2026 Missouri Master Gardener State Conference

2026 Missouri Master Gardener State Conference

About

Welcome to the 2026 Missouri Master Gardener State Conference!

On behalf of the Master Gardeners of Greene County, we are excited to host this year’s conference in Springfield, Missouri, at the beautiful Oasis Hotel and Convention Center.

The conference theme is ‘Seeds to Table-Cultivating Health and Sustainability’.  People are more interested than ever to learn the art of growing their own food.  Spend time with Master Gardeners from around the state learning ways to grow vegetables and herbs, environmental stewardship through the use of native plants and other ecological practices, interesting tours of local sites of interest, on-site trade show, and an engaging keynote speaker sure to get you excited about the upcoming growing season!

The base cost for the conference is $210 per person.  Tours and some hands-on classes have an extra fee.

The base cost of $210 includes the following: Friday night mixer, Saturday and Sunday educational classes, Saturday lunch at the hotel, Saturday night dinner at the hotel including keynote speaker address, conference swag bag, and snacks during breaks.

Please note: You will receive a confirmation email after registration is complete.  This email will contain a sign-up link for tour selection and educational session choices. Tours and some classes/activities have additional costs which will be indicated at the time of selection. 

Read through the following carefully before beginning the registration process. A detailed listing of tours and classes is included.

 What to Expect 

• Keynote Speaker Mitch McCulloch is a London-born former chef turned gardener, author, and "seed hunter" dedicated to preserving rare and endangered heirloom vegetables. He is widely recognized for his work in regenerative agriculture and his efforts to protect global food biodiversity.  His latest book “The Seed Hunter” will be available for purchase and signing before and after the keynote address.
• Breakout sessions on vegetable gardening, herb gardening, pollinators and native plants, nature scaping, home landscapes, and much more.
• Guided field trips to Baker Creek seed packing facility, the Ozarks Food Harvest Full Circle Gardens, many local home gardens as well as our Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens and city parks.
• Networking and idea sharing with Missouri Master Gardeners statewide.
• Hotel and conference center are connected.
• Shuttle service to all off-site tours and classes.
• Refunds granted as follows: May 1 – full refund, May 2-15 – 50% refund, After May 15 – no refund.

Schedule

*MGGC - Master Gardeners of Greene County

*MGO – Master Gardener of the Ozarks

*BCMG – Barry County Master Gardeners

*CGCMG – Cape Girardeau County Master Gardeners

*MDC – Missouri Department of Conservation

Thursday, June 4 

• Noon - 8 pm - Conference registration and packet pickup at information desk.
• 3 pm - Hotel check-in begins

4:30 pm - 6 pm Off-site tour - $15 pp (26 max)

MGGC member Caroline Griesemer home tour of prairie restoration, floating wetland process & greenhouse tour

• Dinner on your own

Friday, June 5 – Garden tour day, no classes or workshops, lunch on your own if not on tour, Conference registration and packet pickup open 7 am - 8 pm at information desk.

Tour Group 1 - Full Circle Tour  (7:45am - 4:30pm) 3 shuttles / $77 pp (72 max)

Full Circle Gardens, Baker Creek Seed Warehouse, Lunch and presentation at Springfield Nature Center, Robert Paul home garden, Springfield Community Gardens – Fairbanks location.

Tour Group 2 - Myron Royce Tour  (8:15 - 4:30) 2 shuttles / $77 pp (48 max)

Michael Fessenden home garden, JJ Averett home garden, Nixa Rotary Gardens, Lunch and Demo Garden tours at Nathanael Greene Park, Tom & Cathy Lakowske home garden, Elaine Ashley home garden.

Tour Group 3 - Ray Woody Tour  (8:15 - 4:30) 2 shuttles / $77 pp (48 max)

Ray Woody home garden, Autumn Willis & Erika Petry home garden, Mimi and Ken Grozinger water garden, Lunch at pavilion in Sequiota Park, Priya Lovett home garden, Dellene and Larry Nelson home garden, Susie Turner home garden.

• 5-7pm – Grand Ballroom - Conference opener and mixer event (heavy Hor d’oeuvres, cash bar, live background music)
• 3-8 pm – Vendors open

Saturday, June 6 – Conference registration and packet pickup open 7 am - 9 pm at information desk

• 7:30 am – 8 am – Coffee and light refreshments
• 8 am – 9 pm – Vendor booths open (possibly closing from 5 - 8 for dinner and keynote address)
• Morning Tours and Off-Site Training
• 7:30 am – 11:30 am $33 pp (24 max)
• Tours of Springfield Botanical Gardens (selected gardens), Water Wise Garden, Phelps Grove Park Gardens
• 7:45 am – 1:30 pm (15 max) (see price breakdown below) – Floating Wetlands Advanced Training at Valley Water Mill (VWM) Park with Missouri Dept. of Conservation; box lunch provided on-site
• Level 1 - (Cost $26) Assist in the construction of large wetland floater that MDC staff will build and deploy at that VWM. Cost covers transportation to and from VWM and box lunch.
• Level 2- (Cost $85) In addition to assisting with deployment of large wetland floater, this level will include a small 18" x 18" - "Make & Take" floater with native plants included. Cost includes the make & take wetland, transportation to and from VWM and box lunch.
• Level 3 - (Cost $145) In addition to assisting with deployment of large wetland floater, this level will include a medium "24" x 24" - "Make & Take" floater with added flotation buoys and native plants included. Cost includes the make & take wetland, transportation to and from VWM and box lunch.
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• Saturday morning classes for those not on tours
• 8 - 9 am
• Workshop - Papercrete 101 – Lee Coates ($30 pp) (25 max), Bora Bora Room
• Flower Considerations for the Home Landscape – Kelly McGowan, MU Extension
• Straw Bale Gardening - Mark and Renae Bernskoetter, MGGC
• Planning a Flower Garden - Ann Kynion, MGGC
• Growing Mushrooms in the Garden - Wren Heffner, Springfield Community Gardens 
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• 9:00 - 9:15 am - Break
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• 9:15 - 10:15 am
• Growing Backyard Tomatoes - John Burns, MGGC
•  Rainscaping: Make Rain Work For You - Brooke Widmar, James River Basin Partnership
• City of Springfield’s Dish to Dirt and Yard Ethic programs - Laurie Davis and Clarissa Hatley
• Growing Flowers in Containers - Holly Rosenlund, MGGC
• Springfield Sister Cities - Lisa Bakerink, MGGC

• 10:15 - 11:15 am
• Workshop - Creating a Succulent Planting ($30 pp) (25 max) - Mary O’Brien, MGO, Bora Bora Room
• Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead Monarch Habitat Installation - Ronda Burnett, MDC and Susan Essman, MGGC
• Gardening for Missouri Butterflies and Moths - Christian Andrews, MGGC
• Native Fruits of Missouri - Kimberly Nicely, MGGC
• What is a Sensory Garden? - Keren Levine, MGGC
• Using Manures in the Garden - Mark Bernskoetter, MGGC

• Buffet lunch (fajita bar) from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm in Grand Ballroom

Afternoon Classes

• 1 - 2 pm
• Workshop - Terrarium Building ($30 pp) (25 max) - Janet McWilliams, MGGC, Bora Bora Room
• Native Planting for Birds - Jamie Kohler, CGCMG
• Microplastics - Gwen Morrison, Springfield Plateau Master Naturalists
• Weed Warfare - Katie Kammler, MU Extension
• Peonies - John Burns, MGGC
• How to Grow Trees that Thrive - Skip Easter, BCMG

• 2 – 2:15 pm – Break with drinks and light refreshments
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• 2:15 – 3:15 pm
• Hummingbird Habits - Mary O’Brien, MGO
• Culinary Herbs Add More Zest! - Ioana Popescu, MGGC
• Gardening Trends for 2026 - Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension
• Tulips: From Discovery to Today - Debi Kelly, MU Extension
• All About Herbs - Barb Emge, MGGC
• Seed Saving - Stephanie Handy, Springfield Community Gardens
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• 3:15 – 4:15 pm
• Gardening is Good for You! - Caroline Greisemer, MGGC
• Cold Frames and Hot Beds - Todd Higgins, MU Extension
• Hummingbird Habits - Mary O’Brien, MGO
• Building Healthy Soil - Justine Lines, Springfield Community Gardens
• Sustainable Landscape Design - Kathi Mecham and Gwen Funk, MU Extension

4 - 5 pm – Book signing with Mitch McCulloch in Convention Center foyer

5 pm – Evening Banquet and Keynote Speaker - Mitch McCulloch author of “The Seed Hunter”

8 – 9 pm – Additional book signing with Mitch McCulloch

8 – 9 pm – Some vendors will remain open

Sunday, June 7

7:30 – 8 am – Coffee and light refreshments; Reminder: hotel check out time 11 am

8 - 1pm – Vendor booths open

• Morning Classes
• 8 - 9 am
• Master Gardeners of Greene County Vegetable Garden - Jana Belk, MGGC
• Planting for Pollinators - Jeff Maddox, Beekeepers Assn of the Ozarks
• Flower Considerations for the Home Landscape – Kelly McGowan, MU Extension 
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• 9 – 9:15 am – Break
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• 9:15 - 10:15 am
• Backyard Greenhouses - Isaac Walker, MGGC
• Table Top Gardening – Todd Higgins, MU Extension
• Culinary Herbs Add More Zest! - Ioana Popescu, MGGC
• Hydrangeas - Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension
• Cut Flowers - Kaitlin Hewitt, Springfield Community Gardens
• Workshop - Creating a Nature Shadowbox ($25pp) (25 max), Janice Hawkins, Bora Bora Room  
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• 10:15 - 11:15 am
• Sensory Garden Plants - Kelley Patient, MGGC
• Vermiculture - Mark and Renae Bernskoetter, MGGC
• Urban Wildlife and Native Plants - Betzaida Rivera, MDC
• Top Master Gardener Hotline Questions - Kelly McGowan, MU Extension
• Therapeutic Qualities of Gardens and Nature - Justine Lines, Springfield Community Gardens
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• 11:30 am – Noon - Closing Remarks (no lunch)
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