Purdue Extension is hosting two field days this July that together cover a wide range of fruit and vegetable production topics – one tailored to small-scale and urban growers, and one designed for commercial producers looking to engage directly with the latest research from Purdue.
Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Field Day – July 16, 2026
The Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on July 16 will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at the Throckmorton Purdue Agricultural Center’s Meigs Horticulture Research Farm, 9101 S. 100 E., Lafayette. This year’s agenda features demonstrations on pollination and pest management in high tunnel tomatoes using companion cut flower plantings, dogwood borer identification and management in apple orchards, an introduction to the long-term Resilient Agriculture Research Trial comparing reduced-input and conventional specialty crop production, Scotch bonnet pepper variety performance and mechanical harvest potential, automated smart trap technology for cucumber beetle monitoring in cucurbits, and cut flower production for Midwest markets. Registration is $48 and includes a lunch from Great Harvest Bread Co. Registration is open, but the full agenda will be available soon.
Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day – July 23, 2026
The Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day on July 23 will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at the Purdue Student Farm, 1491 Cherry Lane, West Lafayette. Co-hosted by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and the Purdue Student Farm, this event features hands-on demonstrations and presentations on cut flower production from seed to sale, microbial approaches to managing root-knot nematodes in high tunnel tomatoes, log-based mushroom production, low tunnel construction and season extension management, insect scouting tools and IPM technologies for high tunnel systems, silage tarp use for weed management in potatoes, and postharvest produce sanitation and rinse conveyor systems. After-lunch on-demand demonstrations will cover black soldier fly rearing for fertilizer and feed production, a hands-on fresh flower arranging session, and sweet pepper varieties for high tunnel production. Registration is $48; lunch is not included, but a food truck will be on-site. Registration is open, but the full agenda will be available soon.
Both events run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and welcome sponsors and exhibitors. For questions about either event, contact Lori Jolly-Brown at ljollybr@purdue.edu. If you are in need of accommodations to attend these programs, submit your request for the Fruit and Vegetable Field Day by July 9; requests for the Small Farm Education Field Day by July 16.