Organic Transition Sessions at GLEXPO

December 9, 2025 - December 11, 2025

Devos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Contact: Katie Brandt, brandtk7@msu.edu

A conference room with a panel of four farmers, a moderator and about 20 audience members.
The Organic Transitions session at the 2024 Great Lakes Fruit & Vegetable EXPO also featured four farmers who participate in the TOPP mentorship program.

Hear directly from farmers who have transitioned to organic, including growers who are new to organic certification and their mentors with years of experience as organic farmers. This track highlights the stories of each of their farms, as well as how mentorship through the Transition to Organic Partnership Program helped them to move toward their farm goals. Our session will include two NW Michigan cherry farmers, as well as a Detroit farmer and her mentor.

Farmer Stories: Transition to Organic session at Great Lakes Fruit & Vegetable EXPO (Grand Rapids)

  • When: Tuesday, December 9 from 2 to 4pm (full conference is from 8:30am Dec. 9 to 4pm on Dec. 11) 
  • Where: Devos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  • What: Transitioning a farm to certified organic can be so much easier with the guidance of a mentor! Join this session to hear from new organic growers along with their mentors in the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). Clarice Shepherd will share alongside her mentor Joannée DeBruhl, about how her quarter acre Palmerston Urban Community Garden in Ecorse has transformed! Joanne Westphal of Cherry Connection Enterprises LLC will share her story or successfully certifying 20 acres of cherries and other fruits & nuts near Traverse City, with insights from her mentor Cheryl Kobernik of North Star Organics. This will be a panel discussion where you'll hear about each of the farms, as well as their journey to organic certification and how mentors have helped their farms to grow. We'll also have time for some questions from the audience.
  • Speakers:

    • Joannée DeBruhl - JADeBruhl LLC

    • Clarice Shepherd - Palmerston Urban Community Garden

    • Joanne Westphal - Cherry Connection Enterprises LLC

    • Cheryl Kobernik - North Star Organics

  • Register: https://glexpo.com/

This conference session is part of the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). For other events and more information on getting involved with Michigan TOPP, visit: https://www.canr.msu.edu/organictransition/

 

Other sessions relevant to organic farmers and those transitioning to organic: 

  • Tuesday, 8:30 to 9:30am Farmer Stories: How I Started my Farm! with jøn kent of Sanctuary Farms and a second farmer TBD.
    • One of the best ways to get started in farming and grow into your goals is to hear from other farmers! In this session, two farmers will share the story of how they started their farms. jøn kent will describe the process, surprises and successes he experienced in co-founding Sanctuary Farm on Detroit's lower East Side. This collaborative farm focuses on composting, community engagement and pollinator habitat. A second farmer, likely someone farming in a rural setting, will round out this session.
  • Tuesday, 10:30 - 11:30am Beginning Farmer Resource & Decision Making Guide with Jonathan LaPorte of Michigan State University Extension
    • The Beginning Farmer Resource and Decision Making Guide is a new jointly created resource from MSU Extension and USDA. The Guide provides a pathway to resources a new farmer or decision-maker need to get started and support their production journey. In this session, participants will learn about the topics and content available within the guide as well as how to access the guide itself.
  • Tuesday, 2 - 4pm Soil Health & Cover Cropping: A Mixed Systems Approach: Balancing Soil Fertility Management with Long-Term Soil Health with Lisa Hargest and Rachel Drobnak from Michigan State University
  • Tuesday from 2-4pm New Market Opportunities for Regenerative Farms 
    • A discussion with brands, thought leaders, and success stories highlighting the momentum in regenerative agriculture and emerging market opportunities.

  • Tuesday from 2 to 4pm Farmer Stories: Transition to Organic with Joannée DeBruhl of JADeBruhl LLC, Clarice Shepherd of Palmerston Urban Community Garden, Joanne Westphal of Cherry Connection Enterprises LLC and Cheryl Kobernik of North Star Organics.

    • Hear directly from farmers who have transitioned to organic, including growers who are new to organic certification and their mentors with years of experience as organic farmers. This track highlights the stories of each of their farms, as well as how mentorship through the Transition to Organic Partnership Program helped them to move toward their farm goals. Our session will include two NW Michigan cherry farmers, as well as a Detroit farmer and her mentor.

  • Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:30am New Program for Beginning Farmers-A Free Curriculum that Offers Hands-on Activities, Demonstrations, and Farmer Tested Resources 
    • The beginning farmer curriculum will be shared and demonstrated. This program is perfect for a group of farmers working together or a class offering a program one or more areas of farming: Soil Health, Farm Finances, Land Access, Engaging Diverse Farmers, IPM, Food Safety, Urban Ag, Marketing, and Developing Mentor Groups.
  • Wednesday from 2-5pm Regenerative Farming Compliance: What You Need to Know with Morgan Anderson, Produce Safety Technician and Carrie Fitzpatrick, Wilbur-Ellis
    • Guidance on navigating key regulatory and practical considerations for implementing regenerative practices on the farm, including the use of bio-inputs and innovative techniques.
  • Thursday from 9 to 11am Managing Pests, Diseases and Soil Health Using Organic Practices with Dan Filius of Iowa State University, Petrus Langenhoven of Purdue University and Nathan Shoaf with Purdue University

     

    • 9 to 10am Pest and Disease Management in Organic Vegetable Hoophouses Controlling pests is difficult. Dan Filius will discuss how growing in hoophouses solves some problems but introduces others. This session will cover sprays, natural enemies, cultural control methods, and scouting so you can be better prepared.

    • 10 to 11am From Field to High Tunnel: Finding the Sweet Spot with Compost and Cover Crops in Sweet Pepper Production: This presentation shares practical insights from a USDA-funded soil-to-market research project examining how compost applications and cover cropping strategies enhance soil health and boost sweet pepper yields in both field and high tunnel production systems, while also revealing the negative consequences of excessive compost use. Survey results of 500 small and medium-sized vegetable farmers nationwide will be shared, how these producers navigate production decision-making processes that balance profitability, sustainable production practices, and food safety requirements across farm business planning, production management, and operational timing throughout the crop growing cycle.

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