COLUMBIA, Mo. - The second annual Mid-Mo Expo for backyard gardeners and small farmers offers presentations and demonstrations to improve productivity and profits.
The event will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 24 at Battle High School, 7575 E. St. Charles Road, Columbia. University of Missouri Extension in Boone County hosts the event.
"This is only the second time we've done it," said Megan Samson, MU nutrition and health education specialist.
Last year, the price of admission was much higher, and only 40-50 people attended. This year, people can buy tickets online for $7 or at the door for $10.
"We're learning," Samson said. "This year we're shooting for 100 attendees."
The schedule has something for everyone with four concurrent sessions throughout the day, MU Extension agricultural engineer Kent Shannon said. Attendees can drop in only for sessions that appeal to them or spend the whole day. There will be vendors, food, demonstrations and other events to make the day educational and fun, he said.
Carrie Hargrove of the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture will speak about a new agricultural park planned in west central Columbia at Clary-Shy Park, 601 Business Loop 70. The interactive agriculture park will be located at the Columbia Farmers Market. People can learn about how food is grown, and food grown there will also be provided to struggling families.
A huge project is underway to improve the Columbia Farmers Market, with a year-round covered facility, nature playground, multi-purpose building, recreation trail and more. For more information, visit buildthistown.org.
Hargrove will also conduct a session about organic vegetable production for personal use.
Other presenters include:
MU Extension state wildlife specialist Robert Pierce will speak on managing nuisance wildlife.
MU Extension specialists Charles Holland and Tish Johnson will give tips for marketing produce.
MU Extension agronomist Todd Lorenz will give gardeners more than 50 tips on how to safely garden in their senior years. In separate sessions, he will also talk about how to prune trees properly, why people should test their soil, how to read the results and how to care for lawns.
MU Extension horticulturist David Trinklein will give tips for growing tomatoes.
Horticulturist Patrick Byers will talk about growing and marketing elderberries.
Conservation for small farms will be discussed by Ethan Miller of the Boone County Soil and Water Conservation District, Kim Reitz of the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and Ryan Lueckenhoff of the Missouri Department of Conservation.
MU Extension natural resources engineer Charlie Ellis will offer help on choosing small equipment for small acreages.
MU Extension forester Hank Stelzer will talk about the Missouri Managed Woods program.
Michael Gold of the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource's Center for Agroforestry will speak about chestnut production.
Gregory Ormsby Mori, also with the Center for Agroforestry, will show the basics of growing mushrooms on logs.
Veterinarian Charlotte Clifford-Rathert of Lincoln University will talk about why goats and sheep are good choices for small farms.
Tickets are available for $7 at extension.missouri.edu/boone/mid-moexpo.aspx. Admission at the door is $10. For more information, call 573-445-9792.