Something for everyone at Farmers Teaching Farmers, June 20

UPDATE: The registration deadline for Farmers Teaching Farmers Conference has been extended to June 8.

Set aside June 20 for an instructive day of peer-to-peer learning at MFB’s inaugural Farmers Teaching Farmers event at the organization’s Lansing headquarters. Farmers from across the state will bring their views from deep in the proverbial weeds — and share their experience and insights about what works for them as they tackle everyday issues on the farm. 

Topics will run the gamut from teaching a cut-flower class, diving deep into AI, or drafting a seaworthy marketing plan for your farm. Whatever’s on your business-boosting to-do list, Farmers Teaching Farmers will offer practical guidance to speed you along! 

Highlights for each themed track are below. For more detail or to get tickets, just visit the MFB website. 

• Branding — Three sessions focus on building your marketing plan, using AI to turn it into action, and how to use Canva to create attractive marketing materials. 
• Cut Flowers — Two sessions will dig into a pair of key issues: Identifying pests and making a pest-management plan to combat them; and leading a well-structured, on-farm cut flower workshop. 
• Finance — A pair of sessions will walk you through a customizable Excel template to organize your finances, then address how to best use AI to help write grant applications. 
• Fruit and Vegetable — Get on a fast track toward achieving farmstand success by (1) choosing the right products, (2) laying out and timing your crops for optimal flow throughout the season, and (3) building an effective integrated pest management plan. 
• Row Crops: Sessions in this track will address herbicide use for terminating cover crops; developing an integrated weed management plan; and safely using drones for applying pesticides.

“The State Young Farmer Committee is excited about this new opportunity to have farmers share their real-world knowledge with other farmers,” said Katie Eisenberger, manager of MFB’s Young Farmer program. “Attendees will take home tangible tools and knowledge they can use every day on their farm.”

Farmers Teaching Farmers is open to all; get tickets on EventBrite through June 8.

Farm Bureau members pay only $25; use the code MEMBERSAVE when purchasing for your $50 discount (and note your membership just paid for itself.) Non-members can sit in for $75.