For those interested in home gardening, growing season extension, and small-scale food production, the University of Wyoming Extension will host a conference in Cody Saturday, April 25. Pre-conference workshops will take place Friday, April 24, in Cody and Powell.
The event is part of UW Extension’s Harvest Wyoming initiative, which provides practical, research-based resources for backyard growers, beginning producers, small-acreage landowners, and any Wyoming residents interested in growing their own food.
“Whether you are a new grower or someone who wants to make growing fruits and vegetables a business, this conference has something for you,” says Jennifer Thompson, UW Extension horticulture specialist and co-organizer of the event.
Pre-conference workshops on Friday, April 24, will offer hands-on learning opportunities related to season extension, plant production, food preservation, and local agricultural history.
The main conference will be held Saturday, April 25, at the Holiday Inn, located at 1701 Sheridan Avenue in Cody. Registration begins at 7:50 a.m., followed by a brief welcome at 8:20 a.m. and lunch at 12 p.m. The event concludes at 3:30 p.m.
Conference sessions will discuss season extension structures, soils and irrigation, integrated pest management, starting plants from seed, fruit production, vertical growing, crop rotation, food safety, and evaluating enterprise performance.
Sessions are organized into four concurrent tracks; participants can attend any workshops of their choice.
The 2026 conference and workshops are free, thanks to sponsor support, but pre-registration is required. Some pre-conference workshops have attendance caps; currently, a waitlist is available for the geodome build and canning workshops.
Registration can be completed at bit.ly/harvest-wy.
A vendor trade show will be available throughout the day. Vendors include a variety of nonprofits and organizations involved in local food production, including Wyoming conservation districts, Wyoming Department of Agriculture, Wyoming Food Coalition, Eat Wyoming, and others.
To view conference details and speaker information, visit bit.ly/harvest-wy. Contact Thompson at planthelp@uwyo.edu or (307) 766-2913 with questions.
Funding for this event was made possible by a grant from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture.
