The Annual Edible Gardens Conference is scheduled for June 15 at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Agriculture Demonstration Outreach Center at Marianna. The conference gets under way at 9:30 a.m. and will end at 2 p.m. Registration is free and will take place on-site, according to a news release.
The conference is aimed at local growers and residents, gardeners, SNAP recipients and anyone interested in food safety and eating a healthy diet using Arkansas-grown foods.
Workshop topics will include micro-irrigation systems for small farmers, as well as seasonal high tunnels and vegetable crops that can be produced with a prolonged growing season. Attendees will also learn about the use of raised beds and container gardens as a way to increase food availability in food desert regions. The event will introduce youth to programs and educational opportunities at the UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.
ADOC is located at 330 Lee County Road 407 in Marianna. It houses the Agriculture Training Center for Alternative Crops and Vegetable Processing, which facilitates the production, grading, marketing and demonstrations of alternative crops.
The conference is sponsored by UAPB and the East Arkansas Enterprise Community.
For more information or accommodations for special needs, contact Caroline Prowell at (870) 489-5585 or prowellc@uapb.edu, Karen Lee at (870) 575-7225 or leek@uapb.edu or Julius Handcock at (501) 676-1534 or handcockj@uapb.edu.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without discrimination.