Horticulture Research Enhances Communities, Supports Producers
In the very near future, Stephanie Thomas plans to expand her business.
Last year, the Baldwin, Kan., farmer participated in Kansas’ Growing Growers program, which is designed to give local producers the training and information they need to be successful in the local market. Now, Thomas says, it’s just a matter of time before more fruits and vegetables from her business begin flowing to local restaurants, farmers’ markets, and direct buyers.
“The program to me has been way more than I ever expected; I got back so much more,” Thomas said. “First of all, I’ve been able to almost seamlessly move into an organic method. I know a lot more about sustainable farming, and I’m a much better farmer as far as taking care of my land. Because of that, I can grow on a much larger scale.”
Katherine Kelly, manager for the three-year-old Growing Growers program, said farmers learn new skills through hands-on training and apprenticeships.
“Growing Growers puts farmers into contact with people who recognize what they do and want to support them,” said Kelly, who works out of K-State Research and Extension’s horticultural research center in Olathe. “Consumers are really wanting to know the person who grows the food or produces the meat they take home to their families to eat.”
Thomas’ business is heavy on the tomatoes, but she is growing other fruits and vegetables, including spinach, lettuce, peas, broccoli, sweet potatoes, melons, blackberries, raspberries and more. She said that many of her customers pay up front for a share of what is harvested from the fields in a given week, and get the best quality produce before it is offered at market.
Thomas’ story is typical of many local growers who have turned to research centers in Olathe, Wichita, and Manhattan for a helping hand. The Olathe center is a regional testing site for the international Certified Landscape Technician program and is home to the Prairie Star annual and Prairie Bloom perennial flower research programs, which select flowers specifically for their success in Kansas climates and soils.
At the John C. Pair Horticulture Center near Wichita, the primary focus is on ornamentals and woody plants.
“There is hardly a tree or shrub that cities are planting across this state that was not brought in by this station or tested by this facility,” said Jason Griffin, director of the center.
Most recently, the center has focused on increased public involvement and awareness. Through tours, field trips, open houses, and the construction of the educational and research-focused Kaegi garden, Griffin hopes to continue building relationships with local residents.
Tim Martz, superintendent of the forestry and maintenance division for the city of Wichita, said he relies on the center’s research for the city’s urban reforestation program, one that requires the purchase of nearly 2,000 trees each year.
“The center has been instrumental in a lot of our plant selections,” Martz said. “Many of our decisions are based on the research that comes out of the center. It makes a huge difference in the health of our urban forest and on our tree canopy.”
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Alan Stevens (Olathe center) 913-856-2335 |
Jason Griffin ( John C. Pair center) 316-788-0492 |
^In the Photo: Baldwin producer Stephanie Thomas grows fruits and vegetables for local restaurants, farmers' markets, and direct buyers.
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