The MacDaniels Nut Grove is a teaching, research and extension "center" on the Cornell campus, where the agroforestry system known as Forest Farming is being put into action. The seven-acre block of wooded land between the Cornell orchard and Cascadilla Creek on the south edge of the University, was originally planted to several species of temperate nut trees, as a variety trial, back in the early 1930s, by Professor Lawrence H MacDaniels. After several decades of evaluating the several hundred grafted trees planted on the site, the area was essentially abandoned and reverted back to secondary forest, choked with invasive honeysuckle and its history largely forgotten.
About 3 years ago, the site was rediscovered and has been under renovation since then by Dr. Ken Mudge (Department of Horticulture), Dr. Louise Buck (Department of Natural Resources) and several dedicated student and other volunteers. Consistant with Dr. MacDaniels original vision of Tree Crops Agriculture, as a mixture of trees and other perennials for food and for forest conservation, the site is being developed as a model forest farm, which is similarly defined today as the environmentally friendly use of established forested land for food, medicinals and ornamental crops.
A new course, Hort/Ntres/CSS 426 taught by Mudge, Buck, Dr. Peter Hobbs (Department of Crops and Soil Sciences), was developed to give students hands on experinece in the design, planning and management of a forest farm. Students have been involved in planting and growing a variety of forest-tree and shade-tolerant understory crops, including hickory nuts, walnuts, pawpaw (a native N. American fruit tree), black and purple raspberries, and other small fruits including blueberry, chokeberry, currents, gooseberries, honey berry, and elderberry.
Medicinal Herbs including ginseng and golden seal are being grown there as well as the valuable gourmet shiitake mushroom, which the first class of students inoculated into freshly cut oak logs during Fall 2003, and the next class harvest in 2004. This year students inoculated both shiitake and oyster mushrooms.
One of several research projects going on at the site was funded by a grant from the Northern Nut Growers Association to evaluate the heirloom hickory nut varieties originally planted by Dr. Mac. Introduction of new hickory varieties is part of the long-term goal of using the site as a germplasm repository for northern selections of shagbark and other hickories. Six new varieties were introduced by grafting in May of 2004. An online hickory cultivar database has been developed and can be accessed from the MacDaniels Nut Grove community website. Mudge presented the results of the first year of this project at the annual meeting of the NNGA in Colombia, MO, in August.
Another research project just being launched is directed at optimizing the production of 5 other mushroom species in the Northeast. This project is a collaborative effort of Mudge, Richard Hindle (Department of Horticulture), Louise Buck, Peter Hobbs, Kathy Hodge (Department of Plant Pathology) and CCE Extension Educators Bob Beyfuss and Jim Ochterski. Collaborators include several experienced commercial forest mushroom produces in the State.
The site has been used for several Extension and community outreach activities this year including a twilight tour by local forest landowners, organized by Jim Ochterski, and another well-attended tour organized by Cornell Plantations. The site was also used as part of a workshop on growing berries in the woods, organized by Jim Ochterski.
Site improvement during 2004 has focused on developing the site for community education. A stairway was built to connect the site to the nearby Easthill Recreation Way (jogging trail), along with a sign welcoming visitors, and an information kiosk with a poster explaining what forest farming is and how it is being practiced at MNG.
Students in an ecology class from Ithaca's Alternative Community School visited the site to learn about forest ecology and shiitake mushroom production. A shed was constructed, not only for storage of tools, but also for instructional resources inculding books (field guides), binoculars, microscope, etc. Students in Mudge's class contributed to community education by developing information sheets for self-guided tours that feature mushroom production, small fruits, nut trees and medicinal herbs.
