Field Trips

Tuesday, June 9

Ashe County is the largest Christmas Tree producing county in the United States. We will visit several Christmas tree farms here. We will also tour the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) Upper Mountain Research Station. This is the site of the NC State Christmas Tree Genetics Fraser fir clone banks and seed orchard. It is also home to the NCDA Tobacco Trust Fund Christmas Tree Seed Center of Excellence. This is a facility that will be processing the seed from our elite Fraser fir seed orchard.

Thursday, June 11

Grandfather Mountain is a place of amazing biodiversity and scenic beauty that towers 5,946 feet above northwest North Carolina. A part of the United Nations’ Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve, the mountain is estimated to be 300 million years old — with certain rock formations dating back 1.2 billion years. We will visit a natural Fraser fir forest that calls this mountain home. Other attractions in this park include a mile-high swinging bridge and a a number of wildlife habitats. Located in Avery County, we will also stop and visit several Christmas farms here.