The 2009 Illinois Small Fruit and Strawberry Schools will be held March 3 and 4 at the Holiday Inn in Mt. Vernon. These schools provide two full days of educational sessions on growing and marketing small fruit crops in the Midwest. Sessions will be presented by specialists from University of Illinois, the Ohio State University and private industry, as well as Midwestern growers. A trade show both days features vendors offering products, supplies and services to small fruit and strawberry growers.

The Illinois Small Fruit School on March 3 starts at 9:30 a.m. with a grower's experience in blueberry production in Kentucky. Other presentations include producing small fruit in a high tunnel environment, marketing the health benefits of small fruit, bramble research at the Ohio State University, the development of thornless blackberries, bramble diseases, a review of small fruit insecticides and information on weed management. The program adjourns at 5 p.m.

The Illinois Strawberry School runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on March 4. Presentations will include information on disease management, plant nutrition, weed control and variety selection. Brad Bergefurd will inform growers about his experiences with growing and marketing strawberries in Ohio, and Stephanie Rhodes will talk about direct marketing methods that sell strawberries. A seasoned strawberry grower will share his experiences with adapting an alternative production method. A concurrent afternoon session will provide an overview of strawberry plasticulture research results and the successful grower techniques being used in Ohio.

Advance registration is $30 per farm family and includes admission to the educational sessions and trade show along with one copy of the 2009 Midwest Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide. Registration must be postmarked by February 25 to receive the early bird rate. Late and at-door registration is $35 per farm family.

For more details, contact Bronwyn Aly or Jeff Kindhart at 618/695-2441, or email baly@illinois.edu or jkindhar@illinois.edu. You can also visit the SI Gardening website, http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/hort to download the program agenda.