Great Plains Growers Conference Agenda

Plan to attend the Great Plains Growers Conference, January 9-11 2014 in St. Joseph, MO. The conference will be held at the Fulkerson Conference Center, Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, Missouri.

Check out the program for new all-day workshops presented by wonderful speakers throughout the conference! We will have educational information from all 5 states - Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota, along with vegetable specialists and growers from those states. There are 40+ exhibitors in a trade show with the latest seeds, supplies, equipment, and grower information. There will also be ample opportunities to visit with other growers, exhibitors and speakers.

Thursday Preconference Workshops

·       High Tunnels

·       Soil and Irrigation

·       Farm to School

·       Tree Fruits

·       Advanced Beekeeping

Friday Conference Tracks

Tree Fruit

11:00-12:00    Dealing with Wildlife Damage in Fruit and Nut Plantings, Dr. Scott Hygnstrom, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

12:00-1:30      Lunch

1:30-3:00        Apple, Peach, and Cherry Varieties Worthy of Consideration, John Clements, University of Massachusetts

3:00-3:30        Break

3:30-4:30        Stone Fruit Diseases, Gerald Adams, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Beginning Organic

11:00-11:45    Starting an Organic Farm: do’s and don’ts, Leslie Touzeau, The Salad Garden

11:45-12:30    Rewards of Organic Farming and Marketing Strategies, Charlie Hopper, Missouri Dept. of Agriculture

12:30-1:30      Lunch

1:30-2:15        From Harvest to Delivery of Quality Vegetables to Customers, Shane Hanson, Door-to-Door Inc., KC, MO

2:15-3:00        How to Succeed in Selling Your Farm Produce: finding your market niche, Beth Matson, Never Ending Harvest

3:00-3:30        Break

3:30-5:00        Farmers Panel on Effective Marketing of Vegetable Product, Panelists: Angela Hemwall, Pierpont Farms, Columbia, MO, Curtis Milsap, Millsap Farms, Springfield, MO; and Beth Matson, Never Ending Harvest, Hancock, IA

Vegetable IPM

11:00-11:45    IPM Strategies to minimize Foliar Diseases in Vegetables, Dr. Dan Egel, Purdue University

11:45-12:30    Prevention & Management of Key Insect Pests in Vegetables, Dr. Rick Foster, Purdue University

12:30-1:45      Lunch

1:45-2:30        Identification & Management of Bacterial Diseases in Tomatoes, Dr. Dan Engel, Purdue University

2:30-3:00        Trap Cropping and Cover Crops: on-farm research results, Rusty Lee, Lee Farms, Turxton, MO

3:00-3:30        Break

3:15-4:00        Invasive Insects Threatening Vegetable Production in the Midwest, Dr. Jaime Pinero, Lincoln University

4:00-4:45        Greenhouse IPM: from seed to post-harvest, Rick Trinklein, Trinklein Brothers Greenhouses

Post-Harvest Handling

11:00-11:45    Packing Produce Efficiently, Laurie Hodges, University of Nebraska

11:45-1:00      Lunch

1:00-3:00        On-Farm Cold Storage: planning, design, management, Scott Sanford, University of Wisconsin-Madison

3:00-3:30        Q & A

3:30-4:15        Shelflife and Postharvest Quality of Tomatoes Grown in High Tunnel vs Open Field, Cary Rivard, KSU

Cut Flowers

11:00-11:45    Growing and Selling Specialty Cut Flowers, Gretel & Steve Adams,Sunny Meadow Farms, Columbus, OH

12:30-1:30      Lunch

1:45-3:00        Hand Tied Bouquets for Markets and Weddings, Gretel & Steve Adams

3:00-5:00      Hand Tied Bouquets continued Gretel & Steve Adams

Saturday Conference Tracks

Small Fruit

9:00-9:45        Blackberry Growth & Development, John Strang, University of Kentucky

9:45-10:30      Producing Berries in Iowa, Dean and Judy Henry, Berry Patch Farm, Nevada, Iowa

11:00-11:45    Blueberry Automated Quasi-Pulse Irrigation, John Strang, University of Kentucky

11:45-12:30    Spotted Wing Drosophila Management, Jaime Pinero, Lincoln University

1:30-2:15        Marketing & Promoting Berries, Dean and Judy Henry, Berry Patch Farm, Nevada, Iowa

2:15-2:45        Table Grape Cultivars, Patrick Byers, University of Missouri

2:45-3:00        Updates in the 2014 Small Fruit Pest Guide, Patrick Byers, University of Missouri

3:00-3:45        Elderberry Cultivar Development, Andrew Thomas, University of Missouri

Advanced Organics

9:00-9:45        Enhancing Farm Profitability Through the Use of Cover Crops, Steven Groff, Holtwood, PA

9:45-10:30      Maximizing Profitability by Utilizing Labor Mgmt. Practices & Diversifying Markets, Alicia Ellingsworth

10:30-11:20    Increasing Profits through Use of Trap Cropping to Manage Key Insect Pests of Cucurbits, Jacob Wilson, Lincoln University

11:20-12:10    Role of Biochar in Vegetable Production, Ajay, Nair, Iowa state University

1:10-2:00        Growing Organic Strawberries with Annual Plasticulture Systems in Great Plains, Cary Rivard, Kansas State University

2:00-2:40        Enhancing Beneficial Insects for Biological Control & Pollination in Organic Systems, Jaime Pinero, Lincoln University

2:40-3:20        Cost-share Programs to Enhance Pollination Habitat, NRCS Staff (TBD)

Vegetable Production

9:00-9:45        Guide to Great Garlic Growing, Chuck Marr, Kansas State University

9:45-10:30      What Do you Get When You Mix Pumpkins, Cowpeas and Mycorrhiza?, Steven Kirk, Lincoln University

11:00-12:00    Weed Control Options for Sweet Corn, Vince Lawson, Iowa State University

12:00-1:00      Dried Distiller’s Grain as a Soil Amendment for Eggplant Production, Ajay Nair, Iowa State University

2:00-3:00        Specialty Melon Cultivar Trials, John Strang, University of Kentucky

3:30-4:15        Recommended Tomato Cultivars from K-State Trials, Charlie Barden, Kansas State University

Beekeeping/Agroforestry

9:00-10:30      Beginning Beekeeping, Raymond Heldenbrand

11:00-12:30    Overwintering Bees and Spring Management, Ross Conrad, Vermont

1:30-2:00        Chestnuts, Michael Gold, University of Missouri

2:00-2:30        Pawpaws, Andrew Thomas, University of Missouri

2:30-3:00        Black Walnuts, Mark Coggeshall, University of Missouri

Urban Horticulture & Gardens

8:45-9:00        Welcome, James Quinn, University of Missouri

9:00-9:30        Get Growing Urban Water Project, Teresa Kelly & Sherri Harvel, Cultivate KC, Kansas City, MO

9:30-10:00      Urban Access: Building Community through Intensive Cultivation, Gabriel Hahn, Seeds of Hope Farm

10:00-10:30    The Kansas Community Garden Grant Program, Evelyn Neier, Kansas State University Research & Extension

11:00-11:30    School Garden Sustainability in a Public School District, Jennifer Grabner, Southern Boone Learning Garden

11:30-12:15    Developing A University Student Farm For All, Kimberly James, Program Director for the SDSU Student Farm

1:15-2:00        Community Orchards - Examples from Nebraska, Vaughn Hammond, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

2:00-2:30        Auburn Community Garden Project, Craig Long, Auburn Community Garden

2:30-3:00        Master Gardeners and Community Gardens, Beth Rydberg, Iowa Master Gardener

3:00-3:30        Growing Through the Winter for School, Community and Home Gardens, Jennifer Grabner, Ashland, MO

Food Safety/GAPs

9:00-10:00      The Food Safety Modernization Act: Proposed Produce Safety Rule, Gretchen Wall, Cornell University

10:00-10:30    FSMA Preventive Controls Rule, Dr. Jayne Stratton, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Food Science

11:00-11:30    Harmonized and Basic GAP/GHP Audit, Douglas Goodson, USDA

11:30-12:30    Food Safety Plan Writing: Resources, Tips, & Tricks for Getting Started, Gretchen Wall, Cornell University & Sarah Browning, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

1:30-3:30        Postharvest Sanitation and Produce Wash Water Workshop, Gretchen Wall, Cornell University

Registration & Cost

Preconference Workshops-$55 regular; $25 student

Friday Conference-$45 regular; $25 student

Saturday-$45 regular; $25 student

For more information and to register go to http://greatplainsgrowers.org/