE TO BE INCREDIBLY VIGILANT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE PASSION...
AND PERHAPS SLIGHTLY INSANE.
THIS IS AN INTERESTING PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THIS TRACK OF GROUND QUALIFIED FOR C.R.P.,
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM.
THE STAND WE'RE STANDING IN RIGHT NOW
IS 14 YEARS OLD.
AND, AS YOU CAN SEE, WITH 14 YEARS OF GROWTH,
WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE PRETTY WELL.
WE'VE GROWN GOOD SIZE TREES.
AND WE'RE FINALLY TO THE STAGE WHERE THE TREES ARE TALL ENOUGH
THAT WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF UNDERSTORY NEEDLE FALL.
AND OUR EMPHASIS ON THIS PARTICULAR FARM
IS TO FIND MONEY IN THE SHORT COME
BEFORE WE HARVEST THE TREES.
AND THAT OPPORTUNITY HAS COME ABOUT
IN THE PROCESS OF BALING PINE NEEDLES,
WHICH IS A MARKET WE FOUND OUT, OR LEARNED ABOUT DOWN SOUTH.
AND IT'S NOT WELL-KNOWN IN THIS AREA,
BUT PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO LEARN ABOUT IT.
EVERYBODY ALWAYS COMMENTS ON HOW NEAT THE YARD LOOKS,
AND I THINK IT'S DUE TO THE FACT
THAT IT'S PUNCHBOWL.
I USE IT COSMETICALLY,
BECAUSE A PLANT REALLY SHOWS UP WITH THAT AS THE BASE.
I USE IT TO KEEP MY WEEDS DOWN.
I USE IT TO FEED MY AZALEAS BECAUSE IT'S HIGH IN ACID,
AND THEY LIKE THAT VERY MUCH.
I USE IT BECAUSE IT HAS A SOFT LOOK.
YOU GET ONE LADY OUT OF 20
TO START BEDDING WITH PINE NEEDLES,
IN THREE YEARS, YOU GOT ALL 20 OF THEM.
'CAUSE HER AZALEAS, THEY GET BRIGHTER--
THAT SLIGHT ACIDITY POP.
THEY'RE ALL ADDING MURIATIC ACID TO THEIR GROUND.
ALL THEY GOT TO DO IS PUT THAT ON THERE, AND IT WORKS.
AND WE SELL PROBABLY 1,500 BALES A YEAR
TO PEOPLE THAT COME TO THIS PLACE HERE IN PICKUP TRUCKS,
BUYING 25, 30 BALES AT A TIME.
IF YOU CAN GET PAST THE FIRST TEN YEARS,
YOU CAN, IN THIS AREA, I'VE EXPERIENCED,
YOU CAN BEGIN TO TURN ENOUGH MONEY TO KEEP UP WITH BASIC LAND PAYMENTS
AND SOME REVENUE.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU IT'S AN EASY WAY TO GET RICH,
BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO IS VERY LABOR-INTENSIVE.
AND...UH...
THERE ARE A LOT OF HARDSHIPS THAT WE'VE ENDURED,
BUT IT'S BEEN A VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE,
AND IT'S BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
THE REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER
ABOUT SHIITAKE PRODUCTION
IS ONCE YOU INOCULATE THAT LOG,
THAT LOG IS GOOD FOR THE WHOLE PRODUCTION CYCLE
UNTIL IT BECOMES A SPENT LOG.
SO YOU ONLY INOCULATE A LOG ONCE IN ITS LIFE,
RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO REALLY MAINTAIN THAT LOG
AT ABOUT 35 PERCENT MOISTURE CONTENT.
AND THEY NEED TO BE KEPT IN 80 PERCENT SHADE.
Dan Hellmuth: THESE ARE THE LOGS HERE THAT HAVE BEEN NEWLY INOCULATED.
AND THESE WILL STAY IN THIS CONFIGURATION
FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR
UNTIL THE SPAWN IS TAKEN OVER COMPLETELY--
THE SAPWOOD OF THE LOG.
YOU CAN SEE THIS PORTION OF THESE WHERE ALL THE SUGARS ARE
THAT THE MYCELIUM ACTUALLY LIVES IN AND SPREADS IN.
THESE LOGS ARE READY TO GO INTO PRODUCTION
AS SOON AS THE WEATHER SETTLES DOWN.
WE'LL BE TAKING SOME OF THESE OUT INTO THE LAYING YARD,
WHICH IS OVER HERE,
AND THEN SOME WILL BE GOING UP IN THE GREENHOUSE,
WHICH IS BEHIND HERE.
AND WILL GO START THEIR FULL PRODUCTION LIFE.
SO IT IS LIKE MILKING COWS.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO COME OUT HERE AND PICK TWICE A DAY.
SO WATCH YOUR PRODUCT,
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T PICK THEM CORRECTLY,
THEN THE NEXT DAY YOU COME IN
AND ALL THE MUSHROOMS ARE ALL THE WAY OPEN AND FLAT,
AND THEN MAYBE IT RAINED,
AND YOU'VE LOST YOUR TOP-QUALITY MUSHROOM.
SO YOU DO HAVE TO WATCH YOUR CROP,
ESPECIALLY IN THE HOT WEATHER BECAUSE THEY GROW SO QUICKLY.
Dave Owens: I'VE GOT A FEW OF THE OZARK FOREST SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS.
MacPherson: AND THEN WE MARKET DIRECTLY TO CHEFS,
CATERING COMPANIES,
PRIVATE COUNTRY CLUBS,
SPECIALISTIC FOOD SHOPS, WINE AND CHEESE SHOPS,
WHOLEFOODS AND WILD OATS SUPERMARKETS,
AND ALSO A FEW SCHNUCKS SUPERMARKETS.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT THEM IS THEY'RE GROWN OUTSIDE
AND NOT INSIDE IN SOME SAWDUST LIKE SOME OTHER OPERATIONS.
THEY PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT'S IS DIFFERENT
IN THE FACT THAT THEY'RE DYNAMIC TO THE SEASON.
WHEN IT'S REALLY HOT, THE MUSHROOMS LOOK DIFFERENT
THAN WHEN THE WEATHER IS JUST RIGHT.
ALSO IN THE SPRING AND THE FALL,
YOU GET THESE GROWTH SPURTS,
AND YOU GET A MUSHROOM CALLED A DONKO MUSHROOM
THAT HAS A VERY DISTINCTIVE PATTERN AND TEXTURE,
MUCH MORE LIKE THE REAL THING.
MacPherson: WE'VE BECOME PART OF THE CHEF'S COLLABORATIVE
WHERE THEY PROMOTE LOCAL FARMS
AND LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTS IN THEIR RESTAURANTS.
YOU SEE THAT ON THE MENU.
THEY WON'T JUST SAY, "SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS ON THE MENU WITH STEAK."
THEY'LL ACTUALLY SAY, "OZARK FOREST SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS."
AND THEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE REALLY EDUCATED THE CHEF
AND THE PERSON WHO EATS THE FOOD,
AND THEN THEY GO TO THE SUPERMARKET
AND WILL SEE THE PRODUCT
IN THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT AT THE SUPERMARKET.
AND THEY'LL SEE THE NAME THERE AGAIN,
AND THE CONNECTION IS MADE.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT-- IS MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS.
EVERYBODY WAS GARDENING,
SO IT WAS JUST FUN TO WALK THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND SEE WHO WAS DOING WHAT.
AND ONE DAY ON A LAMP POST THERE WAS A FLYER, SAYING,
"COME SATURDAY, 8:00, PLANT SALE."
WE GOT THERE AND IT WAS JOHN MARLIN'S HOUSE.
AND THEN TO DISCOVER THAT HE WAS TURNING THE MONEY OVER
TO HIS CHILDREN'S SCHOOL ACTIVITIES WAS REALLY WONDERFUL.
WORKING WITH THE WILDFLOWERS ACTUALLY CAME WITH AN IDEA I HAD
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
I WANTED TO HAVE A KOOL-AID STAND.
I WANTED TO SELL SOMETHING JUST FOR FUN.
AND SO MY DAD SUGGESTED,
"WHY DON'T WE START PLAYING WITH THE WILDFLOWERS A LITTLE BIT
AND GROWING THEM."
IN THIS AREA IS WHERE WE PROPAGATE OUR MAY APPLES
AND OUR BLUEBELLS.
ONCE YOU GET A BED LIKE THIS ESTABLISHED,
YOU ALMOST FEEL BAD ABOUT CHARGING MONEY FOR THE PLANTS
BECAUSE THE PROPAGATION PROCESS
IS JUST WEEDING OUT THE EXCESS PLANTS THAT GROW HERE
AND WE GET ABOUT $400 PER YEAR FROM THIS SMALL AREA ALONE.
OUR MARKETING STRATEGY WAS MAINLY FLYERS AROUND TOWN.
WE ALSO HAD A DATA BASE,
WHICH I MAINTAINED WITH SEVERAL NAMES,
ABOUT 400 NAMES, OF PEOPLE LOCALLY AND AROUND THE AREA.
FOR BULK WE CAN SELL IN EITHER SPRING OR FALL.
YOU GET THE PLANTS WHEN THEY'RE SMALL, PUT THEM IN A TRAY,
AND THEN YOU SHIP THEM TO THE INSTITUTION
OR DEVELOPER THAT'S GOING TO BUY THEM.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE MARLINS SINCE ABOUT THE YEAR 2000.
WE'D MET THEM BEFORE THAT AND HAD BEEN TALKING TO THEM,
BUT IN THE YEAR 2000, WE HAD A GIFT GIVEN BY A SORORITY
TO FUND THIS WORK.
THE UNIVERSITY IS VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.
WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THEIR LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE
THAT WE'VE HAD TO DO.
WE'VE REALLY DONE NOTHING MORE THAN JUST ADD A THIN LAYER OF MULCH
ONCE OR TWICE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
IT TOOK A LITTLE EDUCATION ON OUR PART
TO NOT TRY TO MAINTAIN MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
BUT THAT'S A NICE PROBLEM TO HAVE,
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.
WE'VE BEEN PLEASED WITH HOW THINGS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
IT'S A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WHAT A TYPICAL LANDSCAPE WOULD DO,
BUT THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE WE THINK IT WILL LAST LONGER.
THEY'RE SO EASY TO TAKE CARE OF. THEY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
THEY END UP SEEDING THEMSELVES SEASON TO SEASON.
WE NEVER KNOW WHERE A CELANDINE POPPY'S
GONNA POP UP NEXT.
AND THAT'S THE FUN PART OF IT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE TOO MANY, YOU CAN POD THEM UP
AND GIVE THEM TO THE GIRLS' SCHOOL TEACHERS
OR AS A MOTHER'S DAY GIFT.
John Marlin: WHAT WE'VE SHOWN
IN SOME OF OUR SETTINGS IS
IF A FARMER WOULD HAVE A SMALL PLOT IN THE WOODS
THAT HE DEVOTED TO, SAY, MAY APPLES,
OR ANOTHER PLANT LIKE THAT,
YOU COULD ON A SUSTAINABLE BASIS
TAKE HUNDREDS OF PLANTS OUT OF RELATIVELY SMALL AREA ANNUALLY,
PROVIDED YOU DID IT CAREFULLY,
AND DIDN'T DISTURB THE SOIL IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU GOT
GARLIC, MUSTARD, OR OTHER INVASIVE PLANTS TAKING OVER.
SO IT'S A MATTER OF BEING CAREFUL WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I'M TALKING ABOUT SMALL PLOTS IN THE WOODS,
NOT THE ENTIRE WOODS.
WE'VE GOT WOODS IN ILLINOIS
WHERE MOST OF THE NATIVE WILDFLOWERS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR TEN YEARS,
AND OUR SURPLUSES HAVE ONLY GONE UP
WITH TREMENDOUS SALES.
SO IF YOU PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT,
AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, LEARN THE PLANTS,
THEN YOU'LL HAVE NO PROBLEM.
Narrator:
EACH ON IS PARTICULAR TO THE PRODUCER,
WOOD LOT, PRODUCT, AND MARKET.
HOWEVER, THEY ALL UTILIZE THE FOREST
TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT FOR SPECIALTY CROPS TODAY,
WHILE GROWING TREES FOR WOOD PRODUCTS TOMORROW.
BY KNOWING YOUR PRODUCT, THE FOREST AND THE MARKET,
YOU WILL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS.
FOREST FARMING PRACTICES CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
AND TAKE PRESSURE OFF OUR NATURAL FOREST ECOSYSTEMS.
IT MAY BE ILLEGAL TO HARVEST WILD PLANT POPULATIONS FOUND
IN THE NATURAL FOREST.
THIS VIDEO WAS MADE
BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI CENTER FOR AGROFORESTRY
WITHIN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD,
AND NATURAL RESOURCES.