Typically, a system can be established by thinning an existing forest to leave the best trees for continued wood production and to create conditions for the understory crop to be grown. The understory crop is then planted and managed intensively to provide short-term income. Areas used for forest farming are usually small (3acres or less), and systems usually focus on a single crop plus timber, but can be designed to produce several products. Examples of such systems:
Five main categories of specialty crops are:
Food, Decorative, Handicrafts, Botanicals, Wood Products
The cultivation of mushrooms (the medicinal Ganoderma spp.) on logs can be a profitable business
