Registration Open For 2026 Market Garden and Small Vegetable Farm Day

By Andi Anderson

Michigan State University Extension will host the 2026 Market Garden and Small Vegetable Farm Day on Monday, March 16, 2026. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor.

This hybrid event is free for participants, and an in‑person lunch will be provided. Registration is required, and space for the in‑person portion is limited, so organizers encourage only those certain to attend to register.

The event is designed to support market gardeners and small‑scale vegetable growers by offering a day of practical, research‑based education.

Topics will focus on key areas such as non‑chemical weed management, marketing strategies, produce wash water management, and cultural and biological disease control practices. Additional sessions will cover soil and nutrient management, food safety risks associated with birds, no‑till organic vegetable production, nematode management, and biocontrol options for major vegetable pests.

These topics are intended to help growers strengthen their production practices and better manage challenges throughout the growing season.

Participants who prefer to attend remotely may join online. Registered virtual attendees will receive a Zoom link once their registration is complete.

The event agenda includes a full schedule of presentations from university specialists. Topics include non‑chemical weed control, marketing channels for organic growers, wash water management, soil health, organic production in no‑till systems, and managing field pests such as root‑knot nematodes.

Each speaker brings experience in vegetable production and aims to help growers improve efficiency and reduce production risks.

The program will close with an overview of available MSU Extension resources and upcoming events.

Growers interested in attending are encouraged to register early. For more information, participants can contact Chris Galbraith at 734‑240‑3178 or galbra53@msu.edu, or Salta Mambetova at 517‑230‑1427 or mambetov@msu.edu.

This educational event provides growers with valuable tools and research insights to support successful vegetable production in the 2026 growing season.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-zbynek-pospisil