Taste 360 2025-2026
Welcome!
We're glad you're visiting! Please join us for Taste 360 Virtual!
Our program consists of 20 educational sessions by local experts across four unique learning tracks.
Taste 360 Virtual is an experience filled with education on fresh and locally grown produce, sustainability, homesteading, fermentation, fruit, vegetable, and flower production, and beginning entrepreneurship.
Check out the track overviews below. Click a track image to see speakers and sessions. You can explore all the speaker and session details now!
Whether you're an aspiring gardener, an experienced horticulturist, or an entrepreneur seeking to enter the green industry, this conference has something for everyone!
As part of Taste 360 Virtual, you will have access to all recorded sessions from your registration until September 30, 2026! Learn from experts through lectures and stories that will equip you with the tools and knowledge to nurture your green thumb!
Why Virtual?
- More affordable
- More accessible
- Access for anyone interested!
Entrepreneur
Looking to start a small-acreage ag business?
Check out the resources available to you through this track.
An ag entrepreneur is a pioneer who blends farming with innovation, applying creative ideas and business strategies to turn land or resources into profitable, sustainable enterprises.
From small farms to urban gardens, they bring passion and ingenuity to local markets, cultivating not just crops but vibrant communities with unique, value-added products.
Fermentation
Wine, beer, and fermented foods, oh my!
Those who love their fermented beverages and foods and want to learn how to make their own!
Fermentation is a natural process where yeast or bacteria break down sugars, creating alcohol, acids, and complex flavors.
It transforms simple ingredients into wine, kombucha, sourdough, pickles, and cheeses—adding depth, character, and probiotic benefits to foods and drinks.
Homesteading
These sessions are for anyone with a do-it-yourself attitude.
Learn how to garden in your garden or apartment, preserve food, and raise bees!
Homesteading is a journey toward self-sufficiency, where you grow food, raise animals, and craft homemade goods while embracing a simpler, nature-connected life.
From gathering eggs to harvesting herbs, everyday tasks become extraordinary farm-to-home experiences.
Production
For the person interested in starting a small-acreage farm!
Farmers are maestros of the land, blending tradition and technology to nurture thriving crops.
From seed to harvest, they create a harmonious journey from farm to home, filling our plates—and our lives—with color, flavor, and nourishment.
This track will cover what to plant, flowers, fruits, Christmas trees, restaurant farming, and more!
Our Keynote Speakers
Plants, Parks and Wild Areas: Improving health through nature contact!
With the rise of smartphones, online gaming, and streaming services, Americans spend more and more time in front of a screen.
This has led to a rise in mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes, and ADHD. Luckily, there is something we can do to offset these negative consequences.
The natural world, from houseplants and landscaped yards to parks and wild areas, provides a tremendous amount of healing power.
This talk will explore the science behind the effects of nature contact, from improving mood and the ability to pay attention to actual changes in immune function. We will end by discussing ways to get more nature into your day.
Dr. Jay Maddock
Regents Professor and Director
Texas A&M University
Dr. Charlie Hall
Professor in Horticulture Sciences
Texas A&M University,
Ellison Chair in International Floriculture