The intentional, directional, and reliable flow of water is important to ensure agricultural water is “safe and of adequate sanitary quality”. This post provides information on the importance of backflow prevention and some common practices that help mitigate the risk of backflow. You can also view presentation slides and a recorded webinar on this topic …
Author Archives: Chris Callahan
Staying Ahead in the Packshed: Postharvest Topics, Sources of Information, and Ideas from Growers
Last Fall we surveyed growers in the region about postharvest topics in preparation for a USDA NE SARE proposal. That proposal has been funded! Growers who responded assigned a high level of importance to aggregated postharvest knowledge (4.5/5.0, n=56) while indicating poor availability of the information (3.3/5.0, n=57). Several ideas for research topics were provided …
Getting Started with a Growth Chamber
We’ve received a number of inquiries about building germination chambers so we have decided to provide some consolidated resources and guidance. An important first step is to consider what the purpose of the chamber actually is. There are a number of horticultural practices that benefit from dedicated, environmentally controlled spaces. These include germination, starting, propagation/transplanting, …
Cooler Construction Options – Walls and Panels
There are many options when it comes to constructing a walk-in cooler, cold room, or warm room for on-farm storage. The main goals for construction of any temperature and humidity controlled space are: Insulate the walls to provide for efficient temperature control against a different outside temperature (which may be a warmer inside space) Seal …
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Briquetting a Better, Burnable Cow Patty
Chris recently served as a technical advisor to Rose Marie Belforti on her recent NE-SARE funded project to demonstrate a hydraulic press used to make fuel briquettes from manure and bedding. The machine, dubbed the “Biomass Beast” by Rose, was built for $5,766 and Rose demonstrated production of briquettes at a rate of 90 dry …
Hanging Hoses
Having water when and where you need it can make a big difference in vegetable wash station efficiency. Planning for multiple “drops” or spigots around the wash area can make it more convenient to access water where it is needed. Investing in a hose hanger, hose reel or a trolley can help keep the hose …
Lessons in Ergonomics from My Grandmother
I recently had the opportunity to record a public service announcement (PSA) for WDEV. This is part of a series of PSA’s the UVM Extension colleagues contribute to. I decided to focus on ergonomics and shared some lessons from my grandmother and other sources. Click below to listen. The text and additional resources are available …
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Simple Ergonomics and Lean Thinking at Chewonki Farm
I recently visited Chewonki, a school, camp, and farm in Wisscasset, ME that had a recent visit from an ergonomics consultant at their beautiful new pack shed. Some insurance companies offer these visits for free as an injury (and claim) prevention measure. Several things that struck me: They were experimenting with different heights for wash …
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All About Alliums – Twilight Meeting
High Meadows Farm July 12, 2018 5 – 7 PM FREE Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1661423530613433/ Join Howard Prussack of High Meadows Farm, University of Vermont Agricultural Engineer Chris Callahan and Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Specialist Crystal Stewart for a field walk discussing garlic and onion production and postharvest handling. The event will include a focus on …
Produce Safety in Broccoli
Chris recently teamed up with Dr. Elizabeth Bihn of Cornell University and the Produce Safety Alliance to provide a webinar on produce safety aspects of broccoli production. This work is part of a larger USDA SCRI project focused on Eastern Broccoli as a specialty crop with economic importance and potential in the region. This webinar …