Monday February 15

   8:00  am         9:00  am       Registration
   9:00  am          5:00  pm      Bus Tour – Choose A or B

Tour A – North
        Trinklein’s Greenhouse       Jefferson City
Explore how Trinklein’s grows hydroponic tomatoes, a wide variety of ornamentals and spring bedding plants, mums and poinsettias for both the wholesale and retail markets. They are also experimenting with specialty vegetable production.
        Lincoln’s Carver Farm          Jefferson City
Visit the many horticultural plantings on the farm including: two research hydroponic greenhouses, a sweet potato trial, elderberry variety planting and a variety of specialty vegetable crops.
        Westphalia Vineyards          Westphalia
Learn how Westphalia Vineyards is developing a niche in their market by making award winning wines without adding sulfites.
        James Leid Farm                     Versailles
A young grower for the Central Missouri Produce Auction, James is carving out a niche at the Auction with his strawberries, greenhouse and vegetables.
        Morgan County Seed            Versailles
Missouri’s largest seed company, Morgan County Seed completed a new building in 2008. Watch the unique way wholesale and retail orders are pulled on the same floor area. A stop not to miss for those interested in vegetable production.

Jim Quinn, Horticulture Specialist with the University of Missouri Outreach & Extension, will host guests on the bus tour and provide commentary.

                                Or
Tour B – South

        Meyer’s Tree and Berry Farm          Dixon
See how Meyer Tree and Berry Farm was named Missouri's "Most Popular You-Pick" by the Electric Cooperative magazine.
        Ozark Fisheries                       Stoutland
An industry innovator, Ozark fisheries has been in business since 1926 and now ships goldfish and koi around the world.
        Cole’s Tree Farm                    Lebanon
A traditional ‘Choose N Cut’ Christmas Tree Farm which has managed the ups and downs for 35 years and is being passed down to the next generation.
        The Garden Party at Hugo Farms       Camdenton
A small landscape garden center that uses its resources to become an Agritourism destination to help extend the season.
        Seven Springs Winery         Linn Creek
Seven Springs Winery and Vineyards sits atop 160 acres of rolling Missouri foothills between Camdenton and Osage Beach.

Tony Anderson and Sarah Gehring, with the Missouri Department of Agriculture,will host guests on the bus tour and provide commentary along the route.

You must preregister for the bus tour by Tuesday, Feb. 9
For more information call Tony Anderson, Tony.Anderson@mda.mo.gov Missouri Department of Agriculture 573-751-2969.

Tuesday February 16

8:00 - 9:00            Registration – Trade Show Opens

9:00 - 10:00          Session 1  General
                                Creating the Whole Customer Experience
                                    Leroy Rood – Pea Ridge Forest Tree Farm

10:00 - 10:30          Break Trade Show

10:30 - 12:00      Session 2a  Blueberry
                                Blueberries - Growing the Miracle Fruit
                                    Rob Bodtke – US Highbush Blueberry Council Midwest Region
                                Irrigation Systems Management
                                    Patrick Byers – Horticulture Specialist MU Extension
                                Grower Panel - Growing/Promoting Missouri Grown Blueberries
                                    Earnie Bohner – Persimmon Hill Farm
                                    David & Mary Hinze – Brandywine Farms
                                    Mike & Jan Wooten – Sunshine Valley Farm

                                Session 2b  Agritourism
                                Business Planning Basics
                                    Mick Gillliam, Business Development Specialist-MU Extension

                                Session 2c  Agritourism
                                The Farm, The Family, the Finances
                                    Joe Horner – Commercial Agriculture Program University of Missouri
Learn the basics of starting a business, why it’s important to plan ahead and what constitutes a written business plan.

12:00    - 1:30       Lunch on your own

   1:30  - 3:00       Session 3a  Vegetable
                              Biological Control of Insect Pests: Where we were, where we are and where we're going
                                     David Stanley – USDA ARS in Columbia

                                Session 3b  Agritourism
                                Developing a Web Presence
                                    Leroy Shatto – Shatto Milk Company
                                    Giselle Fest – Carolyn's Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch and LIberty Corn Maze
Why your business needs to be on the internet, options for creating a web site (do it yourself or hire someone) and how agritourism businesses are using sites like Facebook and YouTube to interact with customers. 
                                   3:00  - 3:30       Break Trade Show

  3:30  - 5:00       Session 4a  Strawberry
                                High Tunnel Strawberry Production
                                    Timothy Baker – Horticulture Spec MU Extension
                                Matted-Row Strawberry Production and Marketing at Backwoods Berry Farm
                                    Dale and Becky Conrady – Backwoods Berry Farm

                                Session 4b  Agritourism
                                Planning Events on the Farm
                                    Rachel Blunt – Les Bourgeois Vineyards
Basics of event planning, should you partner with a nonprofit, how to attract people and ideas for marketing your events.
                                 Panel Discussion – Real Life Agritourism Experiences
                                    Art and Vera Gelder – Walk About Acres
                                    Brian & Dianna Koenig – Perryville Pumpkin Farm
                                    Paul Peters – Peters Market

  5:00  - 6:00       Mixer – Trade Show
                             Thank you to the Missouri Wine & Grape Board for providing Missouri wines.

   5:30 -                Blueberry Council of Missouri meeting

Wednesday February 17

8:00 - 9:00            Registration Trade Show

9:00 - 10:30          Session 5  General
                                Marketing, Profit, Farming
                                    Ron Bodtke – USHBC Midwest Region

                                Internet and Library Resources for Developing
                                Marketing Programs
                                    Elizabeth Wilson – Lincoln University Librarian
                                Economic Impact of Farmers Market in
                                Missouri: Preliminary Findings
                                    Dr. Arbindra Rimal – Agricultural Economics, Missouri State University

10:30 - 11:00       Break Trade Show

11:00 - 12:00        Session 6a  Bramble
                                Blackberry Pruning
                                    Dale Conrady – Backwoods Berry Farm
                                Our Experiences Growing Primocane Blackberries
                                    Tom Willis – The Berry Patch

                                Session 6b  Agritourism
                                 Identifying Potential Hazards on Your Farm  
                                      Emily Short and Michelle Sheppard – Farm Bureau Insurance Services
Learn what an insurance provider looks at when you call for an insurance quote for an agritourism farm and how to explain your operation in their language.

                                Session 6c  Agritourism
                                 Promoting your Business with the Division of Tourism
                                    Kathleen Steele Danner – Director, Missouri Division of Tourism
Kathleen will share information about how agritoursim farms can be involved with visitmo.com and explain the Division of Tourism's Cooperative Marketing Program.

12:00   - 1:30       Lunch on your own

   1:30                     Trade Show Breaks Down

   1:30 - 3:00          Session 7  General
                                Marketing Food on the Farm
                                    Earnie Bohner – Persimmon Hill Farm
How Persimmon Hill Berry Farm’s food offerings evolved, things to think about before adding on-site concessions or bakery and the benefits of offering food on-site.
                                 Recap
                                     Sarah Gehring – Planning Co-Chair
                                     John Avery – Planning Co-Chair

  3:00                     Conference Ends