We gather once a month for a virtual call to discuss technical topics and updates from across Indiana.
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This meeting is free and open to everyone in our community. You do not need to register to attend. If you have any questions about this event, please contact us.
More Information
- See upcoming Small Farms Updates events and join us.
- Follow the event series on Facebook.
- Sign up for our newsletter to receive emailed notifications for Small Farm Updates.
- 2026 Schedule: January 7, February 4, March 2 (note 1st Monday), April 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, August 5, September 2, October 7, November 4, December 2,
Past Recordings
2026
Date: January 7, 2026
Presenters: Tay Fatke, Farmer Education Manager at Marbleseed and Tom Manley, Climate and Conservation Director at Marbleseed.
Date: February 4, 2026
Presenter: Jackie Kehr, DePauw University’s Ullem Student Garden.
2025
Date: December 3, 2025
Presenter: Chris Adair, Purdue Student Farm. Chris Adair oversees the management of soils, food, and the whole ecosystem that is growing at the Purdue Student Farm in Lafayette. The goal is to continue testing and adopting various conservation practices to see what fits within the context of the land, people, and school. With a team of students and research staff, the farm is an ongoing experiment. They even have a successful CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that feeds people from nutritious produce straight from the farm.
Slides: Urban Updates USH Team
Date: November 5, 2025
Presenter: Mary Winstead, Beautiful Edibles, Evansville. Mary shares about their farm’s soil health practices and utilizing spent mushroom bags as mulch.
Slides: Urban Updates USH Team
Date: October 1, 2025
Presenter: Elizabeth and Brian, Bundle Sticks Farm. They discuss how their farm in Southeast Indiana originated, what they produce, and how they integrate a range of conservation practices. They are committed to holistic practices that promote biodiversity. They grow diverse products for crafts, including brooms, wreaths, baskets, and more.
Slides: Bundle Sticks Farm presentation
Slides: Urban Updates USH Team
Date: September 3, 2025
Presenter: Adriano Fabbri . Just a few years ago, Adriano Fabbri’s yard was like any other in Marion County, and today it’s a flourishing permaculture haven, buzzing with biodiversity and good food.
Slides: Adriano Fabbri’s presentation
Slides: Urban Updates USH Team
Date: August 6, 2025
Presenter: Dr Petrus Langenhoven, Purdue University, Horticulture & Landscape Architecture
Slides: Urban Updates USH Team
Date: July 2, 2025
Presenter: Kevin Allison, Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District, gives an update on his low-till demonstration garden and on using legume cover crops in low-till garden crop rotations.
Slides: Kevin Allison’s presentation
Slides: Urban Updates USH Team
Date: June 4, 2025
Presenter: Lori Koenick, Extension Support Specialist, Cornell Extension
Slides: Lori Koenick’s presentation. Resources:
All of the resources I mentioned and summaries of the work I shared live on our website. Here are specific links to the resources I mentioned:
- Urban Case Studies- Management practices for high organic matter soils
- Winter cover cropping in high tunnels
- Urban Farm Soil Test Interpretation
Slides: Urban Updates USH Team
Date: May 7, 2025
Presenter: Natalie Hoidal, Extension Educator – Local Foods & Vegetable Production, University of Minnesota. Background information
Slides: Natalie Hoidal’s presentation. References:
- Soil Health Practices and Decision Drivers on Diversified Vegetable Farms in Minnesota
- Emerging specialty crop farmer perspectives and educational needs related to soil health and nutrient management in the Upper Midwest
- MN input calculator
Slides: Urban Updates USH team
Date: February 11, 2025
Presenter: Jason Gearhart of Integrated Elements, LLC
Slides: Importance of Fungal to Bacteria in Soil Health
Slides: Urban Updates USH team
Date: April 2, 2025
Presenters: Urban Soil Health Specialists. No technical topic.
Slides: Urban Updates USH team
Date: January 14, 2025
Presenters:
Heidi Potter, Farmer Summer Solstice Farms & ANR Educator, Purdue Extension, Clark Co.
Slides: Heidi’s presentation
Bree Ollier, Farmer at Copper Cataract Homestead & Natural Resources Conservationist at Hendricks Co. SWCD
Slides: Bree’s presentation
Slides: Urban Updates USH team
2024
Speaker: Olivia Fry, SW Farm Bill Biologist; Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
Slides: USH Team and Olivia’s presentation
Speakers: Obtaining NRCS Funding Workshop with Larencia Williams, Madison County District
Conservationist. Shane Johnson, NRCS Outreach Coordinator shares about his role.
Slides: USH Team
Speakers:
Small-scale Livestock and Soil Health, Dr. Moriah Bilenky; Purdue University
Lead Contamination and Urban Soils, Anna Paltseva; Purdue University
Slides: USH Team
Speaker: SARE Grants with Farmer/Rancher and Youth Educator Grant Coordinator, Liz Brownlee
Slides: USH Team
Speaker: Jamie Bultemeier, A&L Labs Agronomist
Slides: USH Team and Jamie’s presentation
Speaker: Small-scale resources and Irrigation Water Management (IWM) Plan. Cara Bergschneider, NRCS Urban and Small-Scale Conservationist
Slides: USH Team and Small-Scale Resources Locations
Speakers: Tarping Research – Josue Cerritos and Celia Corado, Purdue graduate students in the Horticulture Crops Weed Science Lab. District’s Soil Testing Programs – Erica Eason, Monroe County SWCD and Julie Clark, Warren County SWCD.
Slides: USH Team
Speaker: Kevin Allison, Marion County SWCD
Slides: USH Team and links to mulching overview document and mulching calculator tool
Speakers: Whitney Schlegel of Marble Hill Farm in Monroe County shares about her passion for wool and wool pellets. She has received a SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant for integrating wool pellets with specialty crop growing systems. Megan Ayers, SE USH, dives into the SARE grant awarded for compost research in her area.
Slides: USH Team and Whitney’s presentation
Topic: Land Considerations, Preparation, and management of Perennial Fruit Crops in diversified farming systems
Speaker: Madeline Wimmer, Extension Educator – Food Systems / Fruit Production – University of Minnesota
Slides: USH Team and Madeline’s presentation
Speaker: Kevin Allison, Marion County SWCD
Slides: USH Team
Speakers: Jason Gearheart, Integrated Elements (Vermicompost) and Dan Perkins, Perkins’ Good Earth Farm (leaf-based compost)
Slides: USH Team and Dan Perkins’ presentation