Gather to Grow Conference 2026: Rooted in and Branching Out
- Sara Jackson
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Want to answer the call of the canopy with other forest farmers, professionals, and experts from Appalachia and beyond?
The Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition (AFFC) is thrilled to announce our second Gather to Grow Conference. Join us as we return to the heart of the mountains to cultivate knowledge, community, and the future of forest farming.
Who: The Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition (AFFC), our incredible network of partners, forest farmers, service providers and experts from all over Appalachia.
What: 2026 Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference
Where: The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center | Blacksburg, VA
When: October 23–25, 2026
Registration is Now Live!
Secure your spot early to take advantage of our discounted rate and ensure your place at the conference.
Early bird rate of $249 thru July 15
Limited scholarships and student tickets will be available, recipients notified by July 6
$299 Adult Registration
$199 Student/ $149 Youth Registration
Don't wait—space at The Inn at Virginia Tech is limited, and we expect our "Early Bird" block to fly fast!
Rooted in Tradition and Community, Branching out into Innovation and the Future
Building on the incredible energy of the 2024 inaugural Gather to Grow Forest Farming conference in Roanoke, VA where we "Honored the Past and Shaped the Future" of Forest Farming, our 2026 theme—“Rooted in and Branching Out”—reflects the evolution of the community and the forests around us. We are rooting in to deepen our foundations in sustainable stewardship while branching out to reach into new markets and collaborative networks.
What to Expect in 2026
This year’s program is a layered ecosystem of peer and partner knowledge, curated to provide value for current and future producers, researchers, and industry stakeholders.
Expert Keynotes & Industry Panels: Hear from leading voices in forest farming and agroforestry, the herbal industry, and buyers of specialty forest products.
An Expanded Expo: Connect with exhibitors, partners, planting stock suppliers, and technical service providers.
Producer Sessions: Real-world, peer to peer insights from forest farmers sharing their successes and lessons from the field and forest.
Regional Meet-ups: Find your local and regional network to build connections and support systems that last long after the conference ends.
Forest Farming Fun & Festivities including Appalachian revelry & merrymaking in the Appalachian traditions
Centering Forest Producers & Supporting Appalachian Economies
Growing non timber forest products such as high-value botanicals, mushrooms, and tree syrups, or making value added products from forest products can provide short and long term income opportunities to forest owners, however there are so many other large scale opportunities and benefits, as well. Adopting forest based agroforestry, on almost any scale - can create other cost saving opportunities such as:
Free or low cost site assessments, planning and technical support through local and regional partner organizations
Access to business planning, connections and local networking
Forest health & management cost sharing and assistance
State or local tax saving programs through agriculture, forestry or conservation
Long term legacy and estate planning for the future
Combining perennial income with major saving programs helps forest owners and producers ease the burden of yearly costs, or transition to forest farming or scale up current production. Helping new and potential forest farmers "see the forest and the trees", while promoting and growing local Appalachian economies, is a top mission of the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition.
Collectively, this 'ripple effect' creates more than just economic drivers for Appalachian communities: it branches through larger forest ecosystem, local and regional economies and roots regenerative practices. The 2026 Conference will place special emphasis on landowner development, harvest and post-harvest handling, and preparing new and future producers to enter the market with confidence.
Ready to Gather to Grow with us?
We can’t wait to see you in Blacksburg, VA this October as we continue to grow in community together. Be sure to follow the AFFC blog for speaker announcements and more. Be sure to stay tuned: the conference program outline coming soon!
