In an effort to answer your questions in a timely manner, I have decided to post a Frequently Asked Question Section. Before calling or emailing me, please check to see if your question has already been posted here. I apologize that this is rather impersonal, but I can't even begin to answer all the emails and phone calls I receive now. Since I also need to leave time to do research, write, and speak, I hope you find this useful alternative.

Topics

• What should I grow?
• Who can help me?
• Organic production
• Food Safety
• Crop information
• Value-added products
• Grants
• Home gardening

You will need the free Adobe Reader program to view Adobe PDF formatted publications.

What Should I Grow?

Artemisia is also known as sweet annie and wormwood. The following are some basic articles on the plant (Artemisia annua):

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/artemisia.pdf
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1990/V1-522.html

Before growing any medicinal herb, I suggest you also read this section on production of medicinal herbs:
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/specialty_crops//medherbs/

China, Vietnam, and Africa are major producers of Artemisia. The World Health Organization has been quite involved in encouraging increased cultivation of the herb in these countries. Several years ago, Novartis, manufacturer of the anti-malarial drug using Artemisia, contracted for thousands of acres of new production in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda (http://dominoext.novartis.com/NC/NCMediaRel9798.nsf/a5f5b63dbc774d87c1256bdf00767c51/1b6131e625a5dd67c125713100514557?OpenDocument)

Here is an excellent article from a UN report on artemesia which provides forecasts for production in various countries. Note that the US is not listed:

http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=727
See also http://www.york.ac.uk/org/cnap/artemisiaproject/links.htm

Bottom Line

As a result of the efforts described in the articles above, there is very limited demand for domestically produced Artemisia and the prices being paid are low. There are North American and European companies who make Artemisia products for other uses, e.g., parasites and gastrointestinal problems, and I understand there is some new evidence that it may be helpful for treatment of certain cancers. But the domestic demand is still small. We did have a North Carolina grower cooperating in our Medicinal Herbs for Commerce Project who was growing certified organic Artemisia for an American company. (have not talked to him yet this season). That company uses the whole herb and does not do an oil extraction. Oil extraction usually requires very large acreages to be economically feasible.

Olives are a Mediterranean crop, and U.S. production is mostly in California. The most popular commercial varieties probably will not thrive in our environment. However, there are several individuals across the state who have a few olive trees that seem to do very well. Over the past few years I can recall communicating with some in Wake and Rockingham Counties. So, it's not that olives won't grow at all in North Carolina, they probably just won't do well enough to get yields and quality that are competitive with the big production areas. If someone really wants to try growing some olives, I would suggest researching all the varieties that are available and ordering a few of the ones that look like they have the best chance of surviving in our area.  These might not be the highest yielding varieties, but to start we just want them to survive and produce olives. If someone could even get small yields from the trees, there are niche market opportunities for them, such as fresh market sales to upscale restaurants and natural food stores who cater to the "buy local" customer. And the grower could make value-added products such as specialty packed olives and boutique oils.

Those could be sold, for example, to local wineries for cross-mechanizing with local wines.

Who Can Help Me?

I Want Information on Organic Production

The two main certifying agencies used in North Carolina are the

• Clemson University (http://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/plant_industry/organic_certification/index.html), and
• Quality Certification Services (http://www.qcsinfo.org/) (part of Florida Organic Growers).

A few of the big companies, like Gaia Herbs, also use Oregon Tilth (http://www.tilth.org/) because they certify for international sales.

I Want Information on Food Safety

Harvesting Decisions for Flooded Crops

Crops intended for human consumption are considered contaminated if they have been covered with flood waters from rivers, creeks or streams.  Growers should distinguish between rainwater that accumulates on a field because of excessive rainfall versus fields covered by flood waters from risen rivers, creeks or streams. Flood waters can carry potential contaminants from off-site sources. Fields covered by flood waters are distinctly different from fields where rainwater has accumulated in low areas. Standing waters often occur after heavy rain.

The present concern is for crops which have been in direct contact with flood waters from risen rivers, creeks or streams which may be contaminated with runoff such as human or animal waste, petroleum products, pesticides or industrial chemicals.

If the crop is in standing water from accumulated rainwater, not flooding from rivers or streams, keep in mind that most fruits and vegetables are subject to damage or decay if they are flooded for more than a couple days. In that case, the crop will either be in a state of deterioration, or it will not cure and store properly. In effect, these conditions will render most of the flood affected crop unharvestable or unmarketable.

Before cleaning up or destroying crops in flooded fields, check with your crop insurance and/or their local Farm Services Agency (FSA) representatives regarding exact documentation to certify losses, procedures for initiating claims, possible financial assistance.

If you have questions, contact your county extension agent, your local FSA or crop insurance representatives, or the Food and Drug Protection Division of NCDA&CS at 919-733-7366.

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises that certain foods exposed to flood waters, and perishable foods that are not adequately refrigerated, are adulterated and should not enter the human food supply. In addition, crops and other food commodities exposed to flood waters would not be acceptable for use in animal feed. FDA is also providing guidance in determining when food products can be reconditioned for future use. The information follows.

From the FDA  http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodDefense/Emergencies/FloodsHurricanesPowerOutages/ucm112723.htm:

FOODS THAT SHOULD BE DESTROYED:

Crops
If the edible portion of a crop is exposed to flood waters, it is considered adulterated and should not enter human food channels. There is no practical method of reconditioning the edible portion of a crop that will provide a reasonable assurance of human food safety. Therefore, the FDA recommends that these crops be disposed of in a manner that ensures they are kept separate from crops that have not been flood damaged to avoid adulterating "clean" crops.

Disposition of crops in proximity to, or exposed to a lesser degree of flooding, where the edible portion of the crop has NOT come in contact with flood waters, may need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Factors to consider in the evaluation include:

• What is the source of flood waters and are there potential upstream contributors of human pathogens and/or chemical contaminants?
• Type of crop and stage of growth, e.g., is the edible portion of the crop developing? How far above the ground does the lowest edible portion grow?
• Were conditions such that the crop may have been exposed to prolonged periods of moisture and stress which could foster fungal growth, and possibly, development of mycotoxins?

Grains and similar products stored in bulk can also be damaged by flood waters. These flood damaged products should not be used for human and animal food.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables that have been inundated by flood waters cannot be adequately cleaned and should be destroyed. Fresh fruits and vegetables that have begun to spoil due to the lack of refrigeration should also be destroyed. These food items may be considered for diversion to animal feed under certain circumstances.

There is an excellent document on Salvaging Flooded Crops by Dr. John Rushing.
 I have posted it under "Late Breaking News" on both the http://ncherb.org and http://ncorganic.org websites.

Three more articles that may be helpful:

A 2008 article from University of Wisconsin food safety extension specialists on harvesting flooded gardens:
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/ag/issues/documents/SafetyofProducefromFloodedGardens08.pdf

A 2008 article from Purdue Extension:
http://www.ces.purdue.edu/CES/Marion/Hort/FloodedFoodGardenPlants2008.pdf

Sue Colucci, area extension agent, has also posted some important information concerning flooded crops on her blog at http://wncveggies.blogspot.com/2009/09/flooding.html.

My suggestion is that you start with the FDA page on sprout saftey at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/FruitsVegetablesJuices/ucm078789.htm (I know the URL says juices, but that's not accurate. It is the sprouts page). To see if we have any specific recommendations for North Carolina, I suggest you talk to an extension specialist in the NCSU Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Science Department. Here's the link to their extension faculty page:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/foodsci/ext/. Also, check out the sprouts page on the NC Food Produce Safety Program website: http://www.ncsu.edu/fvsi/ncfreshproduce/commodity.html

Hope this helps.

Top

I Want Information on How to Grow Specific Crops

There are quite a few individuals and brewers clubs growing hops in North Carolina now. I am aware of commercial efforts in Buncombe, Haywood, Madison, Polk, Guilford, Wake, and Alamance counties. The group in western North Carolina is discussing forming a growers’ association to share information and help market the hops. I am working closely with them, observing their hop yards, learning about the fertility, disease, and insect problems they are encountering, watching with interest as they learn to harvest and dry their crops, and just trying to learn and provide as much assistance as I can. In 2010 I hope to initiate a research and extension program for NC hops growers.

In June 2009, the Times-News in Hendersonville did a very nice article on the local hops situation. You can read that at the following URL (you might have to cut and paste into your browser to make it work) http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090615/NEWS/906149934?Title=Hops-may-become-WNC-146-s-next-hot-crop.

At this time, we know very little about the feasibility of commercial hops production in North Carolina. It is assumed that it will be easier to grow hops in the western part of the state than in the piedmont or coastal plain. That said, there is a grower in Alamance County who received a grant several years ago to start a hop yard and seems to be doing just fine! There are also many home brewers across the state that successfully grow a few hop plants for themselves. So, if you really interested in trying to grow hops, I suggest you try it on a very small scale with several different varieties.

If you are interested in growing large volumes of hops, you need to figure out where you are going to sell them before you plant. In 2007, there was a hops shortage. This was a result of an oversupply of hops on the market that caused many farmers in the Pacific Northwest, the major hops production area in the world, to reduce their plantings. But by August 2008, the USDA released a report that said: “Hop production in Oregon is estimated at 10.4 million pounds for 2008, up 9 percent from last year. Washington is estimating a 27 percent production increase and Idaho is estimating a 57 percent increase. Nationally, production is expected to increase 27 percent over last year. Yields are expected to be up in Idaho, but down slightly in Oregon and Washington. Growers in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho expect to harvest 8,352 more acres in 2008.” In other words, the hops shortage is over.

I’m not trying to discourage hops production, because I think there is a great market for micro-breweries and home brewers looking for unique varieties, local production, and fresh hops, but I want potential growers to understand that there is a well-established hops production region in the Pacific Northwest that can gear up very quickly to fill any shortages.

Here is some general information on hops growing:

The ideal climate for hops has lots of moisture in the winter and spring followed by a warm, dry growing season. Many hops are grown in the Willamette Valley in Oregon because it has a mild climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Reading over the history of hops production in the U.S., I found that on the east coast diseases are a common cause for failure. The national IPM report for hops in Oregon states: "Hops suffer from mildew, canker, root rot, wilt, and various virus diseases. Hop powdery mildew (HPM) was detected in the Northern Willamette Valley in late July 1998. This disease has the potential to be extremely damaging. HPM is now present in all U.S. production regions. It caused the failure of the eastern hop industry in the early 1900s and is a major problem in England and Europe. Downy mildew of hops is another important disease, especially in Oregon. Severe infection in some cultivars may produce a rot of the perennial crowns and losses are also due to cone infections." That report has some good information. You can access it at:  http://www.ipmcenters.org/CropProfiles/docs/orhops.html.

The first challenges to starting a hop yard are purchasing the rhizomes and establishing an appropriate trellising system. The interest in hops is high all across the nation, but there is a limited number of companies selling quality hop rhizomes. You need to get your orders in early to get a good selection. Here is the USDA list of hops varieties: http://www.freshops.com/hops/usda-named-hop-variety-descriptions.

The usual way to grow hops is on a very tall trellis. See some pictures on this website from Washington State University: http://www.farm-mgmt.wsu.edu/Research/hops.htm. These trellis systems can be expensive and are a lot of work to erect. Small scale growers often use a maypole type system; see photos from the Battleground Brewers Guild in Greensboro, NC:  http://www.battlegroundbrewers.com/photopicker.asp?album=67.

Our present growers are finding weed control to be a major challenge. Be sure to plan ahead for how you intend to control them with mulched strips, herbicides, or whatever. Not only are the weeds unsightly, they compete with the hops plants for nutrients and water and can harbor diseases and insects. With our high humidity and rain, growers must always be on the alert for diseases, particularly powdery mildew and downy mildew. Japanese beetles, leafhoppers, and spider mites have also been a problem for some of the western growers. There are few agricultural chemicals labeled for use on hops in North Carolina, so growers need to plan ahead for how they will control weeds, insects, and diseases. Many of the growers want to produce organic hops, making this an even bigger challenge. They are currently experimenting with a variety of organic disease and insect control products, including Serenade, Sucrashield, Sporatec, Ecotec, and Neem oil. We are working with the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Division to create appropriate fertility recommendations for hops. You can send in soil and tissue samples to their labs for testing. Soil testing: http://www.agr.state.nc.us/agronomi/sthome.htm. Plant testing: http://www.agr.state.nc.us/agronomi/pwshome.htm. Be sure to work with your county extension agent as you start your commercial hop yard. He or she can be a big help and will be a vital link to a wide array of services to help you: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/.

Finally, growers have to figure out how to practically harvest, dry, and package hops on a small scale. They need to work closely with their buyers to determine what volumes are needed and when and what constitutes a quality product. There are a number of chemical constituents in hops that brewers are looking for. The Natural Products Laboratory at the Enka campus of AB Tech Community College is creating a hops testing program to help growers produce high quality hops. You can access their webpage at http://abtech.edu/sbc/naturalproductslab.asp.

Sometime in the near future I will post a webpage devoted to hops production in North Carolina. In the meantime, here are my recommended websites on hops (you might have to cut and paste some of these into your browser if the url is too long):

• ATTRA has a great organic hops production guide: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/hop.html
• Hop Growers of America, a non-profit: http://www.usahops.org/
• General information on hops from a company composed of six hop farms in Washington and Oregon: http://www.hopunion.com/
• Oregon State University hop fertilizer guide: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/fg/fg79-e.pdf
• Oregon State University pathology guide for hops:
  http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/plant_searchResults.cfm?search_str=hop&host_alpha=Select&host_text=hop
• Hop Research Council: http://www.hopresearchcouncil.org/index.html
• Freshops (a company that many folks buy their hops from): http://www.freshops.com/

Yes, truffles will grow in North Carolina! Truffles are a highly prized, edible fungus that grows in association with the roots of several species of trees. In North Carolina, filberts are often used as the host tree. Roots of filbert seedlings are inoculated with the fungus and the young trees are planted in an orchard. Oaks can also be used, but they take much longer to produce truffles than do the filberts.

Truffles need a temperate environment where freezing temperatures occur but not where the ground freezes solid. The soil must have a pH of 7.9 to 8.1 for truffle fruiting to occur. Because soils in North Carolina are naturally acidic, they must be heavily limed to slowly raise the pH. A good site for a truffle orchard should also be well drained and irrigated. Once the trees are planted, the orchards are maintained with light cultivation several times per year. An organic mulch or polypropylene landscape fabric is helpful to keep down weeds, retain soil moisture, and moderate soil temperatures. The first truffles should appear on filberts the fourth to sixth year after planting. They are usually about six inches deep in the soil and dogs can be trained to find them during the winter and early spring.

At this time we know that truffles can be grown in North Carolina, but because we don’t have good figures on yields, we don’t know how profitable they might be.

Commercial Sources of Truffle Inoculated Seedlings and Additional Information

Garland Gourmet Mushrooms and Truffles

This is a North Carolina based company that received a grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission to determine if truffles can be grown commercially in North Carolina. They sell inoculated seedlings and also offer a dog training service to help find your truffles. Their website is: http://www.garlandtruffles.com/. An article on the Garlands, their truffles, and one of their clients can be found at:http://indyweek.com/durham/2004-03-17/dish2.html

New World Truffieres, Inc.

This is a company in Oregon. In addition to selling truffle inoculated trees, they have an informative website. It explains orchard management, soil pH, etc. Check it out at http://www.truffletrees.com/index.html.

Truffle Forming Fungi Detection Service from Mycorrhiza Biotech

Truffle forming fungi have mycorrhizal relationships with host trees. Certain types of truffles have gained significant market value outside of farming with some garnering wholesale prices of $500 per pound. Farmers seeking alternative crops are cultivating truffle farms. Subsequently, a niche market has formed to supply farmers with seedlings inoculated with truffle forming fungi. However, according to a recent article in the New York Times “Starting a truffle farm is a long-term investment with huge risks.” March 1, 2006. Seedlings are expensive as well as other long-term costs associated with truffle farming. MBT has perfected a molecular biology based method for detecting truffle forming fungi DNA in seedlings and trees in established truffle farms to help farmers mitigate the risks of truffle farming. http://www.mycorrhizabiotech.com/index.html

North American Truffle Growers Association

This association was started in North Carolina five or six years ago. It recently joined The American Mushroom Institute. http://www.trufflegrowers.com.

Coveted, French, and Now in Tennessee

Article in the New York TImes, February 2008 (You may need to register with the New York Times in order to view this article more than once.)

Ginger is a tropical plant and probably won’t survive the winters in western North Carolina. There has been some success with experiments in Homestead and Gainesville, Florida and I know a few folks along the coast of North Carolina who are trying it. If you are doing this for your own personal use, you can grow it in pots indoors. You can find hobby ginger growing information on the web. And here is a link to a paper on how to grow it in a greenhouse: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/scm-8.pdf

The sources I know of for wasabi plants are:

• The Frog Farm in Seattle, Washington – http://www.wasabifarm.com/info.html
• Pacific Farms in Florence, Oregon – http://www.freshwasabi.com/
• Pacific Coast Wasabi, in British Columbia, Canada – http://www.wasabia.com/index.php

Value-Added Products

There is a shared use kitchen near Asheville at the Enka campus of AB Tech Community College. It is called Blue Ridge Food Ventures. Farmers bring in their produce and process it themselves in a certified kitchen. There are folks there to advise you, too. The website is http://www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/specfoods/catalog/BlueRidgeFood.htm

There is another shared use kitchen in the far western part of the state, at the Stecoah Valley Center: http://mapaa.org/html/stecoah_valley_center.html. The Smoky Mountain Native Plants Association helped make that happen and make their ramps products there.

I Want to Get a Grant for My Project

Home Gardening

These two publications should provide you with the information you need:

Home Vegetable Gardening in NC
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag-06.html

Potato Production in the Home Garden-Georgia Extension
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C849.htm

Dr. Jeanine Davis
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center
455 Research Drive
Mills River, NC 28759
Phone: 828.684.3562 ~ Fax: 828.684.8715
Email: jeanine_davis@ncsu.edu

Web Crafter: Anne S. Napier ~ Email: anne_napier@ncsu.edu

Updated September 22, 2009