Carvel Research and Education Center
Welcome
UD's 347-acre Agriculture Research Experimental Station and Sussex Cooperative Extension
Carvel Research and Extension Tours
Bird Flu: What you need to know
UD poultry agent shares 6 facts about
avian Influenza
Poultry Health
Research + Extension
Sharing the latest research with our community
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
Trapezing Trees
Article by Michele Walfred, Tracy Wootten and Jeremy Wayman Video by Michele Walfred
When people need a large tree removed or pruned on their property, they often encounter sticker shock. It’s expensive, and therefore tempting, to take on the towering tree task themselves.
Stop. It is not a DIY project. Put away the ladder and call in a pro! Scaling up a towering oak, maple, sycamore, or elm tree and doing so safely, and removing or pruning without incident, is an art form best left to the experts.
Montage of Extension Staff in Action in Delaware: youtube.com/watch?v=UHPYhBIWRj0
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Sprouting Cities: 2025’s Best Cities for Urban Gardening
August 20, 2025 | Written by Sav Maive (Lawn Starter)Where can urban gardeners grow a bountiful harvest? To find out, LawnStarter ranked 2025’s Best Cities for Urban Gardening, and continue reading for a Q&A with UD's own expert, Sue Barton! -
Caterpillar Season is Here!
August 19, 2025 | Written by: David Owens, UD Cooperative Extension Agricultural Entomology Extension SpecialistThere are several caterpillar species whose populations tend to peak about this time of year. While some, such as Monarchs, are celebrated and others are oohed and ahhed over like the silk worms, several are major agricultural pests that require vigilance. I once heard a colleague lament why insects seem to get more attention than weeds, even though weeds are a greater yield robber. In many crops, insects are less critical than weeds, nematodes, and diseases. -
August in Bloom: Garden Inspiration from the UD Master Gardener Teaching Gardens
August 11, 2025 | Written by: Carrie Murphy, Master Gardener: Lawn and Garden Program LeaderAugust is a great month to visit gardens and gather ideas. Take note of plants with pops of color, good form and texture, heavy bloomers, tough dispositions, plants that can withstand hot, humid, and dry conditions, an occasional heavy summer storm, and offer support, especially food, for pollinators.
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.