Ashley Adair hosted the Indiana Organic Grain Farmer Meeting on Wednesday, February 18 at the Beck Center in West Lafayette. The event was a success with 80 participants and 17 exhibitors. Joel Gruver, Professor at Western Illinois University and nationally renown organic researcher, provided the keynote address on taking organic farming to the “next level.”[Read More…]
Recently, Karen Mitchell, Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist, delivered two horticulture programs for Extension Master Gardeners and the public. At the Marion County Spring Garden Clinic, she presented When a Tree Falls in the Garden: From Shade to Sun, equipping participants to assess site changes after tree loss and redesign the space for perennials, cut flowers,[Read More…]
On December 5, 2025, during the 2025 Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference, the PUCESA section of the Indiana Extension Professionals Association (IEPA) announced their award winners (more information here about PUCESA awards). We’re pleased to announce that Ashley Adair, Extension Organic Agriculture Specialist, and the Purdue Extension Master Gardener (EMG) Program were award winners representing[Read More…]
Last week, a team of Purdue Extension educators hosted another successful Rooted and Resilient: Homesteading Conference in Kendallville that brought in over 40 participants. Three HLA Extension specialists shared their expertise at the conference in sessions that connected practical gardening topics with sustainable practices. Miranda Purcell presented “Backyard Berries & Grapes: Small Fruits, Big Rewards,”[Read More…]
Ashley Adair (HLA) and James Wolff (ANR Allen County) led a Diversified Farming and Food Systems Focus Group meeting at Teter Organic Farm in Noblesville, IN on Friday, 10/24. The group shared programming updates, discussed approaches to supporting the new extension pod pilot program, and received training on delivering the Grass to Garden (G2G) program[Read More…]
In October, the Purdue Extension Master Gardener (EMG) Program offered a three-part virtual training series focused on invasive species and native plant alternatives for the home landscape. The series opened with “Invasive Insect Species”, presented by Bob Bruner, Exotic Pest Extension Specialist, who discussed identification, impacts, and control strategies of invasive insects. Next, Amanda Bradshaw-Burks,[Read More…]
The 2025 Purdue Extension Master Gardener (EMG) State Conference, held September 12–13 at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, Indiana, was a vibrant celebration of learning, community, and volunteer impact. Nearly 70 Purdue EMG volunteers kicked off the weekend with a hands-on reception Friday evening, featuring engaging workshops on plant propagation and flower arranging. Led[Read More…]
This week marked the second session of Grandparents University, where 44 enthusiastic grandparents and grandchildren joined Karen Mitchell and Vicki Stirm for a hands-on floral experience. The session began with an introduction to the HLA, highlighting exciting career paths and programs like Consumer Horticulture and the Master Gardener initiative. Participants then dove into the ever-popular[Read More…]