North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents 2001 Annual State Meeting Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, Asheville June 26-28, 2001

Horticulture - Mountain Style

Contact Ross Young for additional information.

We will leave the Holiday Inn Sunspree at 7:30 am and travel 30 minutes north to Madison County.

Our first stop will be Mill Stone Cove Farms. David Autrey, Manager of this farm, will lead a tour of greenhouses where 30,000 rhododendrons are rooted each year and planted in fields on the same farm. We will also tour a state-of-the art pesticide handling/loading structure complete with automatic ventilation, spillage containment, an alarm system, and a decontamination site.

From Mill Stone Cove Farms we will travel deeper into the heart of Madison County and discover B&L Organics. Barry Rubenstein and Laura Bower will show us how to make a living on a few acres of very steep mountain land. This certified organic farm boasts superb vegetables, cut flowers, berries, as well as a view of the two highest peaks west of the Rockies: Mt. Pisgah and Mt. Mitchell.

Another 30 minute trip will bring us to Frosty Mountain Christmas Tree Farm. Here, owner and operator Donna Jones will allow us to roam freely through her Christmas tree fields. Donna, a 20 year veteran in the industry grows 50 acres of Fraser Fir Christmas trees from seed to market. She sells both wholesale and choose 'n' cut trees.

Upon departing Frosty Mountain Christmas Tree Farm we will enjoy a relaxing 1 hour ride through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains back to the Holiday Inn Sunspree, arriving there at 11:30 a.m.