Gaia Herbs Farm Tour. In partnership with OGS, July 2019

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1 Gaia Herbs Farm Tour In partnership with OGS, July 2019

2 Regenerative Farming Practices

3 Farming by the Numbers

4 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 2 nd 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

5 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 1 st 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 2 nd year

6 Echinacea Seasonal Variations

7 Soil Health: Research 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,

8 Soil Health: Soil Nutrient Recipe Amounts are in KG for a huge batch mixed in a 1,000 liter tank, but the ratio can be adjusted. Smaller scale application can be used in any kind of Ag Sprayer and applied once a year in mid to late summer. Developed by Gaia s Farm Operations Manager in Costa Rica, Luis Iglesias Organic Oat Bran: 20 kg Organic Powdered Rice Husk: 20 kg Organic Molasses (unsulfured): 10 kg Organic Tapioca Starch: 20 kg Organic 100% pure Apple Juice: (L) 10 Organic Dexrin, maltodextrin or fructose: 10 kg Organic Psyllium: 2 kg

9 Rosman Hwy Hwy 64 Cathey s Creek Island Ford Road 25 Gate 24 Start Gaia Facility Farmhouse Ginkgo Lane 0.3 mi from Start to Bridge Bee Hives Nettle Ramble 0.45 mi from Gate to Bridge Greenhouse Bridge 2018 FARM MAP 22 Bathrooms Hoop Frames 1 House Field 2 Ginkgo Trees 3 Hawthorne Trees 4 Barn Field Passionflower, Echinacea angustifolia, Vegetables, Echinacea purpurea, Parlsey, Lemon Balm & Astragalus 5 East Field Nettle, 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 Field Oats 10 Bamboo 2 Holy Basil 11 Eight Acres Ashwagandha 12 River Bottom Echinacea Purpurea & Vegetables 13 West 5 Holy Basil 14 West 4 Holy Basil 15 West 3 Echinacea Purpurea 16 West 2 Valerian 17 West 2 Upper Ashwagandha 18 West 2 Annex Valerian West 1 Valerian 20 Woods 3 Oats, 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 Annex Echinacea angustifolia French Broad River 9 5 End Echinacea Way Cathey s Creek

10 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 27 th, ,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, 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. Soil Types 8% 25% 17% 17% 33% Clay Loam Sandy Loam High Organic Matter Other Figure 1. Soil types 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.

11 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. Irrigation Irrigated as needed 17% No irrigation or watering 25% Light watering 58% Figure 3. Irrigation method 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.

12 25% Crop Management Strategies Applied 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Companion Planting Crop Rotation Integrated Pest Management Figure 4. Crop management Ashwagandha Small Growers Survey. Average raw data. Figure 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, The first hard frost actually occurred the third week in October.

13 After first hard frost 11% Harvest Date After first frost 22% Before frost 67% Figure 6. Harvest dates Ashwagandha Small Growers Survey. Raw data averages. Figure 7. Jay Englebach of Black Trumpet Farm, Leicester, NC. September Source: G. Casebeer.

14 Figure 8. Raised bed grown Ashwagandha 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. Stems 5% Portion of Plant Harvested Seed 23% Roots 36% Berries 27% Leaves 9% Figure 9. Harvested plant portion Ashwagandha Small Growers Survey. Raw data averages.

15 Figure 10. Helper kitties monitor harvest and data collection. Source: Gwen Casebeer Figure 11. Ashwagandha roots at harvest. October 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

16 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!