Gaia Herbs Farm TourIn partnership with OGS, July 2019

Regenerative Farming Practices

Farming by the Numbers

Top Herbs on the Gaia Farm• Wild Oat Milky (Avena sativa) Seed

• Use: Nervine, adrenal health, nutritive, cardiotonic• Planting: Direct seed in early spring• Harvest: Mid summer

• Echinacea Purpurea Root & Tops • Use: Immune health, inflammatory health, antioxidant• Planting: Seedlings planted in late spring• Harvest: Roots harvested in fall of 2nd year; tops harvested in late spring and summer

• Holy Basil (Ociumum sanctum) Leaf & Flower• Use: Adaptogen, adrenal health, immune health• Planting: Plant seedlings in spring• Harvest: Late summer when in flowering stage

Top Herbs on the Gaia Farm• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root

• Use: Adaptogen, tonic, nervine, thyroid health, fertility health• Planting: Seedlings planted in late spring• Harvest: Roots harvested in fall after 1st year

• Lemon Balm (Melissa officianalis) Leaf • Use: Nervine, known as the “happy herb,” antioxidant, inflammatory health• Planting: Seedlings planted in spring• Harvest: Multiple cuts throughout the summer, beginning in late June and continuing to frost

• Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Root• Use: Sedative, nervine• Planting: • Harvest: Roots harvested in mid to late summer of 2nd year

Echinacea Seasonal Variations

Plant microbial diversity is suggested as the key to future biocontrol and health trends

Gabriele Berg Martina Köberl Daria Rybakova Henry Müller Rita

GroschKornelia Smalla

FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Volume 93, Issue 5, 1 May 2017,

fix050,https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fix050

Soil Health:Research

Soil Health: Soil Nutrient RecipeAmountsareinKGforahugebatchmixedina1,000litertank, buttheratiocanbeadjusted.SmallerscaleapplicationcanbeusedinanykindofAgSprayerandappliedonceayearinmidtolatesummer.DevelopedbyGaia’sFarmOperationsManagerinCostaRica,LuisIglesias

• OrganicOatBran: 20kg• OrganicPowderedRiceHusk:20kg• OrganicMolasses(unsulfured):10kg• OrganicTapiocaStarch: 20kg• Organic100%pureAppleJuice:(L)10• OrganicDexrin,maltodextrinorfructose: 10kg• OrganicPsyllium:2kg

Cathey’sCreek

GaiaFacility

HoopFrames

Farmhouse

Greenhouse

FrenchBroad River

IslandFord RoadCathey’s

Creek

2018FARM MAP

13

4

5

6

7

8

11 10

1213

14

15

16

17

22

18

21

19

23

24

25

20

9

19 West 1Valerian

20 Woods 3Oats, Echinacea purpurea, American Skullcap & Vegetables

21 Woods 1 Echinacea angustifolia & Holy Basil

22 Woods 2 Valerian

23 Cathy’s Creek Field Vervain

24 Compost Field Echinacea angustifolia & Feverfew

25 Compost AnnexEchinacea angustifolia

Rosman HwyHwy 64

2

1 House Field2 Ginkgo Trees3 Hawthorne Trees4 Barn Field

Passionflower, Echinacea angustifolia, Vegetables, Echinacea purpurea, Parlsey, Lemon Balm & Astragalus

5 East FieldNettle, Feverfew, Chinese Skullcap & Vervain

6 Middle 1 Echinacea purpurea

7 Middle 2 Chinese Skullcap, Gotu Kola & California Poppy

8 Middle 3 Echinacea purpurea, Gotu Kola & Grindelia

9 Bamboo FieldOats

10 Bamboo 2Holy Basil

11 Eight AcresAshwagandha

12 River BottomEchinacea Purpurea & Vegetables

13 West 5Holy Basil

14 West 4 Holy Basil

15 West 3 Echinacea Purpurea

16 West 2Valerian

17 West 2 UpperAshwagandha

18 West 2 AnnexValerian

Start

Bridge

Gate

Ginkgo Lane0.3 mi from Start to Bridge

Nettle Ramble0.45 mi from Gate to Bridge

Bathrooms

Bee Hives

End

Echinacea Way

2017 Western North Carolina Ashwagandha – Small Scale Production Results

WNC Medicinal Herb Growers Club

Report written by Gwen Casebeer and Margaret Bloomquist

Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University

January 2018

On June 27th

, 2017 2,000 Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) seedlings were donated by Gaia

Herbs Inc. to the WNC Medicinal Herb Grower’s Club as part of their farmer outreach initiative.

Nineteen local growers each received between 10 to 200 plants to grow as an annual on their

farms or in their gardens in the mountains of western North Carolina. A survey was administered

in December 2017 to those who received the Ashwagandha plants. Raw data are presented from

thirteen respondents and results are observational.

Ashwagandha were transplanted on July 1-31, 2017. Most growers used 12 inch spacing between

plants, while 40% of growers planted more densely (< 12 inches between plants). Soil types

ranged from clay to loam to sandy loam.

Figure 1. Soil types. 2017 Ashwagandha Small Grower Survey. Raw data averages.

Seventy-five percent of the growers planted the Ashwagandha in full sun, while 17% grew it in

partial shade. Furthermore, 83% of the growers applied compost to their plots. Additional

fertilizers were used by 33% of growers.

33%

17% 17%

25%

8%

Soil Types

Clay

Loam

Sandy Loam

High Organic Matter

Other

Figure 2. Asheville Grower Kelly Lockamy with Ashwagandha, Cedar Springs Farm, Candler, NC. Source: Kelly Lockamy.

To control weeds, all growers used mechanical removal. In addition to mechanical suppression,

67% of growers applied mulch. Irrigation was used sparingly, and most growers watered

Ashwagandha lightly throughout the summer.

Figure 3. Irrigation method. 2017 Ashwagandha Small Grower Survey. Average raw data.

The growers reported having difficulty with flea beetles in the past. But in 2017, 92% of growers

in this group reported no problems with any pests. Furthermore, none of the growers applied

pesticides nor removed pests by hand. A portion of the growers employed companion planting,

crop rotation, and/or integrated pest management to mitigate pest pressure.

No irrigation or watering

25%

Light watering 58%

Irrigated as needed

17%

Irrigation

Figure 4. Crop management. 2017 Ashwagandha Small Growers Survey. Average raw data.

Figure 5. 2017 Ashwagandha companion planting and IPM, at Cedar Springs Farm Source: Kelly Lockamy.

Seventy-five percent of the growers harvested the Ashwagandha in mid to late October. The first

frost was predicted to occur around October 15, 2017. The first hard frost actually occurred the

third week in October.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Companion Planting Crop Rotation Integrated PestManagement

Crop Management Strategies Applied

Figure 6. Harvest dates. 2017 Ashwagandha Small Growers Survey. Raw data averages.

Figure 7. Jay Englebach of Black Trumpet Farm, Leicester, NC. September 2017. Source: G. Casebeer.

Before frost 67%

After first frost 22%

After first hard frost 11%

Harvest Date

Figure 8. Raised bed grown Ashwagandha 2017. Source: Frank Dapkus.

The majority of growers harvested the roots and berries. About a quarter of the growers also

saved seed from the Ashwagandha plants.

Figure 9. Harvested plant portion. 2017 Ashwagandha Small Growers Survey. Raw data averages.

Roots 36%

Leaves 9%

Berries 27%

Seed 23%

Stems 5%

Portion of Plant Harvested

Figure 10. Helper kitties monitor harvest and data collection. Source: Gwen Casebeer 2017.

Figure 11. Ashwagandha roots at harvest. October 2017. Source: Frank Dapkus

Yield data did not provide any meaningful information because of differences in number of

plants grown by individual growers and small sample sizes, yet all growers noted that these

plants produced substantial aboveground biomass. Most mature plants reached 2.5 to 3 feet in

height. Good results were achieved in deeper beds with high organic matter and 12 inch in-row

spacing.

All participants washed, dried, and cut the Ashwagandha roots for processing. Approximately

one-third of the growers also washed and dried stems, leaves, and berries. Furthermore, 44% of

the growers created value-added products in the form of tincture from the dry Ashwagandha

roots.

Eighty-three percent of the western North Carolina growers surveyed had not worked with

Ashwagandha before, yet all thirteen growers reported that they would like to grow it again!