ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association will hold the Upper Midwest Regional Fruit & Vegetable Growers Conference & Trade Show on January 19 and 20, 2017 at St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
The Pre-registration deadline has been extended to January 11, 2017.
Thursday morning, January 19, 2017
OPENING SESSION
8:45 – 9:00 Welcome & Announcements
9:00 – 9:30 Minnesota Farmers’ Union – A Voice for Minnesota Agriculture Thom Peterson
9:30 – 10:30 How You Can Use Drone Technology on Your Farm – Kraig Nelson, Central Lakes College
10:30 – 11:00 Break to the Trade Show
11:00 – 12:00 The Berry Patch in Stephentown, NY – Achieving the Impossible – Dale Ila Riggs
Thursday afternoon, January 19, 2017
SESSION I: BERRY PRODUCTION
1:15 – 2:15 Year in Review – Audience Participation
2:15 – 3:00 Native Pollinators in Blueberries – Dr. Karl Foord, University of Minnesota Extension
3:00 – 3:15 Break to the Trade Show
3:15 – 4:00 Successfully Growing Pesticide Free Blueberries in the Age of SWD – Dale Ila Riggs, The Berry Patch, Stephentown, NY
4:00 – 4:45 Minnesota SWD Research Update and Grower Discussion Dr. Bill Hutchison, Dr. Mary Rogers, Dr. Chris Philips (University of Minnesota)
SESSION II: HIGH TUNNEL PRODUCTION
1:15 – 2:00 Greenhouse Grown Winter Greens – Dr. Carl Rosen, University of Minnesota
2:00 – 2:45 Soil Management & Cover Crops – Liz Perkus & Anne Pfeiffer, University of Minnesota
2:45 – 3:15 Break to the Trade Show
3:15 – 4:00 Pollination in High Tunnels – Dr. Karl Foord, University of Minnesota Extension
4:00 – 4:45 High Tunnel Diseases – Research Update & Emerging Issues – Dr. Angela Orshinsky, University of Minnesota
SESSION III: EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT
1:15 – 2:00 Hiring Foreign Workers and the H2A Program – Jerry Untiedt, Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm and John Jacobson, Pine Tree Orchards
2:00 – 2:45 Worker Protection Standard: One Small Farm’s Approach – Dan Whitcomb, J. Q. Fruit Farm
2:45 – 3:15 Break to the Trade Show
3:15 – 4:00 Food Safety Modernization Act: What Small Farms Need to Know and Do – Michele Schermann, University of Minnesota
SESSION IV: COLE CROPS
1:15 – 1:45 Black Rot and Other Diseases of Cole Crops – Michelle Grabowski, University of Minnesota Extension
1:45 – 2:15 Insects – Dr. Chris Philips, University of Minnesota (NCROC)
2:15 – 2:45 Weed Control – Dr. Bernard Zandstra, Michigan State University
2:45 – 3:15 Fertility Requirements for Field Grown Cole Crops – Dr. Carl Rosen, University of Minnesota
SESSION IV: COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA)
3:30 – 4:30 Making Your CSA Run Smoothly – Facilitated Discussion Led by Linda Carter, Carter’s Red Wagon Farm
4:45 – 5:15 MFVGA Business Meeting
5:15 – 6:30 Social Hour in the Trade Show Area
6:30 Buffet Supper in Trade Show Area (Tickets Required)
Friday morning, January 20, 2017
GENERAL SESSION
8:00 – 9:00 Consumer Survey Results – Paul Hugunin & Tessa Ganser, Minnesota Grown Program
9:00 – 9:30 Identifying Customers & Expanding Markets through Social Media – Discussion facilitated by MN Grown
9:30 – 10:00 Break to the Trade Show
SESSION I: BERRY SESSION
10:00 – 10:45 Grower Profile – Stuart Lavalier, Lavalier’s Berry Patch & Orchard
10:45 – 11:15 Cyclamen Mites After Endosulfan– Dr. Thaddeus McCamant, Central Lakes College
11:15 – 11:45 New and Unreleased Varieties – Terry Nennich, Rod Elmstrand and Dr. Brian Smith
11:45 – 12:15 Controlling Tough Weeds in Strawberries – Dr. Bernard Zandstra, Michigan State University
SESSION II: AGRITOURISM
10:00 – 11:00 Visitors on Farms and Ranches…Keeping Them Safe
11:00 – 12:00 Emergency! How Do I Plan for That? Interactive sessions with Marsha Salzwedel, Youth Agricultural Safety Specialist with the National Farm Medicine Center and the National Children’s Center for Rural Agricultural Health and Safety in Marshfield, WI.
SESSION III: EMERGING SERIOUS INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES
10:00 – 11:00 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Swede Midge and More !! – Dr. Chris Philips, University of Minnesota (NCROC)
11:00 – 12:00 Emerging Diseases – Jeanne Ciborowski, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
SESSION IV: CUT FLOWERS – Part I
Frank and Pamela Arnosky – Texas Specialty Cut Flowers
10:00 – 10:30 The Cut Flower Business, Then and Now, and Where Your Farm Fits In
10:30 – 11:15 Inside or Out? Field and High Tunnel Growing Systems
11:15 – 12:00 Variety Selection – What to Grow – Annuals
Friday afternoon, January 20, 2017
SESSION I: VINE CROPS
1:15 – 2:00 Varieties – Jason Williamson, Siegers Seed Company
2:00 – 2:45 Weed Control – Dr. Bernard Zandstra, Michigan State University
2:45 – 3:00 Break
3:00 – 3:45 How to Identify and Manage Old, Emerging, and New Diseases of Vine Crops in Minnesota – Dr. Angela Orshinsky, University of Minnesota
3:45 – 4:30 How Plant Spacing Affects Yield, Size, and Weed Control – Terry Nennich, University of Minnesota Extension, Emeritus and Rod Elmstrand, Rod’s Berry Farm
SESSION II: TREE FRUIT
1:15 – 2:00 Potential Additions to Your Apple Orchard – Plums, Pie Cherries, etc. – Dr. Brian Smith, University of Wisconsin – River Falls
2:00 – 2:45 Quality Standards and Yield for Honeycrisp, Zestar & SweeTango – Dr. Thaddeus McCamant, Central Lakes College
2:45 – 3:00 Break
3:00 – 3:45 Year in Review
3:45 – 4:30 Hard Cider Industry Update/Roundtable
SESSION III: HIGH TUNNEL PRODUCTION
1:15 – 2:00 Haygrove Tunnels – Pros & Cons – Paul Nelson, Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm
2:00 – 2:30 Internal Management of High Tunnels – Terry Nennich, University of Minnesota Extension, Emeritus
2:30 – 3:15 Grapes in High Tunnels – Tim O’Brien and Terry Nennich
3:15 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 4:00 Technologies – Sides, Vents, etc. – Don Josko, BFG
4:00 – 5:00 Yields in High Tunnel Tomatoes – Dr. Thaddeus McCamant, Central Lakes College
SESSION IV: CUT FLOWERS – Part II
Frank and Pamela Arnosky – Texas Specialty Cut Flowers
1:15 – 2:00 Variety Selection Continued – Perennials and Bulbs
2:00 – 2:45 Grow It! Seeding, Plug Production and Field Growing
2:45 – 3:15 Pick It! Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling
3:15 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 4:00 Sell It! Who Are Your Customers and How to Market to Them?
4:00 – 4:30 Bouquets by the Thousands – Efficient Bouquet Production
4:30 – 4:45 Where’s the Money? Economics and Cash Flow
4:45 – 5:00 Questions ??
Sponsored by
The Minnesota Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association
in cooperation with the
University of Minnesota Extension
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
Click here for a registration form.
For more information contact:
MFVGA Office
15125 W. Vermillion Cir. NE
Ham Lake, MN 55304
Phone: 763-434-0400
Fax: 763-413-9585
E-mail: info@mfvga.org
— MFVGA
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