Volunteers and staff tie up twine in the research hopyard in Mills River.

Hops (Humulus lupulus) is a fragrant member of the Cannabeacea family. Volunteers learn many aspects of cultivation from propagation to harvest.

Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025.

Opportunities in the Hopyard

On April 14, we welcomed eight enthusiastic volunteers to the research hopyard in Mills River. Volunteers tied sturdy knots and staked down heavy-duty coco coir twine for the hop bines to climb the 20-foot trellis all season. The next hops volunteer day is on May 20, 2025.

Gain firsthand experience with this unique, fragrant and valuable crop - no experience required. Contact Katie Learn to learn more and sign up: katie_learn@ncsu.edu

Read below for more updates, events, and opportunities!

Program Highlight:

Harvesting Bloodroot Seed

Placing a mesh bag over a bloodroot seed pod in the demonstration forest farming plot.

Bloodroot seed pods burst open when ripe, scattering seeds. In nature, ants collect the seed and bring it into their underground nests. To collect seed for replanting, forest farmers can place mesh bags over seed pods.

Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025.

Research population of bloodroot with seed bags covering the developing seed pods. The bright color of the bags makes them easy to find!

Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025.

Bloodroot seed showing the fleshy eliasome, collected in a mesh bag in stored in a tray of sand.

Bloodroot seed must be kept moist and can be stored in damp sand until planting.

Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2025.

Events

Just Announced:

Summer Agroforestry Tours with NC Alternative Crops and Organics!

Agroforestry Farm Tour: Seed Theory Farm

Tuesday June 24, 2025, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Durham, NC 27704

Farmer Kaleb leads a tour through the Seed Theory agroforestry operation.

Farm Manager Kaleb Karczewski leads a tour through the Seed Theory agroforestry operation.

Photo Credit: Seed Theory 2025

Interested in agroforestry and diversified farming in a peri-urban setting? Tour Seed Theory Farm, a unique 5-acre fruit and vegetable operation where farmer Kaleb Karczewski has planted diverse vegetables in an alley cropping design just outside downtown Durham, NC.

This free guided tour offers the opportunity to view several examples of agroforestry in action, and learn about Kaleb’s approach to invasive species management, livestock integration, development of an educational nature trail, and hosting farm-to-table events. Gain insight into the early stages of a community-focused agroforestry project, especially as Seed Theory launches its first vegetable CSA in 2025.

Registration is required, click the link below.

Agroforestry Tour: Seed Theory

Forest Farming Tour: Ben Kitchen

Tuesday July 8, 2025, 9:15 a.m.- 12:30

Murphy, NC

Goldenseal plant with ripening berry, late June 2024.

Photo Credit: NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program 2024.

Join experienced forest farmer Ben Kitchen for a free tour of his unique operation in a rich cove forest in Cherokee County, North Carolina.

With decades of experience growing wild-simulated native herbs, Ben will guide participants through his multi-aged understory plantings. Learn about his stewardship approach and sustainable management practices for forest farming in the Southern Appalachians. Participants will have the opportunity to walk and talk with Ben, and seeds and planting stock may be available for purchase.

Registration is required, click the link below.

Forest Farming Tour: Ben Kitchen

These agroforestry tours are part of the Agroforestry Regional Knowledge Exchange Network (ARKx), offered by the NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program, Dept. of Horticultural Science, NC State, in partnership with Virginia Tech, with funding from the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation.

For more information see: https://www.catalyzingagroforestry.org/arkx

Truffle Microscopy Workshop:

Testing your Tree Roots for Colonization

Saturday October 18 2025, 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m

NC State University, Raleigh, NC

A full-day, hands-on workshop focused on selecting, cleaning, and identifying truffle mycorrhizal colonization on tree roots.

Learn more and register below:

Truffle Microscopy Workshop

Support Our Work

Your gift to our program will support our amazing team of employees who are conducting research on forest farming, native botanicals, Chinese medicinal herbs, organic tomato production, and more. Your support is needed this year more than ever, as many of the grant programs that pay our team's salaries are paused. Support our program specifically through this secure donation link.

Hardworking team members at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center.

Donate Now

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