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Installing posts for a new nursery shade structure for Chinese medicinal herbs at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River, NC.
Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025. |
Gearing Up for the Season
Building, planning, and a little planting – spring is coming!
The NC Alternative Crops & Organics team has been taking advantage of recent sunny days. In the Chinese medicinal herb nursery, we built a new shade structure using a simple and economical design adapted from Utah State University.
We've been building new herb dryer screens, taking stock of seeds and nursery seedlings, and will begin greenhouse sowing this month. We've also recruited several on-farm partners, for an organic tomato study and more Chinese medicinal herb research.
Winter is also a time for reflection and writing. We're analyzing data and writing up research from the past year, including the Hops to Beer project and the yield of Chinese medicinal herbs in western North Carolina. Stay tuned for forthcoming publications and website updates! |
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Post-harvest processing of herbs requires drying infrastructure. Building screens for the dryer is a satisfying carpentry project on a winter day. |
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This new batch of screens will add about 40 sq ft of drying area to an existing herb dryer. Photo Credits: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025. |
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Connect, Learn, and Grow!
The next few weeks are filled with learning opportunities from NC Alternative Crops & Organics and partners in the region. Join us to connect with fellow farmers, expand your knowledge, and dream together of the upcoming season. Conferences are fertile ground for collaboration, especially as we continue to support each other in the wake of Helene. Come find us at one of the events below! |
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57th Annual Winter Vegetable Conference
Wed Feb 19 - Thurs Feb 20, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Asheville |
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NC organic tomatoes growing in a high tunnel at an on farm research site.
Photo credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2024. |
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The annual Winter Vegetable Conference and NC Tomato Growers Meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville February 19-20. Last year a new track was started to focus on topics of interest to small and medium size farms, including organic agriculture, high-tunnels, new crops, and direct marketing. It was a huge success and will be part of the program again in 2025. The program, registration, sponsors, and more information can all be found at the link below. |
| Winter Vegetable Conference |
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Forest Farming Tour at Banks Mountain Forest Farm
Tues Feb 25, Hendersonville, NC
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This tour, rescheduled from Oct 1, 2024 will showcase how the owners of Banks Mountain Forest Farm have adapted their plans and approached recovery following Hurricane Helene.
Bob and Stuart Richens will lead a 1-mile walk through their diversified operation, where they raise goats, hogs, chickens, mushrooms, Fraser fir and Norway spruce Christmas trees, boutique timber, and two rare breeds of farm dogs. Learn from their adaptive approach at this unique and beautiful mountaintop farm.
This tour is part of the growing Agroforestry Regional Knowledge exchange network, for more information check out the Catalyzing Agroforestry website.
Free registration and more info at the link below:
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| Banks Mountain Forest Farm Tour |
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Forest Farming Office Hours (virtual)
Fri March 7, 12:00-1:30pm EST |
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Join the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition and NC State University Extension for Q&A, resources, and conversation about forest farming. All regions and experience levels are welcome. Registration is free and required.
Upcoming Forest Farming Office Hours
Friday, February 14, 2025
12:00 - 1:30 PM EST
Friday, March 7, 2025*
12:00 - 1:30 PM EST/11:00 - 12:30 PM CST
*Joint Office Hours with Midwest Forest Farmers Coalition
Friday, April 4th, 2025
12:00 - 1:30 PM EST
Friday, May 9th, 2025
12:00 - 1:30 PM EST
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| Forest Farming Office Hours |
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Growing Green Gold in Your Woods
Fri Mar 14 - Sun Mar 16, John C. Campbell Folk School |
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Join Jeanine and research associate Katie Learn for a weekend of fun and learning about how to grow some of the most popular native woodland botanicals. Learn how to plan a forest farm or garden, how to grow and propagate, make a plant voucher specimen, and make some value-added products. |
| Growing Green Gold Workshop |
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Organic Growers School Spring Conference
Fri Mar 14 - Sun Mar 16, Mars Hill University |
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Resilience, Recovery, and Renewal is the theme for 2025 Organic Growers School Spring Conference. Registration is live for the annual conference, held March 14-16 2025 at Mars Hill University. The event features nine tracks, new classes, respected teachers, and community spaces.
Margaret and David Brown will be teaching a half day workshop on Propagation and Cultivation of Woodland Botanicals on Friday at Warren Wilson College.
Use the Discount Code: NCSU20 and register below. See you there! |
| OGS Spring Conference |
| Friday March 14 Workshop Only |
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Western NC Farm Succession School
Thurs Mar 27 · 9:00am - 3:30pm EST, WNC Regional Livestock Center |
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Don’t let the complexities of farm succession put your family’s future at risk. Join us to ensure your farm remains a thriving part of North Carolina’s agricultural heritage for generations to come.
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| Western NC Farm Succession School |
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Opportunities for Farmer Support
As our farming community emerges from winter, the landscape looks different after Hurricane Helene. We're continuing hands-on service days on affected farms with OGS, working alongside neighbors in what will be a long recovery for many. More resources are listed on the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association website.
Forest farmers impacted by the storm: please complete this survey to help us understand your needs: https://vce.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKHlpErVYSxyAK2 |
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The Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant Program is an initiative funded by Edwards Mother Earth Foundation (EMEF) that is managed by Virginia Tech University in partnership with Rural Action, Appalachian Sustainable Development, North Carolina State University and SilvoCulture.
Direct financial support is available through the program for farmers who seek to join our effort to mitigate climate change through use of agroforestry applications. Agroforestry practices sequester carbon, sustain productive and healthy farms and forests, protect water quality, regenerate soils, and enhance biodiversity.
The Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant Program is a competitive grants program focused on implementing the following agroforestry practices: Alley cropping, Forest farming, Riparian forest buffers and Windbreaks, Silvopasture, Urban food forest, and Windbreaks.
Learn more and apply here:
https://www.catalyzingagroforestry.org/cagp
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ASSETS Grant Program
The Accelerating Silvopasture Adoption and Carbon Sequestration (ASSETS) grant program is available to farmers in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia to assist in the adoption of silvopasture. Qualified applicants will receive one on one design support, silvopasture technical assistance, up to $1,500/acre for practice adoption and earn up to $90/acre annually from carbon credit sales. Visit Working Trees for more information and to apply today.
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Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative
A second round of grant applications are now open for the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative II (WNCSBI). Small businesses with an annual revenue of up to and including $2.5 million are eligible to apply for grants up to $50,000 from the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative grant program. Deadline is February 21. Learn more and apply at Appalachian Community Capital.
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Program Highlight:
Towards a Sustainable Seed Supply for Medicinal Herbs
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Herb seeds are carefully counted, weighed, and submitted for germination testing.
Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025. |
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The NC Alternative Crops & Organics program is exploring promising crops for the region, where a key challenge remains: seed and planting stock availability. For many species, the lack of planting material hinders grower access and industry growth. We're working to overcome this obstacle through seed production research. Our efforts include harvesting seed from target crops and developing seed production resources for growers.
This initiative will not only ensure a reliable seed supply but also create new opportunities for growers to contribute to and benefit from this exciting new market.
Read more on our website: https://newcropsorganics.ces.ncsu.edu/herb/medicinal-plants-with-a-potential-niche-market-for-propagators/
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Join the local WolfPack: The Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station is Hiring a Research Technician!
For more information and to apply: https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/214593
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Support Our Work
Our work is made possible by your support. Please consider donating to the NC Alternative Crops and Organics Program to help us continue our efforts for a sustainable future. Become a friend of the program, every contribution counts—thank you for being part of our community! |
| Donate Now |
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Planting 2-year old ramps (Allium tricoccum) seedlings on a chilly afternoon in February. |
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Seed was collected from the woodland botanical research plots in Mills River and grown in forest nursery beds. |
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Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025. |
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Copyright © 2025 NC State University, All rights reserved.
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Our mailing address is:
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center
455 Research Drive, Mills River, NC 28759
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