Carvel Research and Education Center
Welcome
UD's 347-acre Agriculture Research Experimental Station and Sussex Cooperative Extension
Poultry Health
Agronomic Crop Tour 2024
Research + Extension
Sharing the latest research with our community
Crop Research
Creating Partnerships
Reaching across programs and institutions for efficient solutions
The Elbert N. and Ann V. Carvel Research and Education Center
The Carvel Center campus, located in Georgetown in Sussex County, fulfills the tripartite mission of our land-grant university — teaching, research and Extension outreach. The Carvel Center serves as the southern agriculture experiment station for the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and encompasses the Thurman Adams Jr. Agriculture Research Farm (347 acres) with a focus on agronomic, vegetable and horticulture crops, the Warrington Irrigation Research Farm (120 acres) in Harbeson, Lasher Laboratory for poultry diagnostics, and the Jones Hamilton Environmental Research House. Our campus is also home to Sussex County Cooperative Extension providing programing in 4-H Youth Development, Poultry, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Lawn and Garden.
With an overall staff of 50 full-time administrators, agents, faculty, and specialists, assisted by 50 to 70 seasonal part-time employees and student interns, the Carvel Center paves the way in serving the needs of the agricultural industry, youth and families, students and residents of our great state. Learn more about our history.
Our research and educational facilities
Advancing agriculture in the first state
Article by Molly Schafer Photos by Michele Walfred and courtesy of the Delaware Department of Agriculture March 04, 2025
Mark Isaacs, long-time director of Carvel Research and Education Center, concludes a UD career filled with impact
This month, after 38 years at UD, Isaacs will retire from his dual roles as director of the Elbert N. and Ann V. Carvel Research and Education Center in Georgetown and associate professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.
Isaacs is equally known and appreciated for his ability to create partnerships with county, state, industry and private partners and for his role as a career coach for students in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR).
Montage of Extension Staff in Action in Delaware: youtube.com/watch?v=UHPYhBIWRj0
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Bird flu battle stations
March 19, 2025 | Article by Michele Walfred Photos by Michele Walfred and Katie Peikes and courtesy of Georgie CartanzaIn late fall, approximately 237,000 wild birds, representing 32 waterfowl species, fly south along the Atlantic Flyway from their Arctic home and settle along the Delmarva Peninsula. The impressive figure, calculated by the University of Delaware from surveys conducted by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources, includes the familiar snow geese, Canadian geese and ducks. In all, our temporary avian visitors rest and co-mingle in our local region before returning north at the beginning of spring. -
Packing for the Picky Eater: For parents of picky eaters (elementary school students)
March 17, 2025 | Written By: Reid Reckner, MS, dietetic intern, and Diane Oliver, MPH, RDN, LDN, Extension Agent – Health and Well-beingMarch is National Nutrition Month! Many families struggle with packing lunch for picky eaters. Finding a balance of foods that are nutritious, tasty, and convenient for a picky eater can be a daily challenge for many parents– leaving them to wonder, what should I pack? -
Spring Garden and Landscape Sanitation: A Fresh Start for Your Plants
March 10, 2025 | Written by: Jill Pollok, Plant DiagnosticianSpring is here, and that means it’s time to breathe new life into your garden! But before you rush out to plant, there’s one important step to take–cleaning up. Spring garden sanitation might not sound as exciting as picking out new flowers or veggies, but it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent pests and diseases from taking over your landscape later in the season. Here’s how a little spring cleaning can make all the difference.
Upcoming Events
History of the Agriculture Research Center in Georgetown
A Delaware General Assembly act provided the establishment of an agricultural substation for southern Delaware. The first structure at the new "Substation" opened in 1942, which is still in use — now as storage space.
A more thorough, published history written by former Extension specialist and former Delaware Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Kee, is now available in the fall of 2019.