Central Kansas Vegetable Growers Workshop Set for Wichita February 12

The second annual Central Kansas Market Vegetable Growers Workshop, will be held February 12, 2010 from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in 4-H Hall at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center at 21st and Ridge in Wichita, Kansas. The workshop, which is sponsored by Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, and Reno County Extension, will give beginning and experienced vegetable growers new skills to improve their production methods and marketing skills for selling their local vegetables, while meeting an increasing demand for locally grown produce.

The workshop will cover the basics of vegetable production with a special emphasis on techniques for extending the harvest season for vegetables.

Topics will include: high tunnels, tomato grafting, berry production, winter greens production, agritourism, and community supported agriculture.

Featured speakers include:

• Dan Nagengast – Dan has been farming in the Lawrence, Kansas area for more than 20 years, and has years of experience growing vegetables and flowers in a high tunnel. He is Executive Director of the Kansas Rural Center.
• Dr. Cary Rivard – Cary is the new KState Research & Extension Vegetable and Fruit Specialist. His most recent research deals with tomato grafting as a way to deal with soil-borne disease issues in organic and heirloom tomato production.
• Jay Sleichter – Jay is a market farmerfrom Clay Center, Kansas. His family grows vegetables on less than 5 acres, including in 6 high tunnels.
• Dr. Brenda Olcott-Reid – Brenda is the owner of Brenda’s Berries & Orchards in Chetopa, Kansas. She grows raspberries, blackberries, apples, and peaches for u-pick and pre-pick sales.

Cost of registration is $20 before February 4, 2010 and $25 after. Register online at http://vegetable growers workshop.eventbrite.com or by calling 316-660-0144. For more information, please call Rebecca McMahon at 316-660-0142