The 2026 Southwest Michigan Horticulture Days will be held on February 4th and 5th at Lake Michigan College Mendel Center in Benton Harbor, Michigan, hosted by the Michigan Grape Society and Michigan State University Extension.

Day one starts with the morning General Session. The afternoon sessions will be split into two topical tracks: Smart Farm/Precision Agriculture and Pesticide Regulation, Compliance, and New Chemistries. 

Day two will consist of morning and afternoon commodity-focused sessions on Grapes, Small Fruit, and Tree Fruit. 

Registration and the trade show begin at 8 a.m., and the educational sessions start at 9 a.m. both days.  A wine showcase, free for all attendees, will be held on Wednesday afternoon.  Pre-registration for both days is $60.00 per person, postmarked before January 16. Registrations for both days, postmarked after Friday, January 16, will be $75.00 per person, whether online or at the door.  Single-day registrations are available for a $15 discount off the full event registration price.  

For registration questions, phone Renee Tinkey at 269-944-1477, ext. 201. Email tinkeyre@msu.edu.

Checks made payable to Michigan Grape Society.  Mail to MSU-SWMREC, 1791 Hillandale Road, Benton Harbor, MI  49022.  Attn:  Renee Tinkey. 

Join other grape growers and winemakers for two days of hands-on demonstrations and learning as well as a fun time and good food and drink in southwest Michigan.

The Great Lakes grape growing community will gather once again to share their experiences, get up close with the latest technology, and glimpse into the local cutting-edge scientific research supporting the grape industry at the longest standing educational grape and wine-focused event in the Great Lakes region. In its 36th year, the Michigan Viticulture Field Day, taking place July 30, 2025, at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center, is more than just a research report for the region. Companies supporting the grape growing community will be showcasing some of the latest and greatest precision viticulture equipment in the area. And let’s not forget everyone's favorite part of this annual tradition, the famous steak cookout and Michigan wine showcase! 

After a resounding success last year, the 2nd annual Michigan Enology Experience will be back on July 31, the day after the Michigan Viticulture Field Day. This event will take place at the Lake Michigan College Welch Center for Wine and Viticulture. The day’s goals will focus on collaboration, technical insight and applied learning for winemakers and industry professionals. 

Preliminary agenda and topics for both days

July 30, 2025 

• 8 a.m.: Registration opens at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center 

• 9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Educational field visits 

• Using LiDAR and drone imaging for crop load estimation (Erin Bunting, PhD) 

• The latest in efficacy research with spray drones (Michael Reinke, PhD) 

• Identification and management of grapevine trunk diseases and viruses (Tim Miles, PhD) 

• 12 p.m.: Lunch and exhibitor demonstrations 

• 2-5 p.m.: Educational field visits 

• The importance of understanding soil texture for grape production (Cheyenne Sloan) 

• Development of a new, low-cost intelligent sprayer design for grape growers (Michael Reinke, PhD) 

• Protecting late season clusters from insect pests (Rufus Isaacs, PhD) 

• 5 p.m.: Dinner and wine showcase 

July 31, 2025 

• 8 a.m.: Registration opens at the Welch Center 

• 9 a.m.: Keynote discussion on winemaking technology 

• 10:30 a.m.: Hands-on wine faults workshop 

• 12 p.m.: Lunch 

• 1 p.m.: Experimental winemaking trials: guided tasting 

• 2:30 p.m.: Blind comparative tasting: Lake Michigan Shore vs. The World 

Click the link below to register for one or both days. 

Register for the 2025 Michigan Viticulture Field Day and Michigan Enology Experience

Hurry! Seating is limited for the Michigan Enology Experience. Early bird tickets are on sale until July 15. Early bird pricing is $70 for Michigan Viticulture Field Day and $100 for Michigan Enology Experience or $150 for a two-day pass. After July 15, prices go up to $90, $125 and $200, respectively.  

If you have any questions, reach out to Mike Reinke at reinkem3@msu.edu or 573-239-0808.