12th Central Missouri Vegetable & Greenhouse Tour

Come join us on Wednesday August 31st, 2011 - Rain or Shine

Meet at the Central Missouri Produce Auction to visit 3 nearby growers of quality fresh produce. This event is free.

Schedule: (you are welcome to arrive up until noon)

10:00 AM - Gather & visit ‘on your own’ the auction

10:30 until ? - Question and Answer with Mark Troup

11 until 11:45 - Pick up a lunch box compliments of MVGA

Noon - A few words from the tour sponsors

12:20 or so - Leave to the first farm

Tour will conclude about 4:00 (about one hour per farm). Choose from one of two tour routes. Some features this year include:

• Mark Troup with Missouri Department of Ag will be on hand to talk about grading of fresh produce. Mark has years of inspecting experience and has recently been trained for GAP certification inspections.
• Lincoln University’s vegetable research program
• Tomato disease discussion including special guest Bob Pierce with MU’s nematode lab

Directions:  Located on Highway E, 12 miles south of US 50 or 10 miles north of Versailles.

Central Missouri Produce Auction
37808 Highway E Fortuna MO 65034
Auction Facility - 660-337-6227 (Auction days only)

Tour A (ends at Versailles)

Stop 1-A - To be determined
Field vegetables will be the focus of this stop.

Stop 2-A - Elmer, Samuel and Mark Leid, 70111 Westview School Rd Fortuna 65034
The Leid’s have been regular tour features over the years, and are always trying something new. They now have three separate greenhouse/high tunnel facilities. Elmer’s is a Zimmerman gutter connect (ridge vent) and is 360 ft long, built since we last visited. Mark’s facility has used glycerine and fatty acids as a fuel source (wood chips before that) and has been on the tour before. Samuel put up one of the used greenhouses that a number of other growers also picked up when a large greenhouse operation closed a couple of years ago. He’ll have a fall cover crop seeded since he’s just pulled out the spring tomato crop.

Stop 3-A - Capp’s Chestnut Orchard
Would you ever guess there is a commercial chestnut orchard right in the heart of Versailles? Learn how Tommy and Teresa purchased adjoining lots to turn their curiosity about this revived nut into much more than that. The timing is good as this is right at the beginning of the harvest season.

Tour B (ends in Jefferson City)

Stop 1-B - James Shirk, 37619 Highway E Latham 65050
James grows a variety of field vegetables and (in soil) greenhouse tomatoes. This stop will focus on diseases of tomatoes, including:
• Root knot nematode in (soil) greenhouse tomatoes. Bob Heinz with MU’s Nematode Lab will join us.
• Bacterial Canker, a disease that flared up in two MO regions this year.
• Use of Actiguard to prevent/control bacterial spot and speck.

Stop 2-B - Trinklein Brother Greenhouses, 7518 Tanner Bridge Road Jeff City 65101
Trinklein’s has about 2 acres of greenhouse production, including two 20,000 sq ft hydroponic tomato production units, which will have the new fall crop planted. Fall mums and poinsettias will also be in production. A diverse range of ornamental crops are grown in the spring.

Stop 3-B - Lincoln Carver Farm Vegetable Research
Sanjun Gu has been hard at work this summer, with a larger staff, including ‘Captain Hot Pepper’ (Steven Kirk). Added in 2010 were two Zimmerman high tunnels with ridge vents. A number of variety trials are being carried out including melons and tomatoes. Novel research approaches to some of Missouri’s vexing vegetable production issues are also being investigated.

To get your complimentary lunch
A RSVP is needed by Aug. 29th; provide a name and how many will be in your group to James Quinn, 573-634-2824.

Sponsored by:
Morgan County Extension Center
Missouri Department of Ag
Central Missouri Produce Auction
Morgan County Seeds
University of Missouri Extension (MU Extension)