OXFORD, Iowa (KCRG) - A farm in Oxford has moved away from growing corn and soybeans, planting elderberries, hazelnuts and chestnuts instead.
Anna Geyer has transitioned the farm out of row crops through a practice known as agroforestry, which combines farming with trees and shrubs.
“It’s a different landscape of farming than what we used to have and I love it so much,” Geyer said.
Ecosystem benefits and challenges
Geyer said the approach comes with economic difficulties but provides significant ecosystem benefits, including keeping the land covered year-round. The deep roots of the plants catch nitrates before they reach groundwater or streams.
“Obviously there are difficulties that it presents, but the ecosystem benefits are significant,” Geyer said.
Geyer said the crops also come with challenges such as weather and time.
“Weather concerns are significant because it’s not just one season you lose. If you lose your plant, you’re losing a perennial crop that takes years to establish,” Geyer said.
Geyer planted the elderberries in 2022. They are now producing at scale, and she processes them into vinegars, dips and lip balms.
Geyer uses farm events, including Trees Forever’s field day on Saturday, to introduce people to her products and process.
Scott Whitmore bought an acreage in Oxford last year and attended the event to look into diversifying it.
“She has three acres in elderberry right now, so you can actually see how widely they’re planted,” Whitmore said.
“We would like to put some of our lower pasture area into tree products, so probably chestnuts, hazelnuts,” Whitmore said.
Jeff Jensen, with Trees Forever, said events like the field day open doors for farmers looking beyond corn and soybeans.
“A lot of folks don’t realize that we can grow things in Iowa like hazelnuts, like pecans, like elderberries,” Jensen said.
Geyer said homeowners, not just farmers, can also plant these crops.
“It suits me. I guess it suits my personality and the work that I enjoy doing,” Geyer said.