The New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station is excited to welcome YOU – our supporters and fans – to the Macfarlane Research Greenhouses at UNH for our 2023 Open House on Saturday, April 1, from 9–3 p.m. We’re planning a full day of talks and presentations by NHAES researchers and Extension specialists. Learn about active research projects at the greenhouses and how the science benefits New Hampshire. Meet our greenhouse staff and enjoy lunch offered by the UNH Food Repurposing Project in collaboration with Gather.
~ Anton Bekkerman, Director, NH Agricultural Experiment Station
2023 Schedule of Events
| Time | Event + Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9 am | Open house begins | Macfarlane Research Greenhouses are open to the public |
| 11 am | Extension presentation Putnam Hall, Room 103 |
Light: How do plants use it & how can we grow better plants with it? When we’re young, we learn that plants need light to grow. We may have even learned about photosynthesis in school. But what is it about light that plants require? And how can we use that knowledge to grow healthier plants? From science-interested laypeople to windowsill seedling hobbyists to commercial greenhouse operators, all will benefit and learn from this discussion about light and how it impacts plant growth. Presented by Jonathan Ebba, Extension Landscape and Greenhouse Field Specialist |
| 11 am - 2 pm | Lunch available Macfarlane Greenhouse teaching classroom |
Lunch provided by the Gather food pantry. Lunches will be available to all, with donations encouraged. |
| 12 pm | UNH teaching plant high tunnel tour (off site) UNH teaching high tunnels, O'Kane Road |
Growing food for campus: Discovering UNH’s teaching high tunnels Students in the UNH Food Production Field Experience course—led by faculty member Andrew Ogden—will provide a guided tour of the UNH teaching high tunnels. This program pairs experiential education for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems students with food production for UNH Dining Services. Students, staff and faculty work together to provide thousands of pounds of fresh produce to UNH Dining outlets like the Dairy Bar, Philbrook Dining Hall and Holloway Commons. Come see the winter vegetable production. Transportation from Macfarlane Greenhouses will depart at 12:05 p.m. Or use our self-guided map for directions (available at the front door). |
| 1 pm | NHAES research presentation Putnam Hall, Room 103 |
Keeping cucurbits current Eye-popping pumpkins, long-storing butternuts and sumptuous spineless summer squash—you can buy them in the grocery store and grow them in your garden, but where do they come from? The answer: Your friendly neighborhood breeding program. The UNH cucurbit program is one of the longest-running pumpkin and squash breeding programs in North America. Learn about the breeding process from seed to fruit, and what it takes to keep cucurbits current. Bring your questions on breeding your own vegetables in your home garden. Presented by Chris Hernandez, Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems |
| 2 pm | NHAES research presentation Putnam Hall, Room 103 |
Common vegetable pests and their management Join NHAES researchers for a refresher on identifying common garden pests—including descriptions of their biology and lifecycle—and what are some preventative measures you can take to avoid losing crops to these pests. Bring your questions! Presented by Anna Wallingford, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems |
| 3 pm | Open house ends |
Parking for the event is free in the nearby A lot (see map).
About
The 25,000-square-foot Macfarlane Research Greenhouses are dedicated to research and teaching associated with the NH Agricultural Experiment Station and College of Life Sciences and Agriculture.
The facility provides highly controlled environments for a diversity of research projects, including:
- Ornamental and food crop breeding
- Sustainable ornamental plant nutrition and development
- Aquaculture
- Biological pest control
- Bioremediation
- Plant genetic diversity
The greenhouse environments are monitored and precisely regulated through a computer-based control system that creates a sustainable growing environment through the conservation of heat, electricity, water and fertilizer, and increased plant resistance to insect pests and diseases.
In the News
- Dream (Green)house – COLSA THRIVE
- Macfarlane Research Greenhouses Manager Honored with 2021 Dean’s Award for Distinction – UNH Today
- UNH Greenhouses Get Top Grade for Sustainability – Greenhouse Product News
The Gather Mission:
To make the Greater Seacoast a hunger-free community.
To do this, we:
- Distribute nourishing food to people who do not have enough to eat,
- Take a leadership role in building an equitable and sustainable regional food system, and
- Galvanize public support for ending hunger.
