Autumn Specialty Crop Farm Tour

Lawrence, Kansas — The Kansas Rural Center, in partnership with K-State Research and Extension – Douglas County and USDA AMS, will host a farm tour for producers this Sunday.

The KRC Autumn Specialty Crop Farm Tour is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Sunday, November 1, at the Dreher Family 4-H Building at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Lawrence, Kansas, for producers interested in learning about high tunnel production and seed starting.

The program will focus on the challenges of extending production and reducing risks," said Mercedes Taylor-Puckett, farmers markets and local food coordinator with the Kansas Rural Center. "This program will afford the attendees a chance to visit with local producers in the areas of season extension, high tunnels, strawberry production, seed starting, and vermiculture."

12:00 p.m.
Dreher Building
Douglas County Fairgrounds
2110 Harper, Lawrence KS 66046

12:30 p.m.
Presentations:

Jill Elmers, Moon on the Meadow: Extending the season with a high tunnel

Jill, a 2009 KRC Farmer-Educator, owns and operates a 4.5 acre certified organic farm within the city limits of Lawrence. Along with selling at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers Market, Jill operates a CSA with three distribution sites in the Kansas City metro area, one in Topeka and an on-farm pick-up in Lawrence. In the winter of 2007, she erected a hoop house to extend and diversify her offerings in the early and late market seasons. In 2008, Moon on the Meadow became a certified organic farm. (Read a Lawrence Journal World article featuring Jill here.)

Jerry and Jane Wohletz, Wohletz Farm Fresh: ’09 high tunnel strawberries, ’10 PYO strawberries

Jerry and Jane are wrapping-up their seventh season as direct marketers of diverse specialty crops raised on two-acres of their 80-acre farm southeast of Lawrence. Last year the family added a 30’ x 60’ high tunnel in which they raised strawberries and tomatoes. In 2010, Wohletz Farm Fresh plans to open a pick-your-own strawberry patch. (Visit their website to learn more about the farm.)

Brad Stevenson, Rock Creek Wigglers: Starting your own worm farm

Brad constructed a temperature-controlled aluminum worm shed on his ten-acre farm outside of Ottawa in 2007. Stevenson sells worm castings and worm casting tea at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers Market and on the internet. Worm castings, or vermicompost, contain nutrients and plant hormones to encourage plant growth. (Read a Lawrence Journal World article profiling Brad here.)

Carolyn Slawson, Slawson Farms: Worm castings and tea for seed starting & transplants

Carolyn and her husband, David, have been farming 80-acres west of Tonganoxie for more than forty years. In 2001, the couple began growing produce and transplants to sell at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers Market. Slawson starts everything for the farm's six-acre specialty crop garden from seed inside her germinating greenhouse every spring.

Mercedes Taylor-Puckett, Kansas Rural Center: Wild Onion Farm’s ’09 high tunnel cherry tomatoes

1:45 p.m.
Wohletz Farm Fresh Tour
1831 N 1100 Rd Lawrence KS 66046

2:45 p.m.
Moon on the Meadow Tour
1515 E 11th St Lawrence KS 66046

The KRC Autumn Specialty Crop Farm Tour will provide farmers with information that can be utilized immediately in their operations," Taylor-Puckett said. "It will also give those who are new to the agricultural field or might be interested in starting a specialty crop operation information that they can use in the future."
The farm tour is funded through a USDA AMS Farmers Market Promotion Program grant.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Taylor-Puckett at 785.840.6202 or mercedes [dot] taylorpuckett [at] gmail [dot] com (email). Attendees can also contact K-State Research and Extension Douglas County Horticulture Agent Jennifer Smith at 785-843-7058 for more information.

For Google Map Directions, Click Here.

Read the press release in the News Section.

KRC Farmer Educator Program is funded by a grant from: