Urban and Small Farms Field Day

Fruit

Milena Oliveira:
Dr. Oliveira is an Extension vegetable Specialist at USU. She leads research and extension efforts focused on sustainable vegetable production in Utah. Dr. Oliveira grew up on a small farm in the semiarid region of Brazil. She has experience working with fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants across a broad spectrum of production systems. She has M.S. in Plant Physiology, PhD in Agronomy/Horticulture, Brazil and postdoctoral studies in Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Israel as well as Dryland Cropping Systems from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE. The overarching goal of her extension and research-based efforts is to identify/develop sustainable strategies to improve crop performance in terms of yield and quality of vegetable crops.


























































Eric Westra:
Eric Westra is an assistant professor in Weed Science at USU who focuses on agronomic and natural area weed control, including integrated weed management in diverse systems. Eric is originally from Colorado and has been at USU for the past two and a half years.












Josh Martin:
Josh Martin is an Extension Assistant Professor of Horticulture for Utah State University. He was born and raised in southern Utah and is an alumnus of Utah State University, where he studied plant science and food production with an emphasis on vegetables. Now based in Iron County, he works with members of the public, food producers, municipalities, businesses and anyone else who needs help growing plants.

Cover Crop Options for Utah's Small Vegetable Farms:  In Utah’s arid climate and challenging soils, cover crops are a valuable sustainable tool to improve soil structure, prevent erosion, suppress weeds, retain moisture, and ultimately enhance vegetable crop productivity. These benefits can translate into reduced fertilizer costs, lower reliance on herbicides and other pesticides, improved yields, and long-term gains in soil health. Our session will focus on cover crop species well-suited to Utah conditions. I will share local research findings on how different cover crop strategies affect soil health and subsequent vegetable yields, with a special focus on practical integration for small and urban farms. Attendees will have the chance to visit our ongoing research trial investigating the often-overlooked 'hidden half'—the roots of cover crops—and gain hands-on experience learning how belowground dynamics of cover crops contribute to healthier soils and more resilient vegetable production systems.

Integrated Weed Management for Small Farms: Eric will present on integrated weed management for small farms and landowners utilizing multiple tactics as well as covering recent changes in box store herbicide formulations for homeowners. 

Protected Cultivation and Season Extension for Vegetable Production:
Growing vegetables in Utah can be challenging, to say the least. From the spring temperature swings, scorching summer heat and often early frosts, vegetable crops can benefit from various protection methods. I will be covering methods of protected cultivation and season extension for vegetable crops. This will include utilizing high tunnels, low tunnels, and also using shade and frost cloth to increase yields and protect crops during the growing season. 

• Cover Crops for Utah Gardens
• Introduction to Cover Crops for Vegetable Production in Utah

• Utah Noxious Weed Field Guide

• High Tunnels Construction and Modification

Burdette Barker

Melanie Stock

Cut Flower Irrigation Systems

Miles Becker, Assistant Professor, USU Extension Uraban Forestry Specialist

Jerry Goodspeed, Extension Professor, USU Botanical Center Director

Landscaping trees health identification and care: Tour the Varga Arboretum to learn the signs of healthy trees and how to water and prune to get the results you want

Claudia Nischwitz, Associate Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist:  Claudia Nischwitz is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at USU. She has been at USU since August 2010. She works on diseases of plants, with a  focus on vegetable, cut flowers, grape and alfalfa diseases and insect pests. In addition, Claudia does diagnostics for the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic lab.  Her main research emphases currently are: survey of grape pests and diseases; understanding the dynamics of the beet curly top virus and its insect vector; and identification of aphids in alfalfa and their effects on yield

and

Ernane Vieira-Neto, Insect Diagnostician: Ernane is a Temporary Professional Practice Assistant Professor and Arthropod Diagnostician at the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab at USU since June 2024, working with pest surveys and identification from multiple locations across the state of Utah. Ernane is also interested in insect population dynamics in natural and agricultural contexts. Main research emphases currently are: Orchard Commodity Survey; Survey of grape pests and diseases; understanding the dynamics of the beet curly top virus and its insect vector; and identification of aphids in alfalfa and their effects on yield

Maggie Mathews:
Maggi Mathews is a Utah native, with ties to multiple states. She graduated from USU with a degree in Soil Science and Sustainable Food Production and worked closely with the noxious weed research lab and Utah Department of Agriculture and Food throughout her undergraduate years. She is passionate about finding alternative ways to farm, horses, reading and keeping agricultural traditions alive. She serves Weber and Morgan Counties in the Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty position for USU Extension.





Emilie Demard, Assistant Professor in Entomology:
Emilie Demard has recently joined USU as an Assistant Professor in Entomology, working on specialty crops (tree fruits and vegetables). Her program will focus on understanding the biology and ecology of arthropod pests to develop Integrated Pest Management programs.

Mike Pace, USU Extension Professor, Box Elder County: Mike currently works with Utah State University Extension in Box Elder County, assisting with commercial fruit and vegetable growers, home horticulture, and agronomic crops.  In 2012, he developed a 1.5-acre demonstration orchard and vineyard at the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville, Utah. 

Shital Poudyal, Extension Specialist for Ornamental and Landscape


































Michele Schahczenski, Organic Outreach Coordinator: Michele Schahczenski works with USU Extension on the Transition to Organic partnership Program (TOPP) working to increase the number and network of organic producers in the state of UT through technical assistance, mentorship, community building, and workforce development. 

Insect Pests and Plant Diseases of Vegetables and Cut Flowers 






































































































Edible Garden with soil probes demonstrating how to take samples and analyze the results 













































IPM Table: 

• First Detector Guides for invasive species
• A marketing card for USU IPM program
• Squash bug infographic
• Vegetable diseases in Utah
• Managing your Garden for Pests 1-pager
• Beware of Hitchhikers infographic cards (asian long-horned beetle, spongy moth, EAB, Japanese beetle)
• Probably other factsheet on insect pests.

USU Botanical Center Demonstration Orchard

The USU Demonstration Orchard features around 85 varieties of apples, unique peaches, and hybrid trees like apriums, pluots, and plumcots, along with over 40 grape varieties for table, juice, and wine. It serves as a research site to test fruit tree performance in Utah’s climate and as an outdoor classroom for pruning, grafting, and pest management workshops. The orchard showcases various pruning styles and includes a row of apple trees on different rootstocks—dwarf, semi-dwarf, and standard—to demonstrate how rootstock affects tree size.

Learn to install Smart Irrigation Controllers for Home Gardens and Small Vegetable and Ornamental production: Learn how to install and set up smart irrigation controllers tailored for small-scale vegetable and ornamental gardens. This hands-on workshop will cover controller selection, basic wiring, Wi-Fi setup, programming, and troubleshooting tips to help homeowners and small growers control irrigation remotely and improve irrigation efficiency.

(30-60 min)

Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP): 
Will have info about the TOPP program, mentorship program, printed resource library, and can answer questions about certification and organic production

• Plant Diagnostic Lab
• IPM Pest Advisories

• TOPP W/SW Website
• USU TOPP Website