- Meet Purdue’s new Extension vegetable pathologist, Dr. César Escalante, and hear about the cucurbit diseases he found in 2024.
- Learn from Indiana’s cover crop guru, Dr. Eileen Kladivko–she doesn’t speak often at events focused on vegetable crops, so this is a unique opportunity to hear from someone who knows our soils and how cover crops improve their health.
- Get the essential vegetable weed management updates from Dr. Stephen Meyers, who does the field trials, to know what works.
- Learn how to provide food and habitat for the ‘good bugs’ that pollinate your crops or eat the ‘bad bugs’ from Dr. Laura Ingwell.
- Get inspired to try a new pepper production system or venture into Scotch bonnet peppers after hearing from Dr. Petrus Langenhoven and Nathan Shoaf.
- Join the discussion about future climate challenges for vegetable production: what’s expected, and what are/can farmers do about it?
- Step into the Markets session to learn what buyers really want from Camillia Ulloa and Dr. Ariana Torres. Analyze the costs and benefits of beneficial insects for spinach in high tunnels from Jean Pierre Zavala and hear what it takes to get ready for new markets from Dr. Tim Woods.
- Discover market opportunities through online food hubs operating in Indiana at the panel discussion with Region Roots, Market Wagon, and Local Source, hosted by Sarah Hanson in the Markets session.
- Gain tips for protecting high tunnel crops from nematodes, insects, and diseases with Drs. Wenjing Guan, Lei Zhang, Laura Ingwell, and César Escalante, in the High Tunnel session.
- Evaluate how soil moisture sensors could help you manage irrigation in high tunnel tomatoes with Drs. Wenjing Guan and Liz Maynard.
- Understand NRCS cost-share programs available for high tunnel production with Cara Bergschneider.
- High tunnel crops need pollination too; how can you help that happen? Learn from Robert Grosdidier.
- Take home ideas for improving the soil in your high tunnels, compiled from the experiences of Dr. Matt Kleinhenz.
- Figure out what benefits companion plants could bring to your high tunnel with Allison Zablah.
- Learn about strategies for managing the environment for strawberries and greens in high tunnels over the winter from Drs. Wenjing Guan and Liz Maynard.
Plus, sign up for PARP (Private Applicator Recertification) Credit!
And we can’t ignore the value of meeting and talking with other attendees, suppliers, speakers, and conference staff.
This list doesn’t include what you will find in the Fruit, Controlled Environment, Food Safety, and Raw Products-Processing Tomato Sessions. Check them out too
Register now at https://indianahortconference.org/
Hope to see you there!!