Perched more than 3,200 feet above sea level in Ashe County, the Upper Mountain Research Station occupies a place unlike any other in North Carolina’s statewide research network. As the highest-elevation station operated by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Upper Mountain provides a climate, growing conditions, and research environment that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere in the state.
Established in 1944, the 454-acre station plays a critical role in advancing agricultural research in the mountains while also generating insights that benefit farmers across North Carolina. From Christmas trees and livestock to pumpkins, turfgrass and even aquatic weed research, the work happening at the Upper Mountain Research Station reflects both the diversity and the purpose of the state’s research station system.
A Superintendent Shaped by the Station
John Council stepped into the role of superintendent at Upper Mountain in early 2025, but his connection to the station runs much deeper. Before taking the helm, Council spent 13 years on-site as the crops unit manager, building firsthand experience with the station’s research programs, land base and community relationships.
Originally from southeastern Virginia, Council came to Upper Mountain after working in private-sector forestry research. That background, combined with more than a decade at the station, gives him a practical perspective on the station’s role.
“One of the main benefits of what we do as research stations is that we get to do the things farmers really couldn’t afford to do without the risk of making a mistake and losing a crop,” Council said.
That philosophy — testing ideas so producers don’t have to absorb the risk — underpins much of the work at Upper Mountain.
A Trademark in the Mountains: Christmas Trees
If Upper Mountain has a signature, it is Christmas tree research. Located in the heart of the nation’s leading Christmas tree–producing county, the station has become one of the most important centers for Fraser fir research in the United States.
The station hosts the highest concentration of Fraser fir research in the country, including seedling and transplant trials, post-harvest quality studies and long-term genetic improvement efforts. A Fraser fir seed orchard, established using advanced genetics from the N.C. State University Christmas Tree Breeding Program, represents decades of work coming to fruition.
In 2025, the station recorded its most significant cone harvest since the orchard was established — the first year with a truly meaningful volume of seed. Once fully operational, the Tobacco Trust Fund Christmas Tree Seed Center located at Upper Mountain will become the only source of “certified” Fraser fir seed in the United States, with commercial availability expected later this decade.
The station also supports work on alternative species, including Virginia pine, which is especially important for growers in parts of the state where Fraser fir cannot thrive.
Expanding Crops and Livestock Research
While Christmas trees may be the most visible program, Upper Mountain’s research portfolio extends well beyond evergreen needles.
Pumpkin research has emerged as a growing focus, with more than six acres of trials conducted in recent years. These studies examine variety performance, fertility, spacing and disease management, often in coordination with trials conducted at lower-elevation stations. The side-by-side comparisons help researchers evaluate how varieties respond to dramatically different climates.
Warm-season turfgrass research is another area that may be a surprise. Grasses typically associated with warmer regions, such as St. Augustine, zoysia, and centipede, are grown at Upper Mountain.
“We can do cold tolerance trials here that that are very beneficial, especially with the turf grass research. That’s mainly what they’re looking at, and not because they want to grow those grasses here, but because, if they will survive the cold here, then they shouldn’t have a problem anywhere else in the state,” Council said.
Livestock research also plays a central role. The station maintains a beef cattle herd year-round, with summer numbers exceeding 200 head. Researchers conduct grazing and forage management studies designed to improve animal health and efficiency in pasture-based systems. Recent additions include Katahdin hair sheep, which are being used in feed conversion efficiency studies that measure how effectively animals convert feed into body weight.
The station’s cool climate also supports high-quality forage production, making it an ideal location for summer livestock research.
Research Beyond the Field
Some of Upper Mountain’s work reaches beyond traditional crop and livestock studies. In partnership with N.C. State University, the station hosts aquatic weed research aimed at understanding and controlling invasive plants that threaten reservoirs and water supplies. Using tanks and simulated stream systems, scientists study plant biology and management strategies that protect clean water — a public benefit that extends well beyond agriculture.
The station is also the only location in the United States with a planted, range-wide seed source of Carolina hemlock, preserving genetic material critical to long-term forest health research.
Why Elevation Matters
Upper Mountain’s elevation is not just a statistic. but it is the foundation of its research value. The colder climate allows scientists to conduct cold-tolerance trials that cannot be replicated elsewhere in the state. In many cases, results generated at the station inform recommendations statewide.
“We can do work here that no other research station can,” Council said.
That geographic diversity is exactly why the Research Stations Division operates facilities across the state, from the mountains to the coast, ensuring that research reflects North Carolina’s full range of growing conditions.
A Community Partner
Beyond research, Upper Mountain plays an active role in the Ashe County community. The station hosts field days, workshops and training events, including Farm Safety Day for local high school students. Staff regularly provide tours for producers, students and community groups.
Each year, the station serves as a hub for the Trees for Troops program, where donated Christmas trees are collected and shipped to military bases nationwide. The station also supports food assistance efforts and has played key roles in disaster response during floods and droughts.
Part of a Statewide Mission
Upper Mountain Research Station is one of 18 facilities operated by NCDA&CS to support agricultural research statewide. Together, these stations serve as platforms for innovation — helping make farming more efficient, productive and profitable while maintaining a sound environment and delivering safe, affordable products to consumers.
At Upper Mountain, that mission is carried out at high elevation, where cold winters, steep terrain and unique conditions generate insights that resonate far beyond the mountains.
In the end, the work being done on the station reflects the core purpose of North Carolina’s research station system: testing tomorrow’s solutions today, so farmers across the state can move forward with confidence.
Photos from the archives:
[From the groundbreaking of the Tobacco Trust Fund Christmas Tree Seed Center]
[From previous Trees for Troops truck loading events. (First and last photo are from 2017. All others are from 2020.)]
