2025 Joint Conference
of the Northern Nut Growers Association,
the Chestnut Growers of America
August 3-6, 2025
Lansing, Michigan
Conference Highlights
The annual conferences of the Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA) and Chestnut Growers of America (CGA) will be held jointly August 3-6, 2025 at the Nash Nurseries (4975 W Grand River Rd, 48867) in Owosso and the DoubleTree by Hilton (111 N. Grand Ave, 48933) in Lansing, Michigan. The conference will include a show and tell session, two all-day technical sessions, and field tours to multiple sites along with a welcome dinner, auction, and social/banquet.
The conference is open to everyone with an interest in trees and shrubs managed for their nuts or native woody fruits. Attendees will include a diverse mix of commercial growers, researchers, and hobbyists. Expect to hear a lot about growing and processing chestnuts; however, the planning committee has energetically sought speakers for the other nut tree species. The program already includes presenters talking on some aspect of hazelnuts, hickory, and pawpaw. The list will grow as we get nearer the conference.
Contact nngacga2025@gmail.com if you have questions about the conference.
Posters and exhibits will be set up at the Nash Nursery on Sunday and/or the main lobby of the DoubleTree on Monday morning. If possible, plan to mount your poster on your own board and bring it to the conference. We have rented a limited number of easels without poster boards. Poster presenters are expected to be with their posters during the scheduled poster session on Monday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm and a second session still to be determined. Exhibitors should plan to staff their exhibits during these times as well.
If you have fliers or other items you would like included in the registration packet or materials for exhibits, please contact NNGACGA2025@gmail.com for information where to ship or drop them.
Exhibitors and poster presenters are expected to register for the full conference if they wish to participate in the sessions and meals.
The traditional live auction is scheduled on Monday evening. Please consider donating items to the auction regardless of which organization you support. Simply
specify on the donation sheet which organization should receive the proceeds. Both the NNGA and CGA use the proceeds to support their research grants program for tree-related research. In the past, auction items have included books, artwork, handmade crafts, plant material, homemade nut-based or baked goodies (these cannot be made available during refreshment breaks this year), and/or gift certificates. If you donate baked goods, please label your treats as to whether they are nut, dairy, and/or gluten-free. If you are an exhibitor, consider adding items, especially the items you are marketing, to the auction to increase your exposure at the conference.
The CAPS program is an alternative to the technical sessions on Monday and Tuesday. The program has tentatively scheduled excursions to the MSU horticulture Gardens (canr.msu.edu/hrt/our_gardens), Impression 5 Science Center (impression5.org), R.E. Olds Transportation Museum (reoldsmuseum.org), and possibly the Lansing Brewing Company (and restaurant) (lansingbrewingcompany.com/). Those registered for the companion program meet in a common location, i.e., lounge area of the DoubleTree, for directions, arrange for transportation, lunch reservations, additional excursions, and possibly a breakout session in a lounge when they return to visit with new and old acquaintances.
The companion registration includes the Sunday welcome dinner, Monday and Tuesday breakfast and all-day coffee, tea, & ice water, Monday auction, and Tuesday social/banquet. It does not include transportation to or entrance fees at the venues, lunches, or Wednesday tour. For companions who wish to attend the field tours, please purchase a one-day Wednesday registration.
Welcome dinner on Sunday, social/banquet on Tuesday evening, continental breakfast and lunch on Monday through Wednesday, and breaks are included in the full conference, student, and exhibitor registrations. We will be on our own for dinner on Monday and Wednesday night. The DoubleTree has an onsite restaurant and the downtown area offers a number of other restaurants.
A group rate of $129 plus 13% taxes/night is available from Saturday through Wednesday night at the DoubleTree by Hilton. Anticipate full occupancy at the DoubleTree, so make reservations early. The group rate rooms will be released on July the 3rd so make your reservations early. They can be cancelled 3 days in advance of arrival without penalty.
To make reservations, call 1-833-904-2206 using code 91R or register on-line using DoubleTree by Hilton Lansing (be sure to use this link). Reservations made through the front desk and online booking groups will not count toward the sleep nights we have contracted for. The group rate covers double occupancy with either two queen or one king bed. Smoke-free rooms have free WIFI and minifridge. In-house`` dining, Indoor pool, fitness facility, and complimentary airport shuttle available. Pets are not allowed. Check in is at 4:00 pm and check-out is at 11 am.
There is no free parking in downtown Lansing. The DoubleTree has self-parking for $15/day and valet parking for $35/day. There is nearby public parking that is also $15/day.
The Doubletree is located in downtown Lansing, steps from local shops and dining. Minutes away from Jackson Field, Michigan State University, and two of the companion program venues.
The Courtyard (517-367-6677; no group rate) by Marriott (marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lancl-courtyard-lansing-
downtown/overview/), 600 E. Michigan Ave with on-site parking is within walking distance. It offers similar amenities to the Doubletree; however, it does not provide complimentary shuttle to the Capital Regional airport. Hotels that are pet friendly or offer free parking are approximately 2 to 3 miles away.
An internet search indicates there are multiple RV/camp ground near Lansing.
If you’re driving, the DoubleTree is conveniently located at 111N Grand Ave, Lansing, 48933 off Interstate 496. If your flying, there are direct flights to the Capital Regional Airport (www.flylansing.com/flights) through Chicago, Detroit, or Washington to the Capital Regional Airport located about 5 miles from the DoubleTree. The DoubleTree offers free shuttle service to and from the Capital Regional Airport. Travelers may prefer to fly to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and rent a car to drive the 90 miles to Lansing.
If flying in on Sunday, attendees may want to drive directly to the Nash Nurseries in Owosso about 90 miles northwest of Detroit. Lansing is also served by Amtrak from Chicago via the Blue Waters train (depart 4:00 pm arrive 8:00 pm). There are multiple trains and long layovers traveling Amtrak from Detroit.
Registration is now open. If convenient, we would like each attendee to complete their own registration either online or using the form in this issue of The Nutshell.
Online registration with credit card will be available through the NNGA and CGA websites (nutgrowing.org; chestnutgrowers.org) or at https://bit.ly/NNGA25.
Alternatively, complete the registration form on pages 19-20 and mail to Northern Nut Growers Association, c/o Debbie Milks, PO Box 1166, Lawrence, KS 66044 along with a check made payable to the Northern Nut Growers Association. Additional copies of the registration form can be downloaded from the NNGA website (nutgrowing.org). Children should register with an adult companion who is not attending the Monday and Tuesday technical sessions.
Full conference and student registrations include the registration packet; printed program with abstracts; favor; Sunday’s welcome reception and Show and Tell session; Monday and Tuesday technical sessions, breakfasts, lunches, breaks, and auction; Monday auction; Tuesday social and banquet; and Wednesday’s field tour with transportation, light breakfast, box lunch, and breaks. None of the registrations include transportation on Sunday.
The companion registration includes Sunday’s welcome reception and Show and Tell session; Monday and Tuesday breakfasts and all-day coffee, tea, and iced water; Monday and Tuesday daytime excursions, Monday auction; and Tuesday social and banquet. It does not include Monday and Tuesday transportation or lunches or the Wednesday’s field tour.
Registrations are also available for Sunday only (Nash Nurseries tour, events, and welcome dinner), Monday-Tuesday session (Doubletree events including technical sessions; two breakfasts, two lunches, all-day breaks, auction, and social/banquet); and Wednesday only (field tour with transportation, light breakfast, lunch, and breaks). Extra banquet tickets can also be purchased.
Student and member discounts are available. If you are not a already a NNGA member consider joining with a
family membership for $40 and have you and another family member take advantage of the $20 member discount. The student discounts range from $125 on a full to $10 on the one-day registrations. A few scholarships will be available to help with registration and lodging.
Register by June 20 to avoid the $50 late fee. Full refunds will be available through July 5, full refund less a $50 processing fee through July 16, and no refunds after July 16 with few exceptions.
Travel, lodging, meals, and conference registration can add up quickly. The regular student registration (Promo code: STUDENT) has a substantial discount for the full and single day registration. This discount is supported by past sponsors. However, if you are a student or new grower and need additional financial help to attend the conference, please apply for our scholarship to have your conference registration fee waived. Scholarship Application Form DUE MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY JUNE 15TH
The scholarship will only cover your registration fee. Scholarships are competitive and awardees will be announced on June 20th. We currently only have enough funds to cover 5 full registrations.
If you are able to assist with funding scholarships, please click here, or make a donation to the NNGA scholarship fund on your registration and note the donation as NNGA scholarship. Let us know if you wish to remain anonymous. The scholarships will cover conference registration fees for awardees. For more information on scholarships contact NNGACGA2025@gmail.com.
We have the opportunity to support nut research and training or the scholarship fund by becoming a conference sponsor. Sponsors will be acknowledged in the conference materials and post-conference NNGA and CGA publications by the following levels of gifting:
--Tree level: >$500
--Sapling level: $200-$499
--Seedling level: $100-$199.
Use the “Donations” button in the online registration to show your contribution.
On your way home on Wednesday or Thursday, you may want to take a break and participate in a post- conference tour. A more complete list than below is planned for the next issue of The Nutshell, the website, and the conference program booklet to be in the registration packets.
The planning committee is still looking for suggestions of places that could be added to one’s conference experience as we return home on Thursday. If you have1 suggestions, please send your suggestion(s) to nngacga2025@gmail.com. We will contact the owners to determine their interest, availability and timing for any post-conference tour.
Pence Walnut Agroforestry Planting and Seed Orchard, West Lafayette, Indiana, has invited attendees to visit their plantings on Thursday (times to be determined based on interest). The Pence plantings are located approximately 250 miles (4 hours) southwest of Lansing near West Lafayette (I-69 south to Fort Wayne, US-24 west to US-52). Plans are to tour the original 120-acre walnut planting established as part of an alley-cropping practice in 1989 and a recently established 4-acre seed orchard established from 200 grafts made from the 40 best of the best timber trees out of 44,000 trees originally planted in 1989.
The Pence’s will discuss what it takes to have a successful black walnut planting and establishing a seed orchard. Many of the phenotypically superior trees are the seed source for Pence Select seedlings offered by the Hensler Nursery (/www.henslernurseryindiana.com/wholesale-trees/pence-select-walnut-trees). The Pence family anticipate selling improved black walnut seed from the seed orchard in about 5 years to a private nursery who can offer growers seedlings with more genetic improvement than is currently available. Please email Jerry Van Sambeek at editor@nutgrowing.org if you think you would be interested in the tour on Thursday afternoon.
The summer 2025 The Nutshell will have a full listing of presentations for the conference. During the conference, we will have a mix of 10-minute show and tell or “lightning” talks on Sunday; keynotes, 15-, 30-, and 45-minute presentations, poster presentation, exhibits/displays, and field stops.
If you are interested in presenting you need to contact Jerry Henkin (sproutnut@aol.com) ASAP. The remaining options are mostly doing a 10- or 15-minute lightning talk, a poster, participation in one of the three panels, or being an exhibitor. All presenters are asked to submit the title of their presentation, an informational abstract, a bio, and their contact information to be included in the conference program booklet; The following is the current list of anticipated
conference presentations. A complete list with schedule will be include in the summer issue of The Nutshell.
- Project Superhybrid: Propagation and Evaluation of Novel Juglans Genotypes
- Hickory Processing Developments
- Regional Hazelnut and Chestnut Processing – Field Notes from the New York Tree Crops Alliance
- Effective Pollination Distances of Transgenic American Chestnut
- Starting Out with Trees
- Chestnut Curious: Understanding the Establishment and Management Practices of Chestnut Growers
- What DNA Sequencing Can Tell Us About American Persimmon Cultivars
- A History of Chestnut in Michigan
- Early Archeological Evidence of Nut Trees
- Soil Health and Nut Trees
- Important Micronutrients for Nut Trees
- Oak Wilt in Chestnut
- Growing Chestnut in Oklahoma
- Organic Farming
- History of Nut Oil Processing
If you would like to attend our conference but cannot afford the cost, you can apply for a conference scholarship. We believe that the financial burden of attending our conference should not be a barrier for attending. So, we have created a scholarship fund which both receives donations and offers scholarships to members.
These scholarships cover the full cost of registration. We ask that recipients of scholarships be willing to help out at the meeting with logistical tasks. It's a great chance to interact with people who make things happen.
If you would like to make a one-time donation (at any level) to the scholarship fund, please donate here. We currently only have enough money for 5 scholarships.
Please note that scholarship applications must be submitted by June 15, 2025.
The Nash Nursery (www.nashnurseries.com) will be the site for the Sunday activities and DoubleTree (DoubleTree by Hilton Lansing) will be the site for all indoor events and staging area for the Wednesday field tours. Plan to take advantage of the group rate for lodging at the DoubleTree by Hilton. The DoubleTree is a smoke-free hotel offering tree WIFI, a restaurant, indoor pool and fitness center. It does not allow pets. The DoubleTree offers free shuttle service to the Lansing Capital Region Airport (LAN) five miles away but not the AMTRAK station.
Arrive on Saturday, August 2, and catch a Lansing Lugnuts vs. Cedar Rapids baseball game (milb.com/lansing/schedule/2025-08) that evening next door to the DoubleTree.
The Nash Nursery is approximately 30-minute drive from the DoubleTree. We will help arrange on-site for carpooling on Sunday for those coming without vehicles.