Trees as Tools — Grazing with Purpose with Austin Unruh

About this episode

Austin Unruh discusses the role of trees as essential tools in livestock operations, focusing on their benefits for nutrition and sustainability.

In this episode of The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast , we sit down with Austin Unruh , founder of Trees for Graziers  and author of The Grazier’s Guide to Trees , to explore how trees can become one of the most powerful tools on a livestock operation. Austin shares how he moved from suburban roots into agroforestry, eventually developing practical, scalable systems for planting and protecting trees in active pasture. From innovative electric fencing designs to species selection for winter feed and summer drought resilience, this conversation reframes trees as more than shade — but as forage banks, livestock nutrition tools, and long-term economic assets. 🔑 Key Points Covered: Planting Trees in Active Pasture Austin explains the six-foot tree shelter system and the “overpass” electric fencing method that protects young trees while keeping paddock flexibility intact. Trees as Seasonal Feed Sources Honey locust pods for winter sugar-rich feed and tree fodder for summer protein offer ways to reduce purchased feed costs during critical times. Species-Specific Benefits Goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, and even horses can benefit from different tree crops — from fodder leaves to mast…

People in this episode

Host: The Stockman Grassfarmer

Guest: Austin Unruh

Topics covered

• agroforestry
• livestock nutrition
• tree planting
• drought resilience
• sustainable farming

Keywords

• trees
• grazing
• livestock
• agroforestry
• feed sources
• drought resilience
• electric fencing
• species selection

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Trees for Graziers

Books & works: The Grazier’s Guide to Trees

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