Ready to build your farming skills?
Beginning Farmer Courses
Our collection for beginning farmers focuses on key tree crops and practices, marketing, land access and finances. Each course features multimedia lessons with video and audio with all you need to dig deep into each subject. The self-paced courses can be taken individually or in sequence. Beginning farmers can take these courses to supplement an on-farm learning program or to build their résumé as they get started in agroforestry.
Courses for Professional Development
Take the next step in your career and develop your skills to help others learn about agroforestry and related sustainability topics. Our professional development courses are designed to be flexible so you can learn at your own pace, on your own time. Some courses include an option for Continuing Education Credits and all completed courses can be added to your résumé as professional development. The Savanna Institute partners with learning institutes across the country to provide online professional development courses at LearnAgroforestry.com
Seven courses for conservation professionals on Soil Health, Water Quality, Climate, and Working with People. Mini-courses on Forest Farming, Silvopasture, and other agroforestry practices.
Series of online courses and in-person workshops is designed to help you provide technical assistance to land managers regarding agroforestry, or the use of trees for agricultural purposes.
Introduction for educators on core concepts in teaching high school STEM classes about climate-smart agriculture – a vital topic of study in any 21st Century classroom.
Enrollment note: The Savanna Institute is upgrading its online courses. Your access has now moved to a new site: LearnAgroforestry.com. Watch your inbox for login information. Questions? Contact [email protected]
Do you have a question?
Ask an Agroforester
Our partners at Canopy Farm Management, based in Illinois and Wisconsin, have perennial plant material available through its bare-root nursery. When you purchase through Canopy, a portion of the sales help to support Savanna Institute’s nonprofit mission. For more nurseries in your area, check out this National Nursery and Seed Directory.
The plants you choose will depend on the natural resources on your land and your farm goals. Timber trees require low investment and minimal ongoing maintenance over a longer period of time ranging 20 to 50 years depending on species. Fruit and nut trees require higher initial investment and establishment maintenance, but can provide annual returns once established (approximately 5 to 10 years depending on species). Additional shrubs and crops can be planted within the tree rows between tree species. Learn more about perennial crops.
The Savanna Institute runs demonstration farms in Central Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. We also have partners in Michigan and Minnesota who share their farms for educational events. Our demonstration at Silverwood Park in Wisconsin is open to the public, and the rest are open during events and by appointment only. Learn more about our demonstration farms.
