This 2 -day training event organized by the Organic Growers School, Warren Wilson College, and the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition (ABFFC) will provide an overview of forest farming from the forest floor to the shelf. It will cover the basics of growing woodland medicinals, explore the economics of these products, introduce options for third party verification for forest grown products, and offer an opportunity for dialogue between advanced forest farmers. Sessions will offer the opportunity to experience the entire forest farming process from propagation to sustainable harvest and beyond. Participants will have a number of opportunities to have questions answered by experienced forest farmers, extension agents, forest farming researchers, and trained botanists. Two tracks are offered at this event. One is geared toward beginners and one toward those who already have a bit of forest farming knowledge and experience.

Learn more and register HERE

We hope you’ll join us!

Join ​the ​Appalachian ​Beginning ​Forest ​Farmer ​Coalition ​for ​a ​2 ​-day fall ​training ​event ​at ​the ​beautiful ​Montreat ​Conference ​Center ​in ​Montreat, ​NC. ​The ​program ​will ​focus ​on ​all ​of ​the ​ways ​to ​add ​value ​to ​Appalachian ​native ​forest ​crops ​like ​goldenseal, ​black ​cohosh ​and ​ginseng ​so ​that ​you ​can ​make ​money ​doing ​what ​you ​love! ​

Demonstrations, ​hands-on ​activities, ​case ​studies, ​and ​expert ​talks ​will ​cover ​specialized ​topics ​on ​forest ​botanicals ​from ​harvest ​to ​the ​shelf. ​We’ll ​kick ​off ​Friday ​with ​pre-conference ​tours ​from ​1:00-3:00pm ​of ​community ​processing ​facilities ​and ​local ​businesses ​in ​the ​area, ​and ​come ​together ​at ​Montreat ​starting ​at ​4:00pm ​for ​a ​group ​welcome ​dinner ​and ​Vendor/Maker ​Share ​Fair, ​where ​participants ​will ​have ​the ​opportunity ​to ​share ​what ​they ​are ​doing ​or ​just ​peruse ​the ​tables ​and ​meet ​likeminded ​folks ​who ​are ​doing ​interesting ​things ​with ​forest ​botanicals. ​Saturday ​we’ll ​have ​options ​for ​demonstrations ​on ​ways ​to ​add ​value ​to ​your ​raw ​ingredients, ​local ​business ​case ​studies, ​and ​group ​lectures. ​Sunday ​morning ​we’ll ​dive ​into ​creative ​marketing ​and ​the ​multitude ​of ​regional ​resources ​available ​to ​assist ​you ​in ​your ​endeavors.

Topics ​covered ​include: ​harvesting, ​drying, ​packaging, ​labeling, ​tincture ​and ​other ​herbal ​product ​making, ​nursery ​and ​eco-/agri-tourism ​opportunities, ​essential ​oil ​production, ​and ​more! ​Our ​teaching ​team ​of ​makers, ​producers, ​industry ​representatives, ​cooperative ​extension, ​growers, ​lab ​personnel, ​and ​our ​forest ​farming ​community ​members ​will ​gather ​and ​share ​knowledge ​and ​experience ​over ​this ​fun ​weekend ​together ​with ​plenty ​of ​opportunities ​for ​networking.
​
Join ​us ​for ​a ​beautiful ​autumn ​weekend ​in ​the ​Blue ​Ridge ​Mountains, ​options ​available ​for ​on-site ​accommodation, ​meals, ​and ​individualized ​session ​registration ​to ​fit ​all ​budgets. ​Cost ​of ​the ​full ​2-Day ​event ​is ​$80 ​including ​all ​meals, ​demos, ​lectures, ​and ​gatherings. ​Option ​to ​add ​on ​a ​Friday ​pre-training ​tour ​to ​a ​local ​facility ​for ​$10. ​For ​folks ​traveling ​in, ​various ​lodging ​options ​are ​available ​for ​a ​separate ​cost, ​including ​at ​the ​Montreat ​Lodge ​for ​$20 ​per ​person ​per ​night. ​

Check out the draft agenda HERE

Register for this event HERE

We ​hope ​to ​see ​you ​soon ​at ​Montreat, ​NC ​this ​October! ​