Firefly Truffles; Franklinville, NC
- Catalyzing Agroforestry
- Jun 25
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Farmers
Andrew Graziano - graz@fireflytruffles.com
Agroforestry Practices
Forest Farming
Alley Cropping
Riparian Buffer
Agroforestry Acres
33
Years in Agroforestry
3
Farm visits:
By appointment only
Agroforestry Summary
At Firefly Truffles, we’re building a veteran-owned, family-run truffle farm rooted in agroforestry and long-term land stewardship. Established in March 2022, our operation is located on 32 acres in central North Carolina and focuses on cultivating bianchetto truffles using truffle-inoculated loblolly pines. Our approach integrates truffle production into a managed forest system designed to enhance ecological health while generating long-term agricultural value.
Agroforestry enables us to go beyond traditional farming by restoring soil health, improving water retention, and promoting biodiversity on historically underutilized land. We’re incorporating soil sensors and conservation practices to collect meaningful data and measure impact over time. By blending scientific methods with practical land management, we aim to demonstrate how specialty crops like truffles can be part of a resilient, regenerative agricultural future.
Agroforestry Goals
Our agroforestry vision is to produce high-value truffles while restoring the land and building a resilient, multi-generational farm. We’re leveraging agroforestry not only to cultivate bianchetto truffles through a managed loblolly pine system, but also to conserve soil, improve water retention, and protect long-term ecological health. The goal is to create a system that’s financially sustainable, environmentally regenerative, and deeply rooted in land stewardship.
In addition to truffles, we’re exploring complementary crops such as fruit orchards, berry bushes, and Camellia sinensis (tea) to diversify income streams and enhance overall ecosystem function. Agroforestry also offers a smart financial strategy—we are taking advantage of local and federal tax incentives, conservation programs, and grant funding to reduce risk and support long-term investment. Our plan is to expand thoughtfully, integrate soil and climate data for adaptive management, and eventually serve as a model for veteran-led, conservation-forward agriculture in the Southeast.
Practices and Production
Our core agroforestry practice is a 2-acre truffle orchard planted with 1,100 loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) trees inoculated with Tuber borchii (bianchetto truffle). This commercial-scale orchard is laid out in a grid to optimize airflow, maintenance access, and truffle formation. The remaining 31 acres of our land were recently harvested and are now undergoing a thoughtful reforestation effort designed to enhance ecological function, protect water resources, and support long-term forest health.
The timing of the timber harvest was intentional. It allowed us to remove degraded stands, establish permanent firebreaks, and implement waterway protections before replanting. Reforestation is focused on erosion control, improving biodiversity, and rebuilding a resilient canopy with both ecological and agricultural value. Agroforestry supports this transition by blending conservation with production—helping us manage the land holistically while also qualifying for cost-saving programs like land-use tax deferments and conservation grants.
Site Details and Background
The property is located in the rolling foothills of central North Carolina, in a rural area experiencing steady growth and development pressure. The land features gently sloped terrain with a mix of upland and lowland characteristics. A small creek runs through the property, feeding into the Deep River and eventually the Cape Fear River, making watershed protection a key priority in our management approach.
The land was held by the same family for over 60 years before we purchased it in 2022. While its full history isn’t known, there are signs of former livestock use, including fencing remnants and pasture regrowth. Prior to our ownership, the property was managed primarily as timberland. Following a complete harvest, we are now reforesting the site with a mix of ecological and productive goals in mind—establishing a truffle orchard, restoring forest cover, and implementing conservation practices that protect soil, water, and wildlife habitat.
Agroforestry Assets, Challenges and Support
One of our early challenges was attempting to manage the forest understory by hand—only to realize the scale and condition of the land made that approach unsustainable. The site had a dense mix of native and non-native plants, with varied forest health across the acreage. That experience pushed us to take a more strategic approach to land management, including mechanical clearing, firebreak installation, and long-term reforestation planning.
We’ve been fortunate to receive support along the way, including a 2025 grant from the Farmer Veteran Coalition, which has helped fund our agroforestry efforts. We’ve also participated in agricultural training and mentorship programs through local universities like the University of Mount Olive. Active collaboration with other North Carolina truffle growers and fellow veteran farmers has been critical to our progress—wider networking with the agroforestry community will only serve to strengthen our work. The more knowledge we share, the better the outcomes for all of us committed to working the land responsibly. In this space, shared knowledge is as important as any tool or piece of equipment.
Do you use other non-agroforestry conservation practices or other programs to help your Agroforestry Project?
Yes, we actively incorporate non-agroforestry conservation practices to support and enhance our agroforestry goals. Following a full-timber harvest, we implemented erosion control measures, established permanent firebreaks, and began restoring riparian buffers along the property’s creek, which feeds into the Deep River and Cape Fear River watershed. These practices are critical to protecting water quality and preventing runoff as we reforest the land and establish long-term tree crops. We are also participating in programs that support conservation-minded land management, such as working lands tax deferments and educational initiatives through local agricultural institutions. Additionally, our engagement with the Land Ethic Mentorship program is helping us adopt a broader conservation ethic that informs every aspect of our operation—from planting decisions to wildlife habitat protection. These layered practices work hand-in-hand with our agroforestry model to build a more resilient and regenerative farm.
