Black Cohosh Harvest

Two forest farmers in Virginia join a pilot project to sustainably harvest black cohosh, or Actaea racemosa, from their forest lands. Grassroots organizations, Blue Ridge Woodland Growers and the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition, helped to identify markets and pool resources in order to get this test project off the ground. Sourcing forest grown botanical herbs from responsible growers is becoming increasingly important to consumers. The rise of initiatives like Pennsylvania Certified Organic's Forest Grown Verification program combined with the regenerative practices of forest farmers like Michelle Pridgen and Cynthia Taylor can help address market demands over time.

[@olgakuchukov6981]

I am very interested in connecting with southern forest farmers to speak about how native plants they are growing are putting up with invasive Asian worm (Amynthas sp) pressure. As a northern native plant/forest gardener, this is a huge issue currently. Thank you!

[@donp5774]

A couple of important points-this was a pilot project! Don't cut off the root hairs and no need to clean with a tooth brush! I'm now working with the Appalachian Sustainable development Herb Hub where they are aggregating for small growers and have commercial cleaning and drying equipment, here's a link asdevelop.org/agroforestry/

[@j9s281]

I don't see how harvesting black cohosh from the forest is sustainable, because the roots are being taken. Won't the entire plant eventually be instinct from your forests?

[@brandonmartin8258]

Hello! Good to get some more good news concerning my woods! I'm currently in Grayson Co. From Independence, matter of fact. Currently staying near Mt. Rogers.

[@MistressOP]

if you are able. please remember to work with native people and underserved communities. we have a habit in the organics moment of overlooking folks. forgetting the social justice roots of the organic movement. wonder job on that cohosh!

[@donp5774]

Thanks for the insightful comment.

[@yoopermann7942]

do you sell fresh dug rootsroots of these plants that i could plant in my woods here in the UPPER PENINSULA of MICHIGAN???

[@JoshhuaRay]

Please be patient with KZbin, viewers are not like the 🌳🌴.

[@seabuckthorniran1]

I hold PhD in forest science

[@wadepatton2433]

I like your video channel subjects, am beginning to farm my forest, but I really struggle to hear much of the dialogue because of the background music being so strong. I'll continue to look around, but it's a chore to hear much of what is being said in most of the your videos I've looked at so far. I won't complain on all the videos, just can't hear full-spectrum anymore and there may be others like me-who need just a little more spoken audio and some less music added. Thanks for all the effort you put in to educating those interested in woodland farming/preservation/conservation. Also I see the captioning is working well enough (on this one). I can use that.

[@wadepatton2433]

And the editing and audio is excellent otherwise, it's perfect when the tunes stop.

[@russsherwood5978]

i think i have this plant growing on my place,, does it have red berrys in august? if it does then it is here.. thank you for the video

[@donp5774]

Hi Russ, the red berries in the tiny picture MIGHT be jack in the pulpit, cohosh has a tall white flower. Be sure to check several sources for plant id.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

@@donp5774 I haven't seen any red berries on my jack in the pulpit, mine looks precisely as shown in numerous internet photographs. I'd never seen it on my property until after raking away a small area of leaf litter in a low area where water runs intermittently, it popped right up in spring and has since disappeared as leaf litter recovered the area. Something (critter/deer of some type?) often chewed off the unique blooms unless I protected them with a wire mesh ring about 1-1/2 feet high encircling the plant.