WMREC Twilight Meeting
Updated: April 23, 2026

Hiring and Retaining Farm Employees – What you Need to Know and Do

Are you trying to find, hire and keep great employees? Is it a bit confusing and time consuming? Do you know where to start and who to involve? Are you worried about the legal considerations when having non-family members employed? This course will help you sort through all these questions and concerns. Navigating this process doesn’t have to be difficult as this course will share with you. Through the four modules of this course, you’ll get important information and resources you can adapt for your own operation. For more information go to https://agrisk.umd.edu/grant-proposals/hiring-and-retaining-farm-employees

Viticulture and Grape Growing Workshops

New Grape Grower Workshop

The New Grape Grower Workshop is held yearly during the month of March or April at the Maryland Wine Grape Industry Annual Meeting, sponsored by the Maryland Grape Growers Association and Maryland Wineries Association in cooperation with the University of Maryland Extension.

This course offers a broad overview of commercial vineyard development from pre-plant planning into the third year including economics and marketing information, variety, clone, and rootstock choices, site selection and preparation, pre-plant decisions, equipment, and supply requirements. We will also cover the basics of ordering, planting, and tending the vines through the third year of growth, as well as best practices for training, canopy management, and pest management.

The workshop is classroom format with a lot of time for Q&A.This seminar is a good overview of what is involved with getting a commercial vineyard started in the Mid-Atlantic.

View recordings from previous workshop

Archives (Webinar Recordings)

Central Maryland Vegetable Growers Virtual Meeting
Date: January 28, 2020 | Length: 4:04:35

Virtual Winter Vegetable Grower Meeting
Date: December 2, 2020 | Length: 4:14:46
Topics discussed: Legalities of Direct Farm Marketing Specialty Crops, Sarah Everhart, Legal Specialist,
University of Maryland; Maryland Food Safety Program Update, Angela Ferelli, Agent Associate & Carol Allen, Agent Associate, University of Maryland; Vegetable Weed Control Update; Kurt Vollmer, Weed Science Specialist, University of Maryland Extension; MDA Pesticide Update, Maryland Department of Agriculture; Odd Insects and Diseases of Vegetables, Jerry Brust, Vegetable IPM Specialist, University of Maryland Extension; Managing Salinity and pH in High tunnels, Neith little, Urban Educator & Andrew Ristvey, Alternative Crops Specialist, University of Maryland Extension; Vegetable Trials Update, Gordon Johnson, Vegetable Specialist, University of Delaware Extension; and MDA Nutrient Management Update, Maryland Department of Agriculture

Virtual Winter Fruit Grower Meeting
Date:
December 10, 2020  |  Thursday
Time:  8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  |  Location: Virtual
Topics discussed: Spotted Wing Drosophila on Cranberries, Maggie Lewis, Entomology, Graduate Student University of Maryland; Insect Biological Control, Alan Leslie, Extension Educator University of Maryland Extension; Small Fruit Update, Ben Beale, Extension Educator University of Maryland Extension; MDA PAT Update, Maryland Department of Agriculture; Food Safety Update, Angela Ferelli, Agent Associate, Carol Allen, Agent Associate University of Maryland; Soil Health in High Tunnels, Neith little, Urban Educator, and Andrew Ristvey, Alternative Crops Specialist University of Maryland Extension; Fruit Tactics for the Coastal Plains, Dave Myers, Extension Educator University of Maryland Extension; and MDA Nutrient Management Update, Maryland department of Agriculture

Bay Area Virtual Fruit Meeting
Date: February 10, 2021 | Length: 4:23:36
Topics discussed: Legalities of Direct Farm Marketing Specialty Crops, Sarah Everhart, Legal Specialist,
University of Maryland;
Insect Control Update, Kelly Hamby, Entomology Assistant Professor, University of Maryland; Fruit Weed Control Update, Kurt Vollmer, Weed Science Specialist, University of Maryland Extension; MDA PAT Update, Maryland Department of Agriculture; Apple Maturity and Harvest, Macarena Farcuh, Horticulture Assistant Professor, University of Maryland; Maryland Vineyard Industry Update, Joe Fiola, Viticulture & Small Fruit Specialist, University of Maryland Extension; Climate Change and the Orchard, Chris Walsh,, Horticulture Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland; MDA Nutrient Management Update, Maryland Department of Agriculture

 

Explore Meeting and Events

Agriculture Extension Winter Crop Production Meetings

Our local agricultural agents are getting ready and planning our Winter Production meetings later this summer. Get ready for an exciting lineup of events in the fall of 2024 and winter of 2025. Don't miss the opportunity to earn pesticide recertification and nutrient management credits at these meetings.

Find a meeting close to you.