We don't want to cut down trees in order to grow food.  Our site is a shady, second growth, Oak and Hickory forest.  Here's how we have learned to use the tree as our primary supplier of water, fertilizer and insect control, while reducing sun-saturation.

By trimming up the lower fifteen feet or so, the Oak in this picture provides canopy and shade, while still letting in enough sun to grow fruit, annuals, mulch, medicine and ground cover.  With appropriate swale and berm, all the inputs from the tree biomass and the rain are sequestered below the "Farmer" and prevented from running away.  The soil beneath is building fast!

This guild is producing Blueberries, Black Raspberry, Black Cohosh, Azalea, and Alpine Strawberries so far.