Participants listen to keynote speaker Marty Travis of Spence Farm in Fairbury, IL. Photo by Amy Thompson.
Extension professionals from the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department and the Diversified Farming and Food Systems Team hosted the first-ever combined Indiana Horticulture and Small Farm Conference at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds and Conference Complex, March 3-5, 2026. With a total of 64 educational sessions, 22 research posters, and several demonstrations to choose from over the course of 3 days, our nearly-200 daily participants had no shortage of opportunities to learn and network. We’re grateful to the many speakers, sponsors, and programming partners that made this event possible in 2026!
HLA conference committee members include Steve Meyers (co-chair), Miranda Purcell (co-chair), Ashley Adair, Nathan Deppe, Wenjing Guan, Lori Jolly-Brown, Petrus Langenhoven, and Karen Mitchell.
HLA presenters included Chris Adair, Moriah Bilenky, Wenjing Guan, Petrus Langenhoven, Miranda Purcell, and Alex Snabes.
Special thanks to Liz Maynard for assisting with session moderation and the Networking Luncheon!
Huge thank you to Amy Thompson (CES) and Laura Ingwell (ENTM) for their leadership of this event!
Special thanks to Nathan Deppe, Chris Adair, and the Purdue Student Farm for providing container-farmed lettuce for this year’s catered meals.
Congratulations to Beasley’s Orchard for winning 1st place at this year’s Cider Contest!
Calvin Beasley accepts Beasley’s Orchard’s first place award for the 2026 Cider Cider Contest.
Miranda Purcell presents a session on table grapes, featuring a grape-under-high-tunnel demonstration done at the Purdue Student Farm.
Chris Adair shows off the Purdue Student Farm’s bin washing system during a trade show demonstration.
Moriah Bilenky presents a session on her animal traction work, supported by SARE.
Ashley Adair, planning committee member, also staffed the Indiana Organic Network’s trade show booth during the IHSFC.