JeanineDavisisanAssociateProfessorandExtensionSpecialistintheDepartmentofHorticulturalSciencewithNCStateUniversity.SheislocatedataresearchandextensioncenterinwesternNCnearAsheville.Forover25years,herprogramhasfocusedonhelpingfarmersimprovetheprofitabilityoftheirfarmsbygrowingnewcrops,transitioningtoorganicagriculture,andadoptingmoresustainablepractices.Hercurrenteffortsarefocusedonwoodlandbotanicals,hops,truffles,broccoli,organictomatoesandcucurbits,andbiodynamicpeppers.Sheisalsotheleadauthoroftherecentlyrevisedbook“GrowingandMarketingGinseng,GoldensealandOtherWoodlandMedicinals”.Jeanineandher

familyoperateOurTinyFarmwheretheyraisegarlic,heirloompopcorn,honey,pasturedbeef,horses,andmini-donkeys.

MargaretBloomquistisaResearchAssistantwithDr.JeanineDavis’AlternativeCropsandOrganicsProgramofNCState–since2013shehasbeenprimarilyworkingwithmedicinalherbs,woodlandbotanicals,organicvegetables,theEasternbroccoliproject,Industrialhemp,andotherspecialtycropresearchandextensionefforts.WhenoutsidethefieldsandforestsofWesternNorthCarolina,MargaretservesonboardswiththeNCNaturalProductsAssociation,theNCGinsengAssociation,andothercommunitygroups.Margaret’sbackgroundwithsustainableagricultureandruralcommunitydevelopmenthaveledheraroundtheworldlearningaboutparticipatorycommunityagriculturalmodelsinCanada,Europe,LatinAmerica,andEastAfrica.Sheisconstantlycontinuingeducationandwisdom

throughherresearchandpersonalinterests,includingtopicsinsoilecology,plantmedicine,biodynamicagriculture,homeopathy,communication,educationandmore.

HollyChittumisanExtensionProjectAssociateatVirginiaTechandProjectCo-DirectorfortheAppalachianBeginningForestFarmerCoalition.ShealsoservesasafacultymemberintheHerbalMedicinedepartmentatMarylandUniversityofIntegrativeHealth(MUIH),whereshehastaughtcoursesinfieldbotany,ethnobotany,phytochemistryandpharmacology,andherbalproductsindustrytopics.HollyisaPh.D.studentatVirginiaTech.Herresearchfocusesonunderstandingsupplychaindynamicsandconsumerdemandforforestmedicinalplantsandproducts.Inherfreetime,Hollyenjoystravellingallovertheworldandspendingtimeinnature,learningnewthingsaboutthenaturalworld,gardening,medicinemaking,andadventuring.

JeannieDunnistheownerofRedMoonHerbs.Startedin1994byCorinnaWoodandJessicaGodino,RedMoonHerbshasseenmanychangesoverthepast20years,includingafourfoldingrowth,twoapothecaries,compliancewithFDAregulation.Throughoutthesechanges,thefocusandmissionofthebusinesshasremainedstrongandtrue:tocreateherbalproductsfromlocal,abundantplants.AsanherbalistandNCnative,Jeanniehasbeenwildcraftingandmakingherbalextracts,oilsandsalvesforaboutadecade.ShestudiedattheNCSchoolofNaturalHealing

andOneWorldHealingArts,butherherbalrootsgomuchfurtherback,totheback-to-basicslifestyleinfusedinherasachild.Shepickedstrawberries,cannedvegetablesandpulledweedsfromrowcropswithherparentsandthreesiblingsontheirmulti-generationalfamilyfarminEfland,NC.Today,knowingthepowerfulhealingpropertiesofthose“weeds”,Jeanniehappilyusestheminherfermentations,herbalextractsandfunelixirs.Jeannieoverseesboththeartandthescienceofthisearth-based,WiseWomanherbalbusinessandapothecary.

ForestFarmingfromHarvesttotheShelf Friday, October 20 @ 4 pm- Sunday, October 22 @ 1 pm

Montreat, North Carolina

http://www.appalachianforestfarmers.org/

IanMontgomeryisthefounder/ownerofBlueRidgeAromatics,aWesternNorthCarolinacraftmicrodistilleryofrareandartisanalessentialoils.TheybeganinMarch2015withadreamandamodestcrowdfundingcampaignandnowmaketheirproductsontheirbeautifulforestfarminMarshall,NC.Theyspecializeinunique,nativespeciesthatcreateessentialoils,whichcarefullycapturetheessenceandspiritoftheSouthernAppalachianMountains.ThefocusatBlueRidgeAromaticsistoprovidecustomerswithessentialoilsofthehighestqualitythatareproducedwithenvironmentallysustainablepractices.Forexample,ourcurrentproductlinemakesuseofmany"waste"products,suchasjuiced,freshorganicGingerroots,discardedChristmasTrees,andforestrytrimmings.Wild-craftedherbsare

harvestedrespectfullyandconsciously,leavingplentyofthepopulationforpollinatorsandnaturalgeneticdiversity.Allcultivatedoilsaregrownorganically.BlueRidgeAromaticsessentialoilsaresteam-distilledwithpuremountainspringwaterandahand-builtstillmadeof90%recycledstainlesssteel.ForIanMontgomery,thefounderofBlueRidgeAromatics,thisbusinessistheperfectmarriageofhisloveforhorticultureandpassionsforsustainablebusinessandsociallyjusteconomics.

GabrielNoardisalandstweardandownerofPangaeaPlants,theonlyDemeter(biodynamic)certifiedfarminWesternNorthCarolina.PangaeaPlantshasalsoearnedorganicandGAP(GoodAgriculturePractices)certifications.Pangaea,literallythe“oneearth”fromwhichthecontinentswereborn,signifiestheinterconnectionofallbeingsthatistheguidingprincipleoftheenterprisethatbearsitsname,fromplantingtomanufacturing.Mysticsofeveryreligionhavefeltthisunity.Artistsandpoetshavegivenitvisionandvoice,andscientistscontinuetodiscoverinterrelationshipsatcosmicandmicrocosmiclevels,butfarmershavealwaysknown

itintheirbones.GabrielNoard,hasoverathousandyearsoffarmingancestryinhisblood,andhashasbeenworkingthelandinOldFortsince2015.Gabrielhasacommitmenttonotonlytheorganic,biodynamicfarmhemanages,butalsotothelocalecology;he’sreservedover10%ofhislandforthediversewildlifethathelpstocreatetheperfect,sustainableenvironmentforgrowinghissuperioragriculturalproducts.Gabriel’sremarkableproductshavepioneeredhisrelationshipswithlargemedicinalherbbuyers,whotakehissuperiorbiodynamicherbsandconvertthemintopure,lifegivingherbalmedicinesandsupplements,whicharethendistributedwidelythroughoutthestateofNorthCarolinaandbeyond.

ElenaRogersistheAreaSpecializedAgentinFoodSafety-FreshProduceoutoftheDepartmentofHorticulturalSciencesatNCSU.Herprogrammaticfocusisprovidingeducationalprograms,trainingandtechnicalsupportonfreshproducesafetytoproducegrowersinthePiedmontandWesternNC.ThisincludesassistancewithFSMA'sProduceSafetyRuleimplementationandfoodsafetyaudits.ElenawasanAgricultureExtensionAgentwiththeUniversityofFlorida/IFASExtensionfor11yearspriortostartinginthisposition.

http://www.appalachianforestfarmers.org/