Open House
Saturday, October 17th, 11am to 3pm
George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center

 Join us for a free, family-friendly open house at UConn’s newest center! Learn more about our services and expertise in home gardening, plant diagnostics, soil and nutrient health, and turfgrass.

Ag Mechanics Workshop: Tractor Maintenance Training
Wednesday October 21st, 3:00pm - 6:30pm 
UConn Research Farm, 99 Agronomy Road, Storrs, CT 

Have a tractor or implement that is in need of some TLC and don't know where to start? Need tips and tricks on how to best service your well-loved machine? In this workshop, we will tour UConn's Plant Research Farm machinery, perform a standard maintenance on one of their tractors, learn best practices for attachments/implements, post-season machine care and more. Cost is $25 to attend. Dinner is included. 

Solid Ground Skill Share for Farmland Seekers

Purchasing or leasing farmland is a big decision, and the decision can feel even more overwhelming when there are too many unknowns. But have no fear, Kip is here! Join Kip Kolesinskas, Solid Ground Professional Soil, Conservation, and Land Use Consultant, for a farm tour demonstrating how land seekers can evaluate farmland using key focus areas such as property history, soil health, infrastructure, water features, and more.

The event will include a walk of the property, provide insight on aligning farm goals with land qualities, and connecting folks with relevant resources to feel confident and supported on their farmland seeking journey. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and shoes. Lunch will be included.

Date: October 24, 2026
Time: 10 am - 1 pm
Location: Artza Mendi Farm, 26 Lacroix Rd, Baltic, CT 06330.

Online Course Offerings

Farm Risk Management Online Certificate
This unique program from the University of Connecticut's (UConn) College of Agriculture focuses on one of today’s most critical topics for the agriculture industry, farm risk management. Farm risk management involves understanding and mitigating factors that can impact agricultural operations, such as climate change, pest management, and financial uncertainties. Through this grant-funded 12-module course you will gain knowledge and strategies to enhance the resilience and sustainability of your farm. Knowledge is the key.

Designed for the Agricultural Industry
Serving livestock farms, dairy farms, crop farms, fruit & vegetable farms, or anyone seeking to develop a farm, this free course is a must for the modern-day farmer. View the listing of modules.

USDA Funded & Free to the Public
UConn’s Farm Risk Management Online Course modules are developed in conjunction with UConn’s College of Agriculture, UConn’s Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning, and UConn’s Academic Program Development & Support unit, and are funded by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Flexible & Convenient
Take one module or all twelve Farm Risk Management online modules. Learners will receive a course completion certificate for each module completed that can be downloaded and printed.

Courses are self-paced and offered 100% online and asynchronous; you can participate in the course at any time of day from anywhere with an Internet connection.

How to Register
Registration for UConn’s Farm Risk Management Online Course modules is facilitated by UConn’s non-credit online course registration platform. Register Here.

Ornamental and Turf Short Course Fall Course

October 7 - December 16
Class will meet every Wednesdays 5:30-7:30 pm, course is virtual 

Register HERE. Registration cost of $400 includes the Pesticide Applicator Core Manual, Ornamental & Turf, Category Manual and printout of course slides.

This Short Course is an in-depth review of the information necessary to study for the Ornamental and Turf/Golf Course Superintendents State of Connecticut Supervisory Pesticide Applicator Certification (category 3A) exam. A student who completes all the modules, works through the quizzes, and studies the resource materials independently should be able to pass both the written and oral state exam successfully.

This short course consists of eight modules that the student can complete independently: Pesticide Laws and Regulations, Pesticide Safety, Botany, Plant Pathology and Ornamental Plant Diseases, Entomology and Insect Pests of Woody Ornamentals, Area and Dosage Calculations, Turf Management, and Weed Management. Each module consists of learning objectives, topic sections, and slides with a recorded narrative, and closes with a quiz on the material. The modules can be completed and revisited at any time while the student is enrolled in the course.

An instructor will meet virtually with the students weekly to review each module topic and answer questions. Expect to spend study time reviewing each module topic outside of the review class. The more time you spend studying the module topics and reviewing each module’s post-quiz, the more beneficial the course will be for preparing for the final short course exam and the state exam.

Learn more about the course.

This vegetable production course is designed to benefit beginner vegetable producers who have 0-3 years of vegetable growing experience or no formal training in agriculture. The participants will learn answers to foundational questions about farm business planning, planning and preparing for a vegetable farm, warm and cool-season vegetable production techniques, season extension, identification of biotic and abiotic issues, and marketing.   

Learn more about the course.

Conferences

New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference

December 15th, 16th, and 17th, 2026
DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown, Manchester, New Hampshire

Join hundreds of fellow farmers for three days of learning, networking, and innovation featuring 31 educational sessions, daily farmer-to-farmer discussions, a research poster session, and more than 120 trade show exhibitors. Register by November 30 to take advantage of early bird rates.

Save the date!

Next year's conference is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 12th, 2027.

Save the date! Next year's conference is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 12th, 2027.

Save the Date! January 20th, 2027
Chrysalis Center, Hartford

This conference provides a great opportunity for farmers to come together with peer farm owners or managers to network and learn together, and ultimately make our farm businesses stronger!