Annual Mid-Ohio Growers meeting is Jan. 9-10 in Mt. Hope

Food is an essential element for living and can come in many shapes and forms as unhealthy versions or as fresh, locally grown produce. The Mid-Ohio Growers meeting will be held at the Mt. Hope Event Center and focus on the latter of the two.

The two-day event, geared toward providing educational information on growing and marketing fruits, vegetables and flowers for the small growers, will be held for the 13th time on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 9-10. The two-day meeting is designed for the grower looking to get started and or gain knowledge from producers/growers who are leading the way with innovations and ideas in their field of expertise.

This year’s event will have more than 35 sessions featuring speakers from around the nation covering topics ranging from growing fruits and vegetables, bees, and soil health. There will be simultaneous presentations in three rooms, designed for people of differing interests.

New this year will be five 2-hour sessions that will take a more in-depth look at the topic on the agenda. The Q-and-A sessions also will be back this year, and in a new twist, there will be a Q-and-A panel session held Jan. 9 at 5:15 p.m. Attendees will be able to drop questions anonymously at designated areas throughout the day and have them answered by the panel of experts.

The morning of Jan. 9 will feature Chuck Schumbrie on minerals and biologicals in soil health. Schumbrie, a regenerative crop consultant for Understanding Kg and a soil health educator for the Soil Health Academy, also will participate in a Q-and-A session.

In another session Henry Detwiler from Detwiler’s Farm Market in Sarasota, Florida will speak on how his business implemented its current culture at its markets. Detwiler is CEO and partner of the multi-generational family business and said the phrase “Eat Fresh for Less” is not a slogan but the way Detwiler’s does business. Detwiler’s Farm Market, which focuses on produce, started a 10-by-20-foot tent at Sutter Egg Farm the Company, expanded multiple times, and now features multiple locations and a distribution warehouse.

Karl Gercens will headline one of seven sessions dedicated to floriculture and will present Creating Flower Combos for all Seasons. Gercens’ resume includes Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Filoli Estate in Woodside, California and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

On Friday Peter Durgin from Durgin Orchard will bring forth the knowledge he acquired growing up in the family business. A second-generation fruit grower and farmer with his father in Smithsburg, Maryland, Durgin’s primary crops include apples, peaches, plums and sweet cherries. He implemented IPM practices such as mating disruption into his operation in 2022. Durgin will present Growing and Marketing Fresh Fruit in his first session and then Orchard Growing and Marketing for the Next Generation.

The trade show with its 100-plus vendors will provide attendees the opportunity to explore the latest ideas and innovations in the horticulture world, and Mrs. Yoder’s will provide a healthy buffet lunch both days. Thursday evening will feature refreshments, with the vendors giving attendees the opportunity to network with fellow growers.

The event will culminate Friday at 2 p.m. with a drawing for a 20-by-48-foot greenhouse. All paid attendees will automatically be entered for the drawing.

The Mid-Ohio Growers meeting is open to the public, and no membership is required. Admission is $45 at the door or preregister by Dec. 14 for $40. One admission covers both days and includes the buffet. Attendees age 14 and under are free.

Doors will open at 7 a.m., and the trade show will open at 8 a.m. Mt. Hope Event Center is located at 8076 state Route 241 in Mt. Hope.

To preregister, send name and address and $40 per attendee by Dec. 14 to Mid-Ohio Growers Meeting, P.O. Box 111, Mt. Hope, OH 44660. Call 330-275-7566 for more information or email midohiogrowersmtg@gmail.com.