Join UW–Madison Extension and the Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Institute (UMHDI) for the 2025 Upper Midwest Hazelnut Growers Conference March 7-8 at the Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells.
Agenda
Friday, March 7
Conference activities from 2:00 – 8:30 p.m.
| 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Conference Opens | |
| 2:30 – 5:00 p.m. | Growing Hazelnuts in the Midwest | Jason Fischbach, UW–Madison Extension |
| 2:30 – 3:00 p.m. | Site and plant selection, enterprise budgeting | |
| 3:00 – 3:30 | Technical and financial assistance for Midwest growers | |
| 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. | Planting and weed control options | |
| 4:00 – 4:15 p.m. | Break | |
| 4:15 – 4:30 p.m. | Pruning and size management | |
| 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. | Harvest, post-harvest processing, marketing | |
| 5:00 – 7:00 pm | Dinner on your own | |
| 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. | Notes From the Field | Mini-Talks From Fellow Growers |
Saturday, March 8
Conference activities from 8:15 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
| 8:15 – 8:30 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions | |
| 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. | What’s Happening in the Upper Midwest | Wisconsin: Jason Fischbach, UW-Madison Extension Iowa: Jeff Jensen, Iowa Nut Growers Association Minnesota: Lois Braun, University of Minnesota; Illinois: Savanna Institute (invited) |
| 9:15 – 9:45 a.m. | Rejuvenating and Managing Mature Seedling Plantings – Ideas and Experiences From Twin Ponds Farm | Mark Hamann, University of Minnesota |
| 9:45 – 10:00 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:00 – 10:30 a.m | On-Farm, Low-Tech Propagation Methods for Your Best Plants | Lois Braun and Mark Hamann, University of Minnesota |
| 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. | Cultivar Updates: Results From the UMHDI Joint Performance Trials | Jason Fischbach, UW–Madison Extension |
| 11:00-11:30 a.m. | Using Landscape Genetics as the Basis for Selecting an American Hazelnut Population | Mike Demchik, UW–Stevens Point |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Midwest Hazelnuts, LLC – Helping Launch a Midwest Hazelnut Industry Through Grower Clusters | Jason Fischbach, UW–Madison Extension Louis Kemp, Regenerative Agriculture Alliance |
| 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1:00-1:45 p.m. | A Plan for Breeding Better Hazelnuts for the Upper Midwest | Scott Brainard, UW-Madison Emily Delorean, University of Minnesota |
| 1:45-2:30 p.m. | Alley Cropping Hazelnuts – Early Lessons From the Savanna Institute Pilot Farm | Erik Hagan, Savanna Institute (invited) |
| 2:30-3:00 p.m. | Oil Content and Quality of Hazelnut Germplasm Grown in the Upper Midwest | Peyton Higgins, UW–Madison |
| 3:00 p.m. | Adjourn |
Registration and Fees
Register today to take advantage of early-bird pricing! The cost for Friday is $20/person. Dinner is on your own. The cost for Saturday is $50/person, which includes lunch. Save $10 by registering for both days. Note: The registration button will take you to a registration page through Bayfield County (Jason’s home office).
Lodging
A block of rooms is available at the Chula Vista Resort. The room cost is $159/night and includes complimentary water park passes. Book your room directly with Chula Vista at 608-254-8366. Use code “K84179 Hazelnut Growers Conference”. The room block is released February 12, so book today!
Questions
Contact this year’s conference organizer, Jason Fischbach, with comments or questions at jason.fischbach@wisc.edu.
An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.
Please make requests for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to educational programs as early as possible preceding the scheduled program, service, or activity. For communicative accommodations in languages other than English, please contact oaic@extension.wisc.edu. For communicative accommodations based on a disability, please contact Heather Lipinski Stelljes at: heather.stelljes@wisc.edu for the public.
2025 Upper Midwest Hazelnut Growers Conference
Book your lodging directly with Chula Vista at 608-254-8366. Use code “K84179 Hazelnut Growers Conference”
