ageng@uvm.edu
(802) 447-7582 x256
310 Main St, PO Box 559
Bennington, VT 05201-0559
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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.
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Protected Culture
Growing in areas protected from the environment such as high tunnels, greenhouses, and indoor growing.
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Sustainable Agriculture
Farm-based energy sources and practices supporting agriculture for today and tomorrow.
View Sustainable Agriculture Resources
Tools and Information
Events (Workshops, Webinar’s & Presentations)
The SCRUB Project is a multi-state team creating and sharing educational resources to improve produce safety and efficiency on your farm.
Recent Posts
- Exclusion Netting for Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)
If you grow berry crops you’ve most likely heard of spotted wing drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii). This invasive pest has caused significant crop losses in the region since at least 2011. While there are chemical pesticides with varied efficacy, one practice that we’ve focused on is physical exclusion with netting. Pioneered in the region by …Continue reading “Exclusion Netting for Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)”
- Patient Pursuit of Packshed Happiness at Ananda Gardens
Patrick Sullivan and Melisa Oliva have been farming for 5 years at Ananda Gardens, a CSA Farm in Middlesex, Vermont. They have been working to grow their farm and improve their wash-pack area as they renovated the 1950s dairy barn that stood on the property. They have 150 CSA members between the fall and spring …Continue reading “Patient Pursuit of Packshed Happiness at Ananda Gardens”
- Washing Machine/Greens Spinner Conversion Guide
Greens spinners play a vital role making greens production profitable for the small farm. Some farms find themselves stuck in the middle, where inexpensive, small-scale spinners cause a bottleneck, but it is hard to justify a more expensive industrial, stainless steel, restaurant-style machine. If you are just getting started, we have a full overview of …Continue reading “Washing Machine/Greens Spinner Conversion Guide”
- Starting-up Heaters without Getting Burned – Greenhouse and High Tunnel Heater Safety Checks
As the days grow longer and warmer, we can’t help turning our attention to germination chambers, propagation houses, greenhouses, and high tunnels. It is an exciting time of year, but also a time to take some extra care with heating appliances. Before firing up the heaters in your heated growing spaces, take the time to … - Preventing Freezing in Produce Coolers
Occasionally, during longer cold snaps, we receive a lot of questions about storage crops freezing in coolers. This post summarizes some ideas for preventing freezing. Summary Seal up the cooler box – stop drafts by sealing the cooler walls and doors. Keep produce off the floor and away from the walls – break conduction paths … - Root Washers for Produce Farms
There are many ways to wash root crops on produce farms. This guide covers a range of options from smaller farms washing by hand to larger operations with fully automated wash lines. Watch the Webinar Root Washing Systems with Hans Estrin | VVBGA Webinar Series Spray tables Spray tables are commonly used to rinse bunched …