Category Archives: Field Trips-Tours

Field Trips-Tours, Poultry

Poultry Farm

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Georgie Cartanza owns and runs an organic chicken farm here in Delaware. In her 4, 65’ wide and 600’ long chicken houses, she can have up to 148,000 chickens at once, which can feed about 59,808 people a year! Being in the state of Delaware means that her farm is very close to a huge percentage of the American population, meaning the cost of transporting the chickens is much lower than in other places in the country, and the meat is fresher. Less transportation means less fuel which also keeps the carbon footprint of the birds lower.

But how does she raise these chickens? What makes them organic? A huge help in keeping the chickens healthy and comfortable is the technology she has on her farm. Large control panels keep tabs on everything that is happening, from the humidity to the temperature in each house. From these panels Georgie can adjust the temperature and humidity with ease. Her organic chickens must be fed GMO free, organic feed and must have access to the outdoors, which also must be organically certified. Her chicken houses have windows to allow in natural light and she must have the proper documentation to certify her chickens as organic.

Agriculture Careers, Agritourism, Equine/Horse, Field Trips-Tours, Livestock, Photos & Scenery

UD Farm Tour Fieldtrip

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Our last field trip was close to home, the UD Farm tour! We spent the day learning about what the University of Delaware had to offer its students and community. Scott Hopkins, the farm superintendent, guided us on our last tour. Although I have been on the farm many times before, I learned many new and valuable things that we’re doing at UD. I never knew that we were growing hops and rice patties, so that was an interesting fun fact to learn. We toured both the main farm and Webb farm, with the day ending at UDairy Creamery.

My favorite part of the day was when we got to enjoy our ice cream while watching our classmate put on a fiddling concert. Max nailed the performance and it was a great way to wrap up our final field trip together. Overall, our forth field trip was very educational and a lot of fun!

Field Trips-Tours, Livestock, Photos & Scenery

My 4th tour of UD’s farm

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One of the big bonuses of helping Mark Isaacs with Understanding Today’s Agriculture is accompanying the class on the tours.  I always absorb something new, and on this cold and blustery Saturday, learned that Farm Superintendent Scott Hopkins is responsible for planting all the trees that line the gravel road approaching the livestock portion of the farm. Scott incorporates beauty and function Into everything he does—a terrific example of establishing balance on a working, teaching farm.

This fourth trip ended with a special treat — the musical talents of first year student Max Huhn, who has been playing for 12 years. As an aspiring guitarist and mandolinist myself, I appreciated his command of the fiddle, and his passion for traditional Irish and Bluegrass music. After a morning of encroaching winter weather and a delicious dose of UDairy Creamery (thank you Mark) our hearts and bodies were warmed! Dr. Limin Kung was on hand to open up the Commons where Max took center stage! He treated the class to a half hour concert, and a segment of that performance provides the soundtrack to this short recap of our tour.   I could have listened to Max all day! Max opens with his own original composition, “Ghost Cow” and transitions into a traditional Irish tune entitled “Tam Lin.”  Enjoy!

Field Trips-Tours

UD FARM TOUR WITH SCOTT HOPKINS

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On November 10th, 2018 we went on a trip to UD’s farm. Even though it was cold and windy I had a lot of fun getting to see new parts of the farm I had never been into yet. Scott Hopkins gave us a tour and talked about everything that goes on there. He is the farm superintendent and told us that the farm consists of an organic farm, horses, sheep, 25 beef cattle, and 85 dairy cattle. The farm provides its food products to restaurants and to UD students through a produce stand, Star Campus, and UDairy. He also wasn’t sure what to say as the most exciting research project when asked due to them all being interesting for different things. On the farm they have research being done with everything from bees to rice.

For me I enjoyed seeing the new parts of the farm I hadn’t been to yet since I’m a plant science and landscape horticulture and design double major. I have seen the dairy cows, the rice plots, the bees, and the organic farm. The new part for me was seeing the Webb farm since I haven’t taken any classes that are over there. Over on Webb farm are where the beef cattle, sheep, and horses are. It was nice getting to see this side of the farm since I had never seen it before. I had a lot of fun getting to see more of the farm. Thank you Scott Hopkins for giving us a tour of the farm and answering our questions.

Field Trips-Tours

Tour of the University of Delaware Farm

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On November 10th, we took a tour of the University of Delaware farm by the farm superintendent Mr. Hopkins.  At the university, we are extremely fortunate to have a fully-operational farm on campus. This is something very few universities in the area can claim.

Our tour began by going through the UD organic farm where the Fresh 2 You gardens and high tunnels are.  This garden provides produce to restaurants and the University. From there we moved to the milking parlor. Knowing very little about dairy operations, I was shocked at how much technology goes into the process. The milking machines are capable of testing many different qualities of the milk to ensure that the product is sufficient. Furthermore, those who run the parlor are very meticulous about checking for many health standards in the cows, like mastitis. We then went to the dairy barn where we learned about how UD can conduct research on dairy nutrition and how various diets can impact milk production. Through this experience it became very clear how multifaceted dairy production truly is.

Next, we transitioned to the Webb Farm where we first focused on equine production. UD has a few horses, a small arena, and a teaching stable. We then moved to the sheep barn, where we learned about various nutritional and breeding strategies being used in the sheep production. The herd also provides wool used to create blankets at UDairy.  Finally we saw the beef cattle herd from afar.

Despite being a very cold day, the tour was extremely engaging and made me very excited for my next 4 years in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Field Trips-Tours

UD Farm Tour

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On Saturday November 10th 2018 the AGRI130 class attended a tour of the UD farms. We started the tour by getting on a bus and drove around various sections of the UD farm. We were fortunate to have Scott Hopkins with us and briefly describe and explain the different areas of the farm as we passed them. We toured the UD dairy section of the farm. We got of the bus and went into the building were they held the cows. Scott explained how they usually milk the diary cows two to three times a day. He also explained how the herd of cows was happy and calm. He said he was able to determine this because most of the cows were eating. Scott said that if they were nervous mot of them would not be eating. After we saw the dairy cows we went to the Webb farm section and saw a variety of different holding areas. We saw were they would hold horses and sheep. While we were there we saw different groups of sheep. They were separated based on their age and future use. Overall This was a very interesting field trip and I learned a lot about the Farming at UD.

Agriculture Careers, Delaware Agriculture, Field Trips-Tours

Newark’s Farm Tour

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It was very surprising to see the size and scope of the farm at UD.  Much of the food goes to the STAR building, donations, and to local restaurants. There are a variety of animals that they care for such as dairy cows, beef cows, sheep, chickens, and horses but there are also crops on the farm as well such as tomatoes and rice. Much of the farm is dedicated to research as they can test how different crops perform in green houses or using different irrigation techniques but they also do other forms of research such as formations of wetlands.  Dairy cows are one of the primary focuses and challenges of the farm. They have to be trained to be milked and fed in the correct areas efficiently. It was very interesting to learn that dairy cows are very difficult to retrain to go to a new feeding area once they have been trained to go to a specific one. Horses are very wild and it was fascinating to learn how they can stop contractions on command if they are threatened during the birthing process. Scott Hopkins heavily promotes that the best way to help animals is sometimes to do nothing and let nature take its course without interruption.

Field Trips-Tours

University of Delaware Farm

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I am really glad that I was able to attend this field trip. I feel as though it is something that almost every student in the college of agriculture does. With absolutely no farm background growing up, I always love being exposed to everything that agriculture has to offer. I usually only step foot on a farm if they are hosting an event that’s open to the public. I hope that in the future I can keep being exposed to the busy lives people in the agricultural industry. I saw how organized the farm has to be to be able to run smoothly. I was sort of surprised when Mr. Hopkins told us that his house is located on the UD farm. As I thought about it more, I realized just how important it must be for Mr. Hopkins to live on the farm. He is able to take care of anything on the farm that doesn’t go as planned. This can include caring for a sick animal or being around to milk the dairy cows twice per day. Hopefully I will get to spend more time around the farm in the future.

Field Trips-Tours

University of Delaware Farm

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Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make this final field trip, however I absolutely love our farm. As a food science major, I’ve had more limited experience on the farm compared to those in animal science or Pre-Vet degrees, but my favorite class to this day was the ANFS111 lab, which took place on the farm. This class was mandatory my freshman year for all food science majors, and really introduced me to our amazing farm. I learned so much about the different livestock we have here on the farm, as well as the research we do.

As an Ag Ambassador, I’ve had several trainings on the farm. I also have given almost all of the food science prospective tours in the past four years. Something I learned throughout this is the fact that we are so lucky to have a full working farm right on campus for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Many other colleges don’t have this luxury, and it’s one of UD’s most important features for students considering coming to UD. I like to emphasize just how many opportunities there are to get involved on the farm, because many students still have no idea that we even have a farm. I hope that we can all work more towards agvocating for all of the amazing things we do on our farm and I’m so excited to see how the new pilot plant and processing facility in Worrilow will help us advance in the industry,

Agriculture Careers, Equine/Horse, Field Trips-Tours, Livestock, Production Agriculture

UD Farm Tour – Scott Hopkins

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On Saturday November 10th our class toured the Newark Farm on our very own University of Delaware’s campus. Although I was not able to attend I am decently familiar with the campus farm. The UD farm was one of the first things I toured at the University of Delaware. I was immediately impressed by all the different aspects of the farm and the amount of research that they are able to conduct.

One of the main facilities I am pretty familiar with is the milking parlor. It was really cool to see that operation and how they use the milk for UDairy. This is a prime example of how UD is trying to connect the consumers to the product they are buying. This is a big trend for consumers and it is a great marketing technique for UDairy and UD’s dairy. I also am familiar with UD’s dairy because I have had to work a milking shift through one of my classes freshman year. It was good seeing how they take sanitary precautions while milking and also with sick cows. The dairy also has a great basis for research in the dairy industry from feed analysis, exploring the rudiment stomach of the cows, and many other aspects.

Besides the dairy, there is Webb Farm which has sheep, horses, and steers. I have been there before for other classes and it was cool to see how they are putting in place different management methods, like pasture rotation. Also, I know many classes have labs that give the ability for students to get hands on experience with these animals, something that is so crucial in the learning process. In addition, the apiary is a pretty cool aspect of the farm. Bees have had quite the presence on social media due to their importance to our food supply so seeing how UD is doing their part in research and production of bees is awesome. Overall, I think the UD farm is something that makes this university so unique because of all the different research aspects and experience students can gain through it.

Ag Business, Equine/Horse, Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Livestock

UD Farm Final Field Trip

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This past Saturday we had our final field trip which was located here at the UD farm and hosted by the farm superintendent Scott Hopkins. Even though it was a little cold and the wind was blowing it was still a nice day. Being a Pre-Vet major, I’ve had a couple classes on the farm such as the ANFS 111 lab and Organic and Sustainable Farming so I knew most about the farm but it stills amazes me that every time I step foot on it there’s always something learn. For example, last year I volunteered to help Larry Armstrong the Webb Farm Manager in vaccinating the ewe’s and help with the ultrasounds The farm is consisted of over 350 acres of land which is home to different types of animals such as Black Angus beef cattle, Holstein dairy cattle that get milked twice a day, Dorset sheep (which is my favorite), several varieties of chickens, bees, and seven horses. And even a field with hops for beer! On most Fridays there is a tent set up by the organic green houses that sells fresh produce to everyone including students plus the UDairy Creamery where you can buy more than just ice cream.

My favorite part about the farm is how hands on it is. Like during the ANFS 111 lab we get the opportunity to milk the cattle, trim the sheep’s hooves and have the ability to interact with the horses. The day of the field trip, Black Angus beef cows were loud but that was because they were separated from their young who are being weaned off the milk. The best part I like is that UD doesn’t just interact with itself. They have partnerships with other universities such as Rutgers (New Brunswick). For instance, when the dairy cows give birth UD keeps the bull calf for so long and then they ship them to Rutgers for research. UD and Rutgers share the cattle more or less to say which is pretty cool. There is so many career and research opportunities on the farm. If you talk to the right people you are able to be put on a wait list to be able to work with the animals although it is hard to schedule a break time within your normal class schedule to work on the farm but its most definitely worth trying. Also a huge thank you to Dr. Isaacs for treating everyone to ice cream and to Max as well for putting a performance on playing his fiddle!

Field Trips-Tours, Livestock

The UD Farm Experience

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Before coming to the University of Delaware one of the major things I have always heard about was the farm on campus, so I was beyond thrilled to get to see it on my tour before I chose this school. In not being able to see it while on tour I briefly rode by it while I was leaving, but I had no idea I had only seen 5% of what it had to offer. In having the ability to ride through and walk across the farm may seem like something simple to most students in the agriculture field, but it was something brand new and eye opening to me. In getting to walk through each building and see each different department was something I never thought I would get to see the ins and outs of. In going to the dairy part of the farm first, I was extremely honored and proud of how clean and organized everything was, and I experienced this in each new section of the farm. Every pasture or barn was neatly cleaned and cared for and exemplified how much the people in this field care about what they do. Getting to learn about the body language of the holstein cattle, how horses can stop their own contractions if they feel threatened, and the bellows of the beef cattle when being weaned away from their young were all new eye opening facts I otherwise wouldn’t have known about. My favorite part of the tour however, was getting to see all of the sheep. Growing up around the livestock industry in Delaware, I was more custom to seeing horses and cows, but sheep was a new territory. Learning about the rules put in place to allow sheep to give birth on their own and the process of selecting the best ones to keep and breed on the farm was something brand new to me, and I really enjoyed being in that environment. Overall, this was my most influential field trip because it hit the closest to home, not to mention the amazing UDairy ice cream and the wonderful fiddle entertainment by my fellow classmate Max afterwards, I was really impressed!

 

Field Trips-Tours

UD Research Farm Field Trip

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On November tenth, the AGRI 130 students had the opportunity to tour the University of Delaware’s Webb Farm with Scott Hopkins. Webb farm consists of 350 acres of land for crop and animal production. Webb farm features wetlands and forested areas for wildlife and insect populations as well as areas for agricultural production. The students had the opportunity to tour all of the animal facilities including dairy cattle, beef cattle, poultry, equine, and sheep. We also had the opportunity to learn and observe UD’s research areas with bees, hopps, and rice patties. The USDA has an entomology building on the farm, which gives students the opportunity to work with and research a variety of insect species. The entomology building is also used to study the effects of agricultural pests.  There are a variety of research projects being conducted on Webb farm, and UD has the facilities and animals to make these projects successful. For example, in dairy, a group can conduct research with feed through utilizing UD’s kahlen barn, in which each cow has been trained to eat at a specific feed troth and the RFID tags on the collar of the cows lock and unlock the feed troughs. The forage being stored at Webb farm is kept in plastic silos and can be utilized for teaching the importance of anaerobic fermentation of cattle feed as well as providing nutrition to the livestock. Over time, livestock can become too dependant on humans for basic functions such as parturition. Through a selective process, the managers at Webb farm have only kept individuals that are independent and successful for the purposes of teaching, production, management, and research. Webb farm provides the opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to gain hands on experience and enhance their agricultural education.   Mr.Hopkins provided a unique perspective on farming, animal management, and current agricultural issues during the tour. Thank you to Scott Hopkins for educating AGRI 130 students through a tour of Webb farm.

Equine/Horse, Field Trips-Tours, Livestock

UD Farm Tour

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We had an awesome opportunity to get an in-depth tour of the Newark farm on November 10th.  While I have had class on parts of the farm in the past, I hadn’t had the chance until now to see every part of the farm.  Learning about the various projects going on was super cool, like the apiaries and rice patties. We also got to tour the insides of the dairy facilities and learn all about how the cows are trained to just walk into the parlor when milking time rolls around, and how tedious and time consuming it can be to care for them.  Our tour guide Scott Hopkins, the farm superintendent, was full of so much knowledge and information, I didn’t lose focus once listening to him talk about the farm and his passion for it. He had a particular passion for the horses, and he showed us the horse barn and the different tools within it, such as the teasing wall, as well as the small indoor arena that I didn’t know existed. I was also amazed to learn that horses can stop contractions during labor if they feel threatened.  As a whole, the tour was super fun and interesting, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn as much as I did.

Agriculture Careers, Equine/Horse, Field Trips-Tours, Livestock, Poultry

UD Farm Tour

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Today on the UD farm was cold and windy but also a lot of fun! Scott Hopkins was so knowledgeable as the farm superintendent and very informative. The farm consists of an organic garden, 7 horses, 25 beef cattle, 85 dairy cattle, sheep and horses. Mr. Hopkins thinks that the dairy cattle are the most challenging to care for because the dairy cattle get milked twice a day which requires a lot of labor and the dairy cattle require a lot of different equipment. The farm provides food products to restaurants and to UD students through ice cream, produce stands, and star campus.

It was cool to see parts of the farm that I usually don’t get to see as a plant science major. I always love seeing the dairy cows, though sadly the babies were warded off by all of the rain that we have had. The angus cows did not want us around and mooed very loudly. The sheep were also not happy that we were barging in on the cud chewing. There are so many careers on a research farm such as managers and superintendents and other workers that participate on the farm but also professors and graduate students who are conducting most of the research done on the farm. Overall, I had a great time today and I am sad that this was our last field trip.

As mentioned, the sheep were not happy to see us and crammed themselves as far as they could into the corner of their pen.