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Agroforestry Regional Knowledge Exchange Network
Demonstration Site Profile
NC State Forest Farming Demonstration Site
Mills River, NC
The NC State Forest Farming Demonstration Site provides growers, forest landowners, and service providers with opportunities to learn about valuable native woodland botanical species and non-timber forest products suitable for production in our region. Visitors learn about identification, habitat requirements, and management of forest farmed species including woodland botanicals like ramps, goldenseal, bloodroot, and black cohosh, as well as paw paws and wild mushrooms. This demonstration site is a component of the NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program in NC State University’s Horticultural Science Department.
Farm Information
Location:
Mills River, NC
County:
Henderson
Context:
Rural, Suburban
Land Tenure:
Own
Total Acres:
3
Other Practices:
Agroforestry Profile
Agroforestry Established:
1990
Agroforestry Acres:
3
Agroforestry Practices:
Forest Farming
Do you offer tours, programming or events?
The NC State Forest Farming Demonstration Site has been active since 1990 and is part of the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, established at the current location in Mills River in 1959. The station is run jointly by NC State University and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) and occupies 397 acres of research fields, forest, and built facilities, at a base elevation of 2069 feet.
Size of Agroforestry Practices:
3 acres
Contact Information
Jeanine Davis
Farm Visitors
Access to the site is limited to attendees of scheduled events or by appointment only.
Agroforestry Practice Details,
Production & Crops
The forest farming methods practiced at this site are a mix of wild-stewarded, wild-simulated, and woods-grown techniques for understory species. These species include goldenseal, ramps, Solomon's seal, fairy wand, stone root, mayapple, trilliums, wild yam, and bloodroot, as well as elderberry, paw paw, american spikenard, and more.
Other Information
Support: Technical Assistance, implementation, grant cost share, funding, etc.
Barriers/Obstacles
Business, Marketing, sales
How did you get involved in agroforestry?
Future plans
Imported: October 1, 2025
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