Ensure you have the pick of the crop this season.
Support the success of your tree fruit operation with practical research-tested best practices from industry experts at the 2025 Commercial Tree Fruit School. Whether you’re a seasoned grower or new to the practice, the program features a wide range of topics to help you meet the challenges of commercial fruit production in Southwestern Illinois. This year's school will be on Feb. 11 at a new location, the Barefoot Restaurant in Hardin (106 S Water St., Hardin, IL 62047). New this year, there will be no afternoon presentations, and the program will conclude after lunch. Registration will begin at 7:45 a.m., and the program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Program Schedule
Current trends in insect and disease management production-related topics to be covered include:
- 8:30 a.m. - Beaks And Snouts: Plum Curculio and Stink Bugs in Tree Fruits
Kacie Athey, University of Illinois - 9 a.m.- Modern Intensive Orchard Systems Research for Peaches and Pears
Brent Arnoldussen, University of Kentucky - 9:45 a.m. - Break with Vendors
- 10:30 a.m. - Peach and Apple Disease Updates
Mohammad Babadoost, University of Illinois - 11:15 a.m. - Cold Damage in a Changing Climate: What's a Grower To Do?
Brent Arnoldussen, University of Kentucky - Noon - Lunch Break
- 1:30 p.m. - Adjourn
Registration Details
- $35 per person for advanced registration by Feb. 4.
- $50 per person for registration at the door.
- All registration fees include lunch.
A new spray guide is not available this year. Instead, you will be given a supplement to the 2023-2024 Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide. Spray Guides will be available for purchase at the school for $15. Learn more or register for the 2025 program at go.illinois.edu/TreeFruitSchool.