Vineyard Field Day to Explore Organic Transition, Certification and Grape Production
S.D. Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) will host a hands-on educational field day on Mon., Oct. 13, 2025 at Lewis and Clark Lake Vineyard in Yankton, S.D., featuring vineyard expert Greg Stach and SDSPA Organic Transition Advisor Dr. Angela Jackson.
From 12–2 p.m. CDT participants will join Stach for a guided vineyard walk highlighting the stages of grape plant health, soil-building strategies, and practical tips for successful grape production in South Dakota under organic management principles.
Stach will also share insights from biodynamic farming, including the importance of timing, biodiversity, and whole-farm ecological balance in grape production.
Attendees will gather at the beautiful Lewis and Clark Resort meeting room from 2–4 p.m. for Jackson’s educational session on the step-by-step process of transitioning vineyards and orchards to USDA Organic certification, with guidance on recordkeeping, inputs, and conservation practices.
Light refreshments will be provided, and all area growers are invited to attend this free learning opportunity. This field day is for current and beginning farmers, technical service providers, and anyone who would like to learn more about transitioning their farm into organic production.
Pre-registration is requested for this event.
Register HereThis event is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).
Additional programming supporting producers transitioning to organic is planned this fall. Webinars are scheduled Oct. 14th with Marvin Pritts, Cornell University, featuring low tunnel organic strawberry production, Nov. 5th with Kevin O’Connell, O’Connell Organic Acres in Iowa, on transitioning to organic swine and lamb production, and on Dec. 9th with SDSU on organic seed starting and transplants. For a full listing of events visit SDSPA’s calendar.