DALLAS INNERCITY GROWERS
Download the official event app to stay up to date on all things DIG Summit 2025!
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Summit Reception
4:30 – 6:30 pm | Celestial Beerworks @ 2530 Butler St., Dallas, TX 75235
All attendees are invited to kick off the Summit in style! The Reception will be hosted at Celestial Beerworks and catered by Molino Oloyo. Two drink tickets are included. Attendees can also pick up conference credentials here to skip Monday’s check-in.
Monday, October 27, 2025
The Summit will kick off at 8:45 am at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. Dr. Lyla June will deliver the keynote at 9:00 am followed by a multitude of sessions detailed below. Closing remarks will be delivered at 4:25 pm closing out the event at 5 pm.
Following the Summit, the Farm-to-Table dinner, included in the full package registration, will start at 5:30 with a mix & mingle at The Justice Garden at the Temple Shalom Campus, followed by a garden tour. Dinner will be served at 6:30 pm and feature a local chef and ingredients sourced from North Texas growers.
Registration/Check-in
8:00 – 8:45 Am | Atrium
Open Remarks
8:45 – 9:00 Am | Water building main stage
Keynote | Human Beings as a Keystone Species: Indigenous Regenerative Ecosystem Design
9:00 – 10:00 Am | Water building main stage
What if human beings were not pests or a virus upon the Earth? What if we are perfectly designed to be extraordinary catalysts of biodiversity and ecosystem health? What if with these two human hands we could not only sustain the Earth, but help her thrive even more with our very presence? Let’s delve into the beautiful world of Indigenous civilizations of every continent and examine case studies where this has been proven to be true. In this workshop, we will identify the strategies and the principles that enable these societies to thrive and help Mother Earth thrive as well. Contrary to popular belief, Indigenous Land Management strategies can support dense human populations and regenerate ecosystems at the same. At the end of our workshop, we will engage in acts of service on the land to begin to remember what it means to be human.
Lyla June | Ph.D., Author, Educator, Musician | Re^human.earth
Community Gardens: Critical Infrastructure for Thriving Cities
10:10 – 11:05 Am | WATER BUILDING MAIN STAGE
linda appel lipsius | executive director | Denver urban gardens
Tech to Table: Building Digital Strategies for Food Access and Sustainability
10:10 – 11:05 Am | Room A
thomas vellaringattu | founder | food pulse foundation
yvette blair-lavallais | equity research fellow | Feeding america
Learning Gardens: Outdoor Education in Action: Hands-On, Year-Round Projects that Grow Curiosity, Stewardship, and Community in Young Learners
10:10 – 11:15 Am | ROOM B
susie stillwell | president | learning gardens
Closing the Loop: Mushrooms, Soil Health, and Regenerative Growing
10:10 – 11:05 Am | ROOM C
Garrett Shovan | General manager | Mushroom street farms
Aiko Amano | lab manager | mushroom street farms
AM Break & Bites: Exhibitor Hall
11:05 – 11:35 Am | Atrium
Farmer Perspective on the Economic Viability of Urban Farming Panel
11:35 Am – 12:30 Pm | WATER BUILDING MAIN STAGE
Adam cohen | founder | local food groups
warren gwartney | founder | mushroom street
kate mcdowell | founder/Farmer | silver streaks farm
kim high | founder/Farmer | Joppy Mammas Farm
chris higgins | president/Co-Founder | Hort Americas
Vegetable Gardens for Good in Urban Multi-Family Housing
11:35 Am – 12:30 Pm | Room A
claire howell | owner | balcony box
matthew flume | founder & Principal | worth street partners
Bringing the Farm to School: Growing the Next Generation of Stewards
11:35 Am – 12:30 Pm | Room B
kim aman | executive director | grow garden grow
Lettuce Heal! Healing the gardener and ecosystem using sustainable growing practices
11:35 Am – 12:30 Pm | Room C
ariana brumfield | ceo | soilutions holistic agricultural operations
Lunch | Keynote: Dallas County Food Plan
12:30 – 2:00 Pm | Water building main stage
Whitney Strauss | Executive Director | AdvoCare Foundation and SMU
Profitable Part Time Farming
2:00 – 2:55 Pm | Water building main stage
Michael Bell | Owner | Dallas Half Acre Farm
From Farm Gate to Cafeteria Tray: Building Trust for Lasting Food Systems Change
2:00 – 2:55 Pm | Room A
Hallie Casey | Director | The Common Market Texas
Lindsay Gonzales | Founder and Advisor | With & Thru Movement Building
Craig Hempel | Assistant Director | Garland Isd
Aaron reeves | Farmer | Reeves Family Farm
The Role of Food Planning in Building a Healthy and Equitable Local Food System Fireside Chat
2:00 – 2:55 Pm | Room B
Edwin Marty | Food Policy Manager | City of Austin
Rabekha Siebert | Environmental Coordinator III | City of Dallas
A Year in the Life of a North Texas Farmer
2:00 – 2:55 Pm | Room C
Lisa Attaway | Production Site Specialist | Green City Growers
Live Watercolor Painting of Texas Native Agriculture
2:00 – 2:55 Pm | Patio – Atrium
Maya Modi | Artist | Maya x Kiwi
PM Break & Bites: Exhibitor Hall
2:55 – 3:20 Pm | Atrium
Cross-Sector Partnerships and Urban Farms: Their Role in Shaping Sustainable, Resilient Cities
3:25 – 4:20 Pm | Water building main stage
Brady Clark | Executive Director | Square Mile Community Development
Whitney Strauss | Executive Director | Advocare Foundation and Smu
Nutrients, Neurons & Aging: Unlocking Brain-Body Balance
3:25 – 4:20 Pm | Room A
Alicia Weber | BCHN, Founder | Weber Therapeutic nutrition, llc
New opportunities for small farmers and local food producers in Texas
3:25 – 4:20 Pm | Room B
Judith McGeary | Executive Director | Farm and Ranch Freedom alliance
On-Farm Food Safety for Small Farms
3:25 – 4:20 Pm | Room C
Susie Marshall | Executive Director | Grow North Texas
Maleke O’ney | Program Specialist | GROW North Texas
Closing Remarks | Growing Community Through Gardening
4:25 – 4:45 Pm | Water building main stage
The Temple Shalom Dallas Justice Garden conference session highlights community building through gardening, focusing on four key action areas: wellness, ecology, education, and food justice. Attendees will explore how growing fresh produce nurtures physical and spiritual well-being, supports sustainable practices, educates all ages on food systems, and addresses hunger and inequality. This engaging session showcases how a shared garden can be a powerful tool for healing, learning, and justice, cultivating not only crops but connection, awareness, and equitable access to food.
Gretchen Reynolds | Garden Coordinator | Temple Shalom
Debbie Niederman | Director of Education | Temple Shalom
