Persimmons: The Fruit of the Gods

Persimmons’ Latin name, Diospyros, translates to ‘Fruit of the Gods’. In our opinion, that name is almost an understatement. Exceptional cultivars can produce 800+ pounds of fruit per year in a variety of climatic conditions. While these are phenomenal human food, they also offer an incredible opportunity to reduce input feed costs for pigs and chickens. With 127 calories per 100 grams, American Persimmon is the most energy-dense fruit native to this continent. Persimmons also have 19 out of 20 essential amino acids with more vitamin C than an orange. Please explore our article for more information.

Honey Locust: Summer Shade & Winter Fodder

If there is one species to transform millions of acres of ruminant agriculture, look no further than the incredible Honey Locust. Light dappled shade in the summer relieves animals of heat stress, providing up to a 60% increase in daily weight gain. This also allows our cool season grasses to continuing growing through the summer slump, be more nutritious, and more digestible while not decreasing overall grass growth. When late fall and winter comes, these trees can drop hundreds of pounds of nutrient dense pods, up to 36% sugar and 10% protein, reducing your input feed costs and offering a more diverse, nourishing diet for your ruminants. This info sheet provides more insight into the wonderful world of Honey Locusts.

Chestnuts: The Bread Tree

Chestnuts are an amazing arboreal ally that can replace our reliance on annual tillage to produce carbohydrates with perennial systems that build soil, increase biodiversity, heal watersheds, and produce more nutrient-dense food. Click this link to learn more!

Yellowbud Hickory: Olive Oil of the East

What if we told you there was a staple perennial oil crop already growing by the millions on our landscapes? To learn more about Yellowbud Hickory, check out this primer on this incredibly generous and prolific species.