10th Annual Foothills Specialty Crop Roundtable

— Written by Joanna Radford | January 11, 2024

10th Annual Foothills Specialty Crops Roundtable

Join Surry & Yadkin County Cooperative Extension for the 10th Annual Foothills Specialty Crop Growers' Roundtable on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at12 - 5pm at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Surry County Center located at 915 East Atkins Street #300 Dobson, NC 27017.

Please join us for this IN-PERSON informational meeting. There will be numerous specialist available to discuss various horticulture topics related to specialty crops. You will leave with information to help you be more successful in your farming operation. There will be an opening general session and three sessions with various topics to choose from. Invite all of your farm friends too! See event agenda below:

12:00PM-12:15PM: Registration

12:15PM-12:20PM: Welcome-

12:20PM-1:20PM: General Session- How does the NCDA&CS Plant Division Monitor, Evaluate, and Determine Treatment/Eradication Methods for New Pest Introductions to the State?, NCDA&CS Plant Division

1:20-2:20PM: Session 1 (Select One to Attend)

So You Wanna Grow Blackberries?*: Dr. Gina Fernandez, Small Fruits Breeding and Production Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University
How Does Precision Agriculture Fit into Vegetable Production?: Dr. Emmanuel Torres, Virginia Tech Assistant Professor of Horticulture
Benefits of Cover Cropping: Austin Menker, Conservation Agriculture Extension Associate

2 :20-2:35PM: Break-Sponsored by Ag South Farm Credit2 :35-3:35: Session 2 (Select One to Attend)

Greenhouse Pest Management*: Stacey Jones, Area Specialized Agent-Commercial Nursery and Greenhouse
Creating a Pollinator Friendly Farm, Amanda Wilkins, Lee County Cooperative Extension Horticulture Agent
Marketing Trends in Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops: Dr. Jeff Dorfmann, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics

3 :35-3:50PM: Break-Sponsored by Ag South Farm Credit3 :50-4:50PM: Session 3 (Select One to Attend)

Farm Succession Planning: Stephen Bishop, NC FarmLink Western Director
Resources for New & Beginning Farmers: Joanna Radford, Surry County Cooperative Extension County Extension Director/Horticulture Agent
Managing Deer on the Farm*: Jerry Moody, Avery County Cooperative Extension County Extension Director/Horticulture Agent

4:50-5:00PM: Closing/Evaluations-

*Denotes 1 hour of North Carolina Pesticide Credits Pending in Categories N, O, D, and X

Thank you to Ag South Farm Credit for sponsoring this event. We appreciate the support to N.C. Cooperative Extension and to our local farmers!

To register for this event use the registration link below.

Registration