A Survival Guide to Starting a Farm in the New River Gorge When we left our suburban life in Utah to build a regenerative orchard in rural West Virginia, people looked at us like we were joining a cult. But it wasn’t a leap of faith; it was the result of a ton of research, trial and error, and choosing to
Starting Guide to Tree Nursery Hey folks, Goldberry Grove here 🌱; getting real about our next big move: launching a nursery alongside our orchard this fall in the New River Gorge. We're not just growing produce; we're growing food sovereignty for the whole community. Here's Nursery 101, with all the
Farm Harvesting Heights: Designing Orchards on Sloped Land Harvesting Heights: Designing Orchards on Sloped Land When we first looked at our hillside orchard site, we knew the beautiful views came with unique challenges. Hillsides complicate everything—water runoff, soil erosion, equipment mobility, and planting logistics. Here’s how we tackled orchard design on our slope, and what we
Farm Beyond the Hose: Engineering Resilient Irrigation on Our Hillside Orchard We're building a smart, modular irrigation system to support young chestnuts on steep hillsides. With limited well water, variable terrain, and high stakes, we're blending drip tech, gravity tanks, and real-time soil sensors to irrigate wisely and grow resiliently.
Nuts Layer by Layer: Designing a Stacked Orchard for Resilience and Yield We’re building an ecosystem, not just rows. Inspired by forest structure and regenerative design, our layered orchard ensures every plant has a role, every root a purpose, and the harvest is shared between the land and those who tend it.
Community Featured Planting a Vision at Goldberry Grove: Your Guide to Get Going Goldberry Grove’s Roadmap: Understanding What, Who & Where We Are – a regenerative agroforestry orchard in Appalachian WV, led by Abigail & Josh Dunbar. We blend family tradition with regenerative methods, chestnut restoration trials, mycoforestry, and community building.
Farmer-stories When the Orchard Falls Quiet: On Falling Behind and Getting Back Up This season, I’ve fallen behind — not from lack of care, but from a combination of financial strain and something heavier: depression.
Summer's Building for the Future – Tackling Tasks and Challenges Ahead As Goldberry Grove continues to grow, so do the challenges that come with building a sustainable, regenerative farm that’s both productive and community-oriented. Looking ahead to 2026, we’ve got a big year ahead, and there are several key projects and experiments we’re diving into. From scaling the
Planning My Pollinator Plots: A Farmwide Approach to Habitat and Biodiversity At Goldberry Grove, we’re working to build not just a farm, but a sanctuary—one that supports a variety of pollinators, wildlife, and native species. As part of our regenerative approach, pollinator plots are integral to our farm's ecosystem. They’re not only beautiful but also critical
Bumbling Through Regenerative Farming: Exploring Syntropic, Permaculture, and Korean Natural Farming At Goldberry Grove, my regenerative orchard in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, we’ve adopted a unique approach to farming—one that draws on the strengths of Syntropic farming, permaculture, and Korean Natural Farming (KNF). These three methodologies, each with its roots in ecological balance and sustainability, have created
Farmer-stories May Day Thoughts People love to romanticize farming. They see the photos: the sunrise over the pasture, the hands in the soil, the happy kid chasing chickens. It looks simple. It looks peaceful. But the reality — especially when you’re farming part-time — is a lot messier than that. I work a remote 9–
Farm April Tales from the Grove We planted 100 trees, fought rocks, battled an old knee injury, and celebrated a toddler’s birthday in a month. April was muddy, meaningful, and full of lessons that only a bucket, a shovel, and a stubborn farmer can learn.
Community Agroforestry Allies and the Unexpected Power of Community April brought unexpected conversations that turned into lasting connections. From chestnut fire management to native truffles and freeze-dried broth, this month reminded me that agroforestry is built on shared knowledge—and a whole lot of curiosity.
Farmer-stories Planting Without a Mask: Why I Started Goldberry Grove I spent years masking who I was to fit into a world that never made room for me. Goldberry Grove is my unmasking—an act of rebellion, healing, and legacy. It’s for the weird kids, the late bloomers, the ones who love deeply and grow anyway.
Farmer-stories It Takes a Village to Raise a Child—And a Whole City to Build a Farm Our first chestnut orchard isn’t just 100 trees in the ground—it’s the product of mentors, neighbors, and farmers from Ohio to West Virginia. This story is about cultivars, legacy, and the people who helped us grow.
Farm Time Budgets, Bent Metal, and Learning the Land: The Unexpected Education of a First-Time Korean-American Farmer in Appalachia From PTO struggles to sudden frost, here's what I’ve learned about tractors, trailers, and time as a first-time farmer transitioning from tech to trees.
Budgeting The Boring Side of Farming (That’ll Make or Break You) Building a farm isn’t just soil and sunshine. From LLC decisions to family legacy planning, here’s how we’re setting Goldberry Grove up for long-term resilience—paperwork and all.
Soil Prep, Mulch, and Planning for April Planting: An Update to Getting Ready for the Growing Season It's a crisp morning in the Appalachian Mountains here on Goldberry Grove as I wake up at 4:30 a.m. every weekday to check on the fledgling ducks and take my two dogs, Quasar and Duke, on their morning constitutional. This is a time shared between me
The Orchard That Refuses to Obey: Buzz Ferver’s Living Tapestry Some people farm to feed people. Some farm to build a business. And then there are folks like Buzz Ferver—people who farm because they are irresistibly, unreasonably, and maybe even a little obsessively drawn to trees and the relentless pursuit of figuring them out. Buzz doesn’t just grow
The Roots of a Chestnut Legacy: Route 9 Formula of Success Some farms are built for profit. Others are built for legacy. Route 9 Cooperative, founded by Greg Miller and a handful of die-hard chestnut growers, is firmly in the latter camp. This isn’t just agriculture—it’s a deep-rooted love affair with trees, a masterclass in collaboration, and a
Goldberry Grove: Ides of March Spring is here, and that means Goldberry Grove is officially moving from planning to planting. February wrapped up with the completion of all Phase 1 purchases, and March is all about pickup and preparation. We’re bringing in our first batch of Chinese Hybrid Chestnuts along with our entire windbreak
Renewable Solar at Goldberry Grove: Powering Resilience, Not Just Panels 17kW solar system for Goldberry Grove—at nearly half the cost of a contractor’s bid. Learn how I'm taking energy independence into my own hands with bifacial panels, battery storage, and smart mounting on a metal barn."
The Uncertainty of the Moment: Agroforestry and the Long Road Ahead The landscape for farmers is constantly shifting. We adapt to unpredictable weather, fluctuating markets, and the constant ebb and flow of policy changes that shape our livelihoods. But today, the stakes are incredibly high for those building resilient agroforestry systems. The recent executive orders by the new administration have placed
Navigating the Agroforestry Grant and Financing process: A First-Generation Farmer’s Guide When I first started looking into agroforestry grants, I’ll admit—I feel overwhelmed. Between jargon-heavy applications, unclear requirements, and the challenge of proving my orchard’s potential, the process seemed daunting. But as a first-generation farmer, I knew that securing funding would be a game-changer. So, I took a
Navigating Appalachia Orchard Planning Agroforestry is more than planting trees; it’s about cultivating a relationship with the land. When I set out to turn my southern West Virginia property into a profitable and sustainable farm, I knew I needed guidance. Chestnuts were always the centerpiece of my vision, but the path to making
