Mark your calendars now and plan to attend the 116th annual NNGA conference to be held jointly with the Chestnut Growers of America in Owosso and Lansing, Michigan from Sunday August 3 thru Wednesday August 6, 2025. The planning committee has already outlined an exciting program and selected many of the venues. A late spring issue or early summer issue of The Nutshell will include details about events, list of presenters, lodging, and registration. As more information becomes available, we will try to have it posted on the NNGA website (nutgrowing.org) sooner than in print.

Although the conference will be at meet at two locations, most of the time we will be at the Lansing Center (https://lansingcenter.com/) in downtown Lansing. We have reserved a large meeting room that will accommodate 250 people and two breakout rooms that can be used during concurrent sessions, poster presentations, and exhibits. Two hotels are within easy walking distance from the Lansing Center, The Doubletree by Hilton (0.15 miles) is connected by a skybridge and the Courtyard by Marriott (0.2 miles) is across the street. Conference room rates are still to be negotiated with both hotels.

The conference will begin in Owosso at the Nash Nurseries (https://www.nashnurseries.com). Bill and Josh Nash are planning a Sunday
afternoon tour of the centennial farm and nursery. Sunday registration will include tour, a welcoming dinner, and Show and Tell under the tent at the nursery. Anticipate travel on your own to the Nash Farm and Nurseries, av25-minute drive from Lansing.

Organizers are planning for all-day technical sessions on Monday and Tuesday, opening with a keynote presentation each day. Monday’s technical session will begin after the opening session of the 116th Annual NNGA Business meeting. The Monday and Tuesday Registration will likely include the technical sessions and exhibition hall, morning snacks, lunch, auction Monday evening, and social/banquet on Tuesday evening.

The program committee is looking for a balance in session topics to include both chestnut and the other nut tree species and will likely include concurrent or breakout sessions.

Anticipate there will be a CAPS program on Monday and Tuesday featuring local attractions in Lansing and the surrounding area.

Wednesday, August 6, will be an all-day four stop circular route with transportation provided by a local bus company. Confirmed stops include the Chestnut Growers, Inc. Coop in Clarksville and Rogers Reserve in Jackson.

The NNGA is planning for its annual Board meeting on Sunday morning although location is uncertain. Both organizations will open Monday’s session with their annual business meetings. The NNGA will close its annual business meeting at the banquet as part of the
banquet program.

Registration will likely be three tickets-one for Sunday, one for Monday and Tuesday, and one for Wednesday. Expect the combined full
registration to be at least $50 higher than last year because we are leasing conference meeting rooms, have slightly higher food costs, and will include some bus transportation. Registration will be online and materials can be picked up at the Nash Nurseries on Sunday or the Lansing Center on Monday.

Finally, please share this information with non-member friends and colleagues. Conference information is openly posted at nutgrowing.org.

Roger Blackwell, Erin Lizotte, Jon
Nash and Debbie Milks, Planning
Committee

Call for Presentations
The program committee is looking for a few more presenters, especially growers, willing to do a lightning talk (10 minutes including Q&A), a technical presentation (30-minute PowerPoint including Q&A), or do a poster presentation. If you would like to be a presenter, contact Jerry Henkin (sproutnut@aol.com) immediately with suggested title and the amount of time needed to cover your topic. Upon confirmation, expect to submit a short abstract and bio for the program. Traditionally, presenters are also asked to submit a supporting article after the conference for The Nutshell.

Support the Auction
Now is also the time to be thinking about possible items you could offer for the Monday night auction. Proceeds from the auction support the research grants program for both organizations. Past items have included gift certificates, seedlings and grafts, shelled and in-shell nuts, historical documents, artworks, tools, candy and baked goods, and fermented beverages. In 2024, we had over 150 items from 38 donors that generated more than 9,000 dollars. Let’s see if we can make 2025 as profitable for the research grants programs as we did in 2024.

Exhibitors Wanted
This conference has the space either at the Nash Nurseries or in the breakout rooms at the conference center to accommodate exhibits
related to nut tree culture and nut processing. Last year we had over 15 exhibitors. Anticipate a small charge on the registration ticket to be an exhibitor with recognition in The Nutshell.