The Extension Express - Cooperative Extension System - University ...

17 The Extension Express
Jude Boucher
Tolland County Extension Center
2011 Connecticut Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers’ Conference evaluations
On January 20 th we co-hosted another successful conference in Vernon with a record
attendance (tied 2009 with 175 people). The trade show sold out once again: there were 19
table requests for 10 available trade show booths. Under general suggestions and comments
about the conference, many folks raved about the program with statements such as;
―outstanding meeting year after year‖, ―great event‖, ―excellent variety of topics.‖
A total of 79 (45%) conference attendants filled out the evaluation and they rated the
conference program as Excellent (48%), Good (50%) or Fair (2%). Of the folks who
answered, 97% said that they learned something to improve their crop production and
marketing practices, 92% said the program would help them improve their pest
management or crop quality, 81% said that it would help them improve their farm‘s
environmental quality, and 79% said that it would help them improve their farm‘s
profitability. Most (73%) also said they would adopt one or more new practices as a
result of attending the conference and listed 19 new practices they would adopt.
Steve Groff, from Cedar Meadows Farm in Holtwood, PA, had both the highest rated
talk of the conference (Solving the cover crop puzzle) and the third highest (High
Tunnels…)! A total of 23 growers said that they would adopt mixed cover crop blends or
some form of cover crop as a new practice this season, while 9 growers said they would
adopt tomato grafting or high tunnels as a result of his talks. Several people thought we
should have given him more time on the program because ―Steve Groff had such great
information.‖
Nate Nourse, From Nourse Farms in Whately, MA, speaking on Raspberry Pruning
and Training, placed second. That was quite an achievement since only 22 people identified
themselves as growing small fruit on the evaluation.
There were requests to have both these growers back again some time.
Other topics included: a welcome by and introduction to Jiff Martin, the new
Sustainable Food Systems Educator in Vernon; CT Agricultural Business Management
Guide, by Joe Bonelli; Phytophthora Moves to Beans, by Jim LaMondia; two talks by Brent
Loy - Spice Up Your Market with Novel Cucurbit Varieties and Pre- and Post Harvest
Considerations for Maximum Quality in Squash; Winter Moth and the Brown Marmorated
Stink Bug, by Heather Faubert; Mixed Vegetable Production on Stone Garden Farms, by
Fred and Stacia Monahan; and Moving to Deep Zone Tillage, by Jude Boucher.