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2010 Keynote Address
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"Am I The Leader I Need to Be?"
Harold Lloyd - Keynote Speaker
All the usual concurrent educational sessions will end at 10:30 on the opening morning, February 2, to allow all attendees to attend the special plenary session with Mr. Lloyd. For more than two decades Harold Lloyd has worked very closely with small and large businesses to provide a "powerful push in the right direction!" His mission is to provide qualified, executive level assistance to companies on a "temporary basis." As speaker, Harold's practical, exciting ideas and dynamic presentation style have combined to earn a highly regarded reputation. Harold creates two new presentations each year which keeps his subject matter fresh. And his audiences seem to appreciate new solutions to their new problems. Mr. Lloyd has been a featured speaker at several farm direct marketing programs. The Mid-Atlantic Convention is honored to have Mr. Lloyd as this year's keynote speaker. Mr. Lloyd will also be presenting two topics in the Direct Marketing sessions that day. For more information on Mr. Lloyd, visit www.hlloydpresents.com
Videos at Brigantine Media |
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2010 Special Events
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Farm Transition Planning - Bringing in the Next Generation Workshop
The Young Grower Alliance, the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania (SHAP), and Penn State Extension are jointly sponsoring a multi-generational workshop, Farm Transition Planning - Bringing in the Next Generation featuring Ann Dugan from the University of Pittsburgh's Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. This workshop will also be held February 1. The program will begin with lunch and a motivational presentation. The three-hour session will be an interactive, discussion based educational experience for all those who attend -whether you are just starting your farm transition plan or are well into the process!
Ann Dugan is an accomplished author, lecturer, and family business consultant who founded the University of Pittsburgh's Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. She has over 20 years experience researching, developing, and writing in the areas of family business, strategic planning, and the dynamics of the entrepreneurial firm. A frequent contributor to articles published in Fortune, Inc, New York Times, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Business Times, Ms. Dugan is also the editor and co-author of the national best seller Franchising 101 and the recently released A Woman's Place... The Crucial Roles of Women in Family Business.
Pre-registration by January 20 is required. There is a $50 registration fee which includes the luncheon. For more information, please contact Jim Remcheck, Penn State Extension in Adams County, jar5006@psu.edu.
Basic Vegetable Production Workshop
PVGA will present a special Basic Vegetable Production Workshop on February 1 especially designed for beginning growers although other growers are welcome to attend also. Penn State (and Rutgers) specialists will cover weed, disease and insect pest control, site selection, plasticulture, cover crops, marketing, and other basic information on vegetable and small fruit production. There will be a $25 fee to attend this workshop but for those who are also registered for the main Convention there is no fee.
Spanish Session
In an effort to provide additional education to Hispanic orchard employees, Penn State Cooperative Extension is organizing a special session in Spanish to be held on Wednesday, February 3 at the Convention. Various relevant fruit and vegetable production topics will be presented, such as tree pruning/thinning, plant nutrition, cover crops, and integrated pest management. Spanish interpretation of selected presentation summaries from other English sessions will also be offered. All are welcome, so please encourage your Hispanic friends and workers to attend the day's seminars and trade show.
Attendees must pay the regular registration fee.
Employees of PVGA members are eligible for the $50 pre-registration rate. For more information, please contact Katie Ellis, Penn State Extension in Adams County, kag298@psu.edu.
The Taste of the Mid-Atlantic
While wholesaling and retailing your crop remains the major sales strategy for most growers, an increasing number of growers are using value-added processing to create new products and sales from their crop. Ideally, these producers are using over production or seconds for processing. As the sign read at one fruit grower's retail stand in October, "Our peaches are back! Try our peach jam and salsa!" It's a great way to extend the season for your crop and market.
On Wednesday evening, February 3rd, a "Taste of the Mid-Atlantic" will be held. Growers, who have their produce processed into value-added products, are encouraged to participate. We will offer two divisions - fruit-based and vegetable-based products. Judging will be done by convention goers and a group of judges. Scores will be weighted 50% each.
Farmers may enter up to two entries in each division. Entrants must provide all materials to taste-test or sample their entries for judging - meaning, you'll need to provide napkins, plates, chips, crackers, or other serving equipment or tools you'll need to sample. Each farm will have one covered table to use. You are welcome to decorate your display table as you desire. Entry fee is 2 (two) jars, packages, etc of the product(s) you are sampling for judging. You must have grown and supplied the "key" ingredient for your entry. Meaning, if you enter Apple Butter, you must have grown and supplied the apples used for making the apple butter. The use of a co-packer is allowed. Meaning, the grower does not need to be the processor. Only entries will be allowed to be tasted or sampled. Cider will not be permitted to be entered, since there is a separate cider contest.
To participate in The Taste of the Mid-Atlantic, please contact Brian Kelly, Penn State Extension in Blair County, at 814-940-5989 (office) or 814-935-9337 (cell) or bmk12@psu.edu. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required.
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 The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention has become the premier grower meeting in the Northeast combining three days of six or more concurrent educational sessions with a large industry trade show and numerous networking opportunities - all designed to enable fruit, vegetable and berry growers as well as direct marketers to stay on the cutting edge of their industries. About 1,800 persons from throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond gather each year at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center. Registration is open to all interested commercial fruit, vegetable and berry growers, direct marketers and allied industry personnel.
The 2010 Convention will feature several new sessions. On Monday, February 1, the day before the Convention opens, the Young Grower Alliance, the State Horticultural Association and Penn State Cooperative Extension will present a special workshop, "Farm Transition - Bringing in the Next Generation", featuring Dr. Ann Dugan from the Univeristy of Pittsburgh. There is a special $50 registration fee for this workshop.
The same day, the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association will present a Basic Vegetable Production workshop. There is a $25 registration fee for this workshop, although persons registering for the main Convention will not have to pay the extra fee but will be required to pre-register.
On Wednesday, February 3, a special session for Spanish speakers entitled "Tecnicas de Produccion de Frutas y Hortalizas" will be offered. It will cover some basic topics in fruit and vegetable production - all presented in Spanish. This session is available to any persons registered for the Convention.
Wednesday evening, the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association will present a Vegetable Grafting workshop with Cary Rivard from North Carolina State Univ. There is a $20 fee for this workshop. There will also be a Cut Flower Design workshop offered at no cost. A new event on Wednesday will be the Taste of the Mid-Atlantic contest to determine the best value-added fruit and vegetable products from farm markets across the region.
 The annual Mid-Atlantic Cider Contest is conducted during the Convention to determine the best cider in the region.
For general information on the Convention program, contact William Troxell, Publicity Coordinator at 717-694-3596 or pvga@pvga.org
For information on exhibiting at the Convention, contact Maureen Irvin, Convention Coordinator at 717-677-4184 or shap@embarqmail.com
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