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 Persimmon Conference: Commercializing the American Persimmon (2002)
 
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Persimmon Conference: Commercializing the American Persimmon

Terre Haute, Indiana - September 27-28, 2002


A persimmon conference was held September 27-28, 2002 in Terre Haute, IN.  The theme of the conference was, "Commercializing the American Persimmon".  The conference was the brainchild of Jerry Lehman with some help from Tom Sears and Bill Heiman.  You'll find Jerry Lehman in the "Sources" section for persimmon pulp and books.  Videotapes from this conference are also available from Jerry.  Go to the sources page for more information.  

The conference program was arranged as shown below.  Some time-shifting occurred to provide additional room for speakers running longer than expected and to accomodate the large number of questions.  Therefore the times shown are those from the program and may be approximate.  The program had some last-minute changes and those have also been made below.  Those sections listed in bold are on the three-videotape set offered by Persimmon Conference creator Jerry Lehman.  For those interested in portions of the program, the videotapes are available singly and at the end of each talk title, I list the videotape that covers each recorded talk.

Welcome

Terre Haute Welcome

Bill Heiman: Introduction to the James Claypool Breeding Orchard and History of 30 Years of Breeding the American Persimmon - [Videotape Pconf01-1]

Tom Sears: Testing Persimmon Fruit in the Claypool Orchard.  Claypool Varieities Suitable for Commercial Use - [Videotape Pconf01-1]

Martha Davis: Testing Various Varieties of Persimmon Pulp in Cooked Products.  Methods and Results. - [Videotape Pconf01-1]

BREAK

Scott Kinzie: Insects and diseases in the Persimmon Orchard - [Videotape Pconf01-1]

Shirley Vargas: Federal and State Health Requirements for Processing Persimmon - [Videotape Pconf02-2]

LUNCH

Dymple Green: My Years as a Commercial Canner of [Persimmon] Pulp - [Videotape Pconf02-2]

Mrs. Dillman: Our Commercial Operation of Freezing Pulp

Wally Payne: Our Family's History of Shipping Fresh Persimmons - [Videotape Pconf02-2]

Dick Mandell: Some Observations on Growing and Eating Persimmon in the South - [Videotape Pconf02-2]

Greg Reighard: Kaki (Diospyros kaki, Asian persimmon) Persimmon Varieties for the South - [Videotape Pconf02-2]

Ken Neighbors: Making Award-Winning Persimmon and Pawpaw Wine Commercially - [Videotape Pconf02-3]

BREAK

Jerry Lehman: Breedingthe American Persimmon - [Videotape Pconf02-3]

Kirk Pomper: The Development of Pawpaw (Assimina triloba) into a New Commercial Crop - [Videotape Pconf02-3]

Richard Glaser: Reflections of the Ohio Pawpaw Grower's Association - [Videotape Pconf02-3]

Greg Reighard: Pawpaw Varieties for the South - [Videotape Pconf02-3]

Jerry Lehman: Methods to Establish A Persimmon Orchard

Adjourn
Banquet

Ed Fackler: Marketing Excess Fruit (What Do I Do With All These Leftovers?), or, Establishing A Successful Marketing Operation