Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

How Nut Trees Are Saving Midwest Farms And The Environment

Every summer a pond at Rusted Plowshare farm in central Missouri used to fill with algae blooms as rows of corn and soybeans stretched across the landscape with native grasses and wildflowers, and there hadn’t been a quail sighting in 40 years. That changed dramatically when Josh Payne planted 20 acres of chestnut saplings in 2017, eventually expanding to 200 acres of chestnut trees with sheep grazing beneath them after stopping corn and soy production entirely, and now the pond stays clear year round. Payne says there’s just a lot more diverse life at the farm with many things that don’t have a place in the corn and soy scenario coming back to the land naturally.

The Savanna Institute explains that incorporating trees and shrubs into working agricultural landscapes helps farmland behave more like nature intended. Across the Midwest about 127 million acres is devoted to agriculture with three quarters of that in corn and soy, crops that financially squeeze farmers through low commodity prices. Tree roots make ground spongier and better able to hold water while minimizing erosion, with dense root systems reducing nutrient runoff and mixed vegetation supporting biodiversity, all while allowing farmers to continue harvesting crops unlike conservation practices requiring land removal from production. An acre of mature chestnuts can net $10,000 or more according to the University of Missouri’s Center for Agroforestry, providing nice lifestyle options for small farmers where alternatives are limited, and nut trees can generate income for decades offering multi generational resilience as 70 percent of U.S. farmland changes hands in coming decades. The transformation at Rusted Plowshare and farms across the Midwest proves that switching from commodity crops to nut trees creates a yes and situation where environmental health and farmer profits can thrive together.

PrevPreviousLeopards Return After Being Gone For 170 YEARS
NextThis Family Of ELEVEN Just Got The Surprise Of A LifetimeNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

Rockstar Proves Compassion Matters More Than Secrecy

February 4, 2026

Rockstar Games has reportedly granted early access to Grand Theft Auto 6 for a terminally ill fan who was given only six to twelve months to live after battling cancer, proving that even one of gaming’s most secretive companies will make exceptions when compassion calls. The heartwarming story began when

Read More
Happy News

Cat Finally Came Home After FOUR YEARS

February 4, 2026

Four years after losing her beloved cat Tinsel in December 2021, Maggie DeGreenia from Vermont was lucky enough to find her again through a local shelter’s website thanks to her cousin recognizing Tinsel’s distinctive mustache marking that everyone knew right away. The 27 year old had tried everything when Tinsel

Read More
Happy News

This Artist Covered Rent For His Grandmother’s Building

February 4, 2026

ASAP Rocky covered rent for every tenant living in his grandmother’s Harlem apartment building on 140th and Lennox following the release of his fourth album Don’t Be Dumb, partnering with payments rewards program Bilt to give back to the community that shaped him into who he is today. The rapper

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.