Nut Growing: Challenges and Potential

Growing nut crops or curious about expanding into nut cultivation? Join Indiana University researcher Julia Valliant as she shares some of the challenges and opportunities in growing nuts as perennial food crops based on her recent research in the midwest. This event is hosted by the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) in collaboration with the Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA).

Julia will be joined by Karen Vanek, the project coordinator for Restoration Agriculture Development (founded by Mark Shepard and Johann Rinkens) and division manager of Forest Agriculture Nursery. Karen is disciplined in permaculture, ecological design and biological systems and works with growers, including one of the featured farms in this meetup, to establish perennial crop plants.

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A and discussion amongst members about our experiences growing nuts (and fruit).

This forum is FREE for NAFEX and NNGA members, who will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event. NAFEX members can also find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event. Not yet a member of NAFEX? Join us today

About our Speaker:

Julia Valliant is a public health researcher with Indiana University Sustainable Food Systems Science group. She is trained in the social determinants of health including agriculture and food as forces guiding wellness, and farm policy. She designs and carries out qualitative, quantitative, and ethnographic research methods to locate solutions to specific public health problems. Her work as a documentarian informs her approach to crafting questions and presenting research findings.