Horticulture Congress to Educate, Connect Growers

Farmers, growers and owners of agritourism businesses can gain new information in their fields and connect with other professionals at the Indiana Horticulture Congress and Trade Show in Indianapolis.

The congress, which typically draws more than 800 visitors yearly, will be held Jan. 22-24 at the Wyndham Indianapolis West, 2544 Executive Drive. The conference will feature speakers from around the state on a variety of topics in areas such as agritourism, fresh fruits and vegetables, wine grapes, organics, farmers markets and raw products. There will be luncheons, receptions, banquets, roundtables and lectures.

"Our educational sessions are designed to meet the needs of growers, with information on production practices, pest and disease control, processing, marketing, agritourism, food safety and legislative and regulatory concerns," said Peter Hirst, associate professor of horticulture at Purdue University. "The congress is also a wonderful opportunity to reacquaint with old friends and business contacts, as well as form new connections."

Coinciding with the congress is the trade show with more than 70 exhibitors from equipment, seed, processed food and irrigation companies. During the conference, attendees can participate in a cider contest by submitting two 1-gallon jugs of cider to the registration desk by noon that Wednesday, and can also bid in a silent auction to benefit the tree fruit and vegetable extension and research funds.

Certified private pesticide applicators may attend a recertification session on Wednesday or Thursday. There is a $10 fee to attend the session, and participants must know their private applicator license numbers. Additionally, licensed commercial applicators in category 1 may attend sessions for their continuing certification hours.

Early registration is due by Jan. 14 and must be accompanied by full payment in order to be processed. Fees do not include meals and will vary based on participants' membership in certain horticultural associations. Participants should visit www.inhortcongress.org to register. There will be a late fee of $20 added to the registration price for submissions after Jan. 14. Students and educators are eligible to receive free registration.

For more information, contact Tammy Goodale at 765-494-1296 or tgoodale@purdue.edu.

Purdue Experts Remind About Proper Food Handling Amid Salmonellosis Outbreak

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University food safety experts are reminding consumers to thoroughly wash and properly store all produce in the wake of a salmonellosis outbreak in Kentucky.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health issued an alert Friday reporting that a salmonellosis outbreak in that state may be related to cantaloupes, specifically melons grown in southwestern Indiana. The alert said an investigation is continuing into other salmonellosis cases in Kentucky that could be related to cantaloupe and watermelon consumption. At this point, there has been no confirmation that any particular grower or growers are connected to the outbreak.

 

Haley Oliver, a Purdue food microbiologist, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises washing cantaloupes under running water with a stiff brush and refrigerating the fruit within two hours of cutting.

 

"Proper refrigeration stops the growth of Salmonella and E. coli," Oliver said. "With cantaloupe, especially, you should entirely remove the rind from the fruit since that rind has crevices and is porous."

 

Oliver said all fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed, and anyone with compromised immune systems, including children or the elderly, should cook those foods.

 

"This doesn't mean that people need to stop eating melons. Proper washing of all produce minimizes risks of foodborne illnesses," Oliver said.

 

An FDA guide to selecting and safely serving fruits and vegetables can be viewed at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm114299

 

Daniel Egel, a Purdue Extension plant pathologist who specializes in vegetable pathology, said that salmonella is often transferred to food through manure. He said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that manure be applied long before crops are planted, that workers wash their hands and that produce should be thoroughly washed to prevent such incidents.

Assessing Freeze Damage on Fruit

Commercial and home fruit growers across the state have been assessing potential damage to their crops after last week's overnight freezing temperatures.  While a freeze/frost event this time of year is certainly not unusual, what was unusual is how far ahead of schedule fruit crops are this year compared to normal. 

To help growers better assess damage to common tree and small fruits, Purdue Extension Specialists Bruce Bordelon, Peter Hirst, and Jon Obermeyer have produced a series of videos addressing last week's freeze and the effects on apples, peaches, grapes, strawberries, and blackberries. 

The videos are available on the Purdue Extension Entomology YouTube channel.  Links to each specific video are below:

Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Apples
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Peaches
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Grapes
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Strawberries
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Blackberries

Upcoming Events - "Getting Started in Vegetable, Fruit, and Specialty Crop Production" Workshop at Hort Congress

Are you interested in growing and marketing fresh fruit, vegetables or other specialty crops locally but are unsure how to get started?  Then plan to attend a special workshop specifically designed to meet the needs of beginning farmers.  Workshop participants will learn what it takes to start and manage a successful specialty crop business.  Extension specialists from Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will discuss resource assessment, goal setting, financial planning and marketing options.  Growers will also be on hand to share their experiences and answer questions about starting new specialty crop enterprises using a range of different production and direct marketing strategies. 

This workshop is part of the Indiana Horticulture Congress, which will also include more advanced sessions featuring fruit and vegetable production, agritourism, wine and grapes, on-farm food safety, organics, and high tunnel management.  Horticulture Congress is January 17-19 at the Wyndham Hotel in Indianapolis, with the "Getting Started" workshop being held January 17 from 9:00 AM- 5:30 PM EST.  Registration to Hort Congress is required for attendance at the "Getting Started" workshop.  Conference information and registration available here.      

Upcoming Events - Horticulture Congress Will Educate Fruit and Vegetable Growers

The approaching winter season is the perfect time for Indiana specialty crop growers to learn about industry "hot topics" from Purdue University experts.

The Indiana Horticulture Congress and Trade Show will take place Jan. 17-19 at the Wyndham Indianapolis West, 2554 Executive Drive, Indianapolis. The event includes networking functions and educational workshops dealing with issues such as beginning specialty crop farming, production practices, pest and disease control, marketing, food safety, labor, and production in high tunnels and greenhouses.

"The conference provides three days of educational material to increase the skill levels of fruit and vegetable growers in Indiana and surrounding states," said Jennifer Dennis, Purdue horticulture professor. "Attendees have the chance to learn about trends in the industry from Purdue University Extension educators and faculty."

The trade show is expanding this year to encompass more exhibitors attracted by larger attendance at the Congress, which has surpassed 800 the past two years.

Participants will be introduced to My Local Indiana, a new organization to help consumers find locally grown products while promoting Indiana farms, agritourism, wineries and farmers markets.

Attendees with private applicator permits, which allow growers to use restricted or state-limited herbicides, can participate in the Private Applicator Recertification Program. All permit holders must participate in three recertification programs within five years of receiving their permit. The program will be held 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan.18. There is a $10 fee to receive credits.

Special events will include a silent auction to help support fruit and vegetable Extension activities, a screening of "The Greenhorns," a documentary about beginning farmers and an Indiana Wine Grape reception at which attendees can taste Indiana wines while browsing the trade show.

Apple cider producers can participate in the annual cider contest by submitting two, one-gallon jugs of cider by Wednesday morning of the conference. A consumer panel will judge the ciders, and awards will be given to the makers of the three best ciders in the state.

Registration is due Jan. 9. Hotel rooms should also be booked at the Wyndham by that date to receive special conference rates.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.inhortcongress.org