Southwest Indiana Melon and Vegetable Growers’ Technical Meeting
Date: November 28, 2016 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EST)
Location: Southwest Purdue Ag Center (SWPAC), 4369 N. Purdue Road, Vincennes, IN
The meeting will start at 5 P.M. for board members to discuss topics for the March meeting. Any member who wants to participate in the discussion is welcome. At 6 P.M., dinner will be served. Following that, we will showcase variety trials conducted at SWPAC in 2016, which include seedless watermelons, cantaloupes, personal-sized watermelons, and seeded watermelons. Any grower interested in becoming a member is invited to attend. Membership dues are $15 per year and can be paid at the meeting. To register please call (812) 886-0198. Registration is due by Nov. 22. Any questions, please contact Wenjing Guan at guan40@purdue.edu
Illiana Vegetable Growers Symposium
Date: January 5, 2017 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. CST
Location: Teibel’s Family Restaurant, 1775 US 41, US 30 & US 41, Schererville, Indiana
Registration will be available in December. For more information, please contact vegcrops@purdue.edu or (219) 548-3674. Updated information will be available at http://tinyurl.com/ivgs2017
Indiana Horticultural Congress – Note New Date and Venue
Date: January 10-12, 2017
Location: Indianapolis Marriott East Hotel, 7202 East 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46219
The Indiana Horticultural Congress is an educational meeting designed to meet the needs of fruit, vegetable, wine, organics, and specialty crop growers and marketers in Indiana and surrounding states. All interested individuals are invited to attend. For hotel reservations: Book your group rate for Indiana Horticultural Congress & Trade Show on-line, or call (800) 991-3346 and state you are making a reservation for the Indiana Horticultural Congress, Indianapolis Marriott East.
Beginning Farmer Tour
Date: September 29, 2016
Location: River Ridge Farm, Roann, IN.
This four-season farm produces vegetables and small fruits. The tour will include information about operating an on-farm store, farm-to-school, and four-season growing.The tour will be 9:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. (EST). Lunch will be served. The tours are free, but registration is required. Registration at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/wk_rules.asp?itemID=22368
Beginning Farmer Tour for U.S. Military Veterans
Date: October 15, 2016
Location: Ponderosa Aqua Farm, Cataract, IN
All military veterans, active service members, and their families are invited for a tour of Ponderosa Aqua Farm. The farm is a functioning aquaponics system that raises talapia and uses the emulsions from the fish to provide nutrients for their organic microgreens. Expert presentations on hydroponics and aquaculture will precede the farm tour. The event is 10 A.M..-4 P.M. A lunch will be served. The tours are free, but registration is required. Registration at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/wk_rules.asp?itemID=22370
Aquaponics Conference
Date: October 28-29, 2016
Location: Kokomo Event & Conference Center, 1500 N. Reed Road in Kokomo
Aquaponics is a system that combines fish rearing and vegetable production. Topics include food safety of vegetables, pest control in aquaponics operations, indoor environmental conditions, vegetables for aquaponics, greenhouse structures and fish in aquaponics operations.
Early-bird registration fee through Sept. 18 is $90 for Indiana Aquaculture Association Inc. (IAAI) members and $100 for non-members. After that date, registration is $100 for IAAI members and $125 for non-members. An optional tour of Green River Greenhouse can be added for an additional $20 per person. Registration is available at www.indianaaquaculture.com.
Organic Soil-borne Disease Management Webinar
Date: October 13, 2016 from Noon – 1:00 P.M. (CST)
University of Illinois Local Food Systems/Small Farms Extension Educators Laurie George and James Theuri will discuss different soil pathogens that can cause production issues in vegetables, as well as present non-chemical ways of suppressing some of the more common soilborne disease-causing organisms. Discussions will also include biological control of bacterial and fungal organisms. The webinar is free, pre-registration is required by October 11, 2016. Registration and more information is available at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=14944
7th National Small Farm Conference
Date: September 20-22, 2016
Location: Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
More information about the conference can be found at http://www.vsu.edu/nationalsmallfarmconference/