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Jesup Wagon 2.0, a mobile classroom operated by LU Cooperative Extension, travels across Missouri to deliver hands-on agricultural education.

George Washington Carver believed education should reach farmers where they live and work.

In 1906, he designed the original Jesup Wagon — a horse-drawn, mobile classroom equipped with tools and instructional materials used to share practical farming knowledge with rural communities. At a time when many farmers had limited access to formal agricultural education, Carver brought research and instruction directly into the field.

More than a century later, É«»¢ÊÓƵ of Missouri (LU) is carrying Carver’s idea forward once again through Jesup Wagon 2.0, a modern reimagining of the original wagon.

É«»¢ÊÓƵ highlighted the relaunch during its George Washington Carver Heritage Days Celebration, where Jesup Wagon 2.0 reentered service through LU Cooperative Extension’s Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program (ISFOP). The mobile classroom now travels across Missouri, continuing a model rooted in hands-on learning and direct community outreach.

Participants gather at the open trailer of Jesup Wagon 2.0 as LU Cooperative Extension educators demonstrate tools and share information.

Mark Lucas, director of ISFOP, said Jesup Wagon 2.0 is not meant to replicate Carver’s original wagon exactly, but to continue the work it represented.

“It showed people that education and innovation belonged to them,” Lucas said. “That idea of mobility still matters today.”

Jesup Wagon 2.0 has been updated for today’s farms, combining practical tools with newer technology. A dedicated driver transports the mobile classroom to regional and state events, with Joplin serving as its home base. A formal scheduling system also helps new and existing partners reserve the wagon for workshops, conferences and field demonstrations.

Inside the wagon, farmers can explore tools suited for use in their own operations. The collection includes long-handled tools to reduce bending and strain, seeders to improve field efficiency and other equipment that supports safer, more comfortable farm work.

Jesup Wagon 2.0 also includes newer technology, such as a 3D printer and scanner, which can help recreate small, missing or broken tool parts. For farmers, this creates another option when replacement pieces are difficult to find or would take too long to ship.

Jesup Wagon 2.0 has returned and is once again bringing tools, demonstrations and information to events across Missouri.

ISFOP’s Mary Keeter, who played a central role in preparing Jesup Wagon 2.0 for its relaunch, said the demonstrations help people evaluate tools before making an investment.

“A lot of times farmers are interested in a tool, but they don’t know if it will actually work for their operation until they can see it in person,” Keeter said. “This gives them a chance to handle the tools, see how they work and decide whether it’s worth the investment.”

Alongside traditional tools, the wagon also shows how agricultural education continues to change with farmers’ needs. By combining practical demonstrations with newer technology, Jesup Wagon 2.0 continues Carver’s vision of bringing useful knowledge directly to Missouri farmers.

For more information or to request the Jesup Wagon 2.0 for an event, please contact Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program Director Mark Lucas at LucasM@Lincolnu.edu or call 573-681-5584.