Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Third Annual Upper Midwest Hazelnut Growers Conference

Date: Friday, March 2nd, 2012 to Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

Location: Hotel Winneshiek, Decorah, Iowa

Contact: Jason Fischbach, 715-373-6104, jason.fischbach@ces.uwex.edu

The conference is co-sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Extension, University of Minnesota, Rural Advantage, Iowa Nut Growers Association, and the Minnesota Hazelnut Foundation.

The first day of the conference is geared toward growers interested in getting started as well as natural resource professionals looking to expand their knowledge on this “new” perennial crop. Registration begins at noon with the Hazelnuts 101 session starting at 1 p.m. Topics include selecting plants, site layout and design, hazelnut establishment and care, fertilizing, and finally, hazelnut processing for the beginning grower.

The Saturday program will begin at 9 a.m. with presentations from growers and researchers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa in the morning. A hazelnut processing panel will convene after lunch to discuss processing challenges and options. The conference will conclude with a hazelnut processing demonstration from 2:30 to 5:00 at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds Community Building. The processing demonstration will feature equipment used to husk, size, crack, and sort hazelnuts from small scale options for the beginning grower to larger pieces of equipment capable of processing hundreds of pounds per hour.

Registration for the conference is $50 for both days; $25 for Friday only, and $40 for Saturday only. Vendors and organizations wishing to spread the word about a product or message are encouraged to sponsor a booth at the conference. To request a brochure, inquire about sponsoring a booth, or for additional information please contact info@iowanutgrowers.com.