On a surprisingly dry November day in the Pacific Northwest — a small miracle by local standards — people from Agroforestry Northwest and the Rooted Northwest community gathered at Rooted Northwest’s agrivillage to begin a forest farming trial rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and long-term care for the land. Rain boots and fleece layers were abundant, and while the ground remained muddy, the skies held, offering ideal conditions for a day of planting and experimentation.

Designed through a collaboration between WA State University Extension and Agroforestry Northwest and supported by a grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the trial set out to explore how ginseng — a forest-grown medicinal root with a long history of cultivation elsewhere — might be grown successfully in the Pacific Northwest. While ginseng is more commonly associated with eastern North America and parts of Asia, adapting its cultivation to local forest systems here is still an emerging area of study.

The planting focused on both American and Asian ginseng, using a mix of seeds and roots, paired with companion species that thrive in forest understories. These included ramps, trillium, and goldenseal — plants valued for their edible, medicinal, and ecological roles. Ramps provide an early source of nectar and pollen for native bees, butterflies, and other insects after months of limited foraging opportunities. Trillium is often considered an indicator of intact forest ecosystems, while goldenseal is a highly valued medicinal plant whose cultivation can help reduce overharvesting pressure on wild populations. Together, these species reflect an approach to forest farming that prioritizes diversity and long-term ecological health.

The planting day brought together a mix of people whose paths converged around the same patch of forest — Agroforestry Northwest’s Agroforester and their Indigenous Ethnobotanist, volunteers eager to get their hands in the soil, and future Rooted Northwest residents already imagining what it might mean to live and steward this forest farm together. The collaboration felt especially fitting, as all in attendance are working to rethink food systems, community, and human relationships with the land.

Three distinct planting areas were selected to reflect different site conditions: one at the bottom of a hill where moisture collects, another higher up with rockier soil, and a third near the forest’s edge with more balanced conditions. Randomized combinations of plants were assigned to individual plots, each carefully cleared, planted, and marked — small but meaningful steps in a study that will unfold over years rather than months.

Though grounded in research, the day was about more than data. Children joined in with muddy hands and bright curiosity, conversations flowed easily across generations, and an extremely fluffy dog lingered at the edge of the work site in search of attention.

As digging began along the hillside, the land made itself known in unexpected ways. Beneath the soil lay massive buried rocks. The first was moved so planting could continue, but when another even larger rock appeared, the group paused. Rather than forcing the plan forward, one plot was relocated to a more suitable spot — a quiet lesson in flexibility and respect for the land’s own constraints.

That moment captured the spirit of the day: thoughtful experimentation guided by humility. While the forest farming trial will yield valuable insights into how ginseng and companion species may perform in the Pacific Northwest, it also served as a reminder that working with living systems requires patience, observation, and a willingness to adapt.

Agroforestry Northwest is deeply grateful to Rooted Northwest for hosting, and to everyone who contributed their time, energy, and care. This project represents a shared commitment to cultivating food systems that are regenerative, community-centered, and rooted in place — planted not just for today, but for generations to come.