Mary is an agroecologist and regenerative farmer based in Black Mountain, NC. She and her partner run a small, diverse farm and grow seeds as members of the Appalachian Growers Seed Collective. With academic training in farming systems, crop genetics, and ethnobiology, Mary conducted research on buckwheat diversity in China and no-till cover crop management in the US. She worked for 10 years as an agriculture professor, teaching courses, mentoring student research, and managing campus farms. She currently works for NC State Extension in the Department of Horticultural Science. Mary enjoys singing and playing music, spending time in nature, and sharing food and fun with family and friends. Mary reveres the seed keepers and ancestors, following the invisible threads that connect us through space and time.
Jess Hughes
Jess Hughes supports OSA as Communications Assistant. She works to expand our reach and build OSA’s brand across all communications platforms
