UNH alum Tim Fischer ’20 began his career in the same place he works now – UNH’s MacFarlane Research Greenhouses. As a student in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program, Fischer worked as a research assistant with post-doctoral research fellow and UNH alum Lise Mahoney, helping her to breed and propagate organic strawberry varieties for the Northeast.
From there, Fischer worked in horticulture and plant science for a range of businesses around the country before heading back to his home state and joining the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (NHAES). As an assistant manager of the UNH Macfarlane Research Greenhouses, he applies his extensive experience in growing different plants using a variety of techniques toward making sure that NHAES research plants grow under ideal conditions.
“My favorite part of working in a greenhouse is just being around the plants,” said Fischer, “because I’ve always loved plants and learning how different things grow.”
Position: Assistant Manager of the UNH Macfarlane Research Greenhouses
Starting date with NHAES: October 2023
Previous positions: Farm manager for Northwoods Brewing Company; Vegetative Department Lead for Mariment, a cannabis company; Head of Greenhouse at Lettuce Grow, a hydroponics company.
Where did you work before coming to UNH?
Tim Fischer: I started out at the Northwoods Brewing Company here in New Hampshire. I minored in Brewing at UNH and studied at the Brewing Science Lab, so when I joined Northwoods, I began a hop farm for the company; helped with brewing; and grew pumpkins, squash and other vegetables for the company’s bakery and restaurant. From there, I moved to Los Angeles and worked at two cannabis companies, where I was responsible for caring for the younger cannabis plants and keeping track of the mother plants. Then I moved to Texas and served as the head of greenhouse for a startup hydroponics company that produced at-home hydroponic growing systems. I helped grow lettuce, herbs and vegetable seedlings that customers would grow in their systems.
Having this background with a variety of plants and understanding how these plants grow and their specific needs has been very helpful at MacFarlane.
What sparked your interest in plants and agriculture?
Tim: I actually started out at the UNH Paul College of Business and Economics, but I realized in my sophomore year that it wasn’t the right fit for me. I’ve always liked plants, so I decided to explore sustainable agriculture. As soon as I began, I was able to learn hands-on in the greenhouses, and I had great professors, and it just took off from there.
How does your major in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (SAFS) help you in your new role?
Tim: The SAFS program includes many hands-on opportunities for students at the greenhouse, and I got to work with a lot of unique varieties of plants here. I also learned about plant breeding, particularly through my research with Lise Mahoney and her project on creating an organic variety of strawberries that could be sustainable for New England climates. Lise’s project also sparked my interest in plant breeding and genetics, which I’ve continued with cannabis and other plants, and which I hope to continue working on in the future.
What are your responsibilities as assistant manager of the greenhouses?
Tim: With my experience in hydroponics, I focus mainly on the irrigation side of things—making sure everything is watered properly throughout the day. I also maintain fertilizer levels, and generally monitor plant health.
What are your interests and hobbies? Do you grow plants in your own time?
Tim: At the greenhouse, we have an open room where I have been able to experiment with my own plants. I collect seeds, and I like growing unique plant varieties that you can’t normally find in a grocery store, like different pepper and tomato types and interesting flowers. As for other hobbies, I’m a big sports fan, especially Red Sox and Celtics, and I enjoy different outdoor activities, like hiking and disc golf.
