JOIN US! JANUARY 22 – 23, 2026
We look forward to announcing our 2026 keynote speakers soon! If you have questions about the event, please contact Alecks Moss at conference@futureharvest.org
More than 40 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 Swap
- Farmers Market
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
LISA HELD
Senior Staff Reporter and Contributing Editor at Civil Eats
Denzel Mitchell Jr. has served as an educator, organizer, cook, librarian and farmer. In November 2012, he completed Future Harvest-CASA’s Beginning Farmer Training Program and then with the help of a chef and a food historian, he brought a nearly-forgotten heirloom, Baltimore’s Fish Pepper, back to the Chesapeake region’s culinary palette. He, his family, and a cadre of supporters and volunteers operated Five Seeds Farm from 2008 until 2016. From 2012 to spring of 2017, Denzel mentored several new farmers, organized farmers’ markets, advised others in starting small farms, community gardens, food co-ops and food businesses. He taught and mentored young people at several Baltimore City public schools and after-school programs. Denzel spent a year as the production manager at Real Food Farm. He served as the Farms To School Coordinator at Great Kids Farm. He was the Brownfields Coordinator for Baltimore City’s Office of Planning. He was the farm manager at Strength To Love 2 for 3 seasons. He has served on the production committee of several urban farms including Real Food Farm, Whitelock Community Farm, Boone Street Farm and Great Kids Farm. He has served on the board of directors for the Friends of Great Kids Farm, Belair-Edison Neighborhood, Inc. and now Acres4Change. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Farm Alliance.
Lisa Held is the senior staff reporter and contributing editor at Civil Eats. For a decade, she has reported on agriculture and food policy with an eye toward the environment, social justice, and health. Her stories have appeared in The Guardian, The Washington Post, and many other leading publications. Held has reported from Missouri egg farms, Pennsylvania dairy pastures, Iowa pork CAFOs, and New York City rooftop vegetable operations, in addition to countless Congressional hearings and USDA press conferences.
In recent years, she worked on investigative projects—on the power of the pesticide industry and on Walmart’s influence on the American farm landscape. In 2025, she began publishing daily coverage of the federal government’s food and farm policy actions for Civil Eats’ Food Policy Tracker. Held is based in Baltimore.
Lisa’s keynote, Sowing Clover is about the movement to rebuild local food systems faces pressure from corporate consolidation and a changing climate. Yet farmers continue restoring soil, forming cooperatives, and feeding their neighbors. Drawing on a decade of investigative reporting, Held explores the pesticide industry, corporate influence, and federal policies. She will draw from examples of how hope endures in everyday acts of resilience that keep communities strong.
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
If you are a conference speaker, sponsor or exhibitor; or a participant in the 2025 Beginner Farmer Training Program and have not yet registered for the conference, please contact conference@futureharvest.org.
Your ticket includes locally-sourced boxed lunches on Thursday and Friday. We will also host a happy hour on Friday night, with snacks, a cash bar and activities like farmer bingo! Silver Spring also has lots of walkable local options for food and entertainment.
imprtant 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
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
Fermentation 101 with HEX Ferments
Learn the science and art of vegetable fermentation with the team from HEX Ferments. This hands-on workshop covers microbial ecology, salt ratios, fermentation safety, and seasonal recipes. Participants will create and take home their own small-batch ferment.
Ethical Seed Saving Intensive
Led by the Ira Wallace Seed School (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.
Chesapeake Herbshed Gathering
Join members of the Chesapeake Herbshed—a regional network of herb growers, buyers, and makers—for a collaborative, hands-on session. Participants will compare regionally grown and dried herbs, share sourcing insights, and strengthen community connections.
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.