I joined UNH in 2004, and am currently Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems and a researcher with the NH Agriculture Experiment Station. Prior to 2023, I held a split appointment as Extension Specialist in Sustainable Horticulture. Before coming to UNH, I worked as a plant geneticist and lettuce breeder with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Salinas, California. I developed an appreciation for plants and agriculture on a highly diversified farm in Vermont.
My program takes an integrated approach to research & extension activities that focus on high-value specialty crop production & methods of extending the growing season for NH farmers. I am particularly interested in researching strategies to minimize production costs and ecological impacts, while producing economically viable yields of high-quality crops. Recent projects have focused on identifying new crops, cultivars and production practices, including season extension technologies, that expand opportunities for vegetable and berry production in northern New England.