Conference Information
It’s back! The Texas Lavender Association will host the 4th Southwest Lavender Conference. This will be an excellent, educational opportunity for all lavender growers, beginners and pros. Friday noon opens with intense workshop and demonstration opportunities. On Friday night there will be an informal reception and meet & greet followed by roundtable discussions. Vendors will be set up showcasing and selling their products. The Saturday conference will be divided into two tracks, one for Production and one for Marketing. Join us Saturday night for a lavender-themed banquet dinner. Sunday we will hop a bus and tour the scenic Texas Hill Country visiting some wineries and agri-tourism businesses.
ALERT: Early registration discount has been extended!! Call 830.385.5336 or 512.935.0923 for more details.
| Friday: | ||
| 11:30AM - 12:30PM | Annual TLA Meeting | |
| 1:00PM - 2:45PM | Lavender 101 - Curtis Beus | Culinary Demo - Kathy Gehrt |
| How to start or expand your lavender farm. | ||
| 3:00PM - 4:45PM | De-Budding Demo - Peggy Armstrong | Soap making demo - Sylvia Dunaway |
| 6:00PM - 7:00PM | Trade Show Registration Opens |
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| 7:00PM - 8:00PM | Reception/Buffet | |
| 8:00PM - 9:30PM | Roundtable Discussions | |
| Saturday | ||
| 7:30AM - 8:30AM | Registration, Visit Trade Show, Welcome | |
| 8:00AM - 8:20AM | Welcoming Remarks | |
| 8:30AM - 9:30AM | Lavender Varieties & Uses Curtis Beus - Washington State University Ext. Best varieties in harsh climates for fresh cut/dried flowers, culinary, ornamental, & oil production. |
Value-Added Products Christine Teeple - Red Rock Lavender Farm, AZ Developing, branding, marketing your lavender product. |
| 9:45AM - 10:45AM | Crop Management Michael Teeple - Red Rock Lavender Farm, AZ. Steps for maintaining a healthy, productive crop. |
Ingredients for Making a Lavender Product Hollie Malhaupt - Texas Natural Supply, TX. Making your own product or outsourcing - what you need to know |
| 11:00AM - 12:00PM | Propagation Sarah Bader - Lavender at Stonegate, Oregon Taking cuttings & managing new starts |
Marketing Your Business Electronically James Buratti - Texas Organic Farmers, Gardeners Assoc. (TOFGA) Making the most of your web site & social networking |
| 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Lunch | Lunch |
| 1:15PM - 2:15PM | Distilling Mitchell Stephens - M&J Gifts, TX. Growing and harvesting for oil & hydrosol production |
Lavender for Culinary Use Kathy Gehrt - Discover Lavender, WA Best varieties & ways to market lavender for edible use. |
| 2:30PM - 3:30PM | Diversification: What Else Can I Do? Jason Powell - Petals From the Past, AL. Other ideas to enhance your lavender operation |
Farmer's Markets, Festivals - Panel Tips on hosting your own event or participating in off-site events. |
| 3:30PM - 3:45PM | Break | Break |
| 3:45PM - 4:45PM | Panel Discussions / Q&A With Speakers What is the future for lavender? Problem solving. Success stories. |
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| 7:00PM - 9:00PM | Banquet Dinner |
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| Sunday | ||
| 8:00AM - 5:00AM | Join us on the Sunday bus tour to complete the theme of "Tuscany In Texas: Building a Business With and Beyond Lavender". You will have the opportunity to tour Wimberley Herbs, a small herb business that offers classes; Bella Vista Winery, an olive & specialty food crops farm. Lunch will be a delicious Italian meal served family style at Mendola's Trattoria. Then on to an established lavender farm owned by Mitchel & Jane Stephen's; Becker Winery & lavender farm with a lavender themed gift shop and then end the day at Grape Creek Winery where we will meet Harold Partain of Epicopia Culinary Tours to learn about a possible small group tour of lavender farms in the South of France for Summer of 2011. |
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| Click here for the latest updates. You can also find conference news on Twitter & Facebook. | ||
