Friday Schedule 2025

9:00 - 10:30 am -  KEYNOTE: Paul Rasch

Morning
8:00-9:00  Registration and Trade Show opens
9:00 - 10:30  Welcome and Keynote
10:30 - 11:00 AM Break and Trade show
11:00 - 11:55 Educational sessions

 Lunch
12:00 - 1:30
All attendees break for lunch at the same time with extra time for networking and to visit the trade show and research posters.

Afternoon
1:30 - 5:00 Educational sessions
3:30 - 4:00 Break and Trade Show
5:00 - 6:00 Grower Association Meetings - KS, MO, NE
​​6:00-8:00 Grower Innovation & Pizza Party  all welcome, no reservation needed.

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8:00 am - 6:00 pm -  Trade Show (continues throughout the day)
All track sessions are aligned by time this year and last 55 minutes w/ 5 minutes for transition. Lunch is an hour and a half to allow for networking in trade show.

TREE Fruit

The tree fruit track this year focuses on pest and disease management in orchards. From new resistant cultivars to integrating monitoring in a pest management program, Nationally recognized speakers will discuss upcoming problematic trends in orchard management.

11:00 - 11:55 pm
Using Pheromone Traps In A Pest Management Program - Raymond Cloyd
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12 - 1:30 PM Lunch, Trade Show
Authors w/ Research Posters 1:00-1:30 PM

1:30 - 2:25 pm
Apple Cultivar and Rootstock Trial Updates, Suzanne Slack

2:30 - 3:25 pm
Apple disease management for the Midwest, George Sundin 
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3:30 - 4:00 PM Break, Trade Show & Authors w/ Research Posters
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4:00 - 5:25 pm 
Insect Disease Updates, Kacie Athey - End of Track 

PROTECTED CULTURE (TUNNELS)

Improve Your Specialty Crop Production Skills! 
Want to enhance your farming techniques and sustainability? Don't miss the opportunity to learn about specialty crop production and high tunnel management.
This workshop will Learn valuable techniques to take your farming practices to the next level. Learn how to improve sustainability and boost your crop yields!

11:00 - 11:55 pm
Caterpillar Tunnel Production on a Vegetable Farm, Melissa and Andrew Marks of Triple M Acres
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12 - 1:30 PM Lunch, Trade Show
Authors w/ Research Posters 1:00-1:30 PM

1:30 - 2:25 pm
Fingerling Potato Production in High Tunnels and the Field, Tim Reinbott, Juan Cabrera-Garcia 

2:30 - 3:25 pm
Water Management for Vegetable Crops on Small Farms, Wenjing Guan  - End of Track
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3:30 - 4:00 PM Break, Trade Show & Authors w/ Research Posters
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Business dev. and marketing​

Are you a fruit or vegetable entrepreneur ready to elevate your business by adding value and expanding, but not sure where to start? We will help you navigate the complexities of scaling up, diversifying and enhancing your farm business. 

11:00 - 11:55 pm
Five Key Considerations as You Scale Your Business   Denice Ferguson and Ryan Milhollin
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12 - 1:30 PM Lunch, Trade Show
Authors w/ Research Posters 1:00-1:30 PM

1:30 - 2:25 pm
Will it work? Assessing New Farm Products  Ryan Milhollin and Mallory Rahe

2:30 - 3:25 pm
The Agribusiness Startup Playbook: Best Practices for New Farmers - Farmer Panel   Denice Ferguson, 
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3:30 - 4:00 PM Break, Trade Show & Authors w/ Research Posters
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4:00 - 5:25 pm 
Making the Decision to Diversity Mallory Rahe and Katie Neuner - End of Track

SARE FARMER FORUM

Connect and network with farmers that are awarded by SARE to implement a project on Sustainable Agriculture. The farmers will speak about their projects, their grants and their experiences with SARE. Missouri SARE coordinators will speak about the grant writing process and share handouts relevant to applications for SARE Grants. ​

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Jane I. Sueme Developing Local Honeybee Queen Stock

11:30 AM – 11:55 PM Kirstin Bailey Honeybees on the Farm: Enhancing Agriculture and Conservation through Women-Led Beekeeping Initiatives

12 - 1:30 PM Lunch, Trade Show
Authors w/ Research Posters 1:00-1:30 PM

1:30 PM – 2:10 PM Ionut Lucian Toma SARE Funded Benefits of On-Farm Vermicomposting

2:10 PM – 2:50 PM Thomas Ruggieri
Pilot Testing of Raw Elderberry Vinegar Production Feasibility for Small Farms

2:50 PM – 3:25PM Touria Eaton and Dan Downing
SARE Grant Funding Opportunities for Farmers

​3:30 - 4:00 PM Break, Trade Show & Authors w/ Research Posters

4:00 PM - 4:35 PM Panel Discussion

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VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

Successful vegetable growers are able to build efficient systems that support all factors impacting vegetable growth. Building a strong system requires competency in the many facets of crop production. Learn from growers and educators on how to build and manage an effective vegetable production system. ​

11:00 - 11:55 pm
Factors to consider to optimize micro-Irrigation in vegetable crops. Ramon Arancibia
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12 - 1:30 PM Lunch, Trade Show
Authors w/ Research Posters 1:00-1:30 PM

1:30 - 2:25 pm
From Seed to Sale, Success with Lettuce and Leafy Greens, Melissa and Andrew Marks of Triple M Acres

2:30 - 3:25 pm
Building a Solid Foundation to Support Vegetable Yields through Soil and Fertility Management (include fertigation intro)
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3:30 - 4:00 pm Break
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4:00 - 5:25 pm 
Dialing in Fertility Management with Plant Tissue Testing - End of Track 

3:30 - 4:00 PM Break, Trade Show & Authors w/ Research Posters


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FOREST FARMING

Forest farmed crops (known as non-timber forest products or NTFPs) include edible plants, mushrooms, medicinal herbs, tree syrups, decorative items, and more. Discuss forest farming opportunities in the Midwest, and a new forest farming coalition designed to support the production of NTFPs and their producers in the Midwest.​

11:00 - 11:25 PM
Introduction to Agroforestry/Forest Farming, Sougata Bardhan

11:30 - 11:55 PM
What is the Midwest Forest Farming Coalition, Ezra Houston
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12 - 1:30 PM Lunch, Trade Show
Authors w/ Research Posters 1:00-1:30 PM

1:30 - 1:55 PM
Forest Farming in Kansas: The Garden at Dogwood Forest Rick Mareske

2:00 - 2:25 PM
Site Selection, Bed Preparation and Managing Soil Fertility, Badger Johnson 

2:30 - 2:55 PM
Ramps: From Homestead Hustle to FSA registered Forest Farmer, Jackie Casteel

2:55 - 3:25 PM Forest Farming: Plant Propagation Strategies, Badger Johnson
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3:30 - 4:00 PM Break, Trade Show & Authors w/ Research Posters

​4:00 - 5:25 pm 
NRCS cost share funding for forest farmers, Angela George) - End of Track

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  5:00 - 6:00 pm State Grower Association Meetings - Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri

6:00 - 8:00 pm Grower Innovation Night & Pizza Party  5:00 - 7:00 pm Cash Bar ​