Indiana to Host NNGA's 100th Annual Meeting in 2009
By Jerry Lehman and Jim McKenna

The 100th Annual Meeting of the Northern Nut Growers Association will be held July 19-23, 2009 at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana. Our Local Arrangements Chair is Mr. Jim McKenna with the USDA Forest Service and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) at Purdue. Jim is working closely with the Purdue Conference Center and the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Bureau to make this 100th annual NNGA meeting a memorable occasion.

Planning for our 100th Annual Meeting is well underway, and every effort is being made to hold down housing and registration costs so that more members will be able to attend in spite of high travel costs. To that end the FNR Department is contributing $2,000 to help offset conference expenses. Additional sponsorship dollars are being solicited from other groups and companies, including suppliers and state nut grower associations.

Very affordable campus housing is available featuring duplex rooms (two double-occupancy rooms sharing one bath) that are within walking distance of the meeting. For physically impaired guests, golf cart shuttles will be available. Good affordable meals will be available in the modern dorm dining rooms.

The program at this time includes a board meeting on Sunday with registration scheduled to begin Sunday afternoon, followed by a BBQ and mixer in the walnut woods at the FNR Department's Martell Forest and Wright Center on Sunday evening. Show and Tell will be held in the new conference room at the Center following the barbecue. The possibility of live entertainment is being explored.

After the Monday morning business meeting and welcome address by Dr. Charles Michler, Director of the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (HTIRC), the keynote address will be delivered by the internationally renowned Dr. Jules Janick, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, on the "History of World Horticulture--Nuts, Fruits, and Art." The remainder of the day will consist of technical presentations followed by the Annual Research Auction in the evening.

On Tuesday we will tour the University fruit and nut research plots and the intensively managed 100-acre plantations of Arbor America, Inc., a Spanish company that grows grafted walnut for timber production. Our banquet speaker Tuesday evening will be Dr. Robert Swihart, Head of the FNR Department at Purdue, who will present a unique and fascinating talk on his years of research on nuts from the squirrel's perspective that is guaranteed to enlighten, infuriate, and entertain nut growers. Expect extra recognitions and awards from the Awards Committee.

Wednesday will feature a second full day of technical papers and presentations. The meeting will conclude Thursday with an optional tour to Indianapolis to see Charles Spurgeon's large collection of pecans, shag and shellbark hickory orchards, and Marilyn's well managed flower and vegetable garden. Charles also has a large collection of antique tractors. From there we will travel to Terre Haute to see Jerry Lehman's persimmon and pawpaw plantings and test orchard. For those who wish to depart for home from either Indianapolis or Terre Haute, a tag along auto caravan will follow the buses.

Additional activities are being planned by the Complementary Alternative Program (CAP) committee and will be announced soon. A Centennial Cookbook being prepared under Sally Martyn's direction featuring CAP members' favorite nut recipes will be distributed to meeting attendees.

Last but not least, Charles Spurgeon is researching and writing a report on the history of NNGA. Since Charles has been an outstanding historian for the Indiana Nut Growers for years, and since he has a complete collection of NNGA's annual reports, he is uniquely qualified to write an interesting, informative, and comprehensive treatise on the history of the first century of the NNGA.

Call for Auction Items, Exhibits and Papers

One of NNGA's missions is to further nut growing through research, and to disseminate information gained through research and grower experiences, not only in North America, but worldwide. NNGA's annual meetings provide participants with a great opportunity to share information while enjoying the camaraderie of fellow nut growing enthusiasts. And it offers nut growers a chance to take a mini-break from orchard maintenance chores.

We can't fulfill our mission without your help. We need speakers for the technical sessions as well as for "Show and Tell." Items are also needed for the annual auction whose proceeds support research. Exhibitors, both commercial and grower, are invited. And in celebration of our centennial, we are seeking memorabilia and photos from past meetings for display.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Proposals for presentations to be given during the technical sessions on Monday and Wednesday are being sought by the Meeting Speakers Committee. If you are interested in giving a presentation or have a recommendation for a potential presenter, please submit the presenter's name, address, and telephone number to:

Jerry Lehman
7780 S. Persimmon St
Terre Haute, IN 47802-4994
Ph: (812) 298-8733
Email: jwlehman@aol.com

or to:

Jim McKenna
3216 Elkhart St.
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Ph: (765) 464-1688
Email: jrmckenn@purdue.edu

We have 20 and 30 minute time slots for as many as 60 speakers. Since concurrent sessions are planned, if you need more than 30 minutes for you presentation, it is suggested you break it up into two or more presentations with separate titles.

Many members are shy about making presentations. Don't be. In a survey a few years ago about half of those responding said they desire reports from researchers, professional growers and home growers. Attendees are looking to expand their knowledge of walnut, chestnut, pecan, hickory, hazel, pawpaw, persimmon, almond, beech, ginkgo, pine nuts, or related species. Slide and PowerPoint projectors will be available. Written papers will be submitted to Dennis Fulbright for inclusion in the 100th Annual Report of the Northern Nut Growers Association. Here is your opportunity to have your paper included in this record-making annual report.

CALL FOR MEMORABILIA
Charles Spurgeon is researching all past Annual Reports and writing a review of NNGA's first 100 years. To support this effort there will be an exhibit area for NNGA memorabilia. We solicit your participation. We need items (for example, registration gifts) from past years that have the year on them as well as other items of interest from years past.

Bill Heiman has agreed to act as memorabilia coordinator. To prevent duplication of material, please coordinate with Bill.

Bill Heiman
717 Ernie-Lu Ave.
Anderson, IN 467013
Ph: (765) 643-4582
Email: billheiman5@gmail.com

CALL FOR PICTURES
Mario Mandujano will create a slide show of old NNGA pictures for display at appropriate times during the meeting. He will also be taking pictures during the meeting and social events for display during the banquet.

If you have old pictures you would like to share with everyone, send them to Mario prior to the meeting. If possible, digitize them and send them via email. Include pertinent information such as the date, names of people, and event, etc. This information can be incorporated in the digitized picture using a text box. If this is not feasible, mail your photos and information to Mario and include a self-addressed envelope for their return. Those attending the meeting will be able to pick up their photos at the meeting. Send your pictures to:

Mario Mandujano
Michigan State University
Department of Plant Pathology
107 CIPS bldg
East Lansing, Mi 48824
Ph (lab): (517) 353-2040
Ph (cell): (517) 819-1045
Email: mandujan@msu.edu

CALL FOR AUCTION ITEMS
In addition to the items that the Auction and Exhibits committee will be soliciting, contributions by members are strongly encouraged. Your donated items will add excitement and variety to this well-attended event. Auction items do not have to be fruit or nut-related. Hand-made donations and products are always welcome. What a great way to advertise your product to a captive audience.

Though the auction is one of our "lighter" activities, it is our best attended function. Not only is it an entertaining event, but it also offers donors the chance to have their products and services displayed and promoted to all those in attendance. All items are welcomed including some "not so nutty" ones. Members know that all money raised will be used by NNGA for direct support of Board approved nut growing research grants and so bidding will be generous.

Please help to make this year's auction a success by donating a product or service that you offer. If your product is not appropriate to deliver at this time of year, your fully paid voucher including shipping would be a good substitute. We will recognize your tax-deductible contribution through the quarterly publications of both groups, and through a thank you letter.

If you are unable to attend our meeting, you may send your donated item(s) to arrive before July 15, to our Local Arrangements committee member, Jim McKenna, who will take it to the meeting site for the auction and/or the exhibit room. His address is:

Jim McKenna
Operational Tree Breeder
Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center
USDA - Forest service
Department of Forestry & Natural Resources
Purdue University
715 W. State Rd. 26
West Lafayette, IN 47907

CALL FOR EXHIBITS
If you are interested in exhibiting a product related to nut culture (crackers, hullers, shellers, harvesters, grafting supplies) or a product related to nut exploration (propagation materials, grafting supplies, processing) we would be delighted to have your exhibit at this year's meeting.

We welcome items and displays for our exhibit room at no charge. Please contact Ernie Grimo at nuttrees@grimonut.com to arrange table or floor space in the exhibit room.

Our exhibit room will be a focal point where members gather between presentations and at breaks for the four days. The booth can be self-explanatory or manned for the breaks. Set up is from noon on Sunday, July 19 and removal begins on the Wednesday evening.

SHOW AND TELL
Sunday evening is set aside for the ever popular "Show and Tell" session. We are looking for individuals who have tried new equipment, grown promising nut and fruit selections or cultivars, or want to tell us about some recent successes and failures and are willing to present it to the group. Another title for this session could be, "Brags and Blunders." Jerry Lehman will again MC this meeting feature. Contact him at jwlehman@aol.com to be included or for more information.

To have this 100th meeting announced in your favorite publication's event calendar, contact the Publicity Committee Chair, Mari Briggs at mjbriggs3@aol.com; and if you have suggestions for publications the committee can contact, please forward them to Mari.

Mark your calendars now! Send email to icomserve@aol.com with the subject "NNGA 2009 Meeting" to be notified when additional information and a registration form are available on this Web site.