JOIN US! JANUARY 22 – 23, 2026
We look forward to welcoming you to our 27th annual conference! If you have questions about the event, please contact Alecks Moss at conference@futureharvest.org
More than 30 sessions on a range of topics for advanced and beginning farmers, agtivists and educators, two keynote addresses, farmer-to-farmer chats & more!
- Beginner Farmer
- Crop Production (Particularly specialty crops)
- Soil Health / Regenerative
- Business & Marketing (Including Value-added)
- Environment, Community & Policy
- Livestock (Meat, Dairy, Eggs, and other products)
- Value-added
++ sessions for Advanced Farmers
PLUS SPECIAL EVENTS
- Interactive Farmer Panels
- Farm Tour Field Trip
- Tradeshow & Networking
- Happy Hour
- Farm Bingo
- Seed, Tool, Clothing & Farmer Swag Swap
- Farmers Market
VIEW THE SCHEDULE
⭐ Check out the conference schedule at a glance and program preview to start planning and personalizing your conference experience.
WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
DENZEL MITCHELL JR.
Co-Founder and Executive Director of Farm Alliance of Baltimore, Denzel Mitchell Jr. will lead Origins of Regenerative Agriculture, a panel exploring the personal roots and broader social, cultural, and environmental impacts of agriculture. Panelists include Henrietta Isaboke (Afrithrive), Gail Taylor (Three Part Harmony Farm), and Kenneth Bridgers (The Well at Oxon Run).
LISA HELD
Senior Staff Reporter and Contributing Editor at Civil Eats, Lisa Held, will deliver the keynote Sowing Clover, exploring efforts to rebuild local food systems amid corporate consolidation and climate challenges. Drawing on a decade of investigative reporting, she examines the pesticide industry, corporate influence, and federal policies, highlighting everyday acts of resilience that sustain communities.
We are currently accepting sponsors, exhibitors and advertisements for the event. Click here to purchase or make a commitment today.
Our annual conference is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier opportunity for farm-related organizations and product vendors to connect directly with farmers, food system professionals, homesteaders and agtivists in our foodshed. Our event attracts small- to mid-scale growers working with fruit and vegetables, flowers, poultry, small ruminants, and more.
Whether you provide seed and feed, farm machinery and implements, fencing, land management, infrastructure services, or opportunities through non-profits, government agencies, and academic institutions, our attendees come ready to engage.
We’re delighted to offer several levels of support for you to promote your brand and business at our conference. Becoming a part of our conference is a great strategy for highlighting your company’s values and enhancing your reputation, visibility, and brand awareness over the long term in our region’s agricultural community.
TICKETING INFORMATION
Your ticket includes locally-sourced boxed lunches on Thursday and Friday. We will also host a happy hour on Thursday night, with snacks, a cash bar and activities like farmer bingo! Silver Spring also has lots of walkable local options for food and entertainment.
Throughout the conference, stop by our community table for the Seed and Clothing Swap, and don’t miss the Farmer Swag Swap—a fun opportunity to exchange your farm’s branded gear with other growers. Bring a few extra hats, shirts, or other logowear items and trade with fellow attendees.
IMPORTANT LODGING INFORMATION
Attendees are responsible for booking their own hotel accommodations. We’ve arranged discounted room blocks at two nearby hotels:
Courtyard by Marriott Silver Spring Downtown
(closest to Conference Center)
8506 Fenton St, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Reserve your room here, or call 301-589-4899DoubleTree by Hilton Silver Spring DC North
(lower-cost option, 10-minute walk)
8777 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Reserve your room here, or call 1-800-HILTONSUse our conference discount code when booking to receive the reduced group rate.
*Remember, if you plan to call to book your reservation to mention you are a Future Harvest Conference Attendee!
Parking: There are several public parking garages on the Town Square in Silver Spring.
Garage 61 is across the street from the Civic Building conference center, and Garage 60 backs up to the hotel. Parking is $1.25 an hour. Other parking options can be found here.
Public Transportation: Ride to the conference! The Red Line connects at the Silver Spring Metro Station, three blocks from the conference. The Red Line also connects to Union Station in Washington DC, so participants from Baltimore and Frederick may want to consider the MARC train. Multiple bus lines also stop at the Silver Spring Metro Station.
Attendees are responsible for booking their own hotel accommodations. We’ve arranged discounted room blocks at two nearby hotels:
Courtyard by Marriott Silver Spring Downtown
8506 Fenton St, Silver Spring, MD 20910DoubleTree by Hilton Silver Spring DC North (lower-cost option)
8777 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Use our conference discount code when booking to receive the reduced group rate.
Parking: There are several public parking garages on the Town Square in Silver Spring. Garage 61 is across the street from the Civic Building conference center, and Garage 60 backs up to the hotel. Parking is $1.25 an hour. Other parking options can be found here.
Public Transportation: Ride to the conference! The Red Line connects at the Silver Spring Metro Station, three blocks from the conference. The Red Line also connects to Union Station in Washington DC, so participants from Baltimore and Frederick may want to consider the MARC train. Multiple bus lines also stop at the Silver Spring Metro Station.
Bonus! Pre & Post Conference Add-ons
Preconference Workshops — Wednesday, January 21 (available as an add-on with conference registration or sold separately below)
Ethical Seed Saving Intensive | 1:30 – 4:30 PM
Led by the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance, this intensive explores seed-saving techniques such as threshing, winnowing, and drying, as well as the cultural and cooperative dimensions of seed sovereignty.
Sign up here if you want to take this session without signing up for conference
Chesapeake Herbshed Gathering | 1:30 – 4:30 PM
Join members of the Chesapeake Herbshed, a peer-to-peer network of regional herb growers, buyers, and product makers, for a three-hour, hands-on community session. Participants will engage in comparisons and tastings of regionally grown and dried herbs through organoleptic testing—using the senses of taste, touch, smell, and sight. Guests are invited to bring samples of Chamomile, Calendula, Lemon Balm, Peppermint, Ashwagandha, or Burdock to contribute.
Connect with fellow farmers and hear from local apothecarists about their sourcing considerations when buying herbs directly from growers. The session will also include guidance on herbal product regulations from Henriette Van Ouden of UMES and a tea tasting led by Bettina Perry of Charmington Holistic, comparing locally grown and globally sourced herbs.
Sign up here if you want to take this session without signing up for conference
Cut Flower Production 201: Deep Dive Into Intermediate Crops – Ranunculus, Lisianthus, Dahlias, and More! with Maya Kosok, Hillen Homestead and Elisa Lane, Two Boots Farm | 1:30-4:30 PM
So you’ve grown some beautiful celosia, sunflowers, and zinnias and you’d like to grow even more flowers? Ready to kick it up a notch with some more intermediate level crops? We are going to do a deep dive into some of the more challenging and lucrative annual crops, including tulips, poppies, ranunculus, dahlias, lisianthus, and chrysanthemums. This will be a very practical and applied session relevant for both field and tunnel production. For each of these crops we’ll cover the nitty gritty including variety selection, sourcing plant material, spacing, planting time and successions, harvest stages, pricing, and more. Save yourself a season (or a few!) of beginner mistakes and kick start your flower production with some gorgeous specialty crops.
Sign up here if you want to take this session without signing up for conference
Post-Conference: Produce Safety Rule (PSR) Grower Training
Saturday, January 24 | Silver Spring Civic Building
Hosted by ALEI and the Maryland Food Safety Network
Register here on Eventbrite
This day-long training provides practical guidance on implementing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Participants will learn best practices for produce safety, on-farm hygiene, water management, postharvest handling, and developing a farm food safety plan. Registration includes course materials, certification upon completion, and light breakfast and lunch.
FRESHFARM Downtown Silver Spring Farmers Market
On Saturday from 9AM-1PM, explore the FRESHFARM Downtown Silver Spring Farmers Market, located right in front of the Civic Center. Meet local producers, discover regional food, and enjoy fresh flavors before heading home.
THANK YOU 2026 CONFERENCE SPONSORS
