Hickory Corners, MI – Registration is now open for the 8th annual Underground Innovations winter meeting for innovative farmers, agricultural and environmental professionals, and others. Presented by Michigan Agriculture Advancement (MiAA) with support from the Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research Program (KBS LTER), this event will continue to build and support a community of curiously minded people who love to be inspired by innovation in other fields and apply it to their own contexts.
Taking place February 4-5th in 2026, we will spend two days and one evening together at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth, MI. Participants will have the opportunity to network with producers, farmer advisors, and professionals from agencies, non-profits, and businesses from across Michigan and beyond to help take ideas home to implement on their operations and in their communities. This intimate event has a proven track record of providing the space and time for us all to come together, share an experience together, and return to our networks, changed for the better.
This year’s keynote speaker is Leon Klopfenstein. Hailing from Paulding County, Ohio, Leon is raising corn, beans, and wheat with a wildly diverse cover crop program. He’s built his own roller crimper, nearly doubled organic matter to 5-6% on some fields and has tried all sorts of experiments on the farm. Leon received the Outstanding Farmer Award from the Ohio No Till Council in 2024 for his farm and will share his experience on day 1 of our event.
In addition to our keynote, we have a great lineup of speakers who will share their experiences with a wide range of topics such as row crops, nutrient management, post-harvest handling, dairy & beef operations, and specialty markets. Speakers will share their experiences when adopting new practices on their farms, how they got to this point, and where they are looking to go in the future. This is a great opportunity to ask your why and how questions for those techniques you’ve been thinking about! We’re excited to see all the connections and networking that happens when you all meet with producers from across Michigan and beyond.
A big thank you to MDARD who is supporting this event, along with the Erb Family Foundation and the NCR-SARE program. Because of them, we can offer admission to the full event for just $50.00 this year. This includes all sessions, lunch on both days, breakfast on day 2, and a networking happy hour with roundtables.
Rooms are available at the Bavarian Inn Lodge under the ”Underground Innovations” room block. Reservations can be made by calling 1-855-652-7200 and mentioning Underground Innovations or group code 13Z5W8.
2026 Agenda – Underground Innovations
Wednesday, February 4th
- 9:00am Check in and registration opens
- 10:00am Welcome and introductions, Julie Doll, MiAA
- 10:30am Leon Klopfenstein, Klopfenstein Farms
- 11:30am Mark Vollmar, Vollmar Organic Farm, Inc
- 12:15pm Lunch
- 1:15pm Kat and David Meegan, Annie G’s Dairy
- 2:00pm Break
- 2:15pm NRC-SARE Farmer Forum, moderated by Colleen Forestieri, Van Buren Conservation District; 15 minute presentations + panel discussion:
- Abby Johnson, Ox Heights
- Alex Cacciari, Seeley Farm
- Andy Fles, Shady Lane Cellars
- 3:45pm Break
- 4:15pm Networking Mixer with hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and facilitated
- Community Conversations (Topics: talking with legislators, farm linking, funding opportunities, agronomy, & food-grade grains)
- 5:30pm Adjourn – Dinner on your own
- 7:30pm Optional gathering at Bavarian Inn Lodge, downstairs bar
Thursday, February 5th
- 7:30 am Breakfast buffet
- 8:00 am Day 2 welcome and table conversations
- 8:30 am Director Tim Boring, MDARD
- 9:15 am Doug Hodge, Stony Croft Farms
- 10:00am Break
- 10:15 am Shakir Bralock, Michigan Good Food Fund
- 10:45 am Zach Berg, Michigan Cheese Guild & Mongers’ Provisions
- 11:15 am Autumn Tait, Autumn Acres & Tait Farms
- 12:00 pm Lunch
- 1:00 pm John Burk, Burk Family Farms
- 1:45 pm Jake Isley, Sunrise Farms & Stewardship Farms
- 2:30pm Panel Discussion, moderated by Joel Layman, J.D. Layman Farms (Director Tim Boring, Shakir Bralock, and 2 farmers)
- 3:30pm Adjourn