Forest Farming

Forest farming is the cultivation of non-timber forest products beneath a forest canopy. In the United States, common non-timber forest products (NTFPs) cultivated in forest farming operations include ginseng, mushrooms, ramps (wild leeks), medicinal herbs (e.g., goldenseal and black cohosh), fruits, nuts and berries. Explore the links below for more information about opportunities in forest farming.

Title	Description
OSU CFAES: elderberry, aronia, etc.	Ohio State's extension program has factsheets on particular NTFPs, which can be browsed or searched for on their website.
Forest Farming Webinar Series	Recordings of webinars hosted by Pennsylvania State University from 2023-2025.
Forest Grown Verification Program	This verification program allows producers (farmers, processors, and retailers) to certify a product as forest-grown, rather than wild harvested.
The Forest Farming Handbook	This free online resource (also available in print) provides introductory information about growing and marketing six at-risk forest herbs: goldenseal, ginseng, black cohosh, ramps, bloodroot, and Solomon's seal.
Assorted Publications, United Plant Savers	United Plant Savers is a global nonprofit headquartered in Rutland, Ohio, dedicated to the conservation of native medicinal plants. Their website includes a library of resources helpful to forest farmers interested in growing these plants.
Medicinal Plant Conservation Certificate Program	Though on hold as of summer 2025, this program is typically hosted by United Plant Savers annually and provides four weeks of lodging and classes in medicinal plant cultivation and plant medicines at the UpS sanctuary in Rutland, Ohio.
Growing and Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal and Other Woodland Medicinals (Jeanine Davis and W Scott Pearsons)	This book, widely recommended by forest farmers, was first published in 2014 and provides a deeper dive into woodland medicinals. It is a good follow-up to the Forest Farming Handbook (above).
Rural Action's Herb-Hub	Located in Nelsonville, Ohio, the Herb Hub is managed by southeast Ohio nonprofit Rural Action. The Hub provides industrial-grade processing equipment for shared use, a certified commercial kitchen, and the opportunity to connect to aggregators and distributors of herbal products.
Forestry Terms for Ohio Forest Landowners	Are you interested in seeking state resources for forest management, but confused by all the jargon? Want to know the difference between a procurement forester, a professional forester, and a technical service provider? This factsheet from OSU Extension is a guide to dozens of terms and acronyms relevant to forest stewardship.
Ohio Herbal Elders Project	This digital exhibition, hosted on the United Plant Savers website, shares the voices and perspectives of experienced herbalists through recorded interviews and photography.