What the Louisiana Homesteader Conference and Expo Is
The Louisiana Homesteader Conference and Expo is the LSU AgCenter's gathering for people who want to grow and raise more of their own food on a backyard or small acreage. It combines classes, live-animal booths and a vendor market at the Red River Research Station in Bossier City. The 4th annual conference runs Friday and Saturday, October 16-17, 2026.
Who Is It For
Anyone interested in homesteading, which the AgCenter describes as living self-sufficiently and sustainably, from beginners with a few chickens to small-scale growers and livestock keepers. The aim, in the words of Northwest Region director Ron Strahan, is to bring people together with experts for research-based information on homesteading.
Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Friday, October 16 | 12:00 p.m. to sunset |
| Saturday, October 17 | 8:00 a.m. to sunset |
What You Find There
The program has changed from year to year, but the conference has built a pattern worth knowing about.
- Classes. The first conference in 2023 offered Homesteading 101, vegetable and fruit varieties that suit the Ark-La-Tex area, chicken processing, dyeing fabric with indigo and food preservation. In 2024 the talks covered backyard irrigation best practices, raising goats and sheep, and beekeeping.
- Live-animal booths. AgCenter livestock experts staffed booths on backyard chickens and egg production, small-scale beef, sheep and goats (including goat milk products) and backyard rabbits.
- Gardening help. AgCenter horticulturists answered questions on vegetables and fruit trees, and an extension agent handled poultry questions.
- Vendors and booths. More than 50 vendors and educational booths filled the 2023 event. In 2024 they included handmade cutlery, art, mushrooms, wellness products, garden crafts, composting worms, plant nurseries and Angora rabbits, along with AgCenter booths for 4-H, LaHouse and the Sweet Potato Research Station.
- Food. Food vendors were on site at the first conference.
How It Has Grown
More than 600 people came to the first conference on October 7, 2023. The second, on October 11-12, 2024, drew more than 1,500 over two days. The 2026 edition continues the two-day format. Attendees at earlier conferences called the feedback "extremely positive," and one visitor said it "far exceeded anything I could have imagined."
Cost
Admission to the first conference in 2023 was free. Separate hands-on classes at AgCenter homesteading programs have carried small fees, for example $10 for a food preservation class. Contact the organizer to confirm what applies in 2026.
Where
LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station, 262 Research Station Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana 71112.
Questions
Can I buy plants and products?
Yes. The expo side includes vendors selling plants, crafts, wellness products and more.
Who do I contact?
Donna Haynes, the contact named on the LSU AgCenter events calendar, or your Northwest Region LSU AgCenter office.
Official Links
- LSU AgCenter events calendar: 2026 dates, hours, address and contact
- Self-sufficiency the goal of inaugural Homesteader's Conference: 2023 report
- 2024 Homesteader's Conference report: second annual conference
- 2023 conference announcement: sessions, free admission and venue
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Christmas Time at the Farm
Holiday farm day in Bossier City on the LSU AgCenter events calendar, set for December 12, 2026.
Bossier City, LA | Organizer: LSU AgCenter Official event details - The Great Louisiana Fair
Carnival-style fair at the Louisiana Downs fairgrounds with more than 30 rides, a petting zoo, a racing pig show and free parking. The 2026 run was May 29 to June 14. Held each year; these were the most recent dates.
8000 East Texas Street, Bossier City, LA 71111 | Organizer: Wade Shows Official event details - State Fair of Louisiana
The 120th State Fair of Louisiana fills the Louisiana State Fairgrounds in Shreveport for eighteen days, with livestock shows, midway rides and food. The fair has run since 1906.
3701 Hudson Ave., Shreveport, LA 71109 | Organizer: State Fair of Louisiana Official event details - Allen Parish Fair
Four-day parish fair at the Allen Parish Fairgrounds on Tiger Lane in Oberlin, with general and agricultural exhibits. Held each year; the 2025 fair ran Nov. 12-15 and the 2026 fair is set for Nov. 11-14.
Tiger Lane, Oberlin, LA 70655 Official event details - Port Barre Cracklin Festival
Four-day festival in Port Barre built around Louisiana cracklin, the fried pork rind. Held each year; the most recent dates were November 12-15, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Park.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.