2025 Program Calendar

The 2024 MI Ag Ideas to Grow With virtual program included the sessions below. Sessions were recorded and are available for viewing by clicking the session titles below.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY
February 19
1 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Beginning Vegetables

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Top 10 FAQs from MI Horse Owners		 February 20
12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Organic Farming, Certified or Not!

1 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: The Three Fs of Farmland: Finding it, Funding it and the Future of It!

2 p.m. - PRESERVING MI HARVEST - Canning Basics

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE - Getting Started with Beekeeping

February 21
12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Brainstorming Farm Goals and How to Make Them Happen

1 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Enterprise Budgeting for Beginning Farm Decision-Makers

1 p.m. - Preserving MI Harvest: Preserving Tomatoes and Salsa

2 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Beginning Fruit

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Cattle Checkup - How to Complete
A General Cattle Health Exam

6 p.m. - PRESERVING MI HARVEST: Starting a Successful Cottage Food Law Business (2-hr workshop)		 February 22
8 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Breaking Down Nutrient Cycling in Cover Crops

9 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Alternative Methods of Weed Control

10 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: IPM Tools in Field Crops

11 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Vertebrae Pest Management in Field Crops

1 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: The Rotation Effect

2 p.m. BEGINNING FARMER: What MSU Extension Can Do For You

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE - Bowling Balls, Brushes and Branches: Improving Animal Care by Providing Enrichment Opportunities for Your Animals		 February 23
12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Beyond the Farmers Market: Evaluating Direct Market Channel Opportunities
February 26
10 a.m. - VEGETABLE: Pollinator Stewardship for Farmers, Growers and Gardeners

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: An Introduction to Grazing Management

7 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Managing Small Laying Hen Flocks		 February 27
9 a.m. - WATER: The Art of Irrigation scheduling

10 a.m. - WATER: The Value of Irrigation Uniformity and Sprinkler Choice

10 a.m. - VEGETABLE: What do Plants Crave?

11 a.m. - WATER: Irrigation Electrical Safety

12 p.m. - WATER: Review of 2023 Irrigation Research

12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Soil Health for Beginers: Caring for Your Farm from the Ground Up

1 p.m. - WATER: Building Your Skills with Michigan's Large Volume Water Use Registration and Reporting Tool

2 p.m. - WATER: Upgrades to Older Pivot Control Systems and 360 Rain - A Quick Look at the Robotic Irrigation and Nutrient Application System

3 p.m. - WATER: The Prairie River Water Use Issue - State Agency and User Group Round Table

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Small Batch Cheese Making

7 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Management Over Medication - Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Livestock Herd on Your Small Livestock Farm		 February 28
9 a.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Farm Budgets - Growing Your Farm Into a Business

10 a.m. - VEGETABLE: What's Wrong with My Vegetable?

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Grain Processing and its Effects on Rumen Health in Beef Cattle		 February 29
10 a.m. - VEGETABLE: The World Under Our Feet - Biological Soil Health in Vegetable Production

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Mitigating Herd Diseases Through Surface Water Management

7 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Pasture Poultry		 March  1
10 a.m. - VEGETABLE: Becoming an Insect Investigator

12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Commercial Hydroponic Production - Essential Information for Equipment Purchases

The 2025 MI Ag Ideas to Grow With virtual program includes the sessions below. Sessions will be recorded and will be available for viewing a few later. Learn more about each session by clicking on the session titles below.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY
February 24
9 a.m. - VEGETABLES: Lessons Learned in the First Three Years of Community Gardening

12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: How to Protect Your Operation

1 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Fruit Marketing

2 p.m. - PRESERVING MI HARVEST: MI Cottage Food Law

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Controlling Parasites in Sheep and Goats

7 p.m. - SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC: Farmer Experience Grazing Cattle and Sheep in Solar Projects		 February 25
9 a.m. - VEGETABLES: Froots - Pumpkins, Squash, Melons, Cucumbers

12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Bring Your Own Soil to Determine Soil Texture

1 p.m. - PRESERVING MI HARVEST: Canning: Back to Basics

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Getting Started with Beekeeping in Michigan

7 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE:


February 26
9 a.m. - VEGETABLE: Shoots - Asparagus and Rhubarb

10 a.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: How can Loans Help Your Business Grow?

10 a.m. - PRESERVING MI HARVEST: Selling MI Honey and Maple Syrup - Safely!

12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Successfully Secure EQIP Contracts for Farmers

2 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Michigan CSA Network - Getting your Ducks in a Row: Preparing for a Successful Grant Proposal

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Effective Fiber Inclusion in Beef Cattle Diets

7 p.m. - SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC: Farmer Experience Growing Vegetables Under and Between Solar Arrays 		February 27
9 a.m. - VEGETABLES: Roots - Potatoes

12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Selling Fresh Meat in MI

6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Swine Parasite Management 101		 February 28
10 a.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Starting with Direct Sales

10 a.m. - PRESERVING MI HARVEST: Dehydrating Herbs and Produce

12 p.m. - BEGINNING FARMER: Planning for Climate Change on Your Farm
March 3
6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Healthy Births, Healthy Calves - Managing Parturition, Dystocia, and Newborn Calf Care

7 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Handling Crisis with Your Livestock		 March 4
6 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE: Poultry Hobbyist - Essential Production Practices for Beginners

7 p.m. - ANIMAL AGRICULTURE:		 March 5

March 6
8 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Slugs and Bugs

9 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Case #43: the Mystery of the Stunted Soybeans

10 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Challenges and Opportunities in Canola

10:30 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Challenges and Opportunities in No-Till

11 a.m. - FIELD CROPS: Digital Agriculture and Precision Technologies - Precision Conservation Strategies

 March  7
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.  WATER DAY: IRRIGATION AND Drainage
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