Blackberry and fruit tree care among the topics at 19th annual event
SPRING HILL, Tenn. – Homegrown blackberries and blueberries pair perfectly for summertime in Tennessee, and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture would like to help bring them to your backyard. This year marks the 19th annual Fruits of the Backyard Field Day where attendees can receive valuable information, products and techniques that can help backyard fruits and other plants flourish.
“This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in home landscaping or food production or for those venturing into elderberries,” said Kevin Thompson, director at the UT Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, which will host the event. “Not only will we have educational presentations, but visitors can tour plantings of elderberries and see firsthand the blackberry and blueberry varieties grown here at the research center.”
Annie Vogel, assistant professor of fruit production with the UT Department of Plant Sciences, and Jenson Hayter, assistant professor and Extension pathologist of the UT Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, will be presenting in special sessions focused on blackberry and blueberry care during the half-day event. Renown and beloved fruit production professor and UT Extension Specialist David Lockwood will be presenting one of his final professional talks, as he is retiring from UT Extension after 50 years of service. Following the day’s presentations, a wagon ride will be provided to tour the berry research and demonstration trials.
Fruit production won’t be the only focus of the field day, which also offers insight into fruit tree pruning and upcoming pest and disease awareness.
“The field day program has been developed to help you make your backyard a more productive and enjoyable place to spend time with family and friends,” said Thompson. “We look forward to hosting neighbors and friends alike.”
Fruits of the Backyard is scheduled for June 9, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT. Anyone, from home growers to commercial producers, is welcome to attend the free event, which will take place at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center located at 1000 Main Entrance Drive in Spring Hill. More information about the center is available online at middletn.tennessee.edu.
For more information on the field day, including any accommodations for accessibility, call 931-486-2129. For a full calendar of the 2026 Field Days, visit agresearch.tennessee.edu/field-days.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch, and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.