Midwest Winter Vegetable Production Conference

Winter production! The demand for locally grown vegetables and fruit knows no season, and the opportunity for innovative farmers to expand production into the winter months is huge. The Midwest Winter Vegetable Project is a comprehensive educational series designed for everyone who is interested in 4-season production—experienced growers, those just starting in winter production, or those who recognize an opportunity! Plus market managers and educators who work with winter producers.

The Midwest Winter Vegetable Production Conference will be held February 4-5, 2013 at the Continental Banquet Center, 2728 North Rangeline, Joplin, MO 64801. 

Registration:
$50 per person for the conference and farm tour
$30 per person for just the conference
$15 per person for each farm tour (2 tours total)

Conference - Monday, February 4

8:00 - 9:00      Registration/Trade show opens

9:00-10:30     The Ins & Outs of Winter Production — structures, light, temperature & how 12-month farming works — Adam Montri

10:30-10:45   Break

10:45-12:15   Lettuce in January?  Yes & so much more — using succession plantings to produce over a dozen different products in our tunnels — Michael Kilpatrick

12:15-1:00     Lunch

1:00-2:00        Winter production for beginners: a grower’s experience — Pov Huns

2:00-3:00        Breakout sessions with the experts

3:00-3:15       Break

3:15-4:30        Farming in the Winter & Making Money Doing It — Overall & individual crop profitability — Adam Montri

4:30-5:30        Movable & fixed high tunnels: a grower’s experience — Dan Kuebler

Tuesday, February 5

7:30-9:00       Breakfast with the trade show vendors

9:00-10:30     Filling the Table — How we use season extension & root cellars to keep 30+ items on the table year round — Michael Kilpatrick

10:30-10:45   Break

10:45-12:15   Winter vegetable growers panel

12:15-1:00     Lunch

1:00-2:00       How We Average $5,000 a Week in the Winter — marketing the winter farm through farmers markets, CSA & other outlets - Michael Kilpatrick

2:00-5:00      Tour of Green’s Greenhouse and Gardens

Presenters:

Adam Montri, Hoophouse Specialist, Michigan State University

Adam Montri works at Michigan State University as a hoophouse specialist in the Department of Horticulture & with the Center for Regional Food Systems.  He provides technical assistance related to year-round vegetable production including hoophouse structure options, construction training, crop selection, scheduling, marketing, & economics.  He & his wife, Dru, & daughters, Alison & Lydia, own & operate Ten Hens Farm in Bath, MI where they farm 12 months of the year & market their products through restaurants & a year-round farmers market.

Michael Kilpatrick, Middle Granville, NY

Michael Kilpatrick has been farming since he was 16 years old, when he & his brother decided to grow vegetables for the local farmers market to make pocket money for the summer. Since then, the business has grown to include over 100 acres of rented & leased land; sales at three weekly summer & two weekly winter farmers'  markets; summer & winter CSAs with 275 & 150 shares, respectively; year-round production in multiple high tunnels; a summer crew of seven & winter crew of three full time employees.

Pov Huns operates Huns Garden in Kansas City, Kansas.  Featured at the farm are a variety of vegetables, small fruits, & flowers.  Pov is a frequent guest speaker for the Great Plains Vegetable Conference, & has conducted SARE-sponsored on-farm research.

Dan Kuebler has been growing organic produce since 1989 on his 30 acre farm, The Salad Garden, in southern Boone County Missouri, & selling at local farmers markets & restaurants in Columbia, MO.  Presently the farm has two unheated tall tunnels & one moveable tall tunnel which was erected in October, 2010.

Conference Tour Site:  Tim Green & his wife Vi, owners of Green’s Greenhouse & Gardens near Galena, Kansas, began growing for & selling at the Webb City Farmers Market in 2002, where they now sell year-round.  The farm specializes in vegetables, especially tomatoes, & black berries & raspberries.  Tim currently has two heated high tunnels & a heated greenhouse & two large cold frames.  Tim plans to erect a third high tunnel this winter to grow raspberries. 

Plus a panel of winter producers from markets in Columbia, Springfield & Kansas City.

Also coming up:

March 11 - Spring Production Tour, Springfield, Missouri area farms

October 21 - Fall Production Tour, Southwest Missouri region farms

Food Safety: Field to Market Workshops

* February 27 - Springfield, MO.  For more info & to register, contact Lane at 417 766-8711
* March 15 - Mountain Grove, MO.  For more info & to register, contact Pam at 417-547-7533
*· Fall 2013 Date TBA, Webb City, MO.  For more info & to register, contact Eileen at 417 483-8139

Questions?  Call Eileen at 417 483-8139.

The Winter Vegetable Production Project is sponsored by The Webb City Farmers Market, University of Missouri Extension, Lincoln University Extension, & Missouri State University