Special to The Hays Daily News

If someone wants to know how to successfully plant and establish trees in Smith County, Roy and Cherry Brown are the people to talk to.

Though most of their lives have been devoted to growing wheat, milo, cattle and raising hogs, the couple now enjoys retirement on their farm near Lebanon surrounded by beautiful windbreaks and a 3.5-acre woodlot of black walnut and bur oak.

The Browns have established more than 10 acres of agroforestry practices that provide benefits and protection well beyond those acres. These practices include field windbreaks, farmstead windbreaks and a livestock windbreak designed in a horseshoe shape as a "living barn" to protect their hog operation. Recipients of the Kansas Banker's Association

Windbreak Award in 1993 and the 2007 Kansas Agroforestry Award, the Brown's Tree Farm offers a perfect site for the 2009 Agroforestry Field Day.

The purpose of the field day is to provide farmers, ranchers, landowners and natural resource professionals outdoor educational opportunities to learn how to successfully establish and care for trees and shrubs within modern agricultural systems.

The 2009 field day plans to use the windbreaks and woodlot as sites for agroforestry educational sessions targeting landowners and natural resource professionals. The day will begin with Roy and Cherry providing an overview of the tree farm, followed by the following sessions:

* Establishment and care of woodlots -- Jim Strine, KFS district forester, will discuss proper site preparation, weed control and follow up pruning necessary for success.

* Making lumber from native woodlots -- Wade Wagner, local sawmill operator, will conduct a portable sawmill demonstration and discuss how landowners can convert their own timber into a variety of wood products.

* Design, benefits and management of windbreaks -- Dennis Carlson, KFS district forester, will provide information on windbreak design options, function and the follow-up management needed to sustain the health of windbreaks.

* Landscaping the farmstead -- Holly Dickman, K-State Research and Extension horticulturist, will lead a walking tour around the landscaped farmstead discussing appropriate trees and shrubs for planting, and important design considerations.

* Protecting trees from wildlife damage -- Charlie Lee, K-State Research and Extension wildlife damage control specialist, will demonstrate a variety of techniques to control deer and other wildlife damage to tree plantings.

* Woody plant control in grasslands -- Keith Harmony, K-State Agricultural Research Center (Hays) range science specialist, will discuss options for controlling the spread of trees such as honeylocust into grasslands.

For people interested in controlling woody encroachment into grasslands, an optional mechanical tree sawing demonstration will be offered by Ron Rasser with Red Sky Ventures following the last session, which ends at 3 p.m. The field day will begin at 9 a.m., and a $10 registration fee will be charged to cover the cost of a catered lunch. Registration information can be found at at www.kansasforests.org, or call the state office at (785) 532-3300 for more information.

The American Tree Farm System has been certifying the Brown's as tree farmers for 29 years. The program recognizes landowners who own at least 10 acres of forest or windbreaks and practice sustainable forestry.

Cherry Brown thinks every farmstead with suitable land should become involved with the tree farm program.

"I wish every landowner would plant trees," Brown said.

Years ago, Roy Brown encouraged his uncle to plant additional windbreaks on his property. His uncle's response was: "It will take so many years to get them going".

Because of patience, foresight and hard work, the Browns now enjoy their beautiful trees -- which stand as a living memorial to good environmental stewardship.