ASABE's UC-Blackwelder Tomato Harvester plaque

A patent drawing for a Tomato Harvester.

The UC-Blackwelder Tomato Harvester was dedicated in 2005, the harvester is on display with an ASABE commemorative plague at the Western Center for Agricultural Equipment on the UC Davis campus.

The UC-Blackwelder Tomato Harvester. (L to R): Bert Blackwelder, representing Blackwelder Manufacturing Company; Les Heringer, on whose farm early models were tested, and Bob Curley, retired UC Davis agricultural engineer.

Bert Blackwelder, ASABE's Melissa Moore, and Les Heringer beside a UC-Blackwelder Tomato Harvester at the time of the plaque dedication.

As a UC Davis agricultural engineer, Steven J. Sluka developed the vine separator for the Tomato Harvester.

Steven J. Sluka with ASABE's UC-Blackwelder Tomato
Harvester plaque.

Bert Blackwelder and Melissa Moore at plaque dedication.

The Joe A. Heidrick, Sr. Western Center for Agricultural Equipment on the UC Davis Campus, where the plaque was dedicated and will be permanently displayed.

Here are directions to the Heidrick Center:
From San Francisco, take Interstate 80 east. (From Sacramento, go west on Interstate 80.) Just west of Davis, take the Highway 113 exit and go one mile north towards Woodland. Take the first offramp (Hutchinson Drive) and cross back over Highway 113 to head west on Hutchinson Drive. The WCAE is the first building on the right.