VALENTINE, Neb – Mid-Plains Community College in Valentine will host the Beyond Cattle & Corn: Alternative Agriculture in Nebraska conference on Wednesday, January 28 and Thursday, January 29.
The conference will explore alternative agriculture enterprises in Nebraska. Attendees will hear from entrepreneurs who have established their own ag related ventures/businesses or incorporated them into more traditional ag operations.
Activities will begin on Wednesday, January 28 at the Niobrara Valley Vineyards at Nenzel, Ne. Owners Greg and Tim Nollette will host a tour of the vineyard at 4:30 PM CST/3:30 PM MST. The tour will be followed by a supper for participants. The Nollettes began growing grapes in the Sandhills in 2002. They have since won numerous awards and expanded to bottle over 3000 cases of Nebraska wine annually.
On Thursday, January 29, the conference will open at 8:00 AM CST at the Mid-Plains Community College Campus in Valentine. Keynote speaker will be Stephanie Anderson of Our Lavender Company, Big Springs, Ne. Stephanie runs Our Lavender Company with her mother and sister on the family’s fourth-generation corn farm. The company was established in 2019, and they now ship lavender to all 50 states and welcome visitors from around the world.
Sandy Acres Farm owner Jess Wasson will take the stage at 9:30 AM CST. She established her flower farming enterprise in 2023 on 3 acres near Minatare, cultivating both lavender and a variety of native Nebraska cut flowers for both local retail and wholesale markets. Her magical flower paradise draws visitors from around the area.
Carl and Vicki Simmons of Valentine began incorporating bison into their ranching operation in 1997. In 2021, with a herd of more than 125 bison, they launched Golden Prairie Bison, an enterprise that has expanded to include private educational tours, primitive camping opportunities and the sale of premium bison meat.
Haven Smith, Director of Institutional Advancement at Mid-Plains Community College and Nicholas Fisher, Assistant Professor of Business Law at Chadron State College and Director of the Nebraska Business Development Center will round out the presentations. Smith will give an overview of the grant finding and writing process and Fisher will share his expertise in LLC creation.
The conference will conclude with a panel discussion on marketing. The conference speakers will share their marketing experiences and take questions from the audience.
The registration fee is $85/person and includes supper on Wednesday evening, breakfast and lunch on Thursday. Deadline for registration is Monday, January 19. The conference is sponsored, in part, by Cherry County Tourism.
For more information, contact Jennifer Edson, MPCC Valentine Campus Administrator at 402-376-8033 or email: [email protected].
