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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The Cost of Chronic Disease
May 23, 2025 | Written by Nancy Mears, Sussex County Extension Agent – Health & Well-beingChronic diseases dominate US healthcare costs, especially in Delaware, where the aging population and high obesity rates exacerbate the issue. Delaware’s 65+ population is projected to grow by 65% from 2015 to 2050. From 2016-2023, chronic diseases cost the State of Delaware $135 billion. Nationally 1 in 5 people live in a rural community, where there are more significant health disparities as compared to those living in urban areas. Poor health places a strain on the nation’s resources. -
Demystifying Parents’ Role in the 4-H Program
May 19, 2025 | Written by Kendra Harrold, Sussex County Director of 4H Afterschool ProgramsA frequent source of confusion for parents regarding 4-H is recognizing the program's wide-ranging opportunities and its emphasis on experiential learning instead of just academic results. Many parents first view 4-H as primarily centered on agriculture or animal-related projects, but the program actually includes a vast array of activities such as science, health, civic responsibility, and leadership skills. -
Trapezing Trees
May 16, 2025 | Article and Video by Michele Walfred, Photos by Michele Walfred, Jeremy Wayman, Tracy WoottenWhen 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.
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.