International Master Gardener Conference Registration Opens

July 30, 2015

Lincoln, Neb. — The biennial International Master Gardener Conference will be held at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs on Sept. 22-25. Co-hosted by Nebraska Extension and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, this year’s theme is “Horticultural Horizons in the Heartland.”

The conference is an opportunity for master gardeners and extension specialists to learn and exchange ideas. It will include educational and hands-on workshops, tours of nearby gardens and attractions, and a gardener’s trade show.

“Food gardening has the potential to strengthen individual, household and community food security by helping people get easier access to healthy, fresh foods,” said Terri James, extension assistant for Nebraska Extension. “Nebraska master gardeners and community gardens with extra produce can partner with local non-profits to grow fresh vegetables and fruits for community food pantries.”

Gary Oppenheimer, a master gardener from New Jersey, will present the keynote address “Ending the Waste of Food from the Ground Up” at 1 p.m. Sept. 25. Oppenheimer was named a “CNN Hero” for his anti-hunger work and was a World Food Prize nominee. He founded a nationwide campaign to empower millions of backyard gardeners to easily find local food pantries eager for their excess garden bounty.

Registration for the conference, which closes Aug. 31, is $440. There is also single-day registration available. For more information or to register, visit http://mastergardener.unl.edu/imgc2015.