The Center for Agrarian Learning at McHenry County College (MCC) invites aspiring and seasoned farmers to its Specialty Growers Intensive on Cut Flower Production, a two-day workshop from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2. The event will take place in Room F108 at the College, 8900 US Hwy. 14 in Crystal Lake, Illinois.
Participants will gain practical skills in growing and marketing cut flowers with presentations on topics such as seed starting, transplants, field preparation, and harvest techniques. Sessions will also explore varietal selection, record keeping, market differentiation, and floral design. Hands-on demonstrations in campus high tunnels will provide real-world experience with tools and techniques.
“We’ve found that this intensive format (two full days) is an excellent way for people to catapult their business to a new level—whether launching or scaling up,” said Sheri Doyel, director of innovation of the Center for Agrarian Learning at MCC. “Learning from multiple experts is also incredibly helpful in moving things forward because participants can find the strategy or practice that suits their own situation and see how to apply it.”
The event will be led by a team of experienced farmers and specialists who offer diverse perspectives, sharing both successes and challenges from their own trials.
The fee for the workshop is $345, which includes catered lunches and snacks, hands-on demonstrations, and a binder of resources for attendees to take home.
This workshop is part of an annual series called “Specialty Growers Intensives,” which are weekend-long sessions led by multiple farmer-instructors. MCC has an on-campus student farm which provides the ideal setting for weekend and evening training for adults in the region. The student farm focuses on specialty crop production (rather than on grains or commodity crops) and includes diversified vegetables, fruit, cut flowers, and unique crops like elderberry and hops. This series is perfect for those interested in hands-on learning.
Register at http://mcc-link.me/gB6o50UKi0L. The deadline to register is Friday, February 21. Contact Sheri Doyel at sdoyel@mchenry.edu or (815) 479-7618 for more information.
Scholarships are also available to help cover the cost of the workshop. The scholarship application is due by Friday, February 7 and can be found at http://mcc-link.me/sBkQ50UKi9o.