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Expand your knowledge of vegetable production

The upcoming Great Lakes Expo will offer three days of educational sessions in December.

November 15, 2024

4 Min Read
Wooden box with organic vegetables in the hands of a farmer in a greenhouse
GREAT LAKES EXPO: Each year, the event features a robust agenda of vegetable programming organized by Michigan State University Extension covering a wide range of crops, offering something for everybody when it comes to learning about new developments in the vegetable industry. Nadezhda Novikova/Getty images

by Chris Galbraith

The annual Great Lakes Expo, which is set for Dec. 10-12 at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Mich., features educational sessions on important industry topics, a large trade show for networking and discovery, and other specialized workshops and meetings.

Since 2001, the event has been a consistent favorite among growers and other ag professionals across the country.

The following information describes the vegetable sessions offered at the expo this year. These are highlights for vegetable producers and are by no means the complete program. Many other educational sessions centered on fruit, greenhouse production, farm marketing and other areas of specialty crop production will be offered as well. To view the full agenda and to find more information, visit the expo website.

Each year, the event features a robust agenda of vegetable programming organized by Michigan State University Extension, covering a wide range of crops, offering something for everybody when it comes to learning about new developments in the vegetable industry.

Many of the sessions are also worth Michigan and Ohio restricted-use pesticide credits and certified crop advisor credits in various categories.

Tuesday, Dec. 10

Pickles and vine crops, 9 to 11 a.m.

  • Pest Management in Cucurbits with an Emphasis on Pollinator Protection by Laura Ingwell, Purdue University

  • Houghtaling Farms: Our Experience Growing Cucumbers and Pumpkins. Challenges and our Strategies by Mike Houghtaling, Houghtaling Farms

  • Trends from the Vine Crop Seed World by Dana Hilfinger, Johnny's Selected Seeds

  • Downy Mildew Update by Mary Hausbeck, MSU

Asparagus, 9 to 11 a.m.

  • Asparagus Beetle Management by Zsofia Szendrei, MSU

  • Purple Spot Update by John Spafford and Mary Hausbeck, MSU

  • Irrigation and Calcium Interactions in Asparagus by Zack Hayden, MSU

  • Progress Toward Predicting Asparagus Emergence by Dan Brainard, MSU

Brassicas, 9 to 11 a.m.

  • Tips and Tricks for Summer Harvested Broccoli and Cauliflower by Ben Phillips, MSU

  • Diversifying Weed Management Strategies for Improving Weed Control in Cole Crops by Thierry Besancon, Rutgers University

  • Lessons Learned Growing Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Baby Kale on a Commercial Scale by Jon Dinsmore, Dinsmore Farms, Inc.

  • Managing Insect Pests in Brassica Crops by Zsofia Szendrei, MSU

Sweet corn, 2 to 4 p.m.

  • Managing Insect Pests in Sweet Corn by Zsofia Szendrei, MSU

  • Wildlife Management Strategies in Corn by Olivia Smith, MSU

  • Evaluating Tools to Manage Sweet Corn Tar Spot in Central Wisconsin by Amanda Gevens, University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Sweet Corn Weed Control Begins With the Weeds by Mark VanGessel, University of Delaware

Root crops, 2 to 4 p.m.

  • Root Crop Weed Control Roundtable by Katrina Becker — Cattail Organics, Wendy Zhang — Kejay Farms, Sam Oschwald Tilton, Glacial Drift Enterprises

  • A Primer on Aster Yellows and Testing in 2024 by Jan Byrne, MSU

  • Researching Root Lesion Nematodes in Carrots and More by Marisol Quintanilla-Tornel and Lance Fosberg, MSU

  • Getting the Most from your Carrots Through Beneficial Root-microbial Relationships by Lori Hoagland, Purdue University

Soil health and cover cropping, 2 to 4 p.m.

  • Promoting Beneficial Microbes with Biocontrol Capabilities in Tomato Cropping Systems by Lori Hoagland, Purdue University

  • Managing Nematodes with Soil Amendments in Vegetable and Fruit Crops by Marisol Quintanilla, MSU

  • Soil Health Strategies at Providence Organic Farm by Ryan Romeyn, Providence Organic Farm

  • Cover Crops for Weed Control and Other Goals by Katrina (Kat) Becker, Cattail Organics

Wednesday, Dec. 11

Mushrooms, 9 to 11 a.m.

  • How We Do It: Wild Foraging by Aaron Grenchik, Great Lakes Treats

  • How We Do It: Outdoor Production by Rich Leep, Leep Mushrooms

  • How We Do It: Indoor Production by Chris Swinson, Mycophile's Garden

  • How We Do It: Marketing by Jill Grenchik, Great Lakes Treats; Rich Leep, Leep Mushrooms; and Chris Swinson, Mycophile's Garden

Onions, 9 to 11 a.m.

  • Stemphylium Update by Mary Hausbeck, MSU

  • Onion Weed Control and IPM — An Ontario Perspective by Wendy Zhang, Kejay Farms

  • New Onion Weeds and their Seeds by Dan Brainard, MSU; and
    Jordan Hoekstra, Vriesland Growers Cooperative Inc.

  • Onion Thrips Research Update by Zsofia Szendrei, MSU

Tomato, pepper, eggplant, 9 to 11:30 a.m.

  • Soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch: Should you Make the Switch? by Shuresh Ghimire, University of Connecticut

  • The Secret Sauce: How We Add Value to Chili’s in a Northern Climate by Nate Mehren, Fat Baby Hot Sauce

  • Innovative Bed Designs for Tomato Production: Analyzing Soil Fumigation and Irrigation Patterns by Emmanuel Torres Quezada, North Carolina State University

  • How We Do It: Grafting, Steaming, and Soil Disinfestation by Ernest Zimmerman and Terry Zimmerman

Organic vegetable management, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

  • Systems of Machinery for Any Scale, with a Focus On Controlling Weeds by Sam Oschwald Tilton, Glacial Drift Enterprises LLC

  • Your First Date with the Soil-making Good Observations and Soil Testing by Vicki Morrone, MSU

  • Pest Management in Protected Culture With Emphasis on Biological Control by Laura Ingwell, Purdue University

  • Organic Meet and Greet by Julie Studier, Tower Hill Farm; Ryan Romeyn, Providence Farm; and Katie Brandt, MSU

Potato, 2 to 4 p.m.

  • Potato Insect and Pest Management for Market Growers by Ray Rantz and Zsofia Szendrei, MSU

  • Potato Disease Management for Market Producers by Jaime Willbur, MSU

  • Irrigation Management and Efficiency in Potato Systems by Younsuk Dong, MSU; and Lyndon Kelley, MSU & Purdue University

  • Nematodes in Potato Systems — Is Compost a Solution? By Marisol Quintanilla, MSU

Celery, 2 to 4 p.m.

  • Carrot Weevil Control by Elizabeth Long, Purdue University

  • Update on Celery Meltdown Research by Douglas Minier and Mary Hausbeck, MSU

  • Primer on Aster Yellows and Leafhopper Testing in 2024 by Jan Byrne, MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostics

Registration is open now. Make a plan to attend the Great Lakes Expo this year to learn and connect with fellow vegetable growers, university and Extension staff, and other ag service providers from all around the country.

Galbraith writes for MSU Extension.

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