Our Mission: To conduct research, education, and outreach dedicated to enhancing our food systems with a focus on infrastructure, technology, and equipment that meet the needs of producers and processors.
Our Work Areas
Post Harvest
Handling of crops after harvest including washing, packing, curing, drying, storage, and produce safety.
View Post Harvest Resources
Protected Culture
Growing in areas protected from the environment such as high tunnels, greenhouses, and indoor growing.
View Protected Culture Resources
Sustainable Agriculture
Farm-based energy sources and practices supporting agriculture for today and tomorrow.
View Sustainable Agriculture Resources
Find a Resource
Tools and Information
Calculators & Tools
- Bean Counter – A Simple Counting App
- Crop Storage Planning Tool in Excel
- Heating and Cooling Load Calculator for Produce Coolers and Warm Rooms
- High Tunnel and Greenhouse Heating and Cooling Calculator
- Hops Moisture Calculator
- Pump and Pipe Pressure Excel Calculator
- PsychroCalc Excel Add-in
- Sanitizer Dose Calculator
- Wall Thermal Calculator
Events (Workshops, Webinar’s & Presentations)
Other Projects
Our team is Chris Callahan and Andy Chamberlin. Our common motivations are problem solving in agriculture, the community of people who grow and make food, the environment, dogs, and coffee.
The SCRUB Project is a multi-state team creating and sharing educational resources to improve produce safety and efficiency on your farm.
A behind the scenes podcast where we visit with farmers and learn what it takes to be a sustainable produce grower across people, profits and our planet.
Recent Posts
- A Fork in the Road: Outgrowing the Packshed at Crossroad Farm
Philip Mason, owner of Crossroad Farm in Thetford, VT, has been working on this farm for over 10 years, but is not held back by the way things have always been done. He has an open mind and is always looking for ways to improve and take the business to the next level. When he …Continue reading “A Fork in the Road: Outgrowing the Packshed at Crossroad Farm”
- Metal Building in a Week: Scaling up at McDonald Farmstand
Jacob Mills started vegetable farming in 2017 and, after a few years of building the business, faced the reality that washing and packing out of the end of a greenhouse wasn’t going to help him meet the goal of working full-time on the farm. He was coming to a crossroads realizing that if this was …Continue reading “Metal Building in a Week: Scaling up at McDonald Farmstand”
- Beating Beetles Better: Mechanically Controlling Colorado Potato Beetle
Controlling Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) organically can be challenging as the bugs have developed resistance to the many pesticide options available on the market. Lack of control has persuaded some farms to stop growing potatoes altogether. This bug has been a challenge for centuries. As seen in the Prince Edward Island (PEI) historical museum, this …Continue reading “Beating Beetles Better: Mechanically Controlling Colorado Potato Beetle”
- A Guide to Preparing High Tunnels for Extreme Weather
Compiled from VVBGA farmer input by Becky Maden, Chris Callahan, Vern Grubinger, and Andy Chamberlin. Introduction High tunnels and greenhouses provide protection for crops, extend the growing season, and improve yield and quality. However, climate change brings both a higher frequency and increased intensity of extreme weather events. It is important to think about how …Continue reading “A Guide to Preparing High Tunnels for Extreme Weather”
- Shipping Container Delivers the Goods for Ascutney Harvest
Lauren Mucha and Oliver Owen own and operate Ascutney Harvest in Ascutney, Vermont. Their half-acre market garden consists mostly of mixed vegetables and herbs which require washing and packing before heading off to two different farmers markets and a few wholesale vendors. They are fairly new to this land, and needed to make a quick …Continue reading “Shipping Container Delivers the Goods for Ascutney Harvest”
- Planning Tames the Postharvest Beast at Wild Work Farm
Lissa Goldstein runs the farming operation at Wild Work Farm in Keene Valley, New York nestled in the Adirondack Mountains. Wild Work is a diversified vegetable farm with some blueberries and fruit trees. When Lissa heard we were building out examples of wash/pack areas she reached out to share details of her shipping container project, …Continue reading “Planning Tames the Postharvest Beast at Wild Work Farm”
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ageng@uvm.edu
(802) 447-7582 x256
310 Main St, PO Box 559
Bennington, VT 05201-0559
