There’s still time to add agroforestry to your home garden for spring | Guest Commentaries

Gardeners are tucking the last of their plants away for the winter and will soon again be dreaming of springtime. Once seed catalogs start hitting mailboxes, the buzz of verdant backyards and blooming landscapes will quickly fill minds. Agroforestry, a term growing in popularity but still unfamiliar to many, is a fruitful way every gardener can start to make a positive impact on the land and our shared resources as a community. In agroforestry systems, trees and shrubs are combined with crops and/or livestock to offer delicious, nutrient-dense foods such as nuts, berries, mushrooms, grass-fed meats and medicinal herbs. The sustainable practices that underlie agroforestry can be administered on any scale — from large swaths of cropland to urban parks, community gardens and residential lots.