Speakers – Page 2 – Indiana Horticulture Conference and Expo

Lali Hess

Excerpt: Lali Hess and her husband Doug Miller own The Juniper Spoon, a community-driven catering business rooted in the belief that good food is a vital part of a thriving community. A passionate champion of local food systems, Lali works closely with regional farmers, producers, and artisans to procure ingredients at their peak and tell the >>> Read More.

Alexandria Snabes

Excerpt: I am currently a graduate student at Purdue University studying Horticulture with a concentration in plant genetics and breeding. My current research revolves around assessing the productivity and characteristics of Scotch Bonnet Pepper plants in the Midwest. Before attending Purdue, I graduated from Grand Valley State University, located in Michigan, where I received a bachelor’s >>> Read More.

Roger Winstead

Excerpt: Roger and Mary Winstead are co-owners of Beautiful Edibles farm, selling produce for both retail and wholesale buyers through the Local Source online food hub. Their small scale market garden began in 2015 at the family homestead in Paradise, IN. In 2021 they established an urban mushroom farm in downtown Evansville. They have been foraging >>> Read More.

Mary Winstead

Excerpt: Roger and Mary Winstead are co-owners of Beautiful Edibles farm, selling produce for both retail and wholesale buyers through the Local Source online food hub. Their small scale market garden began in 2015 at the family homestead in Paradise, IN. In 2021 they established an urban mushroom farm in downtown Evansville. They have been foraging >>> Read More.

Kailee Bennett

Excerpt: Kailee Bennett is mama to Hattie, the founder of Hattie Lou Blooms, a flower farm rooted in kindness, community, and intentional growing. Hattie started Hattie Lou Blooms at just 10 years old with a simple goal: to grow flowers and spread kindness. What began as a small family project evolved organically as people began asking >>> Read More.

Katheryn Parraga-Escalante

Excerpt: Dr. Parraga has served as the Food Safety Research and Outreach Specialist in the Department of Food Science at Purdue University since October 2024. She has more than eight years of experience in the food safety field. Dr. Parraga’s extension program focuses on supporting the industry by enhancing the understanding and application of food safety >>> Read More.

Nick Minton

Excerpt: Born and raised in southern Illinois where my background in agriculture stems from working for my uncle and cousin who operated a diversified farm raising row crops, registered Hereford and Angus cattle and operating a custom hay business. My passion for beef cattle sparked the interest in pursuing a degree in Animal Science from the >>> Read More.

Anna Holloway

Excerpt: Anna serves as the Value Chain Coordinator for Indiana Grown for Schools, representing the Indiana Department of Health. In this statewide role, she assists producers seeking to enter the school food market and supports food service directors aiming to incorporate more locally sourced, fresh ingredients into their meal programs. Drawing from her experience as a >>> Read More.

Brenda Lekse

Excerpt: Brenda Lekse is an award-winning floral designer, instructor and flower farmer who owns RUE de FLEURS. For over 25 years, Brenda continues to be recognized for her talent as an innovator of floral design. Specializing in Wedding and corporate event design, Brenda has been featured in magazines and designed wedding bouquets for popular publications such >>> Read More.

John Nagle

Excerpt: John Nagle is the Farm Training Specialist for Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. This position is responsible for coordinating training for employees and agents on farming and coordinating training for our farm clients on insurance and risk management. He has created the farm safety, emergency planning, and loss control programs and materials for Indiana Farm Bureau >>> Read More.

Rachel Brandenburg

Excerpt: Rachel is a Food Distribution Manger representing the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. She works statewide to bring more local food to Indiana plates, building strong and resilient food market channels through partnerships and support. Presentation: The business of regional food systems: value chains, hubs, services, and buyer interest: Regional food systems need coordination, infrastructure, >>> Read More.

Elizabeth Tobey

Excerpt: Elizabeth Tobey (she/her) is a farmer, crafter, educator, and co-founder of Bundle Sticks Farm in Harrison County, Indiana. Bundle Sticks is a craft-focused farm, producing materials for wreaths, brooms, baskets, and other high quality craftwork. The farm uses crop-livestock integration for fertility, raising rotationally grazed sheep for meat and fiber, and focuses on building biodiversity >>> Read More.

Brian Geier

Excerpt: Brian Geier (he/him) is the co-founder of Bundle Sticks Farm in Harrison County, Indiana. Brian grew up in Wayne County, Indiana, studied sustainable agriculture at the University of Maine, and has worked in organic farming and farm-based education for over 20 years. Bundle Sticks Farm is focused on the production of craft-quality materials for basketry, >>> Read More.

Beth Vansickle

Excerpt: Beth is a Ag and Natural Resource Educator in Madison County. She has been with Extension for the last 20 years. She and her family run a small beef farm and freezer beef business in northern Hancock County. Presentation: Considerations for adding Farm Labor to your Farm: Hiring and managing farm labor can be one >>> Read More.

James Wolff

Excerpt: James Wolff is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator for Purdue Extension – Allen County. In his 11 years with Purdue Extension he has focused on small farm production, beginning farmer education, farmers markets, and hops production. James also works with pesticides and row crops. Presentation: Farmers Markets: Tips and Tricks for Vendors: Want to >>> Read More.

Lais McCartney

Excerpt: Lais McCartney is an Extension Educator with Purdue Extension in Hancock County, working in Agriculture and Natural Resources and supporting the volunteer-led educational Master Gardener program. She also serves as the Indiana SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) state coordinator, assisting farmers, educators, and partners with grant development, project implementation, and outreach. With over five >>> Read More.

Daniel Garcia

Excerpt: Daniel Garcia is the founder of Garcia’s Gardens, an urban farm in Indianapolis focused on sustainable, regenerative agriculture. As a trained biochemist and life long gardener, he’s cultivated strong ties with chefs, markets, and neighbors since 2015, combining scientific precision with a deep commitment to community food access. >>> Read More.

Moriah Bilenky

Excerpt: Dr. Moriah Bilenky is an Assistant Professor In the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. She earned an A.S. in Agriculture Production Systems from Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture and a B.S. and Ph.D. in Horticultural with an emphasis on Sustainable Vegetable Production from Iowa State University. Before starting her Ph.D., she assisted in the >>> Read More.

Cora Reinbolt

Excerpt: Cora grew up in South Central Indiana raising crossbred hair sheep and showing in 4-H. She then attended Purdue University, receiving a BS in Animal Sciences and International Agronomy, and pursued a MS in International Agricultural Extension Education from Ohio State University. She served as a US Borlaug Fellow, conducting research in Managua, Nicaragua. In >>> Read More.

Whitney Schlegel

Excerpt: Whitney Schlegel with her husband Kip Schlegel owns and manages Marble Hill Farm, a small diversified livestock farm in Monroe County. They work to encourage a connection with the land by sharing our farm with community and supporting on-farm educational programs. A whole-farm ecosystem approach guides our land stewardship. The Lowline Angus beef cattle, Shetland >>> Read More.

Yichao Rui

Excerpt: Dr. Yichao Rui is a soil scientist and agroecologist at Purdue University, where she leads the Purdue Agroecology Lab. His research focuses on soil health, plant–soil–microbe interactions, and sustainable cropping systems, with an emphasis on improving soil carbon, nutrient cycling, and agroecosystem resilience. Dr. Rui integrates field experiments, laboratory analyses, and data-driven approaches to address >>> Read More.

Scott Rice

Excerpt: My wife, Marilyn, and I purchased our farm in 2025 and became a non-profit in 2020. Our mission is to support our community by providing healthy food, educational opportunities and environmental stewardship. We grow vegetables, fruit and cut flowers. Along with growing vegetables, fruit and cut flowers, we also have bees, chickens and goats. In >>> Read More.

Jade Grisham

Excerpt: Jayde is the Urban Agriculture Educator for Marion County and focuses on urban farming, livestock, and community gardening. She enjoys experimenting on her urban farm including beekeeping in the front yard, rotationally grazing coturnix quail, and growing cut flowers. Presentation: Quail in the City: Tiny Livestock, Big Potential: From hatch to dinner table, domestic coturnix >>> Read More.

Irene Torres

Excerpt: Irene Torres is a flower farmer and co-owner of Line in the Sand Farm LLC with her husband in Northwest Indiana. What began five years ago with a small vegetable patch soon grew into a passion for specialty cut flowers-sparked by her very first seed grown lisianthus and the joy it brought customers. Since then, >>> Read More.

Dennis Buckmaster

Excerpt: Dennis Buckmaster is a Professor in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and founding director of the Purdue Institute for Digital and Advanced Agricultural Systems. Among other topics, he teaches Agricultural Systems Management courses including “Computing Technology with Applications” and “Effective Management”. His research is in the realm of data pipelines including Internet of Things and AI. >>> Read More.