WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Jesup Wagon 2.0 will be on display at the Webb City Farmers Market, 106 East Tracy Street, on Saturday from 9 to noon. A 16-foot trailer, the “wagon” brings the latest technology to workshops and conferences for farmers throughout the state. The Jesup Wagon 2.0 has already appeared at conferences in West Plains and Jackson, Missouri. At the market Saturday, visitors and farmers can learn about irrigation, hand tools useful for small spaces like high tunnels, a walk behind tractor with attachments, soil meters and a drone, among other tools.

Lincoln University Cooperative Extension and University of Missouri Extension staff will build a low tunnel at the market and discuss low, caterpillar and high tunnels. The market is supplied by more than 20 high tunnels during the fall through spring seasons which is why even when the fields are unplanted the market still has abundant supplies of fresh local produce. Low tunnels and caterpillar tunnels are a much less expensive method than high tunnels for a farmer to extend the growing season but no area farmers have yet adopted that technology. (Market master Eileen Nichols thinks low and caterpillar tunnels are an untapped opportunity for area farmers.) The “wagon’s” bending tools used to make low and caterpillar tunnels are available for rent to area farmers.

Jesup Wagon 2.0 is named in honor of the original Jesup Wagon designed by George Washington Carver which brought information on the newest seeds, fertilizer and agriculture technology to farmers 100 years ago.

The Jesup Wagon 2.0 project is a collaboration of the Webb City Farmers Market. Lincoln University Cooperative Extension and University of Missouri Extension. It is funded by a specialty crops grant through the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The trailer was secured by Lincoln University Cooperative Extension using other funds.

— Webb City Farmers Market

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