Join us on August 17 from 4-7pm for a Storage Crop Workshop at Spring Creek Farm, in Baldwin City, KS. This event is part of the Growing Growers 2015 Market Farming Workshop Series, and is sponsored by the Kansas Rural Center. The cost of the workshop is $5.

Lately there has been a lot of interest in season extension, particularly high tunnel production, which allows crops to be grown beyond their typical growing season to the point where there is no “off-season”. But winter production comes with its challenges. If you are interested in extending your income generating season without the hassle of growing and harvesting in the depths of winter, you should consider storage crops. This traditional method of season extension takes advantage of the standard growing season, storing crops in sheltered facilities and selling them throughout the winter. There are numerous crops that can be stored well into the winter months, some require little more than a basement or pantry, while others can be left in the ground and harvested throughout the winter. For increased variety and extended storage, Coolbot technology allows growers to build walk-in coolers for a fraction of the cost. Common storage crops include sweet potatoes, winter squash, potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, turnips, cabbage, brussel sprouts, apples and many more.

The workshop will take place at Spring Creek Farm, in Baldwin City, KS and will include a presentation by Dan Phelps, Activity Coordinator for the Kansas Rural Center, followed by a farm tour hosted by farm owners Tom Maiorana and Stephanie Thomas. They will discuss their overall production systems, including their high tunnels, as well as offer an in-depth look at how they produce and store storage crops. We will view their storage facilities, which include a curing room, an earth berm storage room, and a walk-in cooler.

Growing Growers is a collaborative effort of K-State Research and Extension, Univ. Of Missouri Extension, Lincoln Univ. Cooperative Extension, the Kansas Rural Center, the KC Food Circle, and Cultivate KC. Growing Growers works to increase the production of local food by helping new and existing producers grow their businesses.