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henhousefarms

2011 Southern Illinois Comercial Fruit and Vegetable schools

henhousefarms
13 years ago

The dates and agendas for the 2011 Southern Illinois Comercial Fruit and Vegetable schools are set. The Fruit school is set for Feb 1 and the Vegetable school on Feb 9 both to be held in Mt Vernon, Il. The programs for this year look to be pretty interesting - looking forward to the tomato disease presentation and the cucurbit seminars. Full details can be found here -

Fruit school - http://web.extension.illinois.edu/edwardsvillecenter/downloads/25941.pdf

Vegetable school - http://web.extension.illinois.edu/edwardsvillecenter/downloads/25938.pdf

Registration info - http://web.extension.illinois.edu/edwardsvillecenter/foodcrophort.html

With your registration you also get the new 2011 Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers at the Vegie school and the 2011 Midwest Commercial Tree Fruit Spray Guide at the Fruit schools.

Comments (12)

  • myfamilysfarm
    13 years ago

    thanks so much for posting this. We used to go to Purdue's Hort Congress until they started raising the prices. Last I looked was $40 per person.

    Anyone interested, the ID56 last cost me $30 for the printed version. That pays for the meeting.

    Any suggestions for a cheap, nice hotel room for a couple of night Feb 8-10 in Mt Vernon or there abouts???

    Marla

  • henhousefarms
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    There's a Confort Inn just behind the Holiday Inn (where the conference is) and a Day's Inn just down the road (both in walking distance IIRC). Motel 6 and a Super 8 just across the intersate at the same exit. Hope you make it down.

  • myfamilysfarm
    13 years ago

    I've made my reservation at the Days Inn, less than $100 for 2 nights, 2 adults. Hope to see you there.

    Marla

  • myfamilysfarm
    13 years ago

    henhouse, how's the weather for this coming week? I'm looking forward to possibly getting out of all this snow.

    The car's reserved, hotel reserved, and bags are almost packed. We will be traveling Tuesday and arrive Tuesday afternoon/night to be ready for the conference Wednesday. We will be staying over on Wednesday and traveling back on Thursday, providing Mother Nature is OK with that.

    Marla

  • henhousefarms
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Looks to me other than being a little cold it should be be pretty good weather. We're well north of Mt Vernon and had mostly ice but they have all the main roads clear so travel should not be a problem. I think they got mostly rain that far south. They re-schedualed the Fruit School to Thurdsay the 10th as last Tuesday was rather a mess.

  • brookw_gw
    13 years ago

    Boy, I wish I could go. If you get caught in weather, look me up and you can hole up in my basement. It's got all the comforts of home if you don't mind canning jars, baskets,boxes, and all the other accoutrements of vegetable farming. Got a good supply of meal worms down here too!!

    Brook

  • myfamilysfarm
    13 years ago

    Brook, I got snowbound outside of Oconee back in 1978. Stuck for over a week, only got the car up part of a 1/4 mile lane. Walked the rest of the way. We had relatives there then, now they're gone.

    Marla

  • myfamilysfarm
    13 years ago

    we may be there in the early afternoon the day before, is there any special sites that would be worth seeing?

  • henhousefarms
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    That's a good question - were it about 50 degrees warmer I'd say Rend Lake is pretty nice but this time of year it is just like everything else - leaf bare and frozen. Years ago we went through the county museum but I really don't remember much about it. Guess I'm just not much help.

  • myfamilysfarm
    13 years ago

    I was thinking maybe some veggie operations that of course not working at this time.

    I'll be leaving Lafayette about 10-11 this morning. See you there.

    Marla

  • brookw_gw
    13 years ago

    Guys, southern Il is a paradise. There are several things around the Rend Lake area for tourists. Around Dix, there is a huge orchard that has the best fruit I've ever eaten. There is also Crab Orchard between Marion and Carbondale. It's a federal reserve and was once the goose capital of the world until climate change altered their migration. The Shawnee Forest covers most of the area, and there are some beautiful parks to drive thru'. Kinkaid Lake is right there too. It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful lake in the state. It's reminiscent of Canada with its rock formations and waterfalls. There are also Little Grassy, Devils Kitchen, and Cedar Lake all right there. There's an artist community in the tiny town of Makanda. They hold a buzzard festival there every October. Wineries are everywhere for you to tour. There's another big orchard around Palo Alto (sp). One of our market friends drives down there weekly for their stuff. You might also check out Local Harvest for any veggie producers in the area. OK, I've done my part for so il tourism. Have fun. Oh, the history of so il is unbelievable--what with the Shelton gang and Charlie Birger and the Herrin Massacre. In the twenties, even Capone wouldn't mess with the so il boys. Cool stuff!! See me for some great books on those topics.

    Brook

  • myfamilysfarm
    13 years ago

    Just got there, sitting @ McDonalds

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