Growing Growers Kansas City

08/11/2026

In her PhD research, Courtney is investigating the impact of:
🪏tillage
🪏deep-bed compost systems
🪏 Humisoil
on
🌱weed counts
🌱crop productivity
🌱nitrogen availability
🌱soil health
for growing kale in an organic high tunnel.

Come to the OHREC Field Day THIS Monday from 4-7 pm and learn about her findings, along with several other research projects!

Register at https://commerce.cashnet/ksuohrec. Cost is $15 and dinner and drinks will be provided.

08/07/2026

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07/22/2026

Are you a grower in Kansas City, Missouri interested in applying for the PLANT Grant?

Cultivate KC, Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council, and Kansas City Black Urban Growers - KCBUGs invite you to the PLANT Grant Writing Workshop on July 30 at Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council.

Grant writing experts will teach best practices, share helpful tips, and provide direct assistance with crafting your PLANT Grant application.

The event is free but registration is required. Learn more and sign up here!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMl_Yv4hcVxnr551lyqJ_AhacZFBjKtFQ2HDvWERrB0MbJ7w/viewform

07/20/2026

Did you know that 3 out of the 7 staff members who run Growing Growers work at the Olathe Horticulture and Research Extension Center (OHREC)? 🌈 Now you know! 🌈

We are holding our yearly Field Day and Apprenticeship Recognition Ceremony on Monday, August 17th, from 4-7 pm. Tickets are $15 a piece. There will be burgers and beverages available as well!

Join us in honoring this year's cohort of apprentices, touring OHREC, and listening to several grad students and staff members discuss various research projects happening at (primarily) K-State's Olathe Campus. We have lots of cool projects to show off, including:
-tomato, pepper, and cantaloupe variety trials
-an organic no-till, soil health study
-a high tunnel light study
-AND MUCH MORE

Will we see you there?

06/20/2026

Join us at our next core apprenticeship event: post-harvest handling and produce safety at Cultivate KC's Juniper Gardens Training Farm.

Attendees will get a chance to tour Cultivate KC's new wash, pack & storage area. You will learn about the Juniper Gardens Training Farm Food Safety Plan and some of the design thought that went into putting the new space together. K-State Extension will lead a hands-on demonstration of cleaning and sanitizing food-contact surfaces as well.

This workshop is co-hosted by Mark Gawron & Ben Carpenter of Cultivate KC and several members of Kansas State University Extension Food Safety faculty & staff, including: Dr. Manreet Bhullar, Cal Jamerson, and Katelynn Stull.

06/16/2026

Thank you to all who attended our soils workshop at the Garden at Dogwood Forest last Monday! Rick led us on a gorgeous farm tour, and Margit led some soil testing demonstrations. Pictures 6 and 7 are of her water infiltration and aggregate stability test examples! It is also milkweed season in Kansas, and Rick's farm had no shortage of specimens! Pictures 8 & 9 are of common milkweed and spider milkweed - two of my personal favorite prairie flowers 🌞

05/27/2026

Join us NEXT Monday, 6/1, for a soil health webinar led by Douglas County Agriculture Agent, Margit Kaltenekker.

Healthy soil is far more than minerals and organic matter. It is alive with intricate relationships. In this seminar, we'll explore the fascinating new biology that reveals how plants, fungi, and microbes work together to cycle nutrients, build soil structure, and foster resilience.

Scan the QR code, or click on the bit.ly link to register for the Zoom webinar today! This webinar serves as a precursor to our in-person soil health workshop on June 8th at the Garden at Dogwood Forest. We hope to see you at both events! 🌱🪱

05/18/2026

Please help us learn about your interest in strawberry production in the region!

We are conducting a quick survey to learn more about strawberry production and planting material needs in Kansas and the Midwest. Results of this survey will help us explore building a local strawberry nursery to supply plants to growers in the region. Please take a moment to complete the survey and share the link with others who grow or are considering growing strawberries. Thank you. We will share results too.
https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7afiB1x2QjbzWPs
P.S. We have a limited number of $50 gift cards available as a way of saying thank you to folks who complete the survey - first come, first served so please help us out by filling out a survey. Thanks!

04/29/2026

Join Farmer Jameson Hubbard at Dirt Beast Farm to learn all about various methods of targeted irrigation to hydrate and sustain those precious crops!

🗓️ Monday, May 4th
⏰2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Implementation of successful irrigation systems can be game-changing for small farms. Various options exist for irrigation - come out to Dirt Beast to see drip and sprinkler systems in person. Jameson will go into detail on what you will need to consider when irrigating different types of growing situations, soil types, and farm/garden layouts. Get hands on experience with Drip Tape, Impact Sprinklers, Wobblers, and other solid state sprinkler heads. Learn how to construct DIY sprinkler risers glue, how to securely connect various fittings, how to ensure you’re less likely to experience unexpectedly high water bills with leaks or mainline breaks, how to set up an easy automated watering system, and more. Nitrile-coated work gloves will be provided for working with PVC glues, but bring your own if you have a pair.

We hope to see you there! 🌻

04/24/2026

It was a whirlwind week for Growing Growers staff all across Kansas and Missouri.

In KCMO this week, we collaborated with and to introduce our apprentices to CKC's tool library! After a rainy Spring, it was refreshing to work outside on a sunny day 🌞

In Sedgwick County, our expansion coordinators held a mushroom log inoculation workshop. We are so thankful for our Sedgwick County team (Abbey Draut and Sarah Stafford) and all that they do to bring the apprenticeship program further into Kansas!

Stay tuned for more workshops 👀 the best way to learn about upcoming Growing Growers and or our partner's events is to visit our shared events calendar: growinggrowers.org/workshops-events/