Why Innovation on Small Farms?

We realize that small farms face many challenges, but from challenges come innovations. We aim to support those innovations by developing a project-based learning curriculum that connects farmers to a collaborative team of students, faculty, Extension, and agriculture service providers, to help bring your ideas to fruition. Each project will recruit students from the College of Engineering and the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources to work with you and lead the design of these new farm innovations!

Our Goals

What started out as the Storrs Agricultural School in 1881 after a 170-acre farmland donation, UConn—which also went by the name Connecticut Agriculture College in the early 1900s—remains dedicated to teaching students about the importance of agricultural sciences.

We’re excited to be able to help local farmers explore ideas that will benefit the practical needs of their agricultural businesses,
Dr. Tim Vadas

Now, with the support of a USDA Higher Education Challenge grant (USDA NIFA Award no. 2024-70003-41449), UConn’s College of Engineering (CoE) and College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), are enhancing agricultural education by assisting Connecticut farmers through an Innovation on Small Farms Project. Our goals are to:

  • Provide farmers with help to explore and/or design innovative ideas for their farm.
  • Provide students from the College of Engineering and the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources a practical, project-based, agricultural design experience
  • Encourage agriculture focused career paths for students
  • Share our approach with other educators across the country

For Farmers

UConn Undergraduate Student watering plant farm

The projects with farms across the State of Connecticut will help jump start innovation and collaboration.

For Students

UConn Professor Li with students working on turfgrass for tomatoes

For Educators

A small orange tree that seeded by Theodore Sedgwick

Interested in starting this at your school? We have some materials to share and are interested in talking with you!

Annual Events

male student at a green house conducting research

Farmer 2 Farmer Conference

This conference is held annually in January; students and farmers represented to showcase important research findings and lay the groundwork for future collaboration and innovation.

Conference Facebook Page

uconn two students at senior design

Senior Design Day

Students demonstrate their results of their research, collaborations and their projects! This event is held annually at the end of every spring semester and open to the public.

College of Engineering Senior Design Day

What is Happening at College of Engineering

What is Happening at College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources