Mark Shepard is the CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises and runs New Forest Farms, the 104 acre perennial agricultural forest considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agricultural projects in the United States. New Forest Farm is a planned conversion of a typical row-crops grain farm into a commercial-scale, perennial agricultural ecosystem using oak savannah, sucessional brushland and eastern woodlands as the ecological models. Trees, shrubs, vines, canes, perennial plants and fungi are planted in association with one another to produce food (for humans and animals) fuel, medicines, and beauty. Hazelnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, walnuts and various fruits are the primary woody crops. The farm is entirely solar and wind powered and farm equipment is powered with locally grown, used vegetable oil that does not remove food from the human food chain. Trained in mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Mass and ecology at Unity College in Maine, Mark has developed and patented equipment for the cultivation, harvesting and processing of forest derived agricultural products for human foods and bio fuels production. Mark was certified as a Permaculture designer in 1993 and received his Diploma of Permaculture design from Bill Mollison, the founder of the international Permaculture movement. Mark serves on the board of the Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council. He teaches agroforestry and Permaculture worldwide. Mark is a 15 yr farmer-member of the Organic Valley cooperative, the worlds largest Organic Farmer’s marketing co-op, and is the founder and chief Cydermaker for the Shepard’s Hard Cyder winery in Viola, Wisconsin.

Mark Shepard teaches:

• Apple Grafting Workshop
• Introduction to Permaculture