Margaret Bloomquist fills many roles through her work in agriculture and community development. Research scholar. Project manager. Lead organizer. Co-director. In short, her natural role is \u201cgo-to person.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n
Those skills serve her well as a research scholar with the North Carolina Alternative Crops and Organics Program<\/a> led by Jeanine Davis, an associate professor and Extension specialist with the Department of Horticultural Science<\/a> at NC State University. With research on commercial vegetables, organic agriculture and emerging crops such as hops, hemp, elephant garlic, truffles, artisan materials, and loofah gourds, the program helps identify options for small- and medium-scale farmers in the mountains of western North Carolina. <\/p>\n\n\n
A team member for 14 years, Bloomquist is based at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center<\/a> (Mountain Hort.) in Mills River, North Carolina, just south of Asheville. Medicinal herbs and forest farming are among her specialties. Bloomquist is a lead organizer for Western North Carolina Medicinal Herb Growers and the Woodland Stewards, its subgroup. She serves as co-director of the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition.<\/p>\n\n\n