Dear Valued VCH Readers, Welcome to the first edition of the 2025 Vegetable Crops Hotline newsletter! As we begin this new growing season, I’m excited to continue our tradition of providing timely, research-based information to support Indiana’s vegetable-growing community. Our mission remains steadfast: to deliver crucial updates on pest management, production practices, food safety, and…Read more about From The Editor’s Desk[Read More]
Vegetable Crops - General
As I sit by the window watching the snow fall, I can’t help but think about what’s on the minds of many high tunnel farmers right now: Can my tunnels withstand the snow? It’s a concern I haven’t faced in recent years, but this winter feels uncertain. As you can imagine, ensuring the safety of…Read more about Ready for the Snow, Resources for Tunnel Growers[Read More]
Two USDA programs that provide payments to vegetable, fruit, and other specialty crop farmers have January deadlines. The FSA Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) application deadline is January 8, 2025. Payments are based on your specialty crop sales for 2023 or 2024, or for new producers, expected sales in 2025. See the fact sheet…Read more about January Deadlines for Two USDA Specialty Crop Programs[Read More]
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…Read more about Fifteen Reasons to Attend the Indiana Hort Conference January 14-15, 2025[Read More]
Southern Indiana Vegetable Growers Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with Illiana Watermelon Association Convention (IWA). The meeting will take place on January 17th in French Lick, Indiana. The meeting agenda is posted below. Additional details about the event can be found on the IWA website. Registration and booth questions should be directed to…Read more about Southern Indiana Vegetable Growers & Illiana Watermelon Accociation Winter Meeting[Read More]
Farmer Recourse Planning for the Small-Scale Market Farmer Virtual via Zoom Get Your Farm Off To A Great Start! The goal of this 8-session program is to help new and beginning farmers find success through the creation of a practical action plan. The program helps farmers set goals, identify assets and challenges, and become aware…Read more about Virtual Beginning Farmer Program[Read More]
Purdue University Extension’s 2024 Rooted & Resilient Homesteading Conference will take place on November 1 and 2 in Kendallville, IN, at the Community Learning Center. Attendees will gain practical skills and knowledge needed to build a thriving, self-sufficient homestead. The hands-on conference will bring together local experts and passionate homesteaders, who will lead workshops on…Read more about Homesteading Conference Will Feature Hands-on Workshops For Experts and Beginners[Read More]
Internships are a key part of training our students to be successful. With that in mind, Seed Your Future and NC State University have teamed up to help more students complete internships and help employers offer internships. The information will be used to create the following resources: Best Practices Guide for Creating and Managing Horticultural…Read more about Seed Your Future Horticulture Internship Study[Read More]