Planning Phase
Make sure you’re prepared before tackling a new practice in the field.
Wet Feet Farming may not be suitable for every farm, but in the right application it can provide a win-win solution for farmers dealing with poorly drained soils and loss of production while increasing ecosystem benefits.
Technical Assistance
A site assessment is a first and critical step to establishing a new perennial cropping system. Reaching out to technical staff who specialize in agroforestry can help determine whether Wet Feet Farming is a good fit for your specific situation. Technical assistance can be particularly helpful for landowners who haven’t designed or managed agroforestry systems before and/or who are new to the region. Local professionals may also be able to connect you with other resources, including grants or cost share programs to assist with implementing an agroforestry planting.
There are many local resources for professional support to get started!
Agroforestry Northwest has qualified agroforesters
Washington State University Extension local offices
Your local conservation district’s technical staff
Planning Your Own System
If you are interested in trying to implement a Wet Feet Farming system on your own, below are some recommended steps to follow:
Soil Assessment
- Assess areas where you have erosion, compaction, standing water, or ponding. If you do have ponding, mark high/low spots and note the time of year. Monitor these areas to see if they remain wet throughout the year or when they dry out.
- Gather data such as soil type, depth to water table, vegetative productivity, and drainage. You may also want to consider a soil test to get information about the nutrient profile and organic matter levels in the intended planting area.
Soil Test Resources
- Soil tests can provide beneficial information about the nutrient profile and organic matter levels in the intended planting area. Contact local technical service providers such as your conservation district or an agronomist for soil testing programs/services.
Local soil testing labs:
- Web Soil Survey allows you to draw your property boundaries on a map and receive key soil data including soil type, depth to water table, vegetative productivity, drainage, and more.
- California Soil Research Lab can be added to Google Earth to give you soils data for your site.
- Soil Web is an app you can install on your phone to give you in field soils data.
Climate Assessment
Growing a new crop requires matching the species to the site and having a detailed understanding of how those conditions may affect that species. Note any changes you have observed over the last five years, such as changes in rainfall patterns and amounts throughout the seasons. Do you have an increasing need for irrigation? Have you noticed changes in frost/freeze patterns? Washington State University’s Ag Weather Net website is a good place to find climate data for your region.
Cost Assessment
Much of the cost for an agroforestry system occurs during establishment and maintenance in the first few years. When assessing the costs, consider:
- Plant materials (trees, shrubs, groundcover plugs or seed)
- Browse protection from wildlife or livestock (e.g., fencing, tree tubes, caging, raptor polls)
- Labor (site preparation, planting, irrigation, and maintenance)
Nursery Stock
When purchasing plants, consider that larger plants are more costly, but can decrease time from establishment to harvest, especially for tree crops. Smaller plants are cheaper and easier to transport and plant, but will take longer to produce and can be more susceptible to weed and herbivore pressure.
Purchasing plants from nurseries in your region is ideal for plant adaptability. Below is a list of some Pacific Northwest nurseries that have plants appropriate for agroforestry systems. There may be many more nurseries to explore in your area.
Agroforestry design for wet areas in three steps:
Step 1
Decide what crops will be planted for harvest by considering the following:
- Site conditions
- Current land use
- Current land management and resources
- Market access, plant knowledge
Step 2
Select the components of the system and how they will be integrated:
- Determine system diversity (how many crops in one area)
- Support plants for pollinators
- Nitrogen fixers
- Grazing animals (chickens, sheep)
Step 3
Determine how the system will be arranged. Group plants based on:
- Similar needs (watering, sunlight, soil type)
- Annual watering, weeding, pruning, and harvesting operational efficiencies and seasonal timeframes
Additionally, plan your design based on the height and width of plants at maturity. Group commodity crops with supporting plantings that attract beneficial insects or stave off disease, or at minimum do not introduce any unwanted disease or pest issues to the commodity crop. Consider what additional labor and equipment may be needed to accomplish annual watering, weeding, pruning, harvesting, storage, and transport of the fruits and products derived from these systems.
Examples of planting designs for different management goals:
Planting design will affect how the system will be managed into the future.
Remember, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to designing agroforestry systems for adaptation. By following these principles and adapting them to your specific context, you can create resilient and productive landscapes that are able to thrive in a changing climate. Visit farms that already have agroforestry systems and reach out to local agroforesters for technical assistance and other support.
