Small Farm Conference

22nd Annual West Virginia Small Farm Conference

February 26-28, 2026

Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center

Goals for Conference

• Unlock the potential of West Virginia small farms to produce food profitably.
• Help small farms transition from commodity production to food production for community and local consumption.
• Support West Virginia’s 23,000 small farm families by:
• Providing reliable, tested knowledge about current trends, needed skills, and latest production and operation information
• Building an understanding of how to develop a successful small farming enterprise.
• Support and further develop West Virginia’s food system and local communities by encouraging local production, processing, wholesale and retail marketing, and consumption.

Register for the 2026 Conference 

Winter Blues Farmers Market

The annual Winter Blues Farmers Market will be held Saturday, February 28, 2026 from Noon - 5 p.m. at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center located at 200 Civic Center Drive, Charleston, West Virginia. 

This indoor market event is held in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture to showcase the bounty that West Virginia can produce during winter months. During the four hours of operation, thousands of shoppers from the Kanawha Valley and beyond shop a diverse array of products - fresh vegetables, maple syrup, meats, soaps, salsa and more! This event is free to the public, includes live music, and activities for children. Shoppers will have the chance to talk to vendors and find out how they grow, make or produce their goods. Many vendors will also be sampling their products.

The Winter Blues Farmers Market has been proven successful with sales topping $210,685 in 2025. If you would like to become a vendor for this event, complete the application available online here. Applications are due by February 6, 2026. Winter Blues Farmers Market is a producer-only market; we do not allow resale products, wine, beer, ready-to-eat meals, craft-type items, etc. All products sold must comply with WVDA Farmers Market product regulations, federal regulations, and any other applicable governmental requirements. Vendors must secure all applicable West Virginia Department of Agriculture licenses and permits prior to the event. 

Questions?

If you have questions about the conference, please contact Lisa Jones. 

WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer -- Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs).
The WVU Board of Governors is the governing body of WVU. The Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia is responsible for developing, establishing, and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s four-year colleges and universities.
Reasonable accommodations will be made to provide this content in alternate formats upon request. Contact the WVU Extension Service Office of Communications at 304-293-4222.