April 23, 2022

The Missouri Tomato School will be Thursday and Friday, May 19 and 20, at Woods Chapel United Methodist Church, 4725 NE Lakewood Way, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64064.

This state-wide tomato school brings together top experts in the field with regional experts and successful local tomato farmers to teach growers and serious hobbyists how to better grow Missouri’s top selling vegetable. Out-of-state growers and ag educators are welcome.

Day 1 begins at 8:45 and will be in a socially-distanced classroom format. Day 1 presentations include:
• Tomato Nutrient Management
• Top Ten Best Practices for Tomato Harvest and Postharvest Storage
• Tomato Disease Management
• Hydroponic Tomato Cultivation
• Beneficial Insects vs Pests
• Growing Tomatoes in Protective Structures
• Using Essential Oils to Control Pests
• Comparing Yields of Grafted and Non-grafted Tomatoes

Day 2 will be a farm tour with on-site education at Redfearn Farm in Independence, Missouri from 9 am to 11:30 pm.

This conference features national and regional presenters including:

Dr. Rick Snyder, Mississippi State University — Dr. Snyder recently retired after serving 33 years as Extension/ Research Professor at the Truck Crops Experiment Station in Crystal Springs, MS. His educational background includes a B.S. from the University of Connecticut, an M.S. from Ohio State University, and Ph.D. from Cornell University, all in horticulture. His areas of specialty include commercial production of greenhouse tomatoes and other vegetables, as well field vegetables. Dr. Snyder hosted the well-known Mississippi Greenhouse Tomato Short Course for 28 years and is a highly sought speaker on all aspects of greenhouse tomato production. He continues to be a greenhouse columnist for American Vegetable Grower Magazine after 29 years and still enjoys speaking to growers’ groups and doing some greenhouse consulting during his retirement.

Dr. T. Casey Barickman — Dr. Barickman is an Associate Research Professor at Mississippi State University’s North Mississippi Research and Extension Center specializing in plant physiology and vegetable production systems. Dr. Barickman has over 16 years of experience in horticulture research studying plant physiology. His research focuses on environmental stress and genetic interactions that affect plant growth and development, vegetable nutritional quality, and nutrient management for vegetable production systems. Dr. Barickman’s lab blends applied and basic research to provide science-based management recommendations to vegetable growers in Mississippi.

Registration for the in person program is $30. Registration includes lunch on day 1, all presentations and handouts, and the farm tour on day 2.

Complete conference information and a registration form are available at http://www.webbcityfarmersmarket.com/training or by calling 417 483-8139.

The Missouri Tomato Conference is sponsored by the Webb City Farmers Market, University of Missouri Extension, and Lincoln University Co-operative Extension. It is underwritten by a specialty crops grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.