Horticulturalists will have the chance to learn from their living room as the popular East Gippsland Vegetable Innovation Days heads online this year due to COVID-19.
Unlike previous on-farm events, the two-day May showcase will be live streamed online through a series of webinars in a move the event's organisers believe will promote East Gippsland to the world.
The event drew more than 650 people to the Lindenow Valley, near Bairnsdale, in 2017 and showcases innovative practices in a practical and previously hands-on way.
But East Gippsland Vegetable Innovation Days director Andrew Bulmer said the decision to move the event online would open doors to new audiences and people who might not have travelled to the region.
"Whilst nothing can replace the impact of walking onsite, touching the crops and talking face to face, by hosting a wide range of content online, as well as live streaming when those crops are at their planned peak ... ironically we are likely to reach thousands more," Mr Bulmer said.
"This engagement strategy could very well set a new benchmark for how field days like this can create evergreen content that is used as a valuable resource long after the grow site is finished."
It comes weeks after the 10th International Spinach Conference slated for East Gippsland was postponed due to travel restrictions.
However, EGVID co-director Stuart Grigg said the virtual event would deliver "significant benefit" to the industry.
"With planting of long and short-cycle vegetable crops just about complete and agricultural chemical and fertiliser trials all established, we know that we will have valuable information to share," Mr Grigg said.
"We're working hard on the best way to capture all the data and insights in an easy and engaging video format that can be accessed for many years to come."
More details will be made available in the coming weeks about how to access to virtual event scheduled for May 7 and 8.
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