Nov 27, 2023

Deadline approaching for New England high tunnel conference

The deadline for registering for a New England high tunnel conference is approaching.

The High Tunnel Production Conference: Revitalizing Your Tunnel Vision is scheduled for Dec. 6 – 7 at the Fireside Inn and Suites in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Registration is available here. The registration deadline is Nov. 29.

Registration is $100 for first farm attendee and $75 for each additional farm attendee.

The event is sponsored by the University of New Hampshire (UNH), the University of Vermont (UVM), the University of Maine (UMaine), and the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education.

Tunnel instruction includes a Hands-On High Tunnel School, which are three consecutive and concurrent 1-hour sessions on the basics of tunnel production. The sessions are designed so all attendees rotate around and are able to participate in each session, according to a news release.

Sessions include:

• Identifying insects (good and bad) in high tunnels: Cheryl Sullivan & Margaret Skinner (UVM) & Carol Glenister (IPM Labs)
• Identifying and managing common high tunnel diseases: Ann Hazelrigg (UVM)
• Turning your soil test into practical recommendations: Bruce Hoskins (UMaine), Becky Sideman (UNH), Becky Maden (UVM)
• High Tunnels & Water Management in a Changing Climate: Joshua Faulkner (UVM)
• Impacts of UV-Selective Plastics on Biocontrol: Samantha Willden (Purdue)
• Irrigation Technologies: William Hastings (UNH)

A Tunnel Talk session will include group discussion and industry updates on the following topics:

• High Wind & Other Construction Issues: Kyle Quigley (UNH)
• Cover Crops: Sideman
• Wintertime Augmentative Biocontrol: Anna Wallingford (UNH)
• Pesticide Safety Education Programs: Rachel Maccini (UNH)
• Data Driven Decisions in the Tunnel: Jesse Wright (UNH)
• Grower Insights: Worthwhile Marketing: Wright & Arianna Torres (Purdue)
• Soil Steaming: Maden
• Economics of Biocontrol: Torres
• NRCS services – NRCS representatives

“Come learn how to fine-tune your high tunnel crop production skills and visit the trade show. This conference is for high tunnel growers and agricultural service providers of all experience levels,” organizers said in the release.

Pesticide applicator re-certification credits have been approved in New Hampshire and are good for states accepting reciprocal credits, including New York, according to the release.

The event includes an optional farm tour of the Spring Ledge Farm in New London, New Hampshire.

Learn more about the conference here.