Jan 19, 2018

Southwest Michigan hort days set for Feb. 7-8

The Southwest Michigan Horticultural Days, an annual trade show and education event, is happening Feb. 7-8, 2018, at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Bee experts from Michigan State University will be talking about pollinator conservation on your farm. Jeff Andresen, agriculture climatologist, will be going over what we do and don’t know about climate change, and what fruit and vegetable producers might expect going forward. There also will be a chance to get questions answered about the H-2A worker program.

Organizers have added a full session on direct marketing of fruits and vegetables. Anyone running a farm stand or attending a farm market will benefit from this strategic session.

In winegrapes, details will be shared on fine-tuning canopy management and winemaking practices. The focus will be on color stability in red wines. There will be a discussion on what climate change will mean for winegrapes in particular. At the end of the session, there will be a chance to taste wines made from new Minnesota grape varieties.

Pre-registration forms have already been mailed to previous attendees, but you can register now by printing out and mailing in the registration form. You can also register at the door on the day of the event, though the cost is higher. For more information, contact Renee Tinkey at 269-944-1477 or Brad Baughman at 269-927-5674 x4012.

Download the registration form. It also includes the full schedule and registration information.

Booth registration is still open. Call Allen Zelmer at 269-870-5265 for information on booths.