NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program

NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program This is the research and extension program of Dr. Jeanine Davis in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University based in western NC.

Since 1988, my program has been dedicated to helping people make an income with farming. Our focus is on small and medium sized farms in the Southern Appalachian mountains. This is done through research and extension efforts on new crops such as medicinal herbs, native botanicals (e.g., ginseng), hops, truffles, and stevia; vegetables; and organic farming. We hope to initiate a biodynamic program in the near future. Learn more about our program at http://ncherb.org and http://ncorganic.org.

NC Farmlink and Noah Ranells!
09/04/2026

NC Farmlink and Noah Ranells!

With North Carolina poised to lose up to 1.7 million acres of farmland by 2040, protecting agriculture has never been more important. For Noah Rannells, eastern director of NC FarmLink, that mission is personal.

09/03/2026

The top employer in North Carolina? Agriculture and its associated industries. 🚜💰

The latest statewide report found that the food, fiber and forestry sector employed 20% of North Carolinians and generated $117 billion in economic activity in 2024.

"It is clear that agriculture, defined as the food, fiber and forestry sector, employs more people than any other industry in North Carolina — one of every five jobs statewide or about 1 million jobs total," said NC State Hugh C. Kiger Distinguished Professor Jeffrey Dorfman, who authored the report.

Learn more about the economic impact of North Carolina agriculture at the link in our comments.

09/03/2026
09/02/2026

Calling all Forest Farming Exhibitors! Learn more and register today at appalachianforestfarmers.org/gather-to-grow

09/02/2026

Succession planning is an important component of land ownership. By planning the passing of your land to the next generation, you reduce the risk of loss and conversion.
We have several helpful guides and courses to help you understand succession planning, avoid heirs' property, and ensure your land is protected for generations to come!
https://forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/succession-planning

08/28/2026

Next Thursday, September 3rd, from 10AM to 12PM, join ForestHer NC for an Adventure Scientists Butternut Tree ID Field Day in Asheville, NC at the North Carolina Arboretum!
At this field day, you’ll get your boots on the ground to learn how to spot and identify butternut trees in the wild, understand how to assess tree health and look for signs of genetic resilience, and practice the data-gathering techniques used by citizen scientists to help researchers map and protect these rare trees.
Sign up and get more details: https://www.foresthernc.org/events/adventure-scientists-butternut-tree-id-field-day

08/27/2026

Our team is collecting harvest data on organic tomatoes in the Mountain Organic Unit TOMI3 research field.

To learn more about TOMI3: Bringing our insights to the farm to co-create more effective methods of disease control in organic tomato crops, visit this website: https://eorganic.info/node/12998

This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculturethat are a part of the TOMI3

08/13/2026

Address

Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center, 455 Research Drive
Mills River, NC
28759

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5am
Wednesday 8am - 5pm

Website

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