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2025 Keynote speaker: Paul Rasch, President & Owner of Wilson's Farm & Orchard
Join us on Friday, January 9th from 9:00 -10:30am for our Welcome and Keynote Address, featuring Paul Rauch​
Paul Rasch has been orcharding his whole life, but is relatively new to Iowa, having moved about seven years ago. Originally from Michigan, he is the fourth generation of his family to be in the fruit business, and owns and operates Wilson’s Orchard near Iowa City. Despite being relatively new to the area, Rasch quickly has become involved with others working to promote local food.
He grows over a hundred different varieties of apples, and sells many products made from the harvest. 
He has good reason to do so. He explains, “It’s really the resurgence of interest in local foods that keeps this place going. Without that you have nothing. If everyone thought a Washington apple and a local apple were the same we wouldn’t have a business.”
Wilson’s Orchard is located in a scenic area by Rapid Creek that includes old oak forest. Here, Rasch cultivates 130 unique varieties of apples. He has an on-site retail store for visitors to buy harvested apples and a U-Pick operation so people can pick their own. He also grows pumpkins, and the store has a bakery offering pies and turnovers, as well as applesauce, cider and cider vinegar.
The orchard offers events throughout the fall, including an applesauce weekend, back-to-school weekend and a blueberry bonanza. Wilson’s Orchard cider and apples are sold at local Hy-Vee stores, and the cider may also be found at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.

Stay tuned for more on our Keynote for the 2025 Great Plains Growers Conference and his message to us for the upcoming season.

Hard CIDER Tasting EVENT
TICKETS ON SALE!!

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The option to purchase tickets for our Hard Cider Tasting w/ Pizza is available for the 2025 conference. This event will be held offsite the River Bluff Brewery, a venue in St. Joseph, Missouri.  The idea came as the Hard Cider Workshop organizers began planning and wanted to have a way for not only the workshop attendees but anyone who was interested and in town on Thursday night to network with other growers and taste a variety of hard ciders both on and off market.  Tickets can be purchased for the event by clicking the button below. Must be 21 years + to purchase a ticket and attend, will be required to  show legal proof of age. Each ticketed guest will also get to enjoy one of our local favorites, Pizza Tascio, serving authentic New York Style pizza.
Win a Free 2026 Conference Registration!
We want to hear about your conference experience. Complete the conference survey and you will be entered in a drawing for a free 2026 Friday & Saturday registration. Link will be made available after the 2025 conference.  

Pre-Conference WORKSHOPS January 9th conference & Trade Show January 10-11th

The Great Plains Growers Conference (GPGC) is an essential annual midwestern event for commercial fruit and vegetable producers, specialty crops and hobbyists across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and other Midwestern states. It offers valuable, research-driven insights from both vegetable research specialists and experienced local growers, designed to help your farm flourish and succeed.

2025 Tracks Include:
  • Business Development/Marketing 
  • Tree Fruits
  • Small Fruits
  • Vegetable Production
  • Integrated Pest Management
  • Organic/Regenerative Agriculture
  • Protected Culture (Tunnels) 
  • Greenhouse/Hydroponics
  • Cut-flower production 
  • North-Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Farmer Forum 
  • Forest Farming
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Pre-Conference Workshops - January 9th

  • Hard Cider
  • Nut Orchards   
Workshops will be held on Thurs., Jan. 9th prior to the regular conference, attendees must register for workshops separate from the conference registration. For more details on each workshop select the "SCHEDULES" tab at the top of this page and select "2025 Workshop Schedule - Thursday".

the trade show

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Join us at the Trade Show on January 10-11, 2025 for a chance to explore and discuss the latest products with vendors. Discover new seeds, supplies, equipment, and valuable grower information all in one place.  The Vendors and Trade Show tab at the top of this page will take you to more information on how to register for a booth in the tradeshow and we will continue to update those vendors who have committed to the 2025 conference so attendees have an idea who will be there!

Conference partner

The NCR-SARE Farmers Forum gives farmers, researchers, and educators the opportunity to share results from their on-farm grant research projects with other growers. The grant projects are supported by North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE), a USDA-funded program that supports and promotes sustainable farming and ranching by offering competitive grants and educational opportunities.

Conference organizers

This conference is organized by Extension professionals from the following universities: